BiG SisteR

Super Cuteeee!! =3

2010-10-02T09:42:00.002+08:00

Peeps!! You guys should really check this out..

One of my friend showed this to me and my first reaction was:

"OMG!! They are so cutee!"

It's actually the adventure of this two milk teeth,

ickle(small) and Lardee(big).

They explore life in their very own simple way,

reading their stories could really make ur day

(it did make my day.. HAHA!).

How good will it be if our lives are that simple and naive =)

To read the adventure of ickle & Lardee, go check out

My Milk Toof!!

From the left: Lardee & ickle

all pics from My Milk Toof :)

Happy Mooncake Festival!! =D

2010-09-22T20:30:00.001+08:00

Celebration of Mooncake Festival consists of:-

Beautiful Lanterns

Colourful Candles

Yummy Yummy Mooncake

A Nice Cup of Chinese Tea~

A Full Moon

Most importantly,

your beloved Family & Friends!

♥

Happy Mooncake Festival, Everyone!!

pics from Google

A Laugh A Day Keeps The Doctor Away =)

2010-09-07T20:47:00.001+08:00

Good one! =P

So Damn TRUE!!

The essay below is a MUST read!!

Warning: Be prepared of getting a stomach ache as a result of laughing too hardly(that was what happened to me XD)

My personal favourite essay! LOL =D

"It takes one more muscle to smile than to frown"- David H. Song

Lucky Me~♥

2010-09-05T00:28:00.001+08:00

I know this is not my personal blog, but I really feel like posting this up and I can't think of anywhere else more suitable to post this.
SO... hehe, just ignore this post if u want to k? thank you very much! =)

People always say that it is very hard to find true friends in this complicated world, finding a best friend is so much more difficult, roughly 1999 times harder(I think? *just crapping*).

People always say that you don't need a thousand friends, just ONE best friend is more than enough.

Well, guess what? I found my best friend. If u ask me:"how do u know she is ur best friend? People change, things might change. How can u be so certain abt this?" Then i will answer u:" I have no idea how, no particular reason, I just KNOW it."

I dunno since when we have been best friends, everything just happened so naturally. We have know each other for 5 years, but only got really close for 4 years. I still can't believe we haven't had any arguments or conflicts before, we just seem to blend well with each other, don't we? =D

I think you are the only person who can make me laugh with ur vulgar words.. HAHAHA!!
Until now, I still couldn't figure out why do we have so many topics to talk abt? We just couldn't stop talking, our conversation never seems to end. It's not like we have many things in similar, but we just 'clicked' so well.
You are also the only person I know who can laugh continuously for half an hour( i mean reli non-stop), which is so infectious that it makes me laugh too =.=

We know each other so well, you know how slow I am and i know how lame you are. We seem to tell each other everything. You are the only one I am comfortable with telling everything abt me, everything just comes out from my mouth without thinking.
No matter good times or bad times, you were always there for me, and I know u will always will. Thank you so much for always being such a great listener.

You know I seldom say this, but.. I ♥ you very much!! I hope 20, 30 or even 40 years from now, we will still have so many things to talk abt(we'll be very noisy aunties weyy, LOL!).

ps: Thanks for everything, my best friend!!

Dedicated to the Duck, Kar Yee

   From,
   the Hen, Caryn Chang

"It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them."- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Musically Talented!! Amazing! =D

2010-08-28T23:01:00.000+08:00

Mike Tompkins

Paul Dateh

"I Love Living Life. I Am Happy." =)

2010-08-26T20:59:00.000+08:00

Nick Vujicic

A man with no arms and legs but still can live his life to the fullest.
*I really salute him to the max!

Why do we always give up easily and never get satisfied with our life?
NEVER give up people!! Just keep trying no matter how many times we fail.

Most of all, be happy =D

I got inspired by him, what about u??

飆高音系列(2) - 30/9小豬笑瘋了！

2010-08-21T17:08:00.000+08:00

Appreciate What You Have

2010-08-21T16:53:00.000+08:00

To those who are married, .. Not married, and soon to be married, I hope you will be touched with this story... MARRIAGE

   When I got home that night as my wife served dinner, I held her hand and said, I've got something to tell you. She sat down and ate quietly. Again I observed the hurt in her eyes. Suddenly I didn't know how to open my mouth. But I had to let her know what I was thinking. I want a divorce.. I raised the topic calmly. She didn't seem to be annoyed by my words, instead she asked me softly, why? I avoided her question. This made her angry. She threw away the chopsticks and shouted at me, you are not a man! That night, we didn't talk to each other. She was weeping. I knew she wanted to find out what had happened to our marriage. But I could hardly give her a satisfactory answer; she had lost my heart to Dew. I didn't love her anymore. I just pitied her!

   With a deep sense of guilt, I drafted a divorce agreement which stated that she could own our house, our car, and 30% stake of my company. She glanced at it and then tore it into pieces. The woman who had spent ten years of her life with me had become a stranger. I felt sorry for her wasted time, resources and energy but I could not take back what I had said for I loved Dew so dearly. Finally she cried loudly in front of me, which was what I had expected to see. To me her cry was actually a kind of release. The idea of divorce which had obsessed me for several weeks seemed to be firmer and clearer now.
   The next day, I came back home very late and found her writing something at the table. I didn't have supper but went straight to sleep and fell asleep very fast because I was tired after an eventful day with Dew. When I woke up, she was still there at the table writing. I just did not care so I turned over and was asleep again. In the morning she presented her divorce conditions: she didn't want anything from me, but needed a month's notice before the divorce. She requested that in that one month we both struggle to live as normal a life as possible. Her reasons were simple: our son had his exams in a month's time and she didn't want to disrupt him with our broken marriage. This was agreeable to me. But she had something more, she asked me to recall how I had carried her into out bridal room on our wedding day. She requested that everyday for the month's duration I carry her out of our bedroom to the front door ever morning.. I thought she was going crazy. Just to make our last days together bearable I accepted her odd request.

   I told Dew about my wife's divorce conditions.. . She laughed loudly and thought it was absurd. No matter what tricks she applies, she has to face the divorce, she said scornfully.. My wife and I hadn't had any body contact since my divorce intention was explicitly expressed. So when I carried her out on the first day, we both appeared clumsy. Our son clapped behind us, daddy is holding mummy in his arms. His words brought me a sense of pain. From the bedroom to the sitting room, then to the door, I walked over ten meters with her in my arms. She closed her eyes and said softly; don't tell our son about the divorce. I nodded, feeling somewhat upset. I put her down outside the door. She went to wait for the bus to work. I drove alone to the office.

   On the second day, both of us acted much more easily. She leaned on my chest. I could smell the fragrance of her blouse. I realized that I hadn't looked at this woman carefully for a long time.. I realized she was not young any more. There were fine wrinkles on her face, her hair was graying! Our marriage had taken its toll on her. For a minute I wondered what I had done to her. On the fourth day, when I lifted her up, I felt a sense of intimacy returning. This was the woman who had given ten years of her life to me. On the fifth and sixth day, I realized that our sense of intimacy was growing again. I didn't tell Dew about this. It became easier to carry her as the month slipped by. Perhaps the everyday workout made me stronger. She was choosing what to wear one morning. She tried on quite a few dresses but could not find a suitable one. Then she sighed, all my dresses have grown bigger. I suddenly realized that she had grown so thin, that was the reason why I could carry her more easily. Suddenly it hit me... she had buried so much pain and bitterness in her heart. Subconsciously I reached out and touched her head. Our son came in at the moment and said, Dad, it's time to carry mum out. To him, seeing his father carrying his mother out had become an essential part of his life. My wife gestured to our son to come closer and hugged him tightly. I turned my face away because I was afraid I might change my mind at this last minute. I then held her in my arms, walking from the bedroom, through the sitting room, to the hallway. Her hand surrounded my neck softly and naturally. I held her body tightly; it was just like our wedding day. But her much lighter weight made me sad.

       On the last day, when I held her in my arms I could hardly move a step. Our son had gone to school. I held her tightly and said, I hadn't noticed that our life lacked intimacy. I drove to office.... jumped out of the car swiftly without locking the door. I was afraid any delay would make me change my mind...I walked upstairs. Dew opened the door and I said to her, Sorry, Dew, I do not want the divorce anymore. She looked at me, astonished, and then touched my forehead.. Do you have a fever? She said. I moved her hand off my head. Sorry, Dew, I said, I won't divorce. My marriage life was boring probably because she and I didn't value the details of our lives, not because we didn't love each other any more. Now I realize that since I carried her into my home on our wedding day I am supposed to hold her until death do us apart. Dew seemed to suddenly wake up. She gave me a loud slap and then slammed the door and burst into tears. I walked downstairs and drove away.

   At the floral shop on the way, I ordered a bouquet of flowers for my wife. The salesgirl asked me what to write on the card. I smiled and wrote, I'll carry you out every morning until death do us apart. That evening I arrived home, flowers in my hands, a smile on my face, I run up stairs, only to find my wife in the bed - dead. The small details of your lives are what really matter in a relationship. It is not the mansion, the car, property, the money in the bank. These create an environment conducive for happiness but cannot give happiness in themselves. So find time to be your spouse's friend and do those little things for each other that build intimacy. Do have a real happy marriage! If you don't share this, nothing will happen to you. If you do, you just might save a marriage.

     Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.

By: Kay Regala

Dementia- how to avoid it?

2010-05-20T23:43:00.001+08:00

*DEMENTIA - HOW TO AVOID IT

To help ward off dementia, train your brain: *The minute you said you are retired, Dementia starts!!

Timing is everything, comedians say. It's also important when it comes to taking care of your brain. Yet most of us start worrying about dementia after retirement - and that may be too little, too late. Experts say that if you really want to ward off dementia, you need to start taking care of your brain in your 30s and or even earlier.

"More and more research is suggesting that lifestyle is very important to your brain's health," says Dr Paul Nussbaum, a neuropsychologist and an adjunct associate professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine "If you want to live a long, healthy life, then many of us need to start as early as we can.

"So what can you do to beef up your brain – and possibly ward off dementia?”

Dr Nussbaum, who recently gave a speech on the topic for the Winter Park (Fla.) Health Foundation, offers

20 tips that may help

1.*Join clubs or organizations that need volunteers*.

If you start volunteering now, you won't feel lost and unneeded after you retire.

2.*Develop a hobby or two*.

Hobbies help you develop a robust brain because you're trying something new and complex.

3.*Practice writing with your non-dominant hand several minutes every day*.

This will exercise the opposite side of your brain and fire up those neurons.

4.*Take dance lessons*.

In a study of nearly 500 people, dancing was the only regular physical activity associated with a significant decrease in the incidence of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. The people who danced three or four times a week showed 76% less incidence of dementia than those who danced only once a week or not at all.

5.*Need a hobby? *Start gardening*.

Researchers in New Zealand found that, of 1,000 people, those who gardened regularly were less likely to suffer from dementia. Not only does gardening reduce stress, but gardeners use their brains to plan garden they use visual and spatial reasoning to lay out a garden.

6.*Buy a pedometer and walk 10,000 steps a day*.

Walking daily can reduce the risk of dementia because cardio vascular health is important to maintain blood flow to the brain.

7.*Read and write daily*.

Reading stimulates a wide variety of brain areas that process and store information. Likewise, writing (not copying) stimulates many areas of the brain as well.

8.*Start knitting*.

Using both hands works both sides of your brain. And it's a stress reducer...

9.*Learn a new language*.

Whether it's a foreign language or sign language, you are working your brain by making it go back and forth between one language and the other. A researcher in England found that being bilingual seemed to delay symptoms of Alzheimer's disease for four years. (And some research suggests that the earlier a child learns sign language, the higher his IQ - and people with high IQs are less likely to have dementia. So start them early.)

10.*Play board games such as Scrabble and Monopoly*.

Not only are you taxing your brain, you're socializing too. (Playing solo games, such as solitaire or online computer brain games can be helpful, but Dr Nussbaum prefers games that encourage you to socialize too.) *MAHJONG IS GOOD!* besides which there is the incentive of $$$.

11.*Take classes throughout your lifetime*.

Learning produces structural and chemical changes in the brain, and education appears to help people live longer. Brain researchers have found that people with advanced degrees live longer - and if they do have Alzheimer's, it often becomes apparent only in the very later stages of the disease.

12.*Listen to classical music*.

A growing volume of research suggests that music may hardwire the brain, building links between the two hemispheres. Any kind of music may work, but there's some research that shows positive effects for classical music, though researchers don't understand why.

13.*Learn a musical instrument*.

It may be harder than it was when you were a kid, but you'll be developing a dormant part of your brain.

14.*Travel.*

When you travel (whether it's to a distant vacation spot or on a different route across town), you're forcing your brain to navigate a new and complex environment. A study of London taxi drivers found experienced drivers had larger brains because they have to store lots of information about locations and how to navigate there.

15.*Pray*.

Daily prayer appears to help your immune system. And people who attend a formal worship service regularly live longer and report happier, healthier lives...

16. *Learn to meditate*.

It's important for your brain that you learn to shut out the stresses of everyday life.

17.*Get enough sleep*.

Studies have shown a link between interrupted sleep and dementia.

18.*Eat more foods containing omega-3 fatty acids*.

Salmon, sardines, tuna, ocean trout, mackerel or herring, plus walnuts (higher in omega 3s than salmon) and flaxseed. Flaxseed oil, cod liver oil and walnut oil are good sources too.

19.*Eat more fruits and vegetables*.

Antioxidants in fruits and vegetables mop up some of the damage caused by free radicals, one of the leading killers of brain cells.

20.*Eat at least one meal a day with family and friends*.

You'll slow down, socialize, and research shows you'll eat healthier food than if you ate alone or on the go.

21.*In addition, I think receiving and distributing e-mails every day helps the brain function and exercise !!*

Vaccine Notification

2010-05-20T23:34:00.000+08:00

How true is this ........?

The Malaysian government has just received a big batch of H1N1 vaccine. They have already started the vaccination exercise in many schools.

My Australian friend has just sent me this article.
Read and be your own judge.
Hi Team,

This very alarming piece of information was sent to us today . It was written by a pharmacist in South Australia .

It seems that we really need to get the message out to the public on the dangers of vaccinations that the Government is scare mongering us about!!

Please take a moment to read this article, it's an absolute disgrace on every Government & pharmaceutical company on the planet.

*DO NOT THINK FOR A MOMENT THAT OUR GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO PROTECT YOU!!! *

This is important. I'm a qualified pharmacist. I've been researching the swine flu vaccine that our government has bought for us (using our money, by the way) and its DANGEROUS. Its easy a hundred times more dangerous than the swine flu itself.*Something that freaked me out is that several swine flu vaccine manufacturers have asked governments to give them an exemption from lawsuits, in case the vaccine caused harm in people.

*If you made a vaccine that you knew worked, then why would you need a legal exemption in case it hurt people?

*Massive warning sign. They don't believe its safe.

*The swine flu itself has killed about 2/3000 people total. The regular flu kills 40 000 plus per year - so why are we freaking out about swine flu, and not normal flu? Does that make sense? No.

If the regular flu kills 40 000 plus per year, and the swine flu only killed 2/3 000 - then why are governments buying it in advance, giving it to us for free, and giving drug manufacturers immunity to legal cases against them?

Does that make sense?

The swine flu vaccine contains 2 horribly dangerous compounds - one is called thimerosol. It is made 50% of mercury. It binds to receptors in your

Brain, and basically causes brain damage. Is it smart to be injected with thimerosol, and get brain damage, dropping 10 IQ points and going dumb, in

Order to avoid getting a flu that kills 95% less people than regular flu? No

The other horrible in gredient is called squalene. Squalene accidentally tricks your immune system into killing your own cells, which creates autoimmune diseases like asthma, multiple scelerosis, diabetes, and a bunch of diseases that we don't have a name for yet (because squalene hasn't been used for that long, and we have little data on its effects) - is it smart to inject yourself with that stuff, in order to avoid a relatively mild flu, like the swine flu? No.

If you're a pregnant mother about to take Panvax, ask yourself this - why would you take Panvax, when it contains Neomycin and Polymyxin B Sulfate - both of which exhibit positive risk to unborn children - so as to avoid what?

A mild flu, that kills 95% fewer people than the regular flu?

I'm a qualified pharmacist. I scored in the top 0.1% of my state in school.

I'm expert at critical analysis of drugs and their effects on humans. And let me be blunt - if someone came up to me with a syringe full of swine flu vaccine, or came near my family with one - I would take the needle off them and poke them with it myself - followed by several very hard punches. This stuff is poison.

Don't take it. Don't let your friends take it. Don't let your family take it. If some idiot in a lab coat asks you if you want it, ask them about thimerosol, squalene, and why the company making it wants legal exemption from being sued, and watch their face go into "OMG, I'm being asked serious questions that I don't have the answer to" mode. Anyway, I hope you're all well.

Sincerely,
George Mamouzellos
Bachelor of Pharmacy
University of South Australia

Through The Thunderstorm

2010-05-19T21:10:00.000+08:00

One day a young lady was driving along with her father.

They came upon a storm, and the young lady asked her father, What should I do?"

He said "keep driving". Cars began to pull over to the side, the storm was getting worse.

"What should I do." The young lady asked? "Keep driving," her father replied.

On up a few feet, she noticed that eighteen wheelers were also pulling over. She told her dad, "I must pull over, I can barely see ahead. It is terrible, and everyone is pulling over!"

Her father told her, "Don't give up, just keep driving!"

Now the storm was terrible, but she never stopped driving, and soon she could see a little more clearly. After a couple of miles she was again on dry land, and the sun came out.

Her father said, "Now you can pull over and get out."

She said "But why now?"

He said "When you get out, look back at all the people that gave up and are still in the storm, because you never gave up your storm is now over.

This is a testimony for anyone who is going through "hard times".

Just because everyone else, even the strongest, gives up. You don't have to...if you keep going, soon your storm will be over and the sun will shine upon your face again.

Touched,
Ng Loon Jay, Jasper.

Tales Worth Pondering

2010-05-19T21:00:00.001+08:00

The Turtles
A turtle family decided to go on a picnic. The turtles, being naturally slow about things, took seven years to prepare for their outing. Finally the turtle family left home looking for a suitable place. During the second year of their journey they found a place ideal for them at last!

For about six months they cleaned the area, unpacked the picnic basket, and completed the arrangements. Then they discovered they had forgotten the salt. A picnic without salt would be a disaster, they all agreed. After a lengthy discussion, the youngest turtle was chosen to retrieve the salt from home. Although he was the fastest of the slow moving turtles, the little turtle whined, cried, and wobbled in his shell. He agreed to go on one condition: that no one would eat until he returned. The family consented and the little turtle left.

Three years passed and the little turtle had not returned. Five years...six years... then on the seventh year of his absence, the oldest turtle could no longer contain his hunger. He announced that he was going to eat and begun to unwrap a sandwich. At that point the little turtle suddenly popped out from behind a tree shouting, 'See! I knew you wouldn't wait. Now I am not going to go get the salt.'

[Some of us waste our time waiting for people to live up to our expectations. We are so concerned about what others are doing that we
do not do anything ourselves.]

The Frogs
A farmer came into town and asked the owner of a restaurant if he could use a million frog legs. The restaurant owner was shocked and asked the man where he could get so many frog legs! The farmer replied, 'There is a pond near my house that is full of frogs - millions of them. They all croak all night long and they are about to make me crazy!' So the restaurant owner and the farmer made an agreement that the farmer would deliver frogs to the restaurant, five hundred at a time for the next several weeks.

The first week, the farmer returned to the restaurant looking rather sheepish, with two scrawny little frogs. The restaurant owner said, 'Well... where are all the frogs?' The farmer said, 'I was mistaken. There were only these two frogs in the pond. But they sure were making a lot of noise!'

[ Next time you hear somebody criticizing or making fun of you, remember, it's probably just a couple of noisy frogs. Also remember that problems always seem bigger in the dark. Have you ever laid in your bed at night worrying about things which seem almost overwhelming like a million frogs croaking? Chances are pretty good that when the morning comes, and you take a closer look, you'll wonder what all the fuss was about.]

The Pretty Lady
Once upon a time a big monk and a little monk were traveling together. They came to the bank of a river and found the bridge was damaged. They had to wade across the river. There was a pretty lady who was stuck at the damaged bridge and couldn't cross the river.

The big monk offered to carry her across the river on his back. The lady accepted. The little monk was shocked by the move of the big monk. 'How can big brother carry a lady when we are supposed to avoid all intimacy with females?' thought the little monk. But he kept
quiet.. The big monk carried the lady across the river and the small monk followed unhappily.

When they crossed the river, the big monk let the lady down and they parted ways with her.

All along the way for several miles, the little monk was very unhappy with the act of the big monk. He was making up all kinds of accusations about big monk in his head. This got him madder and madder. But he still kept quiet. And the big monk had no inclination to explain his situation.

Finally, at a rest point many hours later, the little monk could not stand it any further, he burst out angrily at the big monk. 'How can you claim yourself a devout monk, when you seize the first opportunity to touch a female, especially when she is very pretty? All your teachings to me make you a big hypocrite

The big monk looked surprised and said, 'I had put down the pretty lady at the river bank many hours ago, how come you are still carrying her along?'

[This very old Chinese Zen story reflects the thinking of many people today. We encounter many unpleasant things in our life, they irritate us and they make us angry. Sometimes, they cause us a lot of hurt, sometimes they cause us to be bitter or jealous .. But like the little monk, we are not willing to let them go away.We keep on carrying the baggage of the 'pretty lady' with us. We let them keep on coming back to hurt us, make us angry, make us bitter and cause us a lot of agony.Why? Simply because we are not willing to put down or let go of the baggage of the 'pretty lady'. We should let go of the pretty lady immediately after crossing the river. This will immediately remove all our agonies.There is no need to be further hurt by the unpleasant event after it is over.]

Courtesy of,
Jasper Loon Jay Ng.

On the beaches of Costa Rica

2010-04-04T02:02:00.000+08:00

Received an e-mail about the turtles on the beaches of costa rica

World wide shame in costa rica

What have they all gained for the future of Costa Rica 's Marine Life protection?

See the 2nd picture where the female cannot cover up her own eggs, before the

intruder steals away what nature has given her to protect her young. These people have unfortunately, taught their children nothing for the future generation to cherish. Look at these children and they do not know anything about conservation of Marine Life Protection and look at the disastrous road their parents are taking too.
The turtle eggs are stolen to be sold.

Inspirational Morpho Towers

2010-03-29T17:16:00.000+08:00

After being exposed to the realm of Morpho Towers, I was truly amazed by the creativity and innovation of the designers. The ability to "think out of the box" is what the comrades of the designing industry should have and Morpho Towers are definitely an epitome of a fine combination of science, arts and creativity, which hold a new breath to the construction industry as well. When I first saw the towers, my curiosity aroused when spikes of ferrofluid resembling steel ribbons besiege the towers, making the towers extraordinary and futuristic. Morpho Towers are truly inspirational as they exemplify the need of bridging concepts and realising inspiration. They display a whole new way of building, based on fresh and interesting ideas. So, it can be deducted that Morpho Towers are truly an mind-opener, as they show us a way to open up to boundless territory of thinking and creating, as a way to stand out from outmoded mind and abyss, while conforming to actual rules of the game of constructing, as in safety and in care of trend and people's fastidious needs of new things, which are usually visually exciting.

Conclusion of Assignment,
By Jasper Ng.

What I Think About The Morpho Tower?

2010-03-17T22:07:00.000+08:00

The first time i watched then video in class, I was like " yuck!! What is that?!" That is because the ferrofluid in the video was flowing around and even forming spikes on two towers that look like KLCC to me. The video really looks like some kind of effects created by the computer, but i when i did some researches about the Morpho Tower, I found out that it was actually something that really exists! The even more unbelievable part is that the ferrofluid in the video actually moves synthetically with the music. How cool is that! I think Sachiko Kodama is a genius combining art and science this way. I couldn't imagine how much effort she has put into this project, this really shows her passion and creativity towards art. the video is really inspiring to me as it shows that everything that looks like a fantasy can actually become true. As a student who wishes to become a successful architect in the future, I wish to build something that might seem impossible to be built!! :)

Caryn Chang Yuen Teng

A man and his Artwork

2010-03-12T04:10:00.000+08:00

Artwork    : Strandbeest (one of the kinetic sculpture)
Man        : Theo Jansen
Video Title: BMW (South Africa). Defining Innovation

Feelings after first time watching it:
WAY TOO COOL!!!! Is this real???????
After doing a bit of research, i am sure this is real. Basically I am trying to keep it as short as possible, so that readers dun have to go through the process of reading too many words.

Who is he?

Name : Theo Jansen

Birthplace : Scheveningen, Netherlands

Birth date : 14 March 1948 (age 62)

Tertiary Studies : Studies Physics at Universities of Delft (1968)

Job : Kinetic Sculptor, Dutch Artist (Engineer/ Artist)

One of prizes won : special jury prize in Ars Electronica 2005

Workplace : Ypenburg

Interview : http://www.goodexperience.com/2005/04/interview-theo-jansen-strandbe.php:

Next goal : Improve Strandbeest's survival skill so that they can stand up to natural elements such as storm

His hope : His creation becomes more anatomically sophisticated and can live on their own.

Artwork

Name : Strandbeest (literally means beach beast)

Materials used : Flexible plastic tubes, Adhesive tapes, nylon threads ,etc

Year started : 1990

Structure : Bear resemblance to skeletons of animals and also Da Vinci's unbuilt prototypes

Function system : Klann Linkage System (can't explain it here, it will be too long) To know more click here, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klann_Linkage and http://www.mechanicalspider.com/comparison.html

Abilities : i) Walk on beaches,

ii) Capture and store the winds, and keep moving for extended time

iii) Anchor themselves in the sand when the wind is trying to blow them away

Simulation programme

of the artwork : click here http://www.cove.org/ape/demo2.htm

Before i end my this, i would like to share a few words. This Strandbeest is created by Theo Jansen. This man is awesome. I think most people around the world will be taken aback by his creativity. Perhaps his creation will become our vehicle in the future. His dedication to create something so amazing is undeniably valuable to our slowly shaterring mother earth.So,everyone START saving our EARTH AND RECYCLE!!!

"The walls between arts and engineering exist in our mind" -his quote is connected with my favourite quote "Anything is possible, the impossible just takes longer". What we imagine is possible. His quote should have been used for all the FNBE students and future architect.

Reference link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theo_Jansen
http://www.artfutura.org/02/05jansen_en.html
http://www.strandbeest.com/
http://weburbanist.com/2008/10/11/unbelievable-kinetic-sculptures-of-theo-jansen/
http://test.org.uk/2005/09/04/strandbeest-and-the-fossils-of-new-media-art/and 4 more link up there.

-SOE HEN JUN-

Morpho Tower - 2 standing spiral!! :D

2010-03-05T08:13:00.000+08:00

Last class, our awesome teachers showed us 2 videos, I would say weird videos. Haha

One is MORPHO TOWER – two standing spiral, the other one is BMW(South Africa) defining innovation.
Why I said these 2 videos are weird? Well, actually weird in a good way. XP
Both of the videos are very creative!! :D

Okay, back to business. I want to talk about the Morpho Tower – two standing spiral .

The morpho tower – two standing tower is created by Sachiko Kodama.
“Morpho Towers--Two Standing Spirals” is an installation that consists of two ferrofluid sculptures that moves synthetically to music. The two spiral towers stand on a large plate that hold ferrofluid. When the music starts, the magnetic field around the tower is strengthened. Spikes of ferrofluid are born from the bottom plate and move up, trembling and rotating around the edge of the iron spiral.
The body of the tower was made by a new technique called “ferrofluid sculpture” that enables artists to create dynamic sculptures with fluid materials. This technique uses one electromagnet, and its iron core is extended and sculpted. The ferrofluid covers the sculpted surface of a three-dimensional iron shape that was made on an electronic NC lathe. The movement of the spikes in the fluid is controlled dynamically on the surface by adjusting the power of the electromagnet. The shape of the iron body is designed as helical so that the fluid can move to the top of the helical tower when the magnetic field is strong enough.
The surface of the tower responds dynamically to its magnetic environment.
When there is no magnetic field, the tower appears to be a simple spiral shape. But when the magnetic field around the tower is strengthened, spikes of ferrofluid are born; at the same time, the tower’s surface dynamically morphs into a variety of textures ranging from soft fluid to minute moss, or to spiky shark’s teeth, or again to a hard iron surface. The ferrofluid, with its smooth, black surface that seems to draw people in, reaches the top of the tower, spreading like a fractal, defying gravity.
The spikes of ferrofluid are made to rotate around the edge of the spiral cone, becoming large or small depending on the strength of the magnetic field. In this work the speed of this rotation can be controlled without motors or shaft mechanisms ? we simply control the magnetic power.
In this work, we are trying to activate analogue physical phenomena (= fluid) precisely by utilizing digital music metadata. To control the synchronization of the ferrofluid with the music playback in real time, time series metadata are added to the music beforehand. The metadata consist of musical information, such as beat position, chord progression, and melody block information, and ferrofluid control information such as DC bias voltage and AC pattern. Each data record has a time stamp that indicates the timing of presentation. All data are stored in time-series order.
These time series metadata must be accurate for precise control of timing, so as to cancel the time delay of fluid movement. By this correction, the time when the protuberance of the spike reaches its maximum size is coincident with the beat of the music. As a result, the rhythm of the fluid movement coincides with the musical rhythm. When there is no sound, the fluid falls down into the plate.
As there are two towers in the installation, complicated expressions of surfaces become possible. Each tower’s surface pulsates, like one creature calling to the other.
Fluid moves synthetically with the music, as if it breathes, and the condition of the fluid's surface emerges as autonomous and complex. In this art we want to harmonize several opposing properties, such as hardness (iron) / softness (fluid) and freedom (desire for design) / restriction (natural powers such as gravity). This work emerges as an autonomous transformation of the material itself: sometimes it seems like a horn, sometimes a fir tree, and sometimes even like the Tower of Babel.

This is the video :
MUST WATCH!! haha
Sachiko Kodama "Morpho Towers -- Two Standing Spirals" (2007)

Collaborator: Yasushi Miyajima (Sony CSL)
Special Thanks:Satoru Saito, Kingo Arakawa, Takeshi Aoki, Osamu Sumiya(UEC), Megumi Sato
Music: Tetsuhide Hidaka, PIRAMI

10 most unique buildings in the world

2010-03-04T22:00:00.000+08:00

Hundertwasser Building

This residential complex can be found in Darmstadt, Germany. The U-shaped building is quite unique as it rises like a ramp and has grass, shrubs, flowers and trees planted on its roof. Of the 1,000 windows, no two are the same and trees grow out many of them. At the highest point, there are 12 floors. It was completed in 2000 and designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser.

Bubble House

This bubble house is located in France. Architect, Antti Lovag is committed to the concept of organic architecture and thus inspired to create buildings resembling shapes and forms found in nature. A few of these bubble houses can be found along the coast of France.

The Crooked House

Located in Sopot, Poland, the crooked house was constructed in 2003. The buildings’ design was inspired by a famous child book illustrator Jan Marcin and Swedish painter, Per Dahlbergs’ pictures and paintings.

Kansas City Public Library

In Newton, Kansas, there is a library that’s made to look like a giant bookshelf.

Ferdinand Cheval Palace

Ferdinand Cheval was a French postman who spent 33 years building his “Ideal Palace.” He begun building in April 1879. He claimed that he tripped on a stone and was inspired by its shape. He returned to the same spot and begun collecting stones. For the next 33 years, during his daily mail route, Cheval carried stones from his delivery route and at home and used them to build his palace. The palace is a mix of different styles with inspirations from the Bible and Hindu mythology.

The Dancing House

The Dancing House was designed by Vlado Milunic in 1992 and was completed in 1996. It was built in hopes of becoming a center of cultural activity. It was originally named Fred and Ginger (after Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers – the house vaguely resembles a pair of dancers). On the roof is a French restaurant and the building has other multinational firms, but the plans for the cultural center was not realized.

Mind House

It is located in Barcelona, Spain.

The Longaberger Basket

This is the world’s largest picnic basket and it serves as a home office for The Longaberger Company. It’s located in Newark, Ohio. Dave Longaberger is the founder of the company. This basket was completed in 1997 and in 1998 it won the prestigious build Ohio award.

Hang Nga Guesthouse: Crazy House

Like a Disney animation of a Grimm’s Brothers fairy tale, a bizarre southern Vietnam hotel built by the daughter of Ho Chi Minh’s right hand man. It’s as if it was sculpted by Salvador Dali on the grounds of a classic French colonial villa. It has little bridges and oddly shaped corridors all linking together like a mini maze.

Bahai House of Worship

The Indian Bahai Temple is found in New Delhi, India. The Architect designed it to reflect the blossoming of the lotus of which the Jewel is found.

-wong kung nguon-

Dyanamid Ferrofluid - CTC Part 4

2010-03-04T21:07:00.000+08:00

Dynamic Ferrofluid Sculpture: Organic Shape-changing Art

June 2nd, 2008

by Sachiko Kodama
From ancient times, standing sculptures in Japan and elsewhere were made of materials such as clay, stones, wood, or metals. Materials were formed, modeled, modified, cut, and reshaped using processes appropriate for them, and the forms and textures of sculptures made from the materials did not change except by abrasion or surface corrosion. The invention of photography changed this world of unchanging art. Modern materials and electric and machine technology came to be used in art works and inspired kinetic art such as that by Naum Gabo and László Moholy-Nagy was created. Since then, numerous artists, designers, and architects have created moving, kinetic works. Since the introduction of the computer, e.g., in cybernetic art proposed by Nicolas Shöffer, a number of art works have been produced by processing external information from the environment or living beings through physical devices. However, it can be stated that there has been little work on expression through flexible changes of the surface texture controlled by a computer.

My project’s goal is to create organic shape-changing art forms and figures whose three-dimensional form, surface structure, and color change dynamically and lively as if to reflect echoes of environmental music, light, and human communication. To create such three-dimensional organic forms and surfaces, in 2000, I started using ferrofluid in my interactive art project named “Protrude, Flow.”

Fig.1 Protrude, Flow (2001) by Sachiko Kodama, Minako Takeno

Ferrofluids, the shape-changing material used in my works, were invented in the late 1960s in the Apollo Program of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and are known to be used for forming liquid seals and in electronic devices for computers, AV equipments, and other industrial applications. Recently they have been employed in medicine research.

Basically, ferrofluids appear as a black fluid. They are prepared by dissolving nanoscale ferromagnetic particles in a solvent such as water or oil and remain strongly magnetic even in a fluid condition. Therefore, they are more flexibly transformable as compared to iron sand. It is well known that ferrofluids form spikes along magnetic field lines when the magnetic surface force exceeds the stabilizing effects of the fluid weight and surface tension [1]. In my work, organic shapes are produced by these spikes under a magnetic field that is controlled by electromagnets. Sensing technology and computers are used to make the fluid change its shape according to environmental information. The transformation of the shape and rhythm of the movement is an important aspect of the work.

My first project “Protrude, Flow” (Fig.1) used six electromagnets. In this work, the electromagnets sometimes prevented people from viewing the moving liquid. To solve this problem and to simplify the work, I discovered a new technique called “Ferrofluid Sculpture.” This technique enables artists to create more dynamic sculptures with fluid materials. One electromagnet is used, with an extended iron core that is sculpted into a particular shape. The ferrofluid covers the sculpted surface of the three-dimensional iron shape. The movement of the spikes in the fluid is controlled dynamically on the surface by adjusting the power of the electromagnet.

Figure 2. Morpho Tower, 2006

The “Morpho Tower” series in 2006 was my first realization of a “ferrofluid sculpture.” Figure 2 shows the spiral tower covered with numerous ferrofluid spikes. A spiral tower stands on a plate that holds the ferrofluid. When the magnetic field around the tower is strengthened, spikes of ferrofluid are generated in the bottom plate and they move upward, trembling and rotating around the edge of the iron spiral.

The movement of the spikes in the fluid is controlled on the surface by adjusting the power of the electromagnet. The shape of the iron body is designed to be helical so that the fluid can move to the top of the helical tower when the magnetic field is sufficiently strong.

The surface of the tower responds dynamically to its magnetic environment. When there is no magnetic field, the tower appears to have a simple spiral shape. But when the magnetic field around the tower is strengthened, spikes are generated in the ferrofluid; simultaneously, the tower’s surface dynamically changes into a variety of textures — a soft fluid, a minute moss, spiky shark’s teeth, or a hard iron surface. The ferrofluid, with its smooth, black surface that seems to attract people reaches all the way to the top of the tower, spreading like a fractal and defying gravity.

The spikes of the ferrofluid are made to rotate around the edge of the spiral cone, where they increase or decrease in size depending on the strength of the magnetic field. Using a computer, the transformation and movement of the shape can be controlled along with its speed and rhythm. The speed of rotation can be controlled without motors or shaft mechanisms, so that it works calmly; simply controlled by gravity and a magnetic field

Figure 3. Morpho Tower / Two Standing Spirals, 2007

The inspiration for my artwork comes from life and nature. The organic forms and the geometry and symmetry observed in plants and animals are important inspirational factors when considering kinetic or shape-changing and potentially interactive art forms. The manner of movement of animals and other natural materials is also important. Rhythms of breathing in living things are an excellent metaphor for a texture that dynamically changes according to time. One of my eventual goals is to apply these elements in computer display design as well.

The continuously changing weather conditions of the earth are also important motifs. The motifs for the work “Morpho Towers: Two standing spirals,” which I created in collaboration with Yasushi Miyajima (Sony CSL), were ocean, tornadoes, and lightning (see Fig. 3). Here, a black tornado elegantly dances in sync with music. In Japan, we have the concept of comparison. Mimicking natural phenomena (“mitate” in Japanese) is a method that works well when trying to understand how natural shapes occur [4]. It permits the comparison of ferrofluid forms to creatures such as sea urchins and jelly fishes or to a “tornado”. Thus, it creates high-tech versions of the Japanese “Hakoniwa,” boxes with small models of things and landscapes taken from real life settings.

When regarded as a “ferrofluid display”, my sculptures exhibit principles of Organic User Interface design. First, their form follows the flow: the entire shape of the ferrofluid display emerges naturally under the balance of physical forces. Next, their output may serve as an imput. While ferrofluid displays currently primarily serve as an output device, the electromagnet can be used directly as a sensor, allowing the introduction of feedback loops and interactivity in the artworks.

However, what function would be conceivable for such ferrofluid display? Perhaps the focus should be on the entertainment or aesthetic aspects of interactive ferrofluid materials (e.g., applied to carpets or walls), especially if color representation can be realized on their surface. If we consider the sense of touch and the elasticity of the ferrofluid, more practical uses of the ferrofluid display might be found. Now is a time of unprecedented advances in materials science. It is a great time to experiment with various materials for constructing organic figures in the creation of interactive art. Such figures are created along a timeline and provide new meanings and new ways of communication. The fusion of information technology and material technology will develop even more in the future, making it possible for them to eventually transform flexibly, like the interactive 3D surfaces shown in the futuristic movie X-men.

Bits may be transformed into reconfigurable textures and the concept of “bit-texture” may be realized. Even artificial intelligence may be applied to such substances. Is it possible to imagine that we have a third skin on the surface of our own body and on tools, furniture, houses or other products, a skin that senses information from the environment and its inhabitants, and that responds by morphing according to its required function. If this becomes reality, computers that mimic natural forms may offer a more calm, relaxing and comfortable user experience.

-wong kung nguon-

Creative thinking skills-morpho tower part 3b

2010-02-28T19:32:00.000+08:00

Morpho tower....A magnetic fluid breathing in a spiral tower

A projection emerges from the surface; many spikes protrude and gather as if they are alive.....

Black liquid that reacts to magnetic flux: when I saw this material for the first time, I found its strange shapes and movements very puzzling. It may have looked familiar to people used to watching morphing computer graphics and hyper-realistic virtual images that exist in only mathematical form. However, these phenomena were appearing right there in front of me in the real world.

Still, a magnetic fluid can't be manipulated as freely as computer graphics. Its forms cannot contradict the physical laws of magnetism and gravity. I often marvel at how the shapes created in this magnetic fluid resemble plant or animal forms.

What does this seem like?..... A water lily?

What does the shape of these thorns remind you of ?..... A hedgehog?

I have created various works using magnetic fluids, continuing the dialog between material and image.

The gushing movement of the liquid makes it seem living, dynamic, and sometimes almost violently erotic.

I am fascinated by these forms, so I am always trying to draw out the maximum allure of the material itself - its characteristics as a physical substance.

Anyone can make a moving, interactive figure - a beautiful artifact which has never been seen before.

I feel as if I am at the gateway to an entirely unknown continent.

Sachiko Kodama

-wendy-

Creative thinking skills- morpho towers part 3

2010-02-24T22:31:00.000+08:00

Morpho Towers: ferrofluid sculptures that groove to the music

There's just something irresistible about random objects that get down to surrounding beats, and the Morpho Towers: Two Standing Spirals installation is quite the eye-catcher indeed. The pair of ferrofluid sculptures were deigned to stand in a platter of ferrofluid and move "synthetically to music," which translates into a magnetic field being generated by sound and creating autonomous art. Subsequently, the towers react by attracting "spikes of ferrofluid" from the bottom-up, which can mold itself and transform into a variety of stunning shapes. The spikes themselves are designed to "rotate around the edge of the spiral cone, becoming large or small depending on the strength of the magnetic field," and by utilizing time series metadata ingrained in the music, the designers can create (and control) more dramatic scenes on the towers' sides. So if you're interested in what a magnetic Christmas tree might look like, be sure to take a peek after the jump for the artwork in motion.

[Via SciFiTech]

Morpho Towers–Two Standing Spirals” is an installation that consists of two ferrofluid sculptures that moves synthetically to music. The two spiral towers stand on a large plate that hold ferrofluid. When the music starts, the magnetic field around the tower is strengthened. Spikes of ferrofluid are born from the bottom plate and move up, trembling and rotating around the edge of the iron spiral.

-wendy gan ying han-

Breathtaking Skyline of Amazing Cities of the World

2010-02-17T16:02:00.000+08:00

Anywhere in the world, most people are crowding into cities. Cities are, undeniably, the life pulses of a nation. Mention New York, Hong Kong, Tokyo and so on, the forests of futuristic skyscapers surely flourish in your minds. No matter where we live or where we wander, cities touch everything we do. They excite us, define us and too, captivate us. So, welcome to a section of this blog that celebrates world's great cities with fantastic skylines.

Hong Kong has the greatest skyline in the world!At night, the skyline glimmers with lighting and reflections. This city exemplifies the post-modern skyscraper and skyline. The mountainous backdrop makes this skyline the greatest on the planet.

Chicago

Chicago is the birthplace of the modern skyscraper.Chicago has some of the finest mid-century architecture and examples of modern skyscrapers. This skyline has many distinctive views, changing it's pattern ever so subtly at each angle you choose to look at it from. Like Hong Kong and New York, Chicago's skyscraper's really do create a line, stacked up along the shoreline, creating a true, skyline effect.

New York has one of the densest and most diverse skylines, with a huge collection of buildings and building styles. Thanks to artists' and Hollywood’s obsession with the city, it is also the most easily recognizable skyline in the world. New York's skyline probably has the most compact and overwhelming collection of architecture from almost any point in the city.

Shanghai - Not to be mistaken for a space station, Shanghai is a real city! China's biggest and most advanced city, Shanghai was said to be one of the most modern cities at the turn of the 21st century. Shanghai is becoming a showcase of modern architecture and is quickly amassing a collection of sky reaching buildings decked along the edges of the semi-circular shoreline in Pudong district.

Singapore is one of the best planned and cleanliest metropolitan cities in the world, Singapore looks like an architectural city model come to life. The buildings cannot be higher than 280 metres due to air traffic control restrictions, but that has added a tall (but not too tall) and consistent building height and space pattern that makes this skyline unique: Three buildings are exactly 280 metres tall.

Tokyo is the world's most populated city and considered by many to be the capital of the Eastern world.But because of the density and vast size of the city, every corner appears to have its own skyline.Tokyo is filled with neon lighting and unique, contemporary architecture, and like New York City is also often portrayed in movies for its aesthetic and eye-catching cityscapes.

Toronto
Toronto is a meeting place, a crossroad of many cultures and ethnicities. Currently, the CN Tower possesses the world's highest observation deck, making this city's skyline one of the most immediately identifiable. Toronto, also contains a diverse collection of renowned architecture, including it's City Hall. Toronto also has one of the densest financial districts in North America .

Kuala Lumpur

Surprisingly, this is our nearest metropolis-cum-capital.It is probably the most impressive city worldwide that has about 2 million residents. Marvelous modern buildings reach the sky here, and while the skyline is not exactly the densest, it does allow buildings to soar and stand out.

Shenzhen

What was a tiny fishing village on the border of Hong Kong is now a buzzing metropolis of over seven million people!Shenzhen is a spectacle of lights and neon signs after sunset, you can’t help but ask yourself- if you are in a video game or in a real city.

Seattle

Seattle is the commercial, cultural and advanced technology hub of the Northwest USA and a major port city for Pacific and European trade.Seattle is surrounded by mountains and water and offers some picture-perfect views. Seattle is commonly referred to as the Emerald City and renowned as a great social and corporate city with infrastructure. The planning is spectacular, as it helped create the hill-like effect on the skyline's silhouette, add the mountain backdrop and this city is almost a picture perfect.

Have had enough of an eye feast? Give a pause, more coming up in the shortest time frame possible.

All pictures maybe copyrighted and showcase world's finest cities in terms of skyline and architecture.

Drooping saliva? Fret none, fly to any of these and you'll be truly amazed!

Jasper Ng

Feb 2010

CTS - Part 3b (Biography of Yasushi Miyajima)

2010-02-17T14:40:00.000+08:00

Sorry that this is all i can find abt Yasushi Miyajima, this information below is his brief introduction of himself as a member of Interaction Laboratory of SONY CSL.

Yasushi Miyajima

With rapid growth of computer and network technology, the paradigm shift has been going on in both contents creation and distribution in the world. Personal contents can be spread explosively and directly across the world through the Internet without any legacy distribution. Current personal contents are mainly text documents, photos and movies. I am interested in music-based entertainment and communication in such a new world.

Now I'm researching and developing a new music system that enables you to re-mix and to arrange music contents easily. And I'd like to contribute to the creation of new music culture through the realization of the world in which people can share and exchange their own music arrangement information among each other.

CTS - Part 3a (Biography of Sachiko Kodama)

2010-02-17T13:58:00.000+08:00

Sachiko Kodama
Born 1970 in Shizuoka, Japan. 1993; B.A., Hokkaido University (Division of Physics.). 1995; M.A., Tsukuba University (Master's Program in Art and Design.) 2000; Completed Doctoral Program in Arts and Design, Received Ph.D. from Tsukuba University. For several years, Kodama has studied about image art works using a computer and holography, now she is making interactive art works using digital media or new materials such as magnetic fluid to explore the theoretical and practical study of media arts. Works Exhibited: Artec'95, 97, 1996; One-man Show (Kobayashi Gallery, Tokyo). 1997; Para Para Parallax Exhibit (Gallery NW House, Tokyo). In 2000, Kodama and Takeno started collaboration in making Prtorude, flow. This work was presented in Siggraph 2001 Art Gallery. A research associate of Univ. of Electro-Communications (Tokyo).

Interview with Sachiko Kodama

by Jasmine Greene

We at Pieces had the pleasure to interview up-and-coming artist Sachiko Kodoma. She uses ferrofluid materials in her latest installation "morph tower". The tower as well as her other works introduce various aspects of art and science and captures the beauty magnets can create. You can check out her site at kodama.hc.

The ferrofluid materials you used for your "morph tower" installation are generally used for commercial applications. Why did you decide to use this material for your installation?

I was just struck by the beauty of the ferrofluids, especially by their moving spikes.

Spikes symbolize "life" and "growth", and can sometimes also symbolize "violence". I was just very drawn to the paradoxical beauty and ugliness of the ferrofluids; in other words, I was struck by their ambiguity.

Your "morph tower" displays very complicated and elaborate designs created by a computer program. How did you program this sequence and what made you choose those particular designs?

My first "Morpho Tower" was not complicated. I created the program myself; the fluid simply moves according to the environmental sound level. If a person looks toward the "Morpho Tower" and talks in a loud voice, very big spikes appear quickly. But, soon, I felt like I wanted to introduce some kinds of "rhythm" (beat or breathing) characteristic of animals. So, I began collaborating with Yasushi Miyajima, as he knew of a special technique involving the use of digital music metadata, wherein music could be used to create "rhythm" and emotion-like movement of the ferrofluids.

Your tower series has interested both the art and science community. What is your background in science and what led you to combine these two paths?

Well, I studied physics at Hokkaido University (after that, I got a Ph.D. in art). But as a child, I loved to create just about anything. I loved drawing pictures, making three dimensional kites, playing with coils and motors, growing plants?anything that involved creating something. I also enjoyed playing musical instruments and reading and writing. Mathematics was my favorite subject. Now, I thoroughly enjoy playing with my 5-year-old son. I am not willing to combine just only the art and science community, but also I am willing to combine ?everything? to be a human being. And it seems to me that art is the only way to combine everything in this modern society.

What is the significance of the project title Protrude, Flow?

These words are verbs. Not nouns. I wanted to convey and portray dynamic energy; flowing, metamorphosing texture; and shapelessness. Also, I did not consciously choose "ferrofluids" for my project; the significance of the project is not in the material used: any material could have been used to give form to this idea.

Much of your work deals with motion and fluidity; would you say that's a common theme among your art pieces? What messages are you trying to convey to the audience, especially in the seven questions piece?

Motion and fluidity is one of my themes, because it penetrates our mind deeply. The movement of liquids and texture brings to mind something that is living. In the "Seven Question" piece, people imagine something when they see the ferrofluid movement in the sink and when they hear the voice from the mirror asking questions. What they imagine is a projection of people's minds. Here, ferrofluids will take different meanings, depending on each person's imagination.

What would you say inspires you in your artwork?

I always ask, "What is life?" or "D'oú venons nous?"

My short movie "Breathing Chaos" (8 min, 11 sec) is a small attempt to answer this question.

Where can we see permanent exhibits of your artwork?

In the United States, the Samuel Freeman Gallery in Santa Monica has a small "Morpho Tower" piece; I think that if you want to see it, you need to ask the authorities, and they will show it to you. Also, gallery Sakamaki in Tokyo has some of my small pieces.

There is a very large piece of the "Protrude Flow 2008" in Madrid, which is where I created this work for the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (MNCARS) when I stayed there last year. The museum has the piece, but it is not currently on display (it may be in the storehouse).

A children?s museum in Okinawa prefecture in Japan has the "Equivalent Point" (They call this work "Nagareru Toge Toge" (meaning "moving Spikes" in Japanese), as it is easier for children to understand.) This piece is a permanent exhibit.

The Miyakonojo City Museum of Art in Japan has a piece called "Pulsate", which is also a permanent piece.

I am now creating a permanent exhibit for the National Science and Technology Museum in Taiwan. Although the museum is a science museum, I was asked to create a piece of artwork. This is because my art is probably seen as a kind of a gateway linking the worlds of art and science.

If you are interested in learning more about Sachiko Kodama there is a great exhibition catalog published by the MNCARS (Maquinas & Almas). There is also a recent book called "Digital by Design" which includes photographs and some literature on her work. Pieces is grateful to Ms. Kodama for taking time out of her schedule for this interview.

All photos courtesy of Sachiko Kodama

-Caryn Chang Yuen Teng-

Ferrofluid- CTS Part 2b

2010-02-17T01:21:00.000+08:00

Someone may find it hard to know what ferrofluid is, even though it was, too often, used in the previous posts by me and Caryn Chang, as a part of our CTS tasks. I, for one, was confused over it and yummy Ferrero Rocher.I was thinking, ferrofluid - could it be a type of chocoliquid used to produce real Italian hallmark chocolates like Ferrero Rocher?

Cut the chatter.My apologies for my randomness.

Ferrofluid is a liquid which becomes strongly polarised in the presence of a magnetic field. The word is derived from the Latin word ferrum, meaning iron, and the word fluid. Ferrofluids are colloidal mixtures which is consisted of nanoscale ferromagnetic, or ferrimagnetic, particles suspended in a carrier fluid, usually an organic solvent or water. The ferromagnetic nano-particles are coated with a surfactant to prevent their agglomeration or the process of breaking down (due to van der Waals forces between particles and magnetic forces). Although the name may suggest otherwise, ferrofluids do not display ferromagnetism, since they do not retain magnetization in the absence of an externally applied field, which in the case of Morpho Towers, electromagnestism. In fact, ferrofluids display (bulk-scale) paramagnetism, and are often described as "superparamagnetic" due to their large magnetic susceptibility. Permanently magnetized fluids are difficult to create at present which is why the ferrofluid of Morpho Towers only react when the electromagnet is magnetised and the music turned on.

The surfactants used to coat the nanoparticles, as mentioned above, include, but are not limited to:

(i) oleic acid

(ii) tetramethylammonium hydroxide

(iii) citric acid

(iv) soy lecithin

As envisaged by Sachiko Kodama, ferrofluid can also be incorporated to the construction of sculptures, buildings or structures. However, the range of usage of ferrofluid is nevertheless wide currently. Ferrofluid is applied in manufacturing electronic devices, of which the most common is hard disks. Ferrofluids are used to form liquid seals around the spinning drive shafts in hard disks. The rotating shaft is surrounded by magnets. A small amount of ferrofluid, placed in the gap between the magnet and the shaft, will be held in place by its attraction to the magnet. The fluid of magnetic particles forms a barrier which prevents debris from entering the interior of the hard drive.

Besides, ferrofluids are used in mechanical engineering. With friction-reducing capabilities, ferrofluid is applied to the surface of a strong enough magnet, such as one made of neodymium, so that the magnet can glide across smooth surfaces with minimal resistance.

Other fields incorporating the use of ferrofluids:

- Military
- Aerospace

- Analytical Instumentation

- Heat Transfer

- Medicine

- Optics

and...

Of course, Arts, by Sachiko Kodama, whose idea could be incorporated in buildings and construction.

So, BASICALLY, this is a basic introduction of Ferrofluid, which is interesting enough to be explored on.

As promised.

`Ng Loon Jay, Jasper'
17 February 2010

Source: wikipedia, with slight modification.

Morpho Towers - CTS Part 2

2010-02-16T19:50:00.000+08:00

Morpho Tower
(Please click the link above)

Have you ever imagined the frustration of architects when they are crushing their grey matters just to force out the fluids of creativity?Have you ever encountered such desperation when you really desire to come out with something unique and self-defining but only to find yourself thwarted by the lack of inspiration and of course,the absence of a creative mind?Or have you ever wondered if creativity is equivalent to abruptness that lasts tentatively?

Perhaps you may find something really interesting here- New Morpho Tower,which may be inspirational and at the same time, creative,captivating,fantastic,different,spectacular - basically every adjective suitable you can think of.I came across this when my lecturers, Charles and Chee,showed us.And for the first time this year, I was truly besotted,by the Morpho Tower, apart from those exposed bronzed limbs of existing buildings or sculptures portrayed in architectural porn made available at places like Kinokuniya.

Picture it, if you haven't watched the video via the link above.They are two dynamic spiral towers constantly undergo 'metamorphosis', built on a pool of fluid called Ferrofluid,which I will elaborate more later. For this stage, it's still in a research progress and up to this point, graphical presentation is being carried out. Who knows, things change, and maybe in months' time, you may be seeing model sculptures being exposed to curious minds here, as models like Morpho Towers have been displayed in art museum or exhibitions overseas. And in a decade or decades or so, real Morpho Towers may be sprouting in metropolises like Chicago, Hong Kong and Tokyo, of which are all known for their fine architecture.

Morpho Towers, whose name is probably derived from the word metamorphosis, are evidently, towers which change shape or how they look. They are the fruits of the initiation and creativity of Sachiko Kodama. They are also called 'organic towers', which the factor is not known. But my guess is that it's from the Ferrofluid, which morphs synthetically to the music which sets off the changing of shapes of the towers by strengthening the electromagnet in a circuit. It's due to the metamorphosis of the towers, which is seemingly lively and not humdrum or static like other buildings, it's named 'organic' which in a way, denotes live or living.

Have a store of pictures (copyrighted by others) here to satisfy your demanding tastebuds or to be exact, your meticulous eyes, in a way, too, to enlighten the confused, as the saying, pictures speak more than words,

As mentioned in the previous post by Caryn Chang, the Morpho Towers are two spiral towers standing on a large plate holding ferrofluid. When the music starts, then magnetic field around the tower is strenghtened as the circuit is completed.Spikes of ferrofluid are born from the bottom plate and move up, trembling and rotating around the edge of the iron spiral. The dynamical movement of the ferrofluid spikes is controlled by adjusting the power or strength of the electromagnet, which is built within the surface of the building and the surface of the building is supposedly steel- or iron-covered. The spikes of ferrofluid in a way defy gravity and move synthetically or correspondingly to the music beat.

So, as visually shown, they are Morpho Towers, which are coming up as frontiers of modern architecture. Wow, I know they are amazing. Let's imagine the possible existence or construction of these breathtaking structures in any city of the world. They will surely enhance the visual excitement of every people looking at them, captivating them and their hearts in every way they possibly can.

Research on these towers have been constantly done. Who knows,perhaps our generation of architects may be the consultants to plan the construction and realisation of these seemingly sci-fi sculptures. Mirage or not, let us and time tell!

~Ng Loon Jay, Jasper~
16 February 2010

CREATIVE THINKING CLASS - Activity 03 (Part 1)

2010-02-16T14:17:00.000+08:00

Sachiko Kodama "Morpho Towers -- Two Standing Spirals" (2007)

Collaborator: Yasushi Miyajima (Sony CSL)
Special Thanks:Satoru Saito, Kingo Arakawa, Takeshi Aoki, Osamu Sumiya(UEC), Megumi Sato
Music: Tetsuhide Hidaka, PIRAMI

 Image copyright (c)Sachiko Kodama, music by Tetsuhide Hidaka
(Windows Media Player)

“Morpho Towers--Two Standing Spirals” is an installation that consists of two ferrofluid sculptures that moves synthetically to music. The two spiral towers stand on a large plate that hold ferrofluid. When the music starts, the magnetic field around the tower is strengthened. Spikes of ferrofluid are born from the bottom plate and move up, trembling and rotating around the edge of the iron spiral.
The body of the tower was made by a new technique called “ferrofluid sculpture” that enables artists to create dynamic sculptures with fluid materials. This technique uses one electromagnet, and its iron core is extended and sculpted. The ferrofluid covers the sculpted surface of a three-dimensional iron shape that was made on an electronic NC lathe. The movement of the spikes in the fluid is controlled dynamically on the surface by adjusting the power of the electromagnet. The shape of the iron body is designed as helical so that the fluid can move to the top of the helical tower when the magnetic field is strong enough.
The surface of the tower responds dynamically to its magnetic environment.
When there is no magnetic field, the tower appears to be a simple spiral shape. But when the magnetic field around the tower is strengthened, spikes of ferrofluid are born; at the same time, the tower’s surface dynamically morphs into a variety of textures ranging from soft fluid to minute moss, or to spiky shark’s teeth, or again to a hard iron surface. The ferrofluid, with its smooth, black surface that seems to draw people in, reaches the top of the tower, spreading like a fractal, defying gravity.
The spikes of ferrofluid are made to rotate around the edge of the spiral cone, becoming large or small depending on the strength of the magnetic field. In this work the speed of this rotation can be controlled without motors or shaft mechanisms ? we simply control the magnetic power.
In this work, we are trying to activate analogue physical phenomena (= fluid) precisely by utilizing digital music metadata. To control the synchronization of the ferrofluid with the music playback in real time, time series metadata are added to the music beforehand. The metadata consist of musical information, such as beat position, chord progression, and melody block information, and ferrofluid control information such as DC bias voltage and AC pattern. Each data record has a time stamp that indicates the timing of presentation. All data are stored in time-series order.
These time series metadata must be accurate for precise control of timing, so as to cancel the time delay of fluid movement. By this correction, the time when the protuberance of the spike reaches its maximum size is coincident with the beat of the music. As a result, the rhythm of the fluid movement coincides with the musical rhythm. When there is no sound, the fluid falls down into the plate.
As there are two towers in the installation, complicated expressions of surfaces become possible. Each tower’s surface pulsates, like one creature calling to the other.
Fluid moves synthetically with the music, as if it breathes, and the condition of the fluid's surface emerges as autonomous and complex. In this art we want to harmonize several opposing properties, such as hardness (iron) / softness (fluid) and freedom (desire for design) / restriction (natural powers such as gravity). This work emerges as an autonomous transformation of the material itself: sometimes it seems like a horn, sometimes a fir tree, and sometimes even like the Tower of Babel.

-Caryn Chang Yuen Teng-

Weird/Strange/Creative Building. O.O

2010-02-15T22:05:00.000+08:00

Hello everybody!!! XD
I saw some of these weird or should I say CREATIVE buildings in my e-mail, my aunt send me. What do you think? Is it weird? Or is it Creative? lol

Yes, It's a building.Actually, it's a house. I made some research about it, and this is what I found.

It is located in Suwon, South Korea (about 40km from Seoul). It is organized and owned by Sim Jae duk, chairman of the World Association of toilet. It cost about $1.6 million. Over 40% of the world population doesn't get to use hygienic toilets, so he used this symbol of disease to bring forth the reality of 2 million people. If you guys find this house interesting, you can actually rent it for $50,000 per day.

What do you think? Is it a WEIRD or CREATIVE building?

I'd say it's creative. haha

I can't seem to find any information about this building. You can assume it to be located in Japan? Because of the japanese wording on the building, and I think it's a shop. Isn't it CUTE?

This is definitely a creative building, though I don't know what's the meaning behind this building. haha

This is also located in Japan. The architect is Yasuhiro Yamashita. Just by the name you will know his Japanese, right? haha

Waaahhhhh... Isn't that nice??? Yes, indeed it's Mcdonald's!!!

LOCATION : North Dallas, Texas.

No, it's not the basket you usually bring for picnic. It's a BUILDING!!! Yes, a building.

Well, Its the headquarters of The Longaberger Basket Company. Located in Newark, Ohio.

This shoe shaped building was built in 1948. It was used as a guest house by Mahlon N. Haines, the owner of a local shoe empire. Located in Hellam, Pennsylvania, this building has 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a kitchen and a living room. It was an ice cream parlor for many years after Haines death, but is now a museum teaching visitors about the eccentric life of its creator.

CREATIVE! haha

This is another shoe shaped building. But it is a bit smaller. Its located in Bakersfield, California. Was built in 1947. It was built to be a shoe repair shop, and later it was sold with the stipulation that it would remain a shoe-related business. The store that the shoe currently houses is called the Big Shoe Repair and was still fixing soles when we called it last week.

Well, That's all for now. Thank you for reading, peeps! <3

Bye.. Oh, before I go, I also have a quote to post! haha

"Imagination is more important than knowledge" , Albert Einstein.

I totally agree with Mr Albert. :P

-The End-

by : Aini Sufia.

Body Damaging Habits‏

2010-02-11T18:32:00.000+08:00

After read this e-mail, just feel to share all this information with everyone.

Brain damaging habit

1. No Breakfast

People who do not take breakfast are going to have a lower blood sugar level. This leads to an insufficient supply of nutrients to the brain causing brain degeneration.

2. Overeating
It causes hardening of the brain arteries, leading to a decrease in mental power.

3. Smoking
It causes multiple brain shrinkage and may lead to Alzheimer disease.

4. High Sugar consumption
Too much sugar will interrupt the absorption of proteins and nutrients causing malnutrition and may interfere with brain development.

5. Air Pollution
The brain is the largest oxygen consumer in our 20 body. Inhaling polluted air decreases the supply of oxygen to the brain, bringing about a decrease in brain efficiency.

6 . Sleep Deprivation
Sleep allows our brain to rest.. Long term deprivation from sleep will accelerate the death of brain cells..

7. Head covered while sleeping
Sleeping with the head covered increases the concentration of carbon dioxide and decrease concentration of oxygen that may lead to brain damaging effects.

8. Working your brain during illness
Working hard or studying with sickness may lead to a decrease in effectiveness of the brain as well as damage the brain.

9. Lacking in stimulating thoughts
Thinking is the best way to train our brain, lacking in brain stimulation thoughts may cause brain shrinkage.

10. Talking Rarely

Intellectual conversations will promote the efficiency of the brain

The main cause of liver damage:

1. Sleeping too late and waking up too late are main cause.

2. Not urinating in the morning.
3. Too much eating.
4. Skipping breakfast.
5. Consuming too much medication.
6. Consuming too much preservatives, additives, food coloring, and artificial sweetener.
7.. Consuming unhealthy cooking oil.

As much as possible reduce cooking oil use when frying, which includes even the best cooking oils like olive oil. Do not consume fried foods when you are tired, except if the body is20very fit.

8. Consuming raw (overly done) foods also add to the burden of liver.

Veggies should be eaten raw or cooked 3-5 parts. Fried veggies should be finished in one sitting, do not store.

We should prevent this without necessarily spending more. We just have to adopt a good daily lifestyle and eating habits. Maintaining good eating habits and time condition are very important for our bodies to absorb and get rid of unnecessary chemicals according to 'schedule.'

The top five cancer-causing foods are:
1.. Hot Dogs
Because they are high in nitrates, the Cancer Prevention Coalition advises that children eat no more than 12 hot dogs a month. If you can't live without hot dogs, buy those made without sodium nitrate..

2. Processed meats and Bacon
Also high in the same sodium nitrates found in hot dogs, bacon, and other processed meats raise the risk of heart disease. The saturated fat in bacon also contributes to cancer.

3. Doughnuts
Doughnuts are cancer-causing double trouble. First, they are made with white flour, sugar, and hydrogenated oils, then fried at high temperatures. Doughnuts, says Adams , may be the worst food you can possibly eat to raise your risk of cancer.

4. French fries
Like doughnuts, French fries are made with hydrogenated oils and then fried at high temperatures. They also contain cancer- causing acryl amides which occur during the frying process. They should be called cancer fries, not French fries, said Adams ..

5. Chips, crackers, and cookies
All are usually made with white flour and sugar. Even the ones whose labels claim to be free of trans-fats generally contain small amounts of trans-fats.

Save the world

2010-02-08T23:42:00.000+08:00

Denmark is a big shame The sea is stained in red and in the mean while it’s not because of the climate effects of nature.

Extra Quotes

2010-02-07T03:16:00.000+08:00

After reading through the post about the quote, i decided to post some quotes:

"People live their lives bound by what they accept as correct and true. That's how they define "reality"

But what does it mean to be "correct" or "true"? Merely vague concepts... Their "reality" may all be a mirage.

Can we consider them to simply be living in their own world shaped by their beliefs. "

-Uchiha Itachi

"Great power comes great responsibilities"

-Spiderman's beloved Uncle Ben

"Law of Equivalent Exchange- Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. I still choose to believe in this principle:
that all things do come at a price. That there's an ebb, and a flow, a cycle. That the pain we went through did have a reward and that anyone who's determined and perseveres will get something of value in return, even if it's not what they expected. I am unable to see an application in which the law does not apply. As I reflect upon all the objects I have acquired and those I still want, they all seem to tie into an exchange of my time here on earth. If I buy a new car, I pay for it with money I’ve earned with an expenditure of my time."

-Michael H. Keehn took the quote from Fullmetal Alchemist and add some of his quote.

-Hen Jun-

Quotes

2010-02-06T17:28:00.000+08:00

I was browsing through the internet and found these reli interesting & meaningful quotes, tot they will be great to be posted on this blog. Hope u'll enjoy!! :D

"If you play it safe in life, you've decided that you don't want to grow anymore."
- Shirley Hufstedler -

"Life is raw material. We are artisans. We can sculpt our existence into something beautiful or debase it into ugliness. It's in our hands."
- Cathy Better -

"Life is like a beautiful melody, only the lyrics are messed up."

"Difference between Ordinary and "Extra Ordinary" is the little "EXTRA"

"Don't lose your head. It's the best part of your body."
- Jimmy Snyder -

"Peace is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to cope with it."

"If you want to make peace, you don't talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies."

"Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down."
- Oprah Winfrey -

"Some of us think holding on makes us strong; But sometimes it is letting go."
- Hermann Hesse -

" I am the architect in the design of my new life."

" We are abled by our abilities not disabled by our disabilities."

"Everybody has the power to make someone happy. Some by entering the room and some by leaving."

"Good judgment comes from experience, and often experience comes from bad judgment."

"I have learnt silence from the talkative, toleration from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind; yet strange, I am ungrateful to these teachers."

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give"

"When the door of happiness closes, another opens; but often times we look so long at the closed door that we don't see the one which has been opened for us."

"To disagree, one doesn't have to be disagreeable."
-Barry M. Goldwater-

"If today were perfect, there would be no need for tomorrow!"

-Caryn-

2010-02-05T21:06:00.000+08:00

Cherish the love of your parents,it's them that you are who you are today,love them as much as they do as time is unforgiving.Once you missed the chance,it's a point of no return. Family is where your heart is and parents are the pericardium of the heart.

-Jasper-

"Howie Do It"

2010-02-04T22:27:00.001+08:00

This is so FUNNY!! totally made my day.. a MUST watch!! XD