The beginning and end of summer

Source: The Internet Encyclopedia of Science

The Sun crosses the Equator in a few days' time on its southward journey. September 23rd to be precise. Actually, to be strictly correct, the Sun doesn't cross the Equator. It's more like the Earth reaching a portion of her orbit around the Sun such that parts of the Earth's surface around the Equatorial region would face the Sun directly at noon on September 23rd. Those who spoke Latin named this day Equinox, from aequus (equal), nox (night), meaning there would be equal number of day and night hours in a single day.

In another three months the Chinese will be celebrating the end of another year. They call that winter solstice in the northern hemisphere. Longer nights ahead.

Of course, things are reversed in the southern hemisphere.

On a more practical side, it also means that the sun will no longer shine directly into my living room. Cooler daytime temperatures are definitely welcomed.

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Secularism

What does it mean to live in a secular environment?

1. Where people do not tell you what you can or cannot believe or do?

or

2. Where people frown upon the practise of any form of belief system?

So, what does it mean to live in a "secular" environment?

gagging them early

Source: Google imagine search

So this overworked person in my company wrote to the press, complaining about tough conditions in the industry. Unfortunately the local propaganda rag does not publish anonymous letters.

The resulting manhunt and inquisition was a phenomenon to behold, with the deputy CEO and department heads going berserk.

So much for encouraging independent thought...

icon of the last century

Source: amitp

at least it is to me.

I was up til early this morning, enjoying an extended period of holiday from work. And hunching over the computer through the night always brings back memories of my boyhood, when I hunched over my first personal computer (similar to the one pictured above), trying desperately to beat that level of Load Runner or solve part of the dungeon in Ultima IV.

Staying up late reminds me of my age.

Gotta sleep early...


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887

Source: Wikipedia

A very Royston Tan-esque situation happened at the annual company function yesterday. Yes, this company that I sell 8 hours per day of my soul to is slightly different, prefering to avoid the year-end to hold its annual dinner.

Anyway, I arrived very fashionably late, stumbling into the ballroom midway through the boss' speech. As luck would have it, the main entrance (where I made mine) was on stage left.

So, I signed my attendance and dutifully took the door gift and lucky draw number, which was one shy of the triple-8 combination. The first prize this year consisted of:

1. $500 voucher for IT products
2. The new GPS-enabled Nokia phone
3. A bottle of premier wine with a 3-figure price tag

Guess which number was drawn for the first prize?

Guess which joker with the winning number lost his ticket stub?