Category Archives: Geek

Well, More Like Sunset At That Time

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And now, for pictures from the first week of Sunrise Mont Kiara Jazz & Rhythm Fest, 28th July 2006 and 29th July 2006.


Dan Nizam is one fifth of…


…the Rachel Guerzo Quartet, which…


..features her father, Salvador Guerzo…


…and her uncle Louis Soliano.


Vincent Ong included makes five, so it should be a quintet, yes?


Ivan, Shaz and Jasiminne get up on stage with kids to win prizes!


Next up was Lewis Prasagam, hard-hitting drummer, with…


…Chris Wright, who got all the girls’ attention…


…and Wan Asfarezal on bass.


Bruno Leflanchec looks like Paul McCartney.


He also plays a mean flute.


Elvira Arul came on for guest vocals.


Into the void.


Keeran from the Malaysian Dhol Federation.


Jimmy the “Prince of Sax”…


…the photogenic…


…snake charmer.


Funky hair, yo.


And on to Saturday the 29th!


Steve Thornton…


…and his percussion unit.


Jamie Wilson on silent guitar.


Amir Yussof.

And now, for a technical rant. The lighting was bright enough, so don’t use flash! (This goes especially to those digital SLR users, who could afford ISO1600. One Nikon D70s user was afraid to go above ISO200. What the heck?) I’d underexpose by one or two steps (or else the motion blur will cause a white blurry mess). Never mind that the background was dark, as long as the details on white shirts can be seen. ‘sides it would be better to have a dark, broody sharp (due to fast shutter speed) contrasting image than a bright, colorful, but blurry image. Also, the colored lights are funky.

Most shots were in the 1/80th of a second range, ISO 200, F5.6 aperture (on those zoomed all the way).

My next Jazz Fest entry should include a musical rant then. 😀

Channel Tree

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It has been a while since I played with Photoshop.


I chose the Red Channel, mucked with its levels, and pasted the monochrome picture in a new image. Same for the Green, whitening out the skies in favor of leaf detail. I then mucked with the Blue channel to bring out the contrast in skies, darkening the tree to a silhoutte. I then combined them with Multiply and Lighten; can’t remember the order. I then pasted the original picture on top, with a Blending Mode of Color. Finally, I bumped up the saturation.


The original file. Have fun go mad!

I won’t be updating much with pictures (or the promised videos) as my main computer’s main hard disk’s main partition, namely C:, is broke. S.M.A.R.T. reports that its status is bad but I can’t access it to backup stuff. The good news is, C: is only 5 GB on purpose; the bad news is, my recent works are on my Desktop and My Documents, including my To Do list! ARGH.

DAMN YOU WESTERN DIGITAL. You were bad to Fazri. You were bad to JFK.

I bought 10 8x DVD+Rs and 10 16x DVD+Rs, but only backed up 4 DVDs so far. (And none is of the C: drive.) Damn my lazy self.

What’s worse is the feeling of helplessness; I used to be so close to my computer. I used to fix it all and fix it good. Now there are random problems of unpredictable nature popping up.

Perhaps I should stop going out almost every day and stay home and clean up the house, clean up the mess, find the driver CDs and get in touch with my geek self again. I’m afraid I’d lose my touch – I used to be an expert VCR programmer, music video/Transformers/Mr. Bean archivist and a walking talking TV guide. Now I don’t even know what’s on TV.

An Ode To Cosmic Funk Express, Part 2

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A glaring omission to my previous Cosmic Funk Express post would be, of course, super double-tapping guitar-shredding clean-sweeping orgasm-face-making Korean boy, Zack Kim!


His (new) Ibanez Paul Gilbert Model is set up with low action and a fixed bridge instead of the default double-locking Floyd Rose bridge to do plenty of right-hand tapping…


…as well as left-hand tapping. Alda often jokes that he wanted to be a piano player.


So what happened to his previous guitar? Why, he mounted it and placed a hairband (to mute open strings).


The previous guitar, also an Ibanez Paul Gilbert Model, had its Floyd Rose cavities filled up, and the back springs completely removed!


Broken Scar looks like he is shooing Zack off stage.

It’s sad to hear that he will have to go back to Korea. The next he comes back he better be doing his world tour. And I better be getting in backstage to see his groupies flash him.


And now, for a technical note on taking pictures at more formal-like concerts like these; don’t use flash (spotlights give nice color), use a fast shutter speed and higher ISO, underexpose by setting the EV to -1 or -2. The camera, be it point-and-shoot digicam or digital SLR, will still try to expose the background so it is brighter. Screw the background! Let it be underexposed so it does not distract from the performer. It’s better that you lose detail in shadows while getting dramatic lighting. In this picture, it is not underexposed, but the problem with this picture is that there is no detail in highlights; on the right, the same picture was put through Photoshop, Image – Adjustments – Levels, Input Levels – 0, 0.10, 255. As you can see the frets are barely there. In case you’re wondering, the left settings were: 1/160s, F4, ISO 200, EV 0. It should’ve been 1/640s, F4, ISO 200, EV -2.

Oh, and all the shots were photographed with my Canon Powershot A520, or a friend’s Panasonic DMC FZ20, both on ISO 200, and mostly in Shutter Priority mode, 1/60 to 1/100 seconds exposure, EV -1. You have no idea how frustrated I was when my frustrated Nikon D70s owning-friends were going “so blur lah have to use flash!” and I told them off for using ISO 200 on this dSLR. I also went, “Underexpose! Underexpose!” which may audibly make its way to the bootleg videos I will post up.

Yes I sound elitist, but I strongly believe that one should learn up the science of exposure before getting a dSLR.

And now, for less technical things.

After their performance, I bumped into Alda.
Me: After all your calling and promoting the very single Zack, is Zack a virgin?
Alda: Uh gee, I don’t know… is he?
Me: Well, if he is, as band leader you have failed! Failed to give Zack the rock star dream!

Okay, so the conversation was exaggerated, on my part. But hey girls-who-fall-for-guys-in-rock-bands, Zack is as hot as they get, because he’s Korean (aren’t you girls crazy over Koreans now?) and he’s good with his hands. Very good with his hands. You can even bring him over and get him to teach you guitar! He also becomes immensely funnier (and red) with a few beers. Uh. A few beers. Very few, last I remember.

To Shoot A Hamster

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Late, late at night, when I am the only one awake in the house, I am not alone; I always have hyperactive companions. They let me know that they’re awake with the rattling of hamster wheels.


Hamsters are always a challenge to shoot, because they’re always moving. Normal flash would overexpose, so…


Get up close, real close to the hamster. Switch to manual mode, turn on Macro, set the flash to its lowest power, lowest ISO, darkest aperture and fastest shutter speed (if you can set it). Both shots were on ISO 50, flash, F8, 1/500th of a second (I set it to 1/2000 but my camera refused to go faster.) The flash is already too strong even when it’s turned down. The darkest aperture helps with depth of field, lessening the effects of flash, and keeping more of the furball in focus.

Wow, my siblings have had them since the 23rd of August, 2005. I’m not sure, but I think that’s a pretty long lifespan for hamsters.


Oh, and I forgot to put this picture from the Fete De La Musique 2006. Even with a high ISO setting of 200, motion was blurred enough. Should’ve tried a slow-shutter flash, though.

Jumble In The (Concrete) Jungle

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For those of you impatient to read about KL Sing Song 2006, click here to read the article I wrote for Xfresh. Then there are pictures by Jasiminne.

Oh yeah, I forgot; the only reason why I wanted a dedit card was so I could reserve tickets at The Actors’ Studio and KL Performing Arts Centre. 🙁

Oh, and maybe get a 2x2x2 Rubik’s Cube. However, that’s the only one that’s out of stock at Rubik’s official website! Argh. I already have every other cube!

And now, for some random takes on movies:

Pirates Of The Caribbean 2: Dead Man’s Chest
The monsters were… poppier than the first. Halfway through the movie they become a lot less gross-looking and more of a spot-the-sea-creature game. I’m keeping my beard for a bit and it’s messier than before. ARRR! I wanna be a pirate.

Fast And The Furious 3: Tokyo Drift
Not supposed to make sense, but cool nevertheless. I wish they’d allow Ford Mustangs here. Too damn loud, they say.

Cars
Now this would be classic – spot the cultural references! For example, the organic fuel provider was Filmore, and he blasted Jimi Hendrix – Star Spangled Banner. Jimi also performed a few times at Filmore East. They even yelled Freebird! 😀 (Which has some relevance, being a tribute song to NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt…) (More details on Wikipedia.)

I also don’t remember the last time watching a 3D CGI movie made me feel as fulfilled in a magical way like Toy Story did. None of the obscene current cultural references like Shark Tale.

And now, for McDonald’s:

Spicy Beef Foldover
Quite a bit of cheese, tasting much like a pizza. A lot more salad and less sauce. And yeah, I have no beef with it. I mean, there’s very little beef in it. Nice, but don’t go for it if you have a beef craving.

Grilled Chicken Foldover (new recipe)
How could they? They removed most of the sauce, and added a lot more salad to make it as healthy as the Spicy Beef Foldover. Thankfully, there are still two chicken patties, but the one I had, sadly, had a foldover malfunction – one of the patties slid down (probably due to the salad’s lack of grip on the chicken.)

And now, for random pictures:


New meaning to window jam.


Here’s how you can indent/emboss a balloon:

  1. Blow up the balloon and tie its end.
  2. Draw on outside of balloon using marker pen.
  3. Deflate balloon (the marker ink will now appear to ’emboss’ the balloon.)
  4. Stick a finger through its top, to turn it inside out.
  5. Blow it just a little bit and you get this!


A mosquito decides to take a sweet dip in my Teh Tarik.


Moths read blogs, too.


Fight like a butterfly, sting like a bee, stone like a moth.


Prepare for take-off…


It seems to be inspecting itself.

Why Matrix-i?

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“Sir, would you like to apply for a credit card?”
“No thanks, I do not wish to be caught in the evil trappings of credit cards.” (I actually said that. Without looking at the guy, of course.)

“So… how many credit cards do you have?”
“Er… none, why?”
“Wah, you so rich ah?”

I’ve always paid cash upfront for everything before this.

It wasn’t until YK told me how he got his Visa Electron, that I decided to get myself one. No, not a credit card; a debit card which could be used at most credit card terminals. So I’d head over to a Public Bank one of these days.

It was the beginning of the month, and I was depositing some cash in my savings account in Bank Simpanan Nasional. As I walked out, I saw a banner advertising their Matrix-i card. I quickly turned back and applied for one there itself.

Why BSN?

There is no kiasu queue of annoying, annoyed aunties and uncles. The tellers are polite, friendly Malay ladies in tudungs. Heck, they are forgiving to newbies! (Probably because they don’t have the annoyed crowd.) I would not have to line up behind an impatient businessman. Everything is relaxed. They have a numbered ticket machine (in some places.) They aren’t Maybank.

There was no hassle filling up the form, with an upfront payment of RM50. (Of which RM8 went to making the card?) Two weeks later, it was ready.

On a side note, when I was a kid, I wanted to be an inventor. I used to draw all sorts of contraptions. I found these inspiring links:

The MAKE Blog

What to do with your old computer
Nintendo controller phone
Cap-on macro using binocular lens

If I had space in my room, I’d do this:
Golf Ball Pool Table

Project Bazooka Flipsyde

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Man, this is more than a month old. Albert is back in backdated season! (This should give all of you an estimate as to when the bucketload of pictures will arrive…)

Project Bazooka Band Night, 15th June 2006.


Broken Scar Broken Ska is on the list tonight, with blues-playing Curtis Blues Review.


Broken Scar Broken Ska. The colored spotlights were scorchingly bright that night, allowing me to get an exposure of 1/25 seconds, F2.6, at ISO200.


The same manual settings, with flash. However, flash must be set to maximum power so it will reach the back, and it has to be ISO200 (or else the flash won’t reach the background.) This effect is only possible when the spotlights overpower the flash. For digital cameras without manual settings, just set to Auto, flash on, point into the dark crowd, half-press the shutter, then point at the scene and snap.


Curtis of Curtis Blues Review is jamming up his funky blues and soul. Sadly they were a three-piece band that night, as the other guitarist couldn’t make it, so they relegated to covers instead.


And this is how you tap the bottom end!

I now break my own rules and skip big gigs (don’t worry, I will post pictures from Fete De La Musique 2006 when I feel that I’m up to the arduous task) in favor of this small Flipsyde showcase at Zouk, 8th July 2006.


The tuning song. Flipsyde is rock-infused hip hop, with Santana-esque rock solos thrown in, and an acoustic guitar making the funkiest riffs since Baby Bash – Suga Suga.


All tuned in? Let’s go!

Dave Lopez is technically solid on electric guitar, despite his quote:

“I’ve been in rock bands my whole life, and no one ever cared about my playing. But some of these hip-hop kids have never heard a guitar solo. We did a tour with Snoop Dogg, and I’d go out and solo, and the kids would go wild. They thought I was Jimi Hendrix!”


Nothing is cooler than a guitarist strumming and rapping at the same time. He can’t help but sound like Eminem though. It’s the white boy rap I tell ya. (Though sounding like Eminem or Anthony Kiedis is a compliment. Really.) And does anybody notice the guitar solos in some Eminem songs? I do!


Slayer T-shirt and a G&L ASAT! There was no drummer because the DJ has all his beats laid down on the house, yo.


Yes that’s right, an eBow! Just like the one I have! At least he has an electric guitar to max out its effects…


Check out the pedals… and the set list. I saw that extra song down there, so we knew they were coming back for an encore.

Monitor The Devil

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Did anything happen on 06–06–06? Y’know, 6th June 2006?


Yes, the devil stole the soul of my unknown brand 17″ CRT monitor.


Before this, it was either a normal screen, frequently shrinking to the bottom half (in this picture, it shrinks to the top half). I had to rock the monitor upwards and apply pressure to get the power cable to be tilted correctly.


Violence is not recommended.

Don’t worry, I still have an extra monitor, my good old Samsung Syncmaster 750s. Screw LCDs, for the price and gamer satisfaction, I’d need to pay to get above 1280×1024 resolution, I could get a new 19″ CRT or 4 refurbished 21″ CRTs arranged in a square, totalling 42″ in size. :O

Cutting (Glass) Edge

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To fix the short-sightedness of my infrared-cut-filter-removed Fujifilm Digital Q1, I needed to place a similiarly sized glass in front of the CMOS sensor, where the infrared cut filter once was.


The closest I could get was this; while it was a tad over 1mm, I could salvage this to make a 9x9x1 mm sized glass piece. Yes, I bought it just for this purpose at SnJ, Avenue K. The other piece of glass could be used for stop-motion photography from under the glass. 😀


I also bought safety goggles and gloves.


…and a tungsten carbide-tipped glass cutter.


I marked the line to be cut with cellophane tape, using the original infrared cut filter to measure. I then scored across the line repeatedly with the glass cutter, so I could easily snap it.


…whoops. I guess I didn’t score it enough.


Never fear! I then used one of the shards, cut it twice, and managed to get close to the size.


And here it is, before reassembly.

The result? Landscape still is out of focus, and its macro is not focused either. 🙁 I’ll just wait for Fazri to find that glass shop.

Star Wars Stars Transformers

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Okay, okay, so I actually got these early April. Here’s to a healthier obsession, approved by the self-appointed emperor of the galaxy. Star Wars Transformers.


Darth Maul is badass.


Boba Fett has a cool helmet. Well, cool enough that he managed to make mundane colors look cool.


From left to right: Obi Wan Kenobi, recolored-twin Anakin Skywalker duke it out against General Grievous.


Before and after: Anakin Skywalker dons the helmet to become Darth Vader.


From left to right: Boba Fett (Slave 1), Luke Skywalker (X-Wing), General Grievous (Wheel Bike), Obi Wan Kenobi (Jedi Starfighter), Darth Vader (Tie Bomber Advanced), Anakin Skywalker (Jedi Starfighter), Darth Maul (Sith Infiltrator).

There are more pictures with the first four arrivals here.

I’m still waiting for Han Solo and Chewbacca, who combine into… the Millenium Falcon! *dies a happy geek*