Games

One of my favourite past times is playing games. Not console games such as XBox or PS, but PC games. I usually play FPS games such as CSS or RTS games such as AOE2TC. Gaming is another way for me to destress after a hard day's work. I have to admit gaming is pretty addictive, once you start you can't stop. Therefore I try to limit my gaming sessions to one hour and take frequent vision breaks to rest my eyes. Please take frequent breaks to stretch your legs and rest your eyes. Marathon gaming sessions are not a good idea because they are harmful to health. Gamers have been known to pass away from gaming exhaustion.

Gaming also requires decent hardware, such as a decent video card, sufficient RAM, a decent processor, a decent gaming mouse, a decent PSU and a decent monitor which supports an optimal resolution and refresh rate. A recommended system configuration is a Nvidia Geforce 7600GT, 1GB RAM, AMD Athlon 64 3200+, a Razer Diamondback gaming mouse, an Antec Truepower II 430W, and a 17" DVI monitor which supports a 1024X768 resolution and a 85Hz refresh rate. A sound card is optional as motherboards today usually come with onboard audio which is sufficient. Speakers are also optional as you can use headphones to emulate stereo or surround sound.

Gaming is not a passive activity, it actually improves creativity, improves teamwork, improves reflexes, and encourages you to think out of the box to solve puzzles. For example, CSS encourages you to use teamwork to achieve an objective instead of going solo to rack up your kills. AOE2TC encourages you to plan your war strategy before executing your war plan. Gaming is also an educational tool to teach flying, driving, typing, languages, math and science, just to name a few. However, games such as GTA and CSS may encourage violence and bloodshed. Killing a terrorist in CSS is not the same as killing an innocent human being in real life. Firing a weapon in a game is not the same as firing a real weapon in real life. PC gaming must not spill over to real life.


PC games

Books

I enjoy reading books in my free time, such as Sidney Sheldon and Michael Crichton, just to name a few. Reading stimulates the mind, improves my English, and gives me inspiration in life. A good book and some relaxing music is a perfect way to relax and unwind after a hard day's work. I used to read Asterix and Tintin in my youth. Now I'm mostly into fiction, although I do read some non-fiction now and then such as self-improvement and self-motivation books.


Buku

Desktop Maintenance

I was doing a bit of servicing the other day and managed to take a few shots of my desktop. These pictures were taken by a Canon Powershot A430 (4.0MP, Canon Zoom Lens 4x Optical, 5.4-21.6mm, 1:2.8-5.8).


Side view unexposed


Side view exposed


Close up of side view exposed


An even closer look

Night Vision

Here's how my laptop looks like when the lights go out. No prizes for guessing what the different colours represent.


Lights out

SR71

The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is a Mach 3 strategic reconnaissance aircraft. The Blackbird is also known as the Sled or the Habu. It was manufactured by Lockheed Skunk Works. The SR-71 was in service from 1964 to 1998. It was designed by Clarence "Kelly" Johnson. The SR-71 has strengths and weaknesses. It's defensive strengths are its high velocity and high flying altitude. It is capable of evading a Surface to Air Missile (SAM) or a Side Winder (SW) or even an enemy aircraft; by accelerating to Mach 3.3 and outrunning and outmanuevering the enemy missile and the enemy aircraft. The missile and aircraft are unable to catch up with the plane. However, it also has weaknesses. It was shaped to reduce Radar Cross Section (RCS), but it was not stealthy enough (observability) because it produced a radar signature that could be tracked by enemy radar systems. It is not invisible to enemy radar, thus it is an easy target for SAMs or SWs or enemy aircraft. The SR-71 does not have any offensive capabilities, such as SWs or gattling guns. It uses its superior speed and superior flying altitude to defend itself.

13 SR-71s have been lost so far, all due to non-combat related reasons.

Here are the specs of the SR-71A:

General Characteristics
Crew: 2
Payload: 3,500 lb (1,600 kg) of sensors
Length: 107 ft 5 in (32.74 m)
Wingspan: 55 ft 7 in (16.94 m)
Height: 18 ft 6 in (5.64 m)
Wing Area: 1,800 ft2 (170 m2)
Empty Weight: 67,500 lb (30 600 kg)
Loaded Weight: 170,000 lb (77 000 kg)
Max Takeoff Weight: 172,000 lb (78 000 kg)
Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney J58-1 continuous-bleed afterburning turbojets, 32,500 lbf (145 kN) each
Wheel Track: 16 ft 8 in (5.08 m)
Wheel Base: 37 ft 10 in (11.53 m)
Aspect Ratio: 1.7

Performance Characteristics
Maximum Speed: Mach 3.3+ (2,200+ mph, 3530+ km/h) at 80,000 ft (24,000m)
Combat Range: 2,900 nm (5400 km)
Ferry Range: 3,200 nm (5,925 km)
Service Ceiling: 85,000 ft (25,900m, 16 miles)
Rate of Climb: 11,810 ft/min (60 m/s)
Wing Loading: 94 lb/ft2 (460 kg/m2)
Thrust/Weight: 0.382


Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird

Many thanks to Wikipedia for the above information.