tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25547188958170262072024-02-20T16:46:27.289-08:00Stories of InspirationStories of ordinary people who inspire the best of us and provide that glimmer of hope that seasoned politicians cannot provideUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2554718895817026207.post-34706433507478134972011-05-25T22:23:00.000-07:002011-05-26T15:53:02.788-07:00Primary school kids win gold awards for invention<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="story_image center" style="width: 414px; text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"> <img src="http://thestar.com.my/archives/2011/5/26/nation/n_4kids.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="257" /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;" class="caption">Hot invention: (From left) Tan Su Fern, 12, Wong Kai Wern, 10, and Jonathan Aeruthayan, 12, showing their invention – the Eco- Friendly Insulated Bag – which won them the award in the primary school category at the 22nd International Invention and Technology Exhibition (ITEX ‘11) and Asian Young Inventors Exhibition (AYIE 2011) in Kuala Lumpur. — CHAN BOON KAI / The Star</span></div> </div><br />GEORGE TOWN: Three primary school students who turned their frustration into invention won gold awards with their insulated bag that keeps their food warm until recess time. </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The students, Wong Kai Wern, 10, Tan Su Fern and Jonathan Aeruthayan, both 12, from SJK (C) Shih Chung Cawangan, received the award during the 22nd International Invention and Technology Exhibition (ITEX ‘11) and Asian Young Inventors Exhibition (AYIE2011) in Kuala Lumpur held on Saturday.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Kai Wern said the idea came about after they got tired of eating food, which they brought from home, that had turned cold during break time.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">“We discussed the idea during our Science Club meeting and decided to do something about it,” said the Standard Four pupil, who aspires to be a Science professor.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">They then took about a month’s time to finalise the Eco-Friendly Insulated Bag by using sugar cane bagasse.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Jonathan, who aims to be a scientist, said that besides being a good insulator, the bagasse was light, non-toxic and biodegradable.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Su Fern said they had carried out several tests and were satisfied with the results of the insulator bag.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">“It can keep food warm or cold and the bag is also suitable to keep milk warm for a baby.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">“It can also be used for school, work and picnics,” said the girl, whose ambition is to be a doctor.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">A total of 400 teams from primary and secondary schools took part in the Malaysian Young Inventors Competition.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Kai Wern, Jonathan and Su Fern emerged champions in the primary school category.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The three also won the World Intellectual Property Organisation Awards for Best Young Inventors (Primary School) and Best Asian Young Inventors Cup 2011 during the exhibition.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">(<a href="http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/5/26/nation/8757268&sec=nation"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Source</span></a>)<br /></p> <div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><img style="border: medium none; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" alt="" src="http://img.zemanta.com/pixy.gif?x-id=baabf832-cbbb-4627-9761-ecc4522fc921" /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2554718895817026207.post-18135376252896223332011-01-06T04:01:00.000-08:002011-01-06T04:01:24.658-08:00Ted Williams, homeless former radio announcer, handed NBA role<div id="content"><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div data-global-auto-refresh-switch="on" id="article-wrapper"><div style="text-align: justify;"> <span class="inline embed embed-media"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="zemanta-img separator zemanta-action-dragged" style="clear: both; float: none;"><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:HomelessParis_7032101.jpg" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A homeless man in Paris" height="225" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3c/HomelessParis_7032101.jpg/300px-HomelessParis_7032101.jpg" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="300" /></a><span class="zemanta-img-attribution" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; width: 300px;">Image via <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:HomelessParis_7032101.jpg">Wikipedia</a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It sounds like something from a Hollywood movie script, with more than a hint of the <b><a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Boyle" rel="wikipedia" title="Susan Boyle">Susan Boyle</a></b> about it. <b><a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.youtube.com/freeted" rel="youtube" title="Ted Williams">Ted Williams</a></b>, the homeless Ohio man who enraptured the people of Cleveland with his mellifluous radio announcements from the side of the motorway, has shot to fame after it was revealed the city's NBA team have offered him an announcing role.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Williams, a former radio personality who was left living on the streets after becoming addicted to drink and drugs, made the news in the US this week after a video of him performing radio links with an unusual panache appeared on YouTube.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Holding a cardboard sign that reads: "I'm an ex-radio announcer who has fallen on hard times", Williams is seen asking for money, and giving motorists snippets of his best voiceovers using his 'God-given gift of a voice', as Williams himself puts it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">And the video seems to have been the launchpad to greater success, with the Cleveland Cavaliers reportedly offering Williams a two-year contract for a role that could include voiceover work. Williams says he has also received an offer from <b><a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NFL_Films" rel="wikipedia" title="NFL Films">NFL Films</a></b>, the studio operated by America's professional football league.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"This has been totally, totally amazing," Williams told the Associated Press. "I'm just so thankful. God has blessed me so deeply. I'm getting a second chance. Amazing."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"I can't believe what's going on," said Williams, a father of nine. "God gave me a million-dollar voice and I just hope I can do right by him."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Williams was initially spotted by The <b><a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Columbus_Dispatch" rel="wikipedia" title="The Columbus Dispatch">Columbus Dispatch</a></b> standing near an exit ramp off Interstate 71. A local reporter – who, in the video, is heard somewhat uncharitably telling Williams: "I'm going to make you work for your dollar" – filmed the short video, and posted it on the internet. Several news organisations in the US picked up the video and ran the story.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Williams's life began to falter in 1996 when he began drinking alcohol "pretty bad." He used marijuana and cocaine and lost interest in his radio career.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">His last job was with a station in Columbus, the state capital, but he ended up on the streets, despite the best efforts of his children, seven daughters and two sons who all live in the Columbus area.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Williams's story should be an inspiration for other <b><a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homelessness" rel="wikipedia" title="Homelessness">homeless people</a></b>, said Bob Ater, executive director of the Columbus Coalition for the Homeless.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"One of the problems with a lot of homeless people is that they have some rich talent, but don't have the confidence to exploit that talent," Ater said, adding he was unfamiliar with Williams before the video hit. "He's fabulous. The Cavaliers could use a boost of some kind."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Kevin McLoughlin of NFL Films added: "Somehow, some way, I need to get a demo with him [Williams]."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">(Source: <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/blog/2011/jan/06/ted-williams-ohio-homeless-radio"><b>Guardian</b></a>) </div></div></div><div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><img alt="" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/pixy.gif?x-id=918628b6-3c3e-43d7-9236-5cfe8156f5b9" style="border: medium none; float: right;" /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2554718895817026207.post-8124159038310530072010-12-27T16:43:00.000-08:002010-12-27T16:44:29.615-08:00Malaysian World Robot Olympiad Winners<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="zemanta-img separator" style="clear: right;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/25579206@N00/3307086387" style="clear: right; display: block; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Robit part 2" height="180" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3365/3307086387_57477beb34_m.jpg" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="240" /></a><i><span class="zemanta-img-attribution" style="clear: both; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; width: 240px;">It is not easy to build robots especially by school children and for world level competition too. Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/25579206@N00/3307086387">KyjL</a> via Flickr</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The <b><a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Robot_Olympiad" rel="wikipedia" title="World Robot Olympiad">World Robot Olympiad</a></b> (WRO) is an event for science, technology and education, that brings together youths from all over the world in order to develop their creativity and problem solving skills through challenging and educational robot competitions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Participating teams need to create, design and build a robot model that looks or behaves like human. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This year the task of organising the competition was given to the Philippines. The Ministry of Education and many private companies in the Philippines jointly sponsored the event.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The steering committee consists of well-known academicians from China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea and Singapore. 250 teams from 22 countries participated. <span id="more-10394"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">There are six gold medals on offer as there are two categories in the competition; the Open category and regular category. Each category is further divided into Elementary (primary school), Junior High (Forms 1 to 3) and Senior High (Forms 4 and 5) categories. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Malaysia won two gold medals, one by the <b><a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chung_Ling_High_School" rel="wikipedia" title="Chung Ling High School">Chung Ling High School</a></b> (Kampung Baru, Penang Island) for Open Category, Senior High school level, the other by SMK Bintulu for Regular Category, Junior High School level.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">(Source <a href="http://blog.limkitsiang.com/2010/12/25/winners-ignored-5th-placers-lauded/"><b>Lim Kit Siang Blog</b></a>) </div><div class="zemanta-related"><h6 class="zemanta-related-title" style="font-size: 1em; margin: 1em 0pt 0pt;">Related articles</h6><ul class="zemanta-article-ul"><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/infotech/view/20101102-301011/Robot-Olympiad-slated-in-Manila">Robot Olympiad slated in Manila</a> (newsinfo.inquirer.net)</li>
<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/infotech/view/20101107-301851/Terror-alert-22-nations-join-Robot-Olympiad-here">Terror alert? 22 nations join Robot Olympiad here</a> (newsinfo.inquirer.net)</li>
</ul></div><div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><img alt="" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/pixy.gif?x-id=3cd8c42c-9e62-47f1-88bc-b0960b8339ca" style="border: medium none; float: right;" /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0