Energy Drinks

Last updated: January 2011.

I mean, what the hell? But whatever it is, I now have a sudden realization that blogging is a neat way to practice my writing skills. Ever since I left school, I rarely compose writings of more than 140 characters. 

So for this rare update, I'm going to write my first ever product review. Yes, product review. But I'm no shill, no one is paying me for this product review.

You know a Red Bull right? The drink that kept you awake at night during your studies. I have fond memories of it. My final year project final report was fuelled by two cans of Red Bull. Didn't sleep that night, typing and typing and churning.

That above is the one I usually drink. It's thick, yet it says less sugar there. It is relative though, it still is sweet as fuck. But yesterday, I found this kind of Red Bull.

Yes, it looks like the one you always see in the TV. Drunk by American college kids with alcohol. And you know what surprised me about it?

It's RM6.90 per can. Yes, RM7 for a can of Red Bull. 170 ml compared to 250 ml you get in the shorter can. Fortunately, the price is justifiable. The tall can is imported, so there's that. It is also carbonated, sort of like a can of 7up.

I still like the shorter one though. Sweeter definitely. The carbonated Red Bull tastes gimped. The gas crippled the sweetness of the drink. Because of the bubbles, you always want to finish the can as fast as possible. With the shorter one, I like to sip it slowly, to let the drugs in it to kick in.

General Text Laughs and Their Meanings

With the advent of text-based messaging in our daily life (SMS, Facebook, email, Twitter), it makes it hard for us to really know the emotion behind said words. One word may be translated by a person as condescending yet by others as encouragement. But here, I will only speak about the common laugh we encounter in the online/SMS world.

Haha: Typically used to indicate laughing at something funny. When reading this, picture the sender to be laughing with his/her mouth open.

e.g: How are we gonna go there. Haha.

Footnote: Hah is used to convey surprise.

Hehe: This is used to convey a laugh too, but picture the sender to laugh with a smile and his/her mouth not open. There's also a grin accompanying this. The message intended is to say that that stuff is funny with a subtle hint of flirting.

e.g: That was nice. Hehe.

Footnote: Heh is one to watch out for. Usually means disgust or annoyance.

Hihi: This laugh is best pictured with the sender cheekily laughing, with a hand over the mouth covering the laugh and the shoulders bobbing up and down with the laughter. Almost possible flirtation.

e.g: That was fun. Hihi.

Footnote: Hih is rarely encountered, almost never.

Hoho: This is not a laugh. Usually used to convey a sense of astonishment or surprised at something. Picture the sender to say this with his/her mouth rounded.

e.g: He did what? Hoho

Footnote: Hoh is also rarely found. If found that means the user is really weird.

Huhu: Almost certainly not a laugh. When encountered this conveys annoyances. Fortunately at a different level too. Depends on the context too, whether mildly or greatly annoyed.

e.g: I don't like that. Huhu.

Footnote: Huh might convey anger or disgust at something. Proceed with great caution.

With that said, don't take this guide as a definite meaning of each word. This author will not be responsible for any misfortune that may come as a result of literally accepting this guide as a definite explanation for each term above.

Exemplary Exemplified

Back in university we have to take the Professional Communication Skills subject in order to complete the course. Basically what the subject is all about is presenting your ideas ideally (heh) to an audience. And we learn how to properly conduct an informative presentation, persuasive presentation and group presentation.
One of the things we learnt in preparing a persuasive presentation is the need to assert your credibility. Why are you credible to talk about this to us? What gives you the authority to talk about this particular topic? And the aim of the presentation is to sway the opinion of the audience, if not to challege their current opinion in order to facilitate a paradigm shift in how they think.
So, what makes you credible? In order to be certified as credible you must tell the audience that you had an actual experience on the subject you want to talk about. For example, if you are telling the class to stop smoking, you must be a current quitter yourself or helped someone you loved to quit smoking. In other words, one must have a hands-on experience on the subject.
You might be asking, why am I talking about credibility? In a weird collection of events, I found myself involved in the field of academics. Specifically, teaching at a high school. In a way that job is also “engineering” the society to be useful someday. As it turns out, the most difficult years to listen to advice is the adolescent years.
Bear with me; I’m still not there. As a teacher, it is imperative that one exemplifies good personal traits so that one can be an example or inspiration to the young uns. Part of the job they say. Unfortunately, a post-graduation teacher lacks the experience. The carefree spirit is still retained inside, making it hard to appear tough and exemplary.
I’ll admit it, sometimes I do show my bad sides to them. But these bad sides in a way are pretty innocent, in a sense that it wouldn’t be bad for them. You know how your teachers tell you to observe the rules such as keep yourself tidy. Me myself is quite tardy and sometimes, for the lack of a better word, messy.
In a way, the kids observe some of the carefree spirits. They are not that stupid you see. They speak. They watch. They tell stories. They share stories. Stories that may make you look bad. Which brings us to the subject again. Credibility. How are you going to tell them that that is wrong, when you do it yourself?
A popular song once said, can you practice what you preach? I’m just going to leave it here for you all to ponder.

Better Reader

One of the new features offered by the new Safari 5 is the reader. Basically what the Reader does is that it removes anything else from the site, leaving only the main article presented in a paper-like page. It removes all distractions that may exist in an article you are reading online.

Safari Reader in action

But, how if you dislike Safari? Does this removal of other distractions exist on other browsers? Fear not!

Introducing Readability. It performs the same function as Safari Reader, albeit without the original article being overlain by a translucent black colour. In fact, the Safari Reader code is based on Readability. Click the about button in Safari to see for yourself.

Anyway back to Readability. This is by far the best way to read on the internet, if you are not using Safari 5. Those using previous versions of Safari should upgrade to use this, while users of other browsers may install the bookmarklet at the main Readability website. Users of Firefox can download the addon here while Google Chrome users can download the extension here.

Here is a screenshot of my Opera 10.60, before Readability and post-Readability

Before Readability. Note the sidebar, urgh

Post-Readability. Yay for less clutter!

I enjoy both though, as my Windows box is my home PC and my Macbook Pro as my daily work companion. Opera as the Windows 7's default browser and Safari as the Snow Leopard's default browser. It works for me, so if it works for you, do let me know!

Readability on an iPad, that would be amazing!