Out of Focus

A Picture Paints a Thousand Words

Cliché much?
















www.focusonlinecommunities.com

What do you think?

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http://owlminerva.files.wordpress.com

What can you see?

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Annette Kearney

How do you feel?

Facebook

Facebook asks: "What's on your mind?". Funny that a computer program should ask you that. What's even funnier is that people actually respond to this question posed by the program. Whatever happened to in-person communication?

I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook. I had refused to get a Facebook account because I have never liked social networking websites and because I don't like jumping on bandwagons. I eventually got an account when I came on exchange to the US because I saw the upside of it being a good communications revenue for newly made acquitances. Now though, things are getting a little out of hand and Facebook has become a daily habit. I don't think that is a good thing at all.

Firstly, you can't really have a proper conversation with someone on Facebook. Secondly, some things should be kept private. Thirdly, why is it your business what people are doing with their lives? In saying that, if you want a particular person to know what you're up to, why not just email them? The whole world doesn't have to know. Fourthly, really? You're friends with that many people? Do you even talk to half of them? The way some people add friends makes it seem more like a popularity contest.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/16/business/16digi.html

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Okay, I'm done with both procrastinating and being a hypocrite.

The Non-ideal Explosion

Courtesy of: larvalsubjects.files.wordpress.com

As we all know from Guy-Lussac's law, as temperature increases, pressure also increases. If the volume is held constant (as is the case here) then the pressure would reach a point at which it exerts a force greater than those holding the atoms of the container together (in this case the container is made out of mostly carbon, hydrogen and oxygen). The result of that is an explosion. One must also consider the non-ideality of this situation because we can only assume an ideal gas when the pressure is low which is clearly not the case here. Such non-idealities has the effect of increasing the force of explosion.

Then there is time. If one adds pressure at an infinitely small rate, then one can assume quasi-equilibrium conditions. However, time is not infinite (as shown by Stephen Hawking) and nor can one add pressure at said infinitely small rate. Thus in reality, there is no way of stopping this explosion.

Measures that one can take to control this explosion include:
i) expanding the container size (unfortunately that is not a very viable option since the atoms bond in such a way that the container is very rigid and brittle);
ii) slowing the rate of pressure addition by adding a valve (designing such a valve may prove difficult as the geometry of the entrance to the container is rather peculiar);
iii) removing pressure source (this is a good short term solution to give time for the system to try and establish equilibrium but not a viable long term solution as the pressure source is intrinsically attached to the container).

Lamb Post!

Yesterday (since it's already past midnight) 20 years ago, MC released her first single ever, marking the start of an infamous career. Even though I caught on very very late, I am still an extremely proud lamb.

If you are interested, visit mariahjournal.com for a comprehensive overview.

Leaving you all with my favourite MC song (rather hard to pick) - Underneath the Stars.

Utterly Amused; Totally Satisfied

It feels like Friday night because it's Sun God tomorrow and no one is working. I decided to join the pack of non-workers, not in their partying, but in their non-working. I was looking up some other random thing and came across this site with very random facts.

About California

• One California law states that sunshine is guaranteed to all people.
• San Jose was the original capital of California.
• The town of Los Angeles, California, was originally named "El Pueblo la Nuestra Senora de Reina de los Angeles de la Porciuncula".
• The state of California raises the most turkeys out of all of the states.

World Cup (By the way, I am soooooo excited!!! I've already made my bettings on which teams are going to make it through to the second round.)

• Brazil last won the world cup in 1994. Before that they won it in 1970. Add 1970 and 1994, it equals 3964.

• Germany last won in 1990. Before that they won in 1974. Add 1990 and 1974, it equals 3964.

• Argentina last won the world cup in 1986. Before that they won it in 1978. Add 1978 and 1986, it equals 3964.
• So going by this logic, The winner of the 2002 world cup is the same as the 3964 - 2002 = 1962 world cup. The 1962 world cup was won by Brazil. It was really Brazil who won!!!

And my favourite...

• All swans in England are the property of the queen or king.

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Just came back from playing racquetball! How did I end up playing racquetball? Because I wanted to play squash at 10pm at night and thought today was a good day for it. Why did I not end up playing squash? Because the ball was not very bouncy which I thought it should've been. How did we end up playing racquetball? Because we saw other people playing it in another court with a very bouncy ball and decided that we wanted to go bouncy. Conclusion - I like :D. Have decided that I need a little bit more spontaneity in my life.

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Had this song stuck in my all week long! And Indako's going to play me Fur Elise on the piano soooon! Wooohooo!

Greetings~

Currently in happyland. (When my brain is not focusing on the other things.) A new Mariah song leaked two nights ago. When I first heard the song last night, I was drawn to but slightly disappointed about the song. I was hoping, judging from the name which leaked last year, for a ballad-type song. However, what I heard was something filled with auto-tune and synths. Still, I held my judgement until I have read the lyrics. Couldn't find that until today. Now that I've read the lyrics, it makes me appreciate this song in another level. I don't think I'll ever lose faith in the song writing abilities of MC.

Imperfect
(Lyrics courtesy of lambsgohard.com)

I saw you yesterday
And I heard what you had to say
All those ugly ways you think about me
But I know it's okay
Gonna keep the smile on my face
Hate don't change the way I feel about
My inner being

'Cause I won't let them dim my light
And I'm holding my head up high
And I know my exterior is not impeccable to you
I don't know if my wrongs is right
But I'm gonna keep livin' my life
Defame my name that I made and
Don't care what they say about me

Imperfect
That's all that I'll ever be
And God knows that's alright with me
'Cause I know there's no one greater and everybody's
Imperfect
When you're tryin' to live in harmony
But the song of life is out of key
Just be perfectly imperfect

As I look at the TV screen
In there and in magazines
So much insecurity surrounds me
Wish I could change the page
Got to stay with my self-esteem
Folks so superficial
Makes it hard to just survive

'Cause I won't let them dim my light
And I'm holding my head up high
And I know my exterior is not impeccable to you
I don't know if my wrongs is right
But I'm gonna keep livin' my life
Defame my name that I made and
Don't care what they say about me

Imperfect
That's all that I'll ever be
And God knows that's alright with me
'Cause I know there's no one greater and everybody's
Imperfect
When you're tryin' to live in harmony
But the song of life is out of key
Just be perfectly imperfect

I may not walk like a supermodel
Or look as flawless as they do
I don't know where you get off judgin'
'Cause I'm impefect just like you
So I don't care about your status
No I swear up t0 here I've had it
Ain't try to win no beauty pageant
'Cause in my heart is all that matters

Imperfect
That's all that I'll ever be
And God knows that's alright with me
'Cause I know there's no one greater and everybody's
Imperfect
When you're tryin' to live in harmony
But the song of life is out of key
Just be perfectly imperfect

Imperfect
That's all I'll ever be
And God knows that's alright with me
'Cause I know there's no one greater and everybody's
Imperfect

When you're tryin' to live in harmony
But the song of life is out of key
Just be perfectly imperfect
Imperfect, imperfect, imperfect, imperfect

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I think these are my favourite lyrics out of MC since Fly Like a Bird. Funny thing, this song leaked at the same time as when I've been thinking some issues and this song (im)perfectly describes how I feel about them.

The Great Dividing Range

Okay so it's 5am and I still can't sleep. Took some medicine but it's not working... I have always wanted to quote that line and now I can ;) but you don't want to know what the rest of the line is (not that they're relevant anyway). Wait, before you freak out, don't worry, I fell asleep today! I just randomly woke up at 5 and thought this was a good time to post.

Now to quote another MC song.
I've often wondered if there's ever been a perfect family. I've often longed for undividedness and sought stability.

The great dividing range. When you have two opposing sides forcing very different ideologies upon you, one on each side, I imagine that would be very healthy for a 20 year old, let alone 10. Unfortunately I am a little too educated to cave in to just one side so calibration is always required. When you need to do that on top of everything else in life, it gets a little tiring at times. Which is probably why I've never had the problem of sleeping before but perhaps now that I am away from all of that (for the most part), I have a little more energy to think.

As an engineer, there is a natural tendency to want to solve things. However, everywhere there is inconsistent data so I guess the step before that would be to redo measurements. Process in progress. Only time can verify but the question is, will it withstand the time needed for me to form my own judgement and come up with a solution?

Sun is up, maybe it's time to go back to sleep.

Poof Head

My brain is refusing to shut down again. Wish I could physically punch it and knock it out cold. Poof head. So I'm trying to figure out the reason behind the cause for my recent sleeping problems. Possibilities include: stress (Why the hell am I stressed? I'm a freaking exchange student!); screwed up sleeping pattern because I've been sleeping relatively late for the last few weeks and subsequently waking up late; I just have too many things on my mind or maybe it's that energy drink I had this afternoon.

No wait, things have been bothering me for a while now. I have been trying to sort some of it out in my head but maybe I need to talk this one out. I think I've ever only talked to my aunt about this once. Hmmm, but I have never been comfortable talking about this issue.

On a brighter note, I'm so glad Justine Henin is back and kicking ass. Women's tennis needs more oomph factor these days. I'm also super excited that Martina Hingis will be back playing doubles with Anna Kournikova during this year's Wimbledon even though it's only an exhibition event! I wish I could be there in person, I've only seen Martina play live once but it was not enough! I'm so greedy but you would want to see her play again if you've ever seen this things she can do with that tennis ball. Her foresight of play is incredible.

I will now attempt to sleep or I'll look like I've been punched in the eyes again tomorrow.

Anyway

This poem was read out by someone during the protest last quarter. (Call me ignorant but that was the first time I've heard that poem.) It's been stuck in my head for a while now and I've finally decided to look it up.

Anyway - Mother Teresa
People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centred;
Forgive them anyway.

If you're kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you're successful, you'll win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you're honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

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Once again have been doing some thinking. Sometimes I think I think too much and act too little. Apparently that's what introverts are meant to be like. I also think that sometimes I try to take in the views from too many angles and that hinders my making a decision. Maybe I can take a leaf from Nike's slogan - Just Do It. (By the way, Adidas is soooo much bettI er. Impossible is Nothing.)

I also had a realisation today - it's going to be so hard living back home now that I've lived away from my parents for so long. It'll be an interesting transition period when I get home.

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I haven't figured out how to embed audio from an internet site into my posts yet, bear with me, I'm not the most tech-savvy person either.