Most Awesome Earthquake-Surviving Car

A Citroen car which was damaged extensively in the recent Sichuan earthquake was still running on the road.

If not mistaken, it's a Citroen C5 model.
The car owner may not have gotten proper insurance to replace the car. I would say it is beyond repair also (Picture sourced from KDNet). At least it has proven something, that the Citroen C5 was really tough as the engine was still functioning.

Related post - Sichuan Earthquake
Tags: Earthquake, Sichuan Earthquake, Citroen, Citroen C5

9km Jogging Track High Up in Sky

While the capital city of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, is still planning for a walkway connecting few buildings, Singapore has constructed an elevated walkway spanning 9km.

While Singapore is preserving its limited greens and allowing walkway users to experience the greeneries along the walkways, Kuala Lumpur's latest KL City Plan 2020 is cutting down the greeneries.

An elevated walkway with 2 main bridges called the Southern Ridges is up and running.
Literally running as a Singaporean blogger, Walter Lim, has used the walkway as his jogging track nowadays.

The highest point of the elevated walkway, 36m above Henderson Road.

Jogging high up in the sky. What a refreshing way of exercising. Way above the congested traffic and pollution.





Going back to my city, there are plans just build elevated walkways / bridges connecting few high human traffic areas.

Projects being planned and mentioned (but hasn't take off):-
* 300m bridge to link Abdullah Hukum light rail transit (LRT) station in Bangsar to the Mid Valley Megamall at a cost of RM12 million (which works out to RM40,000 per metre) - said to be ready by mid 2008.

* walkway to link Menara Maybank, Impiana Hotel and Cahaya Suria Shopping Centre with the Pudu Raya bus terminal at a cost of RM20 million (what's the total length of this walkway?) - said to be ready by mid 2008.

* Best Western Premier Seri Pacific Kuala Lumpur Hotel to The Mall (just build a pedestrian bridge will do, don't go for extra complex walkways) - said to be ready by end 2008.

* the Maju Junction Complex to the Sime Darby building (for whom to walk? there are no tourism sites or interesting spots along this path at all) - said to be ready by end 2008.

* the Pasar Seni LRT station to the main post office building at the Dayabumi Complex. They will be ready by the end of next year (there's an existing bridge already, why the need to incur extra cost?) - said to be ready by end 2008.

First of all, start small. Please connect the walkway (non-elevated) between the two entrances of STAR LRT and Putra LRT at the Masjid Jamek area which is only 20m apart (estimated cost of RM10,000). But latest is that a huge RM5 million pedestrian bridge may be built instead of constructing a 20m covered walkway. What's the rationale?

Next, please appoint me into the City Hall Council because I think I can brag / say even far more greater projects than all the current people in the council.

Reading: Walking in KL Will Be a Breeze - Red Orbit
Tags: Southern Ridges, Singapore, Henderson Road, Jogging Track, Elevated Walkway

Maroon 5's Latest Album

Maroon 5 has yet again produced another album called "It Won't Be Soon Before Long". Have you gotten a copy of it?

Meantime, some simple facts about Maroon 5:-

* Who is the Lead Singer of the band Maroon 5?
- Adam Levine

* What was the original name of the band before they became Maroon 5?
- Kara's Flowers

* Name the guest singer in the Maroon 5 song “If I Never See Your Face Again?”
- Rihanna

Personally, I came to know about Maroon 5 when I first heard the "This Love" song. That song captured my heart right from the first time and my feet would be tapping away following its rythm. Can't wait to listen to their second album.
Tags: Maroon 5, Rihanna, If I Never See Your Face Again, It Won't Be Soon Before Long, Music Album, Music, Kara's Flowers, Adam Levine

Man United - Champs in England and Europe

The save by Edwin Van der Sar that won the UEFA Champions League for Manchester United. Another cup to be placed in their trophy laden cabinets back at Old Trafford. Marvellous, superb, fantastic, what more can I say for this team. Some of my friends just couldn't accept the fact that Manchester United is the champions of England and Europe again.

Now, let's see who will be leaving Chelsea in weeks to come. Even the match commentators did mention that there will be a major revamp in staff & players. For a start, looks like Avram Grant will be looking for a new job soon. Rumours said that Didier Drogba (esp after that straight red card in this morning's match), Frank Lampard and Andrei Shevchenko could have new suitors.

Tags: Manchester United, Man Utd, Man United, Man U, UEFA, UEFA Champions League, Moscow, Luzhniki Stadium, Old Trafford, Edwin Van Der Sar, Chelsea, Avram Grant, Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, Andrei Shevchenko, Football, Soccer

Marvel Super Heroes Theme Park

Tatweer Dubai has finally confirmed that their leisure and entertainment park, Dubailand, has gotten Marvel Entertainment (creators of superheroes action characters such as Spiderman, The X-Men, Iron Man, the Fantastic Four, The Incredible Hulk and the Marvel comics) to develop a superheroes theme park. It will be ready in year 2012.

I really wonder what sort of theme will they have inside this theme park. You get to swing with spidey web all over the theme park? Participate in a fight against evil figures together with Fantastic Four? Break unthinkable stuff that blocks your way like Incredible Hulk?

Well, it's a place that you can fantasize, so why not? It will be nice to be appointed as the official blogger for this Dubailand. You get to be invited to all events, all openings, all new rides, all new restaurants (quite hungry now).

Reading: Tatweer to develop Marvel Super Heroes Theme Park - Gulfnews
Tags: Marvel Super Heroes Theme Park, Marvel Super Heroes, Marvel Entertainment, Marvel Comics, Theme Park, Dubailand, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Tatweer

Just How Much is 500 Million Dollars?

Zimbabwe, which has an 165,000% inflation rate, is trying to ensure that their citizens do not need to carry tons of money while going out to buy their stuff.

When I was in Sudan, I have to carry a bulk of of their 1,000 Sudanese Dinar wherever I go so that I would have enough to pay for stuff that I wanted. A simple meal at a restaurant would cost me easily 3,000 Sudanese Dinar (equivalent to US$15). At this point of time, Sudan has made their currency becoming smaller denomination where 100 Sudanese Dinar is equivalent to 1 Sudanese Pound, which is still at the same exchange rate of 2 Sudanese Pound = US$1.00. Sudan is not linked to any international currency exchange rate and they change their denomination as they like.

Wherelse in Zimbabwe, the value of their money has dropped even further. When I blogged about the new issuance of the 10,000,000 (Ten Million) Zimbabwe Dollars in January 2008, the situation was already bad enough. In January, their 10,000,000 Zimbabwe Dollar was equivalent to US$3.90 at the height of the 165,000% inflation rate.

Today, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (tried to find their link but to no avail) has done something that nobody has done before which is to issue a 500,000,000 (Five Hundred Million) Zimbabwe Dollar note. Today, their 500,000,000 Zimbabwe Dollar is worthed US$2.00.

What's the percentage of increase like? 10,000% on top of 165,000%???
Which works out to 1,650,000,000% inflation rate right now? One Billion???????

Going back to history, in 1980, one Zimbabwe dollar was worth more than US$1.00.
Reading: Zimbabwe bank issues $500m note - BBC News/Africa
Tags: Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Dollar, Economics, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe

Planes You Have Never Seen Before

There are many plane designs lately and most of it may not have been commercially viable but test flights were conducted too.

Besides bird watchers, there are also plane watchers and that's the reason why you could catch a glimpse on photos taken by such enthusiastic plane watches who sat at airports upon hearing rumours of weird airplanes that would go on test flights.

I wonder who was the airplane manufacturer that did it for Emirates but they sure do have big ambitions.
The plane's landing on one wheel will trigger the release of the rest of the wheels in few seconds later. What a trial?

This Swissair must be a hot plane that requires lots of fresh air intake into its system.
This KLM Royal Dutch Airlines believes that two pilots' heads are better than one.
A cargo plane called Dreamliner created by Boeing.
A Hawaiian Airlines' commercial passenger jet with numerous turbo boost (10 engines?) to reach your destination at half the time. Could it stop in time upon landing then?
One of those idea for a private jets. So weird! The whole body is out of proportion.

Airbus A380 will lose their status as the biggest passenger airplane when this Delta Airlines' plane goes commercial. This is humonguous.

What a big belly for a cargo airplane. Looks like it didn't manage to go commercial with that weird design or did it actually take-off.
Another one of those powered jets. 8 engines?
What kind of spaceship inspired designs is this? And the airline company was willing to accept such design and to even give it a test?
It was tested but it didn't make it commercially. Maybe too wide for many airports in the world.

Tags: Plane, Aeroplane, Airplane, Boeing Dreamliner, Airbus A380, Emirates, Swissair, Hawaiian Airlines, Delta Airlines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines