My Baby Turtles

Argh, its so frustrating to live without my own laptop. Using someone else's is so... weird... somehow... Basically a single integrated circuit in the middle of the mainboard shorted and burnt. The manufacturers just claimed it was "Human Error caused by auto-oxidation due to liquid". Despite questionings as to why only a single IC in the middle of the board could have burnt, given that, in their own words, "there was no sign of water spilt on any other part of the laptop", they have not yet come up with a satisfactory explanation. Even if it was caused by liquid, it would have had to flow from the side of the mainboard, as that's where the "enterances" are, and that would have caused a trail of burnt/auto-oxidised parts right? Manufacturing fault? I think so... Anyway, yeah, I have not posted in about a month, oops, haha, more like no mood as I receive more and more pathetic attempts of the manufacturers to brush off my laptop damage as "Human Error" through emails. Today's email was just laughable, a close-up picture of the burnt parts with red arrows pointing at the burnt IC and surroundings with the email saying "our overseas manufacturer has analysed and says its human error". What?!!? A picture may paint a thousand words but I really see no connection in a bunch of red arrows showing burnt parts and a satisfactory reasonable explanation as to how it is "Human Error" as they have alleged. Oh yeah, they are alleging that since the burnt IC shows white marks (ie. auto-oxidation), it just HAD to be caused by liquid spillage. Once again, What?!?! Doesn't the air contain oxygen which would oxidise the IC if it shorted and burnt? I'm sorry, but isn't this basic Chemistry? I am never going to buy a lesser known brand of laptop ever again... Pathetic... Ok, enough ranting... Anyway, spent the week lazing recovering from the Klang Gate climb. Aching thighs are killer, really... Also attended debate training that week *laughs hysterically*. The less said about that the better. Headed to Kuala Terengganu by Bus the Friday night after the climb. Arrived and made our way to the Sea Turtle Research Unit (Seatru) in Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) formerly known as Kolej Universiti Sains dan Teknologi Malaysia (KUSTEM), an offshoot of Universiti Putra Malaysia (formerly Universiti Pertanian Malaysia). We got onto a school bus-van thingy and went to the jetty to be picked up by ferry to Redang. Transferred to a motor boat and jetted to the northern end of Redang [where there is no cell phone reception] to Chagar Hutang (CH) beach. Chagar Hutang beach. Taken from Turtle Rock. Hmmm? The experience? Haha, the beach certainly was beautiful enough, the entire length to ourselves the whole week. Well, ok, we had to share it with the turtles too =) Days basically consisted of hourly patrols during the day to check that the nests hadn't been attacked by crabs, ants or monitor lizards and nights... So nice! The sticks are markers where thermometers are buried. Postcard? Nights were different as turtles nest then. From, 8-12, we'd pull up a ground sheet on the beach and lie on it, periodically patrolling in search of turtles. The first night, was, er, eventful, the Research Assistant, Fong, had 3 bumbling idiots with her looking for turtle tracks, which, as we found out, were totally obvious by moonlight. We were shown what happens when a nesting turtle is discovered but were quite apprehensive in approaching and touching it while it nested despite staff encouragement. Haha, the usual, "What if the head suddenly swerves and bites us?" and while patrolling, "Let's walk further from the shoreline, a turtle may suddenly rush out of the water menacingly..." =) Lol, on the second night, there was a momentary mass freakout when we suddenly discovered turtle tracks but only realised that the turtlewas 2 meters away after a while. It was like, "Argh! *run off* Omg! Did you see that?!!!". What happens after 12? Well, there have to be hourly patrols by volunteers from 12am- 6am. Yup, it did cause quite a lack of sleep despite a schedule where everyone was supposed to get at least 4 out of the 6 hours to sleep ("^_^) Turtle! Kind of blur but that's the best my cam can do without flash and shaky hands... Eggs! Very ping-pong ball... Two hikes were planned, one a self guided river hike and another a guided hike to Turtle Rock. The river hike was interesting enough and quite fun [Oh no, first Klang Gate, now this... I can't be addicted to *shudder* hiking and rock climbing..... Right....?] with rocks on the river [more like a stream] to hop on. Rocks to climb! My favourite picture of the trip, taken during the river hike. Oh no, I'm not mutating into some "Nature person", am I? The Turtle Rock hike was more challenging, at time having to hike up an almost vertical plane in the forest. We hiked in shorts and slippers but our guide, henceforth named Scary Gary went up in nothing but boardshorts and a towel. Ants were kind of a problem occasionally, for us that is... But the views [yes, plural, since we stopped at different points at the peak] made up for it. In fact, the first photo of this post was taken at one of the points. The start of the climb. Yup, off the beach along the rocky shoreline then up up up! Northeast area of Pulau Redang Yup, I climbed in slippers! Looking at the opposite "arm" of the bay The one other special activity planned was the round islan snorkelling trip. Bah, been there, done that. It was cool to do it once again though. Haha, we heard tales of male turtles thinking that snorkellers were female turtles and followed tham in attempt to mate. Hee hee... The most interesting part of the trip was when we got caught in a storm!!! It was so Pirates of the Caribbean/some other sea movie, with the roiling sea snd a small boat being pitched about. I can honestly say I don't think any of us would be in any way apprehensive on getting onto a boat ever again after THAT experience. Storm! What else was cool? Haha, the hammocks, so idyllic to lie down on one with a book [Well, I was reading The End of Poverty *rolls eyes at self*]. Ooooh, and baby turtles, which we released at night. Did you know that the temperature of the sand affects the sex of the turtles hatched? Apparently, a lower temperature gives rise to more male turtles O.0 View from a hammock Relocated turtle nests Baby turtles So cute~~~ So, how was the overall experience? Living with minimal electricity [solar battery for lights] and no connection to the outside world can be very disconcerting at first, admittedly, but one gets used to it. I would definitely recommend anyone to go for the programme if you have got a week free. Try to book a slot during the middle of the season though, as that's when most of the turtles land. Even if you're not very "Nature", just go. =) http://www.umt.edu.my/seatru/ After all, this is worth it : (^_^) Spent the following week recovering from the lack of sleep and preparing for the Australasian Intervarsity Debating Championship (the Australs). The Australs style of debating is, erm, unique in the sense that I have never encountered it before. Its 3 on 3, 8 minute long speeches WITHOUT Points of Information (POIs). Apparently, the Asian style which I'm used to is a hybrid of the Australs style and the British Parliamentary style. Anyway, the Australs style is supposed to give more chance in deep analysis and fleshing out of points with all the extra time given. Haha, whatever... UiTM was the host this year, hmmm, er, it was... Ok... I guess... Haha, Aussie adjudicators demand different things from debaters, like, er, structure... And not speaking too loudly... One adjudicator appeared not to listen at all as she wasn't writing a thing down and kept staring at her nails. Extremely disconcerting... Then again, she remembered everything we said, so, oh well... Interesting motions : That segregating universities on the basis of ethnicity should be abolished O.o in UiTM??? That Malaysia should abolish compulsory national service Haha, most non-Malaysian teams had a problem with this one That male circumcision should be banned The next 3 are trick motions, haha : ROUND 7: THE NANNY STATE 1. That democratic states should adopt Singapore's law regarding oral sex 2. That the state should compel the parents of obese children to sponsor a child in the Third World 3. That 'emo' youths should be placed in state care Ahahaha! Hilarious! At one of the socials Ooooh, Ateneo [that's "Ateneo de Manila not any other] won the bid for next year's Australs! Whee~~~ Manila, here I come! Had a, er, quite drunken KGV reunion one of the weekends. What happened? Hmmm, let's just say that there's a video of certain people strip dancing [not me!]... :P Oh yeah, am heading to Seoul tomorrow for the Asian Medical Students' Conference =) Be back in a week! Movies watched these past few weeks : Transformers : So cool~~~ Die Hard 4.0 : Watched directly after Transformers so effect was mitigated... Harry Potter : Urm... Would it have been better if it was twice the length but incorporated more elements of the book? Probably... PS. Ack!!! Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows comes out today!!!!!!!