The Amazing Toyota Race

10th June 2007

6:45am
Gathered at HQ Altis Room for briefing from Timeout Solution on the route and strategies on how to win the race. We were then given one day pass ride on RapidKL and LRT.
Each team consisted of four members. My team members were LC, Chong Wei Yap, Ken Yee and me. Altogeher there were 92 teams if I'm not mistaken.

8:00am
Scavenger Hunt
Searched for three natural items that start with U, M and W.
Our answers: U - Uban, M - Mud, W - Water.
For natural items - 2 points, for processed items - 1 point each.
Creative answers [Udang, Upih pinang, Ubi Kentang, Udara, Milk, Minyak, Wood, Wood's peppermint]
Handed the answers to Marshall at Kelana Jaya LRT station. Been given the next challenge sheets.

Given some clues to take two treasures to Marshall at the end point.
Based on clues, we bought Mister Potato and Luxury biscuits. [We thought Lexus and Camry meant for luxury, but ended up wrong, answer was something else].

9:30am
Challenge 1
Named the old models of Toyota Car, then current models of some new Toyota cars.
Solved a puzzle based on the Toyota tagline: Toyota Moving Forward.
Answer: "Meet us at the Menara KL Car Park".
So headed to KL Tower from KJ station, the next stop was Dang Wangi. [Lucky that I used to work there, so shouldn't be lost]. Climbed up, was so exhausting. Some teams were cheating, they took cab to the top there. Cheh :P

10:05am
First Leg
One member was to perform the physical challenge, that was the flying fox ride. Wei Yap performed for us while we named the Spiderman pictures to the series they belong. [Since Toyota is one of the top co that give promotions for Spiderman 3 show]
Next, solved a simple shape puzzle. Very very easy, split second only finished.
Handed the answers to Marshall, proceeded to the first leg of the race.

10:10am
Second Leg
Walk Hunt to golden triangle.
Answered 10 questions based on observations. We missed one answer and the other was slightly not accurate. The first question was "Made is a US answer but Austrian actually" - Amadeus. The second that was inaccurate was "Kuala Lumpur and Nottingham soccer team." - City Forest signposted at Jalan Raja Chulan.

11:00am
Third Leg
Walk Hunt from Monorail station Maharajalela to Masjid Jamek.
Answered separate 3 sets of questions of 5, 3, and 2. Got all correct. Well done!
But God it was tiring. Some more hot giloss, hehe!

12:30pm
End Point
Handed over the answer sheets to Marshall and the two treasures.
Had lunch at Burger King. [Tiba tiba teringat kat UK dulu how much we longed for KFC, setahun tak makan KFC macam hapa je.. kehkeh]
Headed back to Toyota from Masjid Jamek LRT station.

2:00pm
Gathered at HQ
Solat Zohor. Refreshment at HQ Lobby. Couldn't eat lah, rugi! Too full, there were Satay, Nasi Himpit, Roti Jala, Meehoon, Cucur Udang, dessert like cakes and puddings plus fruits :(
Takpelah Burger King tadi sedap aper [very]

Oh ya I won a lucky draw. But only hampers, shall share them with the other members.

2:45pm
Closing ceremony.
Speech by Boss from Japan [Mr T.Hibi] and HR.
Lucky draw again for the rest, none of my friends won the grand prize - Samsung TV 29" Flat Screen.
Solutions presentation by Timeout - that was how we came to know where were we [in winning the race]. We thought we were lucky enough to be top 10. That actually was Wei Yap thought. I think we might be lucky to be top 20. We never thought we were top three. So the MC announced, second place [to bring home cash prize of RM800.00]
Team "Just For Fun" - that's us :D
The Japan boss asked me whether we called Tan Li Li [Head of department] for those answers. Hahaha, yeah we did!!! [Well he's kidding]

Kehkehekeh... hopefully we will be the next star of the month. Hahahhaahahhahah!

5:00pm
Home
safely, soundly... Alhamdulillah
The Cash Prize - given to Ayahanda, Father's Day Apak, love you!

WAP Bookstore application

I publish the source code for myself as a reference when I need it anytime later. The application has Servlets as the main classes that serve HTML document to PC browser and WML document to mobile browser. Using REST connection over HTTP, the program communicates with Amazon Web Services everytime the user searches a book. As a response, Amazon returns an XML document that contains the book's details. I use XSL stylesheet to transform that XML document into HTML or WML format. The program identifies the request comes from which type of user (PC or mobile) by reading the HTTP user-agent request header.

This is the application Use-case main model diagram:

The program contains:

• WelcomeServlet.java
• WapBookServlet.java
• LoginServlet.java
• SoapRequestServlet.java (not really a SOAP)
• AddToCartServlet.java
• ViewCartServlet.java
• CheckoutServlet.java
• LogoutServlet.java

• BookModel.java
• CustomerModel.java
• DBConnection.java
• ClientUserAgentHeaders.java
• ShoppingCart.java

• CREATE_TABLE_CSM.sql
• web.xml
• wapBook.css
• amazonResponse.xsl


• index.html
• index.wml
• signup.html

Sample book's details returned by Amazon. The request was based on the book's title:Fallen Angel and author:Don J. Snyder.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><ProductInfo xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="http://xml.amazon.com/schemas3/dev-lite.xsd">

<Request><Args><Arg value="Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.7.6) Gecko/20050225 Firefox/1.0.1" name="UserAgent"></Arg><Arg value="ZY1XY" name="RequestID"></Arg><Arg value="title:Fallen Angel and author:Snyder and keywords:Novel" name="***"></Arg><Arg value="us" name="locale"></Arg><Arg value="***" name="***"></Arg><Arg value="***" name="t"></Arg><Arg value="xml" name="f"></Arg><Arg value="books" name="mode"></Arg><Arg value="lite" name="***"></Arg></Args></Request> <TotalResults>1</TotalResults>
<TotalPages>1</TotalPages>
<Details url=http://***/>
<Asin>0743422325</Asin>
<ProductName>Fallen Angel : A Novel</ProductName>
<Catalog>Book</Catalog>
<Authors>
<Author>Don J. Snyder</Author>
</Authors>
<ReleaseDate>01 November, 2003</ReleaseDate>
<Manufacturer>Washington Square Press</Manufacturer>
<ImageUrlSmall>http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0743422325.01.THUMBZZZ.jpg</ImageUrlSmall> <ImageUrlMedium>http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0743422325.01.MZZZZZZZ.jpg</ImageUrlMedium> <ImageUrlLarge>http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0743422325.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg</ImageUrlLarge> <Availability>Usually ships in 24 hours</Availability>
<ListPrice>$12.00</ListPrice>
<OurPrice>$9.00</OurPrice>
<UsedPrice>$0.95</UsedPrice>
</Details>
</ProductInfo>

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continue....

Start accessing internet from home

...which taking soooo much time, pity me, missing UniS for its broadband.
Well got nothing much to talk, it's so good to be home anyway... This is where I belong, couldn't express much in word. God knows how glad I feel.

New update, have a look at my fotopages.

Last online from UniS ResNet

Just came back from the "Meet & Greet" programme at Heathrow Airport, this will be the very last access to the UniS Resident Network. Supposed to return the room key yesterday tapi sebab dah Ahad, curik tumpang satu malam lagi. Tidak, nak tidur mana?

Mood Syahdu

sedihnya nak tinggalkan tempat ni...

sejenak ku terkenang hakikat perjuangan,
penuh onak dan cabaran,
bersama teman teman harungi kehidupan,
oh indahnya...
berat rasanya,
di dalam jiwa,
untuk melangkah,
meninggalkan semua...
sayu mengenangkan...
sengsara di dalam perjuangan.
[Selamat Berjuang-Brothers]

terima kasih kawan kawan. kalau takde kawan kawan, mesti tak best apa yg dah dilalui. terima kasih lond, trex, zahar, leli, che pah, husna, purat, pipah, kak anne jugak.


thanks a lot ann.. you were the one who kept me moving, we've been through all, we made it, but it's time now. thank you so much PD & rajat, will never forget all the loves you guys gave. God, I can't even write many things here. I just wish I didn't have to leave...

lond, kalau tak lond tolong akak all these while, camane lah agaknya life kat sini ek, trex, zahar yang banyak sangat sangat tolong, tak pernah ai balas dengan apa-apa.

kawan-kawan [ekceli adik adik] yg cheer kan life kat sini, dari awal... sampai hari terakhir ni, kalau di recall memory kat UK, korang lah character character dlm storyboard itu. cantik cantik ceritanya. Gambar gambar tu will be my company for the years ahead. Farrah Melissa pun cherished me here.

United Kingdom, bye. Got to go, sebab sebest mana pun tempat orang, Malaysia lebih best. So, i'm going to be enjoying this journey ...going back home! Haven't I been counting this to come? Ironic huh...

Pasca MSc Viva-voce

Packing untuk shipping, sampai tiga huh, ambik ko! Disebabkan nak jugak bawak balik semua barang and taknak bayor excess baggage kat airport nanti, makanya tiga kotak full aku order untuk shipping. Sekarang... dah free, dah takde nak buat apa. Tinggal nak balik je. Esok nak pergi London, stay sana satu malam. Kat Edgware Road, Insya Allah takde apa apa lah. Khamis nak melawat UCL. Pastu beli la apa apa yang patut - nak bawak balik. Ai dah kehabisan fulus nih, kuik kuik... Bilakah tarikh sebenar aku nak balik? Let's see.

MSc Viva-voce

2:21pm entered Dr Tony's room, there were my supervisor Dr Bill and the examiner Dr Tony himself, sempoi giler Dr Tony, pakai shorts je (apalah! aku nak viva sikit punya formal, dia cam tu je, eh, dia baca ke? baik cakap melayu) Aku bawak external user sekali untuk tunjuk that my program also works remotely. External user tu ialah Zahar..tengkiu Zahar!

2:39pm habiss... cam tu je! yo yo oo aku prepared, cam tu je abiss, aku bercakap dah macam kartun, apa yang dia orang kejar? Student bawah dia cuma 3 org je. Kenapa kena betul betul 20 mins? Ikutkan aku nyer presentation tak sampai pun 20 mins. Worse, ada ke masa tengah present Dr Nick interrupted, head of department tu. Tapi betterlah daripada "orang tu" kan-assigned buat Prototype J2EE konon, penat2 buat, hampess, tengok pun tidak. Lakonan semata mata, ah! start daripada tu lah aku geram. It seems like my determination now paid off.
Tapi yang penting, dua dua lecturer aku seemed pleased. Last sekali Dr Bill cakap dia happy, 'your demo works'... so, what's more, I am very happy, pasal markah dah tak kisah dah. Pass lah kot aku punya MSc.

...and while writing this blog, surprise, guess what - i got a prompt email from Dr Bill:

MSc Viva mark
Mitchell WPR Dr (Computing)
To:
Wahab F Ms (PG/T - Computing)
Cc:
Attachments:

Faridah,
Your mark for the MSc viva is **%

Very well done. The demo was first rate, you clearly showed
you were comfortable with the technology. The slides were
excellent. I was very impressed.

Thank goodness the wifi worked.

Bill.

Terima kasih Dr Bill, aku dah kata dia baik. Markah oklah, tak seberapa pun, tapi abis bersyukur... passed - itu yg utama, Alhamdulillah! Bukan senang jugak nak lepas ni, huhuhu

AKU NAK TIKET SEKARANG!!

Malaysia... here I come (back!)

huhuhu

Ayat seribu dinar

Kenangan manis... (imbau semula)

Above is the most wonderful place on earth I've ever been... [cheewah, tu belum pergi Mekah lagi].

Below are the pictures taken from my room, not sorted by its date taken, simply to show how the view from my window changed over time. When I reviewed it again, I figured, the timestamp is not accurate. Hantam sajalah...

Well, these are going to end soon.

Pra MSc Viva-voce

Dup dapp... dup dapp! (tu perasaan tadi, sekarang....)

Alaa... cepat la, aku takde semangat dah ni. Lambat sangat la dua minggu. Aku nak bebas. Pastu nak balik. Takde apa yang best kat sini. Malaysia macam mana? Rindu... rindu kat umah, kat mak, kat adik adik, anak anak buah, abang kakak, bapak aku, rindu kat ofis dulu, rindu kat astro Ria, kat AF, kat MidValley, Jaya Jusco, Carrefour, rindu nak makan nasi lemak pagi pagi, rindu nak KFC, rindu Iswara merah aku, rindu kehidupan dulu.

Dua minggu lagi, sikit je lagi. Kenapa aku tak tahan?

Dua hari lepas, I was in dilemma, kawan Thai aku, Ann ajak stay here setahun lagi, extend visa bawah skim SEGS. Ikutkan layak la nak apply, dapat ke tak keje-it depends, dalam sibuk sibuk 'keganasan' kat London ni tak tau la ada harapan ke tak. Mula mula dengar macam excited, dpt gaji dlm GB Pound, mesti la best. Tapi... skrg aku dah tak dilemma dah. Muktamad, aku akan pulang..!! Aku nak balik, and taknak dok oversea dah. Lagi sebulan tinggal pun dah mati kutu kat sini -nak stay lagi setahun, huhuhu... no way jose! Aku takkan menyesal, walaupun peluang tu sekali ni je boleh dpt (sebab layak apply sebaik habis Master's course kat sini).

Ahh, terpaksa sambung siapkan slide ngan program tu lagi sikit. Problemnya aku tengah stuck ni, nak mintak tolong saper tak tau. Boring! boring!

Dua minggu lagi nak viva

Tengok aa gambo clifford's tower1 & clifford's tower2 yg aku post kat stock.xchng ni.

Ini pulak front page presentation slide utk 22 Aug ni:
Hihihihi... amacam tajuk? Ada bunyi bunyi Master's project tak? Aku macam tak berapa confident ngan projek aku ni, tapi syukur supervisor byk support. Mintak2 aku lepas la ya. Amiinnn..!! Projek aku cukup simple, just a proof-of-concept, tapi ada sikit demo lah esok. Planned nak buat J2EE Web Services, tapi masa pendek sangat, Summer semester panjangnya empat bulan je, so decided to do Java Servlet je.
Basically, projek ni cam ni lah =>>
Eeee... takutnya nak viva, takut masa demo program tak jalan. Aku buat servlet's session handling je. Kalau buat session EJB baru la stable kot. EJB too complicated lah. Ai tak pandai configure Web Server, WAR archiving, aah, leceh.

Ini je lah kot benda baru yg aku nak emphasis dlm projek aku ni. Ni yg nak share ngan korang ni. Yang lain tu biasa je, serves WML just like how servlets serve HTML. Harap harap lepas la standard Master's degree. Risau laa...

* * *

Then, the steps:

p/s: "Fresh summer air di negeri orang, jerebu di negeri sendiri, lebih baik di negeri sendiri...huaa, nak balikk!!"

Depressed, tension giler...nak balik!!

Hari ni rasa nak lepaskan tension la. Dah laaama sgt terperuk dlm bilik, tido lambat, dok lekat je kat meja. Balik balik tulis report, balik balik tulis report... hari ni report tuk dissertation tu dah print pun. Apa nak jadi jadi lah, aku dah penat perah otak mengarang... ni dah print, dah bind rasa cam depressed lak, apsal huh? Eish!..

Biarlah aku mengenang balik perjalanan hidup, start drp mula mula datang UK dulu, boleh tak?
University of Surrey: dlm bidang Computer Science kat UK ni, rating Univ of Surrey kira agak baik. Department of Computing memang best. Hmmm...dah nak abis pun aku kat school ni.

Sayang pulak, tapi, hati dah takde lagi kat sini, aku nak balik!
Memang UK ni best. Tapi takde yg lebih best dari tanahair tercinta. Segala-galanya di Malaysia adalah yg terbaik. Cuma, kalau duit Malaysia besar cam GB Pound, hehe.. lagi best la kot, jgn marah.

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Ini gambo classmate, dah lama ambik ni. Masa kelas terakhir sblm exam last sem. Nampak tak yang ujung tu? Tu la lecturer aku yg terbest, hensem, Dr Matthew Casey. Subjek dia ni pun subjek favourite aku - "Strategic Information Mgmt". Kelas dia memang terBAIK! Tapi sebagus kelas dia, sebagus itu jugak la expectation dia dlm kertas jawapan kita. Susah nak score kelas dia ni. Aku sikit nyer confident ngn kelas dia ni, tak distinction pulak. Kelas yg aku ingat fail pulak yg ...aaa, kira ok lah!

Kelas yg gambar next ni:

Oyh, ini gambor groupmates aku ngn lecturer, exclusive, chewah! Kelas lecturer ni is "Intelligent Information System". Yg ujung tu budak Iran, sblh dia lecturer yg baik hati (mcm bapak aku pulak rupa dia) Dr Ian Wells, hmm..mamat Pakistan ngn bestfriend aku Ann, budak Thai. Ini group yg kena buat Expert System. Uih! teruk. ingatkan mmg confirm aa aku kena repeat paper ni, tapi aku rasa lecturer tu baik kot. Tak sangka lak lepas ngn jayanya, kuik kuik kuik...(poyo!) Eh, tapi serius, masa belajar this module, aku tak tidur byk hari. Aku menyaksikan matahari - dari mula terbit, sampailah terbenam, then terbit semula. Siang panjang lak tu masa Spring semester ni. Tapi ok lah kan, berbaloi... Module ni exam dia tajuk lain pulak, "Neural Network", dia weightage dia 50-50. Yg neural network tu ...langsung haram aku tak paham, cemane tah boleh lepas exam dia. Miracle! * * * Takde lah, sebenarnya aku sempat belajar ngan Meisam (budak Iran tu) ngan Ann dlm dua minggu terakhir, kalau tak takkan boleh pass kan. Meisam tu memang final projek dia pasal Neural Network. Canggih la (projek aku jugak yg poyo).

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Ini pulak kelas "Knowledge Mgmt" ...huh? boring? Tajuk dia boring eh. Lek lek, aku yg belajar ni laaagi la boring. Tapi tak sebenarnya. Kelas dia menarik sbb lecturer tu kelakar, & kreatif - Mr Mike Maughan. Coursework dia pun tak senang gak la. Report 5000 perkataan. Presentation lagi, last sekali exam lagi. Mak...serik belajar mcm nih. Tapi sib baik, abis juger.

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Satu lagi kelas apa huh? Oooo... "Web Publishing". Takde yg too exciting about this class, tak yah aa citer, gambar pun takde...kecuali dpt ilmu psl XML, XSL, CSS & JavaScript yg selama ni ingat takkan reti sampai bila2. Skrg dah boleh aa tulis web page tanpa pakai authoring tool, cheee...poyo lagi, jangan la marah!

Subjek masa Autumn semester takyah la ye...tinggal sejarah, huhu!

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WORLDD!!! to be continued...