INSIGHT CRIZ

PHOTO HUNTERS: NARROW

Written by crizlai on Feb 2nd, 2008 | Filed under: Photography, photohunters

This week’s theme is on NARROW.
This is one NARROW item that we tend not to notice in our daily life.
It is the NARROW lines of a barcode.
We do go shopping for groceries but how many times do we realized
the importance of these small NARROW lines?

Here are the different types of barcodes for your interest:
Numeric-only barcodes
* Codabar: Older code often used in library systems, sometimes in blood banks
* Code 11: Used primarily for labeling telecommunications equipment
* EAN-13: European Article Numbering international retail product code
* EAN-8: Compressed version of EAN code for use on small products
* Industrial 2 of 5: Older code not in common use
* Interleaved 2 of 5: Compact numeric code, widely used in industry, air cargo
* MSI: Variation of the Plessey code commonly used in USA
* Plessey: Older code commonly used for retail shelf marking
* PostNet: Used by U.S. Postal Service for automated mail sorting
* UPC-A: Universal product code seen on almost all retail products in the USA and Canada
* Standard 2 of 5: Older code not in common use
* UPC-E: Compressed version of UPC code for use on small products

Alpha-numeric barcodes
* Code 128: Very capable code, excellent density, high reliability; in very wide use world-wide
* Code 39: General-purpose code in very wide use world-wide
* Code 93: Compact code similar to Code 39
* LOGMARS: Same as Code 39, this is the U.S. Government specification

2-Dimensional barcodes
* PDF417: Excellent for encoding large amounts of data
* DataMatrix: Can hold large amounts of data, especially suited for making very small codes
* Maxicode: Fixed length, used by United Parcel Service for automated package sorting
* QR Code: Used for material control and order confirmation
* Data Code
* Code 49
* 16K

Industry Standards for Barcodes and Labels
* Bookland EAN encodes ISBN numbers, used internationally to mark books
* ISSN and the SISAC Barcode: International Standard Serial Numbering
* OPC: Optical Industry Association barcode for marking retail optical products
* UCC/EAN-128: Widely used data formatting model for Code 128
* UPC Shipping Container Symbol: ITF-14

FEEL FREE TO DROP BY CRIZ’S SANCTUARY FOR PHOTOHUNTER.
Have a nice PhotoHunt.
Thank you for your visit and have a nice weekend!

I'm thirsty for a drink now. Would you be kind enough to treat me?

39 Comments

ARE YOU QUALIFIED TO BE A PROBLEM SOLVER?

Written by crizlai on Feb 1st, 2008 | Filed under: life, rant, test

We often have many problems in our life that we cannot even settle. When it comes to the lives of others, we tend to think that we know what will the best for the other person. Are we really sure that we are even qualified for that? Sometimes we think that we are real smart in solving any life issues but it does not always appear to be that way.

Everyone has different thoughts and thus they think differently. It is the mind that controls the body and not vice versa. When the mind can fool the body, so can it in deceiving others on how they will look or think upon us. It is said that it is difficult to read the mind of others in order to find out about a truth, although truth is such a simple thing in life. The mind will work in a defending mode to close up the truth. That is why the human mind is such a complex matter.

Speech is one of the actions that are controlled by the mind. Most of the time, a person will try to cover up a wrongful action by lying. Lies will not stay closed forever. Someday and somehow, with the habit of one lie covering another, a person may be caught red handed as he/she will surely forget what was mentioned in the first lie. So, it is better to live a life of pure actions rather than a life of deceptions.

Let us work on how different it is to know what will be the right answer of another person based on your thinking power to analyze on an issue. If you think you are as smart as the Japanese Crime Solver Kindachi, Conan Detective, Sherlock Holmes or even a member of the Q Detective School, try solving the following simple mysteries and compare them with my answers.

1. A woman has been found guilty of murdering her boyfriend. All the evidence was conclusive and she had confessed to the crime. When she came up for sentencing, the judge has no choice but to let her go. What was the reason(s) behind the pardon?

2. A man walked into a restaurant and asked for a glass of water. Suddenly, the waiter pulled out a gun and pointed at his head. The man was shocked but he says, “Thank you” and walked out happily. Why was the man so happy?

3. A man took his wife for a holiday in Italy. His wife was murdered there and the Italian police found no evidence to convict anyone of the murder. When he went back to USA, the American police arrested him for murder. Why did the American police arrest him while the Italian police did not do so? What was the proof that the American police have?

4. A man had an important appointment at the ninth floor of a building and he was late. When he reached his destination for the meeting, he pressed the fifth floor button of the empty lift and walked all the way up to the ninth floor panting away. Why did the man press the fifth floor button when he was late for the meeting?

So, did you manage to solve all the problems above? Do you think that you had the ideal answers? Maybe what you thought might not be what I was thinking. Here are the answers to my questions. If you have other answers, please share with me here.

ANSWERS:

1. She was born as a Siamese twin and the judge has no right to arrest another half who was not guilty of the murder.

2. He was happy because the waiter gave him such a fright that it cleared him of the hiccups he was having then.

3. The Italian police could not arrest him because they did not know that he has bought only one return ticket back to USA. The American police on the other hand have proof of his intention to murder his wife.

4. He was a midget who was too short to reach the ninth floor button. Since there was no one in the lift, he had no choice but to press the highest button that he could reach.
The answers might sound ridiculous but those were what I had in mind to brighten up your weekend with a touch of humour. Anyway, have a great weekend ahead.

P.S.: Sorry for the lack of posts as I had problems with my internet access due to my ISP network problems and an unaccounted for DNS Trojan virus threat.

I'm thirsty for a drink now. Would you be kind enough to treat me?

2 Comments

HOLDING ON TO LOVE

Written by crizlai on Jan 21st, 2008 | Filed under: life, love, relationship

I have known many people who are still holding on to love when the relationship between what was a good one ended abruptly. How sad it is to love someone you really cared for and yet you could not maintain the relationship? The saddest thing about life is that when you met someone and fell in love only to find out in the end that it was never meant to be. You have wasted years and years of your life waiting and hoping to gain back what was lost but is it worth it? Is it going to become a reality? Is it worth it to hold on and wait for another five years, ten years or even more?

What is stopping you from moving on? Is the love that strong until you would put on hold your future for the sake of waiting and hoping that the day would come when you can salvage back what was taken away from you? Love is like a clear lake which was stained by the blood from a broken heart. If scooping and throwing away a glass of the lake water is equivalent to an hour, how long do you think you can make the water clear again? How confident are you that you have the power and energy to do that? How sure are you that the water would be cleared of the blood pollution? No matter how hard you tried, you will never clear the hurt and bad memories of what had happened. This is the nature of the heart to feel but forever fear and the mind to remember but never forget.

You can depict love like a butterfly. The more you chase after it, the more it will fly away from you. If you just let it has its freedom to fly and to choose, it may come to you one day when you least expect it. Theoretically this is true but what are the chances of someone having the full freedom coming back to the tiger’s den? It is almost as good as none. As the sayings go, “once bitten, twice shy”. How can you mend a heart that has been broken before? How can you mend a relationship that has become stale? If the love is strong enough, no matter how far apart two persons are; it will never end in any way. What is yours is yours as love cannot be forced.

Love is like on a performance stage. You will never know whether it is true or false unless you experience it yourself. It can make you happy but often it hurts. So take your time and choose the best. It may soar or fall apart but do not be disheartened. Cherish the moment well with that someone who is really worth it. After all, to love in a relationship is to grow in life. Remember this well: “Do not be too dependent or possessive in love. Pure love does not cause you pain.”

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4 Comments

LIFE IS A TEST

Written by crizlai on Jan 15th, 2008 | Filed under: life, rant, test

Life is a series of test. In our life, we faced many difficulties. These difficulties are tests. In fact, our whole life is a school. From the time we first open our eyes until the time we close our eyes, we will not stop studying and gaining knowledge in our school. This may sound ridiculous but this is the facts of life.

In out school, we tend to face many failures, one after another. Did we ever give up? No, we did not. We kept on pulling ourselves upwards to pull through the ordeal of falling down. Do you not think that this is a test to see if we have reach the stage of maturity, the strengthening of courage, the trust in ourselves and in our life? No matter how we fair in the test, we will eventually know the results as we look back to them as experiences.

Do you think that it is good to be tested on and off? Through each test that we have gone through, we will know that life is just a subject; a subject that we grow and learn the true meaning of life. For each problem that we encounter, we will learn more on the solutions that we can apply in the future.

Gaining the knowledge alone will not help you pass through your tests if you do not know how to apply that knowledge tactfully. You will need to cultivate the habit of constant revision to update your knowledge of any new topics. Using the resources that you have gained, and applying them in your studies will eventually made you understand more on any typical situations. You will become more sensitive and analytically equipped to any topics thrown to you.

Do I sound confusing to you? Well, this is life. Life is meant to be confusing and complicated until you have reached the maturity to understand it. In short, life is how we want ourselves to be. If we fall down and decided not to pull ourselves back into the right track, we will never succeed in whatever endeavors. We will never stop learning. We will never stop absorbing good experiences that can help us grow. In fact, without the experiences that we have encountered throughout our life, we will not know how to be sensitive towards others’ feelings. Neither will we be able to share the love and appreciate someone you cared for full heartedly.

Have you reach that stage in life? I would admit that I have yet to reach the stage because I have not and will not stop learning how to be a better person until the day I leave this world. What I have learned throughout this life education is just a peanut hidden within its shell, wanting to break out to see the world out there. Until the day that I have not found the rich soil that would enable me to grow, I would still be facing the many threats of being roasted, broiled or even fried in my life cycle.

I'm thirsty for a drink now. Would you be kind enough to treat me?

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WE CANNOT PLEASE EVERYONE

Written by crizlai on Jan 10th, 2008 | Filed under: life, rant

You might have heard of Aesop’s fables on “The Man, The Boy and The Donkey”. The story goes like this. A Man and his Son were once going with their Donkey to market. As they were walking along by its side a countryman passed them and said: “You fools! What is a Donkey for but to ride on?” So the Man put the Boy on the Donkey and they went on their way. But soon they passed a group of men, one of whom said, “See that lazy youngster, he lets his father walk while he rides.” So the Man ordered his Boy to get off, and got on himself. But they hadn’t gone far when they passed two women, one of whom said to the other: “Shame on that lazy lout to let his poor little son trudge along.”

Well, the Man didn’t know what to do, but at last he took his Boy up before him on the Donkey. By this time they had come to the town, and the passers-by began to jeer and point at them. The Man stopped and asked what they were scoffing at. The men said, “Aren’t you ashamed of yourself for overloading that poor donkey with you and your hulking son?”

The Man and Boy got off and tried to think what to do. They thought and they thought, till at last they cut down a pole, tied the donkey’s feet to it, and raised the pole and the donkey to their shoulders. They went along amid the laughter of all who met them till they came to Market Bridge, when the Donkey, getting one of his feet loose, kicked out and caused the Boy to drop his end of the pole. In the struggle the Donkey fell over the bridge, and his fore-feet being tied together he was drowned. “That will teach you,” said an old man who had followed them. “Please all, and you will please none.”

How true it is that we cannot please everyone. We have to realize that everyone takes different paths and paces to reach the same goal. Therefore, we should not stop others from practicing their way to achieve a task which differs from ours. We are living in a society that is ever changing. There are many views and opinions from all walks of life and we have to respect and deal with them professionally.

Sometimes, the opinion of others might be right but we have to study in-depth whether it is beneficial to our self improvement. If it is not, then discards the opinion and does what you think is right. It is just impossible to please everyone just because they have different opinions or else you would get yourself into more troubles.

It is in the human nature that a person would comment by criticizing, blaming, shouting and laughing at another. If a person just followed blindly in order to please that person, he would be like a slave following the orders of a master without having a stand for himself. It is just like walking along a path filled with pebbles barefooted as ordered when you are having a nice comfortable pair of shoes for your long journey.

It was not wrong for the Man and the Boy to walk along with the Donkey to the market. If he made his stand on moving on without listening to others, he would not end up losing the Donkey. To a person it might be a stupid way but to another, it might just be the right way to achieve what he wanted. What would you do if you were the Man? Would you like to share your opinion here?

I'm thirsty for a drink now. Would you be kind enough to treat me?