Solar Eclipse 2016 in Miri

Solar eclipse in Miri on 09-March-2016. It was very cloudy and fortunately the sky cleared long enough for me to take some pictures.

2015 Mr Miri Competition

I was at the 2015 Mr Miri Competition with competitors from Bintulu, Miri and Limbang. I didn't manage to stay until the end of the show due to my earlier appointment at 5:00PM. Anyway, I posted some photos on my facebook with more to come. Click here for more photos.

Our young friend entering for the first time!

Champion of one of the categories. Many expected him to win right from the beginning.

Another happy winner.

Pujut Bypass opening today

Today, a new road will be opened, ie, Pujut Bypass. This means that road users from Permy can go straight to Medan Kerbau directly, cutting the jam and extra distance. This also means that people wanting to go to the airport will probably cut travel time by another 10 minutes.

This gate will be opened for good this morning. But drivers must still be careful because the construction site is just beside the road and I expect people will be walking around.

One interesting note, I hope the photo above is the correct one because when I went to the site, a worker were blur and only said that the road will open this morning and then he was also pointing to the next road!

Changing Miri Skyline

On the far end, you can see that Miri is developing at a very fast pace! That is Marina Bay area. Lots of shops are coming up. 

I hope to shoot more pictures of the area and post them here!

Most deserted shops in Miri

These three blocks of shops are between the immigration of Miri and Brunei at Sg Tujuh.

They must have been there for two years now ... I can't really remember. The interesting point is that these shop lots are originally before the Sg Tujuh immigration checkpoint, ie, on Sarawak side. But the new immigration checkpoint is now built quite far from the old checkpoint, hence making these shops sandwiched between the Sarawak and Brunei immigration checkpoints. So who on earth is going there to shop?

Eye of typhoon hit Boulevard area?

More photos on my facebook.

Boulevard, Miri, looks like a war zone this afternoon. Many roads were blocked ...

 ... due to falling trees.

 Cars were damaged as branches came crushing down.

 ... more casualties...

 Branches snapped like matches!

So these unlucky few who parked under the trees will have surprises... I was told by one of the owners that   the insurance will not pay as it is an act of God. So I asked a shocked man, do you believe in God? He was not sure!

The huge damage was the driving school at Boulevard. The steel structure literally ripped off. In fact not a single roofing material left.

The classroom was wrecked ...

  Nearby the driving school, you can see the strength of the wind... this huge branch was of no match!

 ... another top of the tree was literally pinched off it trunk and thrown some 20 meters away!

 Nearby, the religious school has two gaping holes on the roof. The fire engine was on site just now.

 Surprisingly, or rather thanks God for it, the squatter areas was not too bad.

This huge branch was ripped off it trunk.

We have not seen such huge wind in Miri before.
More photos on my facebook.

Haze, Smog, smoke!

Whatever you call this, the pollution is really bad in Miri. From the smell, I knew that this pollution didn't come from far, just a few KM away. What is our government doing about it? We have law but enforcement is simply nothing. However, when you park along white line, you will be issued with a compound and you are accused to park on yellow line!! No law here.

Last year, it was burning and burning at Asian Bridge and everyone thought that it was wild fire. Now, if you care to go there to have a look, it is now fully planted with crop. So, it is deliberate burning. I can bet that this is no difference!

Of smoke or haze

Whatever it is called, smoke or haze from the open burning, we were driven nut in Pujut. At midnight last night, the air was pungent and I almost had to use a mask to sleep.
The newspaper already complained that Sarawak still permit open burning... I am not sure whether this is true. But even if open burning is disallowed, I don't think the authority can do much judging from the number of hot spots around Miri.

This picture was taken at Lutong this evening at 6:45PM. The air is pungent again tonight!
More pictures click here.

2012 International Dance for Humanity

I missed a huge chunk of performances this year, especially those from my friend Kevin. Anyway, I managed to capture Cai Yun Fei fei ...

They did a splendid colourful performance. To see all the photos for the last 11 items, please click here on my facebook.
St Columba students also did a nice performance.. I called it break dance.

Eastwood Valley Golf and Country Club Charity Sales

Eastwood Valley Golf and Country Club organised a Charity Sales last Sunday, 24 June at their premises.

I think the most fun was the fishing. It attracted a lot of people. However, I didn't see anyone catching many "good" fish. I was told that those "good" fish, pading, Sultan, etc, know how to hide away! To see all my photos, click here.

This pool has some very big fish!

The lucky and the unlucky!

Miri Day Celebration

This is a long overdue posting... but after much thinking, I think it is better late than never. So, please click here to see all the photos taken which I posted on my facebook.

The outdoor sport stadium was quite packed with people.

TRAFFIC SUMMON CHARGES

Not sure whether the following is true as I just got this through the mail. Anyone can confirm?
Price quoted below are nett without further discount:
Speeding:
Exceeding 1 - 20km/h = $130 + 4 Demerit Points.
Exceeding 21 - 30km/h = $150 + 6 Demerit Points.
Exceeding 31 - 40km/h = $180 + 8 Demerit Points.
Exceeding 41 - 50km/h = $200 + 12 Demerit Points + Court.
Exceeding 51 - 60km/h = $200 + 18 Demerit Points + Court.
Exceeding 61km/h = $200 + 24 Demerit Points + Court.
Careless Driving = $150 + 6 Demerit Points.
Inconsiderate Driving = $170 + 9 Demerit Points + Court.
Dangerous Driving = $200 + 24 Demerit Points + Court + Vehicle Compounded.
Illegal Racing = $200 + Vehicle Confiscate + Court.
Fail to put on Seat Belt = $120 + 3 Demerit Points.
Double White Lines = $130 + 4 Demerit Points.
Phone and Drive = $200 + 12 Demerit Points + Phone Confiscate.
DO NOT hold your mobile in your hand when you drive even with loud speaker or ear piece.

Drink Driving (1st offence) = Up to $5,000 Fine and, or Jail Term + License Suspended + Court.
Drink Driving (2nd offence) = Jail Term + Fine + Court.

Making an illegal U Turn when there's no U-Turn sign = $70 .
Fail to Signal when changing lanes = $70 .
Driving at night without Headlights or Taillights Switch on after 7pm = $30 .
No Number Plate = $70.
Obstructed Number Plate = $70.
Obscured Number Plate = $70.
Number Plate Of Unapproved Type = $70

Demerit Point System :
Let's say you have 0 point on 1st January 2011, and you committed the offence of Failing to Put on Seat Belt. So now, you will have 3 demerit points and this will last for 1 Year.
If during this 1 year you have no demerit points offence at all, your 3 demerit points will be gone on 1/1/2012.
But, if during this one year, From 1/1/2011 - 1/1/2012, you committed another offence with demerit points, your very first offence will be extended for another year until 1/1/2013.

Have you been doing exercises?

Morning and evening time at the Bulatan Park ...

Every alternate day morning, the team changes...

Someone is there to guide you. Actually there are two teams everyday but at different places at the park.
Another team is doing repetitive exercise, so very easy to follow. Just join in!

Or you can be like my buddy who is there every day, morning and evening... just walking and hoping to get rid of the extra weight.

You could develop friendship....

Or you could just do simple stretching and bending...

... or could be training your qi!

... or could be walking while on the way to work.

... or could be doing exercise for speedy recovery. I hope he gets well soon.
Have you been doing exercise regularly? Don't wait until it is too late because sweating out is important for you.

Crocodile or monitor lizard?

Deputy Mayor of Miri City Council make a statement in yesterday Miri See Hua Daily news that the ...

... reptile in Bulatan park may not be crocodile but a a giant ...

... monitor lizard!! I was wondering whether he knows how a monitor lizard look like.
I really wish that people at the top do some research and compared photos we publish on the net so that they don't make remark which make them sound so ignorant. So, for the benefit of my readers, the above is how a monitor lizard generally looks like. (photo from Wikipedia) Colour and shape will vary a bit but the features are more or less the same. And...

... this is how a crocodile looks like!
The major differences, when you can only see the head, are the nose and eyes.

 Croc has distinctive eyes and nose well above the water. When they went underwater, it "drops" down like a ...

...submarine. I had not seen monitor lizard behaving in this manner.
He also suggested that more ...

... sign like this should be put up around the park! So if he thinks that it is not croc, why more sign?! Please don't waste tax payer money!

Crocodile at Bulatan Finally Spotted!

This morning I armed myself with my 200mm prime lens wanting to shoot the new signboard put up by the city council. The signboard actually face the lake, reminding the living thing in the water to beware of the crocodile spotted by many and yet not captured on a real camera!

 I think the positioning of the signboard is a brilliant idea as the croc is of no harm to human at the moment.

I joined my usual "walking friends" for the morning walk and they finally all left at 8:30AM.

During my final round, I thought my 20/20 long vision spotted two distinctive eyes above the water!

As I walked closer, I confirmed what I saw was indeed our friendly, now famous friend, the crocodile of Bulatan Park! The inset is a larger view. No, this is real and not a photoshop of some other crocodile.

As I walked closer, it quickly went under ... see the ripples. The above was taken today, 11-Nov-2011 at 8:33AM.

Mr Crocodile, we sacrifice for your freedom

The newspaper reported that the attempt yesterday was a failure in trying to catch the crocodile. The croc must be laughing at the human for being so naive. But the battle against the reptile is not without a price being paid. I counted five dead fishes... both big and small. There must be more under the platform which cannot be seen!

A big dead carp ...

Another big dead carp ... see the bruise inflicted on them.

A headless sultan fish ... I think the croc is the culprit here!

A dead sultan fish... see the bruise caused by the net.

There are now so few fishes that bread can be seen floating in the lake. Never before!

The worker fished out some of the dead fish. The red carp is about 15 inches long! So pity and such a waste. Mr Goh (canteen operator) complained that some of the workers miss-handled the fish when they were caught in the net.
Enough is enough! This way of catching the crocodile is causing more damage. All the beautiful fishes are almost all gone now! When there is no more food for the croc, the ecology is out of balance, and it will be a real danger to human. Perhaps, the council should built fence around the whole lake and turn this into a crocodile lake!