28/09/2009- Monday night 11.37pm @ PGP

YES! the midterm test for IE2110 is not that tough. Well~ at least i regard it as the easiet midterm test so far:) hmm after that, my whole brain is just thinking about her whether i should ask her for lunch or not, really cant concentrate, alot of scenario pop up, like meeting her outside of SRC dance studio, what should i say, how would she respond? Haizz, but everything vanish as she appeared at YIH afterward, omg i was thinking how come she didnt go for dance class, shit la~~~everything that are having in my mind is useless now. OK nvm, ltr i try to sms her and ask her lo but her bf came and sitted besides her, so suay la!!! I think i better concentrate on my studies now, prob is damn tough, super tough, even i look at the answer also dont understand, jialat la this time, but i will not fail this module, no way i should fail. I have time to turn things around and i believe it in myself as how i manage to pull myself out of MA1505 and EG1109 miseries.

27/09/2009- Sunday night 11.19pm @ PGP

Well~~~ today i talked to her and sit beside her leh, haha. The feeling is shiok but i still dont dare to ask her out for dinner. Hmm, probably i think we still need to get know more with each other then i make the move or else i think it will be rather weird to ask a gal without really 'knowing' each other, aiyo i also dont know what am i talking abt, haha. But i did compliment her dress nicely and pretty today, i suppose all gals like to hear this kind of stuff right??? Hmm but i speak from my heart, no lie! She did look happy and said thank you to me, it was so cool to look at her face in such a close distance, she is just absolutely cuteeeeeee neh >_<

27/09/2009- Saturday midnight 12.40am @ PGP

Camp all day at YIH and come up with one solution. Is studying all day proportional to the amount that you have learned. Really doubt so coz i saw someone who study for 1 hour is more productive that i study for 3 hours. I really really need to review my study method...

Btw, i finally dare to get her hp no although i have it in the first place >_< Well~~~ i think my BP is shooting to 180, my heart is keep pumping and my face is blushing but i was happy coz i have done something that i wish to do it long time ago. I should have asked her out at the same time when i get her no but when i see her bf wallpaper on her hp, i was stoned and back off abit, maybe i should take thing slow, there still have alot of chances next time, anyway she will be my classmate for the next 2 1/2 years. I should stand a chance :)

26/09/2009- Friday midnight 12.21am @ PGP

Today, i really learn alot of new things, knew maybe 5% more abt myself, of coz credit to my coach. Hmm, didnt really know what i fear or worry abt over the past 20+ years, now i have found the root, hmm kinda relieved but sad coz it means i have to face it now. Well~~~ Breathing really helps as it will keep me more focus instead of paying too much attention on my thought. On my way back to PGP, i just keep telling myself it's just my thought, it's just my thought, you can control yr mind man, dont let yr mind control you!!! Haizzz, i just realised also i neglected my beloved heart for too long...Nv listen to him, instead letting my mind won all the 'war'. Besides this, i found it i have been procrastinated at my room for too long, study in YIH is really good choice, or maybe i wanna avoid my noisy neighbour??? hmm i dont know but i think i will try to think it in a good way that i am away from my room and i can be more focus to study in YIH. Ok, back on track. Simplicity, no worry is really good, but can a person do that??? i really doubt so. Maybe he can lead a simple life but totally no worry in his/her life can be kinda hard. I wish i can be like my coach, my good friend, LF, facing adversity with no fear but calm mind. i really need to adjust it, living in worry is really like a hell~~~ i must get rid of it and stay happy!!!

EG1471- Portfolio 5

Ever since the development of brain mapping started, it has become the most contentious topic and always coupled with controversy. People debate and question the ethical issues regarding this latest technology but scientists retort by claiming that it is a necessary move to the advancement of the future. In order to maintain the moral values while not impeding the process of exploring brain mapping, there is a responsibility for researcher to predict and minimize potential unethical abuses of their work.

Firstly, researcher can predict the possible unethical abuses by fully examine and understand the applicability of this brain-mapping technology. It is understood that the research could eventually lead to the use of brain scans to identify thoughts. (A computer that can ‘read’ your mind, n.d.) It can be a serious matter as some industries, secret societies or even countries might use it to retrieve important information from human beings by manipulate their minds. Therefore, it should be regarded as unethical abuses and researcher can predict and study the repercussion of such technology.

Secondly, in order to minimize the potential unethical issues, researcher can first identity the target users and categorized them into different target groups. Then, rules and regulations must be set up to restrict the usage of such technology. For example, according to “Ethics and mapping the brain”, it is understood that brain mapping technology could be a big breakthrough into medical field and assist in crime investigation but it can have a catastrophic effect if it is misused by the users. Therefore, the authority of the use of brain mapping technology should be maintained and governed.

Thirdly, researcher can also implement the brain mapping technology into a particular field and study the side effects first before introduces it to the public and make it profitability. For example, brain mapping could have applications in the study of autism, disorders of thought such as paranoid schizophrenia, and semantic dementias such as Pick’s disease (2008). It might minimize the possible unethical issues by analyzing the impacts of such technology from the medical field before scientists stimulate further research.

In conclusion, it would be an uphill task to control the usage of such technology when it introduces to the public. Therefore, it will be a crucial challenge for researcher to predict and minimize potential unethical abuses of their work and it is up to them to relish it.



Reference
National Science Foundation. (2008, May 30). A computer that can ‘read’ your mind
[Press release 08-091]. Retrieved August 6, 2008, from http://www.nsf.gov/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=111641&org=olpa&from=news

EG1471- Portfolio 4

Whenever I have to tackle the writing assignment for my engineering subject, I found it quite frustrated and difficult to express my ideas in academic style. Writing for engineering subject requires a lot of technical aspects. If you do not possess a certain amount of knowledge in a particular field or area, it will be difficult to get a head start for your essay because you simply do not know what to write about. Not only that, I always fail to organize and develop my ideas in an academically persuasive manner, which means to organize my assertions into logical and cohesive arguments that will convince the reader. Therefore, it is quite often that my papers end up lacking clear logical flow and unity, not to mention a persuasive linear argument.

Besides this, as it is an academic essay, we need to have reference and the article should be from reputable sources. Browsing through the websites just to find the related topics seems to be a “tiring” and yet rather difficult task to me as it consumes a lot of time.

However, the main difficulty that I have faced in writing for academic essay is the minimum word requirement for each essay and I found it difficult to fulfil it. Lack of understanding in expanding the sentences and do not generate enough ideas could be the reasons behind.

I try to resolve the problems that I have mentioned above by reading more books and newspaper. I memorise every good sentences from the reading materials and apply it when I write essay. I reckon that it is ineffective because I cannot memorize everything if I have to write an essay next time. Therefore, there are still a lot of rooms for improvement, where I need a specific and systematic guidance on how to scaffold my ideas so I can fulfil my writing task in a satisfactory manner. In other words, I believe that by attending EG1471 class plus continuous practice will eventually improve my writing skill.

EG1471- Portfolio 3

Cyberspace is a unique environment. It is borderless and attacks can have virtually unlimited range and speed. Massive results can be achieved without massing forces. These attacks are an especially effective weapon for small groups because the technology required is cheap and easy to get -- sometimes just a computer and an Internet connection. Whereas this electronic assault is a powerful tool for a nation, as country can use it to initiate the cyber warfare campaign against its own counterpart. For example, Russia launched an infamously cyber attack against Georgia in the early of August 2008, which has overwhelmed the Georgian sites with traffic and caused a catastrophic system failure. Although it was the first time a known cyber attack had coincided with a shooting war, it can expect to see cyber attacks being increasingly used as a weapon.

Unlike Georgia, the U.S. government has poured hundreds of millions of dollars into improving its cyber defence capabilities since 9/11, as well as its capacity to launch online attacks. Its ability to detect and counter attacks on governmental sites is much more sophisticated than Georgia's. Yet security experts say there's an enormous amount of work still to be done to reduce the vulnerability of the many agencies, businesses and homes that are electronically connected. As a result, it can be seen that the government alone cannot secure the cyberspace.

In cyberspace, national boundaries have little meaning. Information flows continuously and seamlessly across different aspects. Because of the global nature of cyberspace, the vulnerabilities that exist are open to the world and available to anyone, anywhere, anytime, with sufficient capability to exploit them. Therefore, countering such cyber attacks requires the development of robust capabilities where it is up to the engineers to relish this international challenge.



Reference
Col. (S) Bradley K. Ashley, USAF. The United States Is Vulnerable to Cyberterrorism. Retrieved 20 September 2008 from http://www.afcea.org/signal/articles/templates/SIGNAL_Article_Template.asp?articleid=32&zoneid=10