Try harder next time....2009

This year I went for my RT (Remedial Training) for the 3rd year running. That's not something I am proud about, I can reassure you but...I must praise the trainers and its progressive policy on a 20 4hr sessions that does really improve my fitness level by a notch.

I was particularly surprised on my 2.4KM timing. It improved from my personal year 2009's WORST of 16.45min (was even longer last few years but was never updated in my IPPT records by the admin staff) to the current 14.27min.

Other than that, I felt more confident in the Standing Broad Jump segment to score 221 with best effort. Thats nothing to worry about Situps so far. Shuttle run though, seems to be declining as far as my 2.4KM endurance improves. I probably need to do more splinting routines.

The worst and probably mostly feared Chin-ups improved from 0 to 2 within 20 sessions. No joy there but it was comfortable to realise that my arms have potential to pull up 86KG worth of FATs and MEAT despite being so...thin.

This RT ended a few days back and I got to enjoy my weekend Sunday Mornings again, for few more months. Ah...Doraemon is still showing on Sunday mornings on Channel 8. What a great cartoon/anime, don't you think?

The new era of floppy disks

Remember the last time (the really ancient times) when we have hundreds of floppy disks to format just to get it ready to use?

Welcome to the current era, where we have thumbdrives to replace the really-really-i-do-not-really-like floppy disks.

Normally, no one needs to format thumb-drives which are newly bought but some brands of thumbdrives comes with software which autoruns when you click them in My Computer within a Windows Environment.

I have usbdlm installed which takes quite good care of drive letter assignments but it just doesn't mix well with software like "Imation Flash Detect".

Back to the subtopic of "Formatting thumbdrives fast", the method I deploy was through cmd scripts and another usb tool called USB Disk Ejector. We are also utilising some USB Hubs to maximise multitasking. What we are trying to achieve here is...

1. Plug in as many thumbdrives we can each time
2. Run a script to format all the plugged in thumbdrives currently
3. Verify all thumbdrives formatted (Physically)
4. Eject all the thumbdrives
5. Go to Step 1

I have got to say this before ending with the scripts (pre-beginner's style). "The hardest part of this task is actually the unpacking of the thumbdrive from the hard (and sharp) plastic packaging using scissors."

Another thing is Script 3 is for the paranoid technogeeks, usb device ejection may or may not be successful. In this case, please plug out the thumbdrive and consider it done.

Prerequisites: USBDLM, USB Disk Ejector
Tested in XP Service Pack 2

Script 1: Helper Script for Formatting Disk
Preparation Required:

• Plug in the maximum number of thumbdrives and record down the drive letters used.
• Give it a name, I called it: "Format helper.bat"
• I did 10 at each Go, so its <=1000% more efficient

REM START OF SCRIPT
goto %1
:1
format I: /FS:FAT32 /Q /V:This_Is_New /Y
goto e
:2
format J: /FS:FAT32 /Q /V:This_Is_New /Y
goto e
:3
format K: /FS:FAT32 /Q /V:This_Is_New /Y
goto e
:4
format L: /FS:FAT32 /Q /V:This_Is_New /Y
goto e
:5
format T: /FS:FAT32 /Q /V:This_Is_New /Y
goto e
:6
format U: /FS:FAT32 /Q /V:This_Is_New /Y
goto e
:7
format V: /FS:FAT32 /Q /V:This_Is_New /Y
goto e
:8
format W: /FS:FAT32 /Q /V:This_Is_New /Y
goto e
:9
format Y: /FS:FAT32 /Q /V:This_Is_New /Y
goto e
:10
format R: /FS:FAT32 /Q /V:This_Is_New /Y
goto e
:e
exit
REM END OF SCRIPT

Script 2: Actual Script to execute when the thumbdrives are ready to be formatted
Preparation Required:

• Place this script in the same folder as the previous one
• Only execute when all thumbdrives are ready, Recommended
• We know they are ready, when the drives appeared in My Computer with a Drive Letter
  

REM START OF SCRIPT
Start "" "format helper.bat" 1
Start "" "format helper.bat" 2
Start "" "format helper.bat" 3
Start "" "format helper.bat" 4
Start "" "format helper.bat" 5

Start "" "format helper.bat" 6
Start "" "format helper.bat" 7
Start "" "format helper.bat" 8
Start "" "format helper.bat" 9
Start "" "format helper.bat" 10

exit
REM END OF SCRIPT

Script 3: USB Disk Ejection Script
Preparation Required: Need to have USB Disk Ejector Program File in the same folder as this script

• Place the USB Disk Ejector program file in the same folder as the script
  
• Only execute when all thumbdrives are ready, Recommended
• They are ready when the drives are labelled accordingly. i.e, in this case, they should be named as "This_Is_New"
• I renamed the program as usbej.exe just to shorten the script a little

REM START OF SCRIPT
usbej /removeletter i:
usbej /removeletter j:
usbej /removeletter k:
usbej /removeletter l:
usbej /removeletter t:
usbej /removeletter u:
usbej /removeletter v:
usbej /removeletter W:
usbej /removeletter y:
usbej /removeletter r:

exit
REM END OF SCRIPT

Of nasi lemak, luncheon meat and kopi-o

Yesterday was quite happening eh? I mean, one of our greatest fears is finally suppressed. Yes! Medias have confirmed the news that "Nasi Lemak" is now captured and will be ensured that there is no more escaping.

Furthermore, the local alertness for the swine flu has just been downgraded to Condition Yellow. That is really a great news for the masses. However, everyone still have to take great care of themselves and do not go to work/study/play when they do not feel well. Try to be considerate and do not spit in public places; sneeze and cough without covering your nose/mouth.

Meanwhile, I have to brew more coffee to calm down a little. The monthly rental for a roof over my head will be 2 times higher by the next renewal if approved. I mean the good people high up there thinks gross income of $1500+ could afford to hire-purchase a flat. I probably agrees with them if I change my mindset on spending lesser than now. Which is

1. Spending on newspapers/magazines [10 bucks a week]
2. Self-motivation drinks [10 bucks a week]
3. Additional Transports [4 bucks a week]
4. Necessary Transports [16 bucks a week]
5. Thats about 160 bucks a month! Amazing.

Anyway, I just received the bills for the mobile broadband subscribed. The billing calculation is confirmed. I was a bit worried on how Mobile WAP and Mobile Internet work on my mobile phone. Initially I thought that both were different. Also, there is this "PS and CS preferred network" selection in my Sony Ericsson phone. PS stands for Packet switched (I assume its 3G+ network) and CS: Circuit switched (Assumably GSM network). You see, I have experiences in phones I previously owned which dials to the WAP network before I was connected to the Internet. When the phone dials to access the internet, wouldn't that incur outgoing calls costs? But I do believe the billing format is quite scary indeed. For the mobile broadband alone, I was billed 3000+ bucks for the data usage (600+ MB). The plan (30GB data usage) I subscribed rebated the whole cost of data usage of course. I wonder if I can sustain the cost of Internet in future?

I guess I just have to Wait and See.