Update

just a personal update on what I've done for the week.

paramics.. paramics.. paramics..

yes, I've been doing it for the whole the last week, the whole month. I think even Denise got sick of my carrying the laptop bag to and fro the office and home. Over this period of time, her understanding is greatly appreciated and also settling the new place @ Arthur Street.

Hopefully, all will come to an temporary end on Wednesday. Haven had much sleep. Lost some weight as well.

cheers all. Good Night. Finally, a night of peace.

End of Weekend

With advice from Nick, finally got the models to run to a reasonable result. At least, I can enjoy a small bit of the weekend.

Thanks to Denise for her occasion "analysis" of the model and her understanding to stay around @ home for the weekend. Special mention to her wonderful warming lunch/dinner in this wet wet weather.

Attached is a screenshot of the model that I will be with for the next few days/weeks. Stress. Headaches. But I will do it. Good Luck.

Weekend

Lost quite a bit of liquid, through my nose for the last 2 days.

Not to mention the whole box of tissues and the number of towels in the washing machine.

Been working over the weekend for hours and hours. Fustrates me when it just could not work. Yes, the model just would'nt work. Why? I've been asking myself that question over and over and over again.

I want to make it work. Not sure at the moment how. But I want to do it.

Top 10 Radio Hits

1. Boom Boom Pow - Black Eyed Peas
2. Paparazzi - Lady Gaga
3. Hush Hush - Pussycat Dolls
4. Riverside - Sidney Samson
5. Fire Burning - Sean Kingston
6. We Made You - Eminem
7. I Gotta Feeling - Black Eyed Peas
8. You Belong To Me - Taylor Swift
9. Her Diamonds - Rob Thomas
10. Day n Nite - Kid Cudi

Enjoy the video clip for "Boom Boom Pow"

Sick

Been sick for the last 3 days. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. Stuffed up nose, body aches, slight sore throat. Getting better today but won't be going into the office because of the swine flu scare going around the world these days. Better be safe than sorry

Meanwhile, I will be running the traffic models @ home and continue the sniffing........

Wacky Photos

source: www.news.com.au
FYI > I've got scratched by a magpie in melbourne, exactly the way is shown above. And I've got experience in watching a yellow bird swooping towards my eyes. I was wearing sunglasses but I've got to duck down last minute to prevent an "accident". My phobia with birds started ever since.

Mittagong RSA

Road Safety Audits

One of my responsibility as a traffic engineer includes carrying out Road Safety Audits (RSA) for various projects. To carry out the audits, accreditation as a qualified road safety auditor is required and this can be achieved by attending a 2-day course organised by IPWEA (http://www.ipwea.org/).

As an auditor, my job is to analyse, observe and record down every detail that may be unsafe for any road users both as a driver and a pedestrian. It may be vehicles having insufficent sight distance due to blockages from adverts/vegetation, inadequate lighting, lack of road signs and pedestrians crossings, unsafe speed limts or sub-standard linemarking arrangements.

Audits can be done at different stages of project namely:
Stage 0 (Not known)
Stage 1 (Feasibility Study)
Stage 2 (Concept)
Stage 3 (Detailed Design)
Stage 4 (Pre-Opening)
Stage 5 (Existing Road)

As of recent, road safety audits are considered mandatory by some of the authorities as they form part of an important process in road design in order to prevent lesser accidents or any unsafe elements for road users.

I'm sorry

for not being there when you fall, literally.
for making the wrong decisions time and time again.
for making the wrong choices.

I want to be there not just physically. but mentally and emotionally.

no more sorrys.

Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen

source: www.transformersthemovie.com

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen will be out in cinemas on the 24th June 2009 in Australia.

Can't wait for the new movie ever since I saw the last one. Optimus Prime, Bumble Bee, Ultra Magnus etc. The trailer did not give a good impression, looks a bit "messy" with too much action. Hopefully I'm wrong to judge a movie by the trailer. Watch the trailer yourself attached at the bottom at the entry.

I will certainly give a review after I've got the chance to catch it on the big screen in 2 weeks time. Until then, enjoy.

Transfer News: Cristiano Ronaldo

As expected when I wrote my last entry, Cristiano Ronaldo make his world record transfer to Real Madrid for a whopping 80 million pounds. 2 days after Real Madrid paid 67.5 million for Kaka. In this economic situation, makes me wonder where they get the money from.

As commented previously, I'm happy that he has moved on and Manchester United making a good decision. With his behaviour last season e.g signalling his strong desire to leave Man Utd, throwing his jersey when being substituted, Sir Alex Ferguson would have reached his limit. Remember what he did to Jaap Stam, David Beckham and Ruud van Nisterooy. There's only one boss in Manchester United, and that's Sir Alex.

Anyway, the transfer has been finalised and it will be interesting to what Man Utd does with the money and how a team with Casillas, Ramos, Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo, Robben, van Nisterooy, Higuan and Raul can do in the Champions League and La Liga.

For your information, below is a list of top 10 transfers in the world to date. Note that 50% of the players did not perform up to expectations at their new team. In other words, they flopped.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo (POR) from Manchester United to Real Madrid (2009) - 94 million euros
2. Zinedine Zidane (FRA) from Juventus to Real Madrid (2001) - 75 million euros
3. Kaka (BRA) from AC Milan to Real Madrid (2009) - 67.5 million euros
4. Luis Figo (POR) from Barcelona to Real Madrid (2000) - 61 million euros
5. Hernan Crespo (ARG) from Parma to Lazio (2000) - 56 million euros
6. Gaizka Mendieta (ESP) from Valencia to Lazio (2001) - 48 million euros
7. Rio Ferdinand (ENG) from Leeds United to Manchester United (2002) - 47 million euros
8. Andrei Shevchenko (UKR) from AC Milan to Chelsea (2006) - 46 million euros
9.. Juan-Sebastian Veron (ARG) from Lazio to Manchester United (2001) - 46 million euros
10. Ronaldo (BRA) from Inter Milan to Real Madrid (2002) - 45 million euros

Another reason why Man Utd was right to let him go. Picture speaks a thousand words

Paris Hilton with Cristino Ronaldo - source: TMZ.com

Transfer News: Kaka

Kaka, the Brazilian playmaker has made a move from AC Milan to Real Madrid for a whopping 65 million euros. Just a week ago, he committed himself to AC Milan, how things have changed.
As players, I think the last thing on their mind would be making statements to the media, it would have to be the agents/managers telling him what to do and influencing them so that a big chunk of the transfer fees will go to the agents.

Good move for both Kaka and AC Milan, considering that the club paid 8.5 million for him back in his younger days and him helping the club win many titles including the Champions League back in 2007.
He has won everything with the club as well, including World Footballer of The Year. Time for a new challenge I suppose.

Same scenario with Cristiano Ronaldo, won everything with Manchester United including individual titles. The club paid 12 million to Sporting Lisbon for him and is poised to have a massive profit if he's sold.
It would be fair for him to want a new challenge as well. Would he join Kaka at Real Madrid? We'll wait and see.

source: dailymail.co.uk

Welcome

Welcome to my long-awaited new look blog.
I've intend to update the blog with various information ranging from news around the world, sports results, sports analyses, traffic knowledge to personal experiences from everyday living, road trips and people interaction.

Reason of choosing twenty23three for my blog name. People who know me long enough will know that the number 23, has been a significant number in my life.
I was born on the 23rd day of December. 23 has always been my first choice number when it comes to team soccer jerseys, even before Beckham made it a famous number on the soccer pitch. I got my first new car with the registration number 23 without even requesting for it.

Short introduction, I'm a practising traffic engineer with skills in traffic modelling, traffic impact analyses for developments and road safety audits.
Loves my sports, both watching and playing, soccer, rugby league, tennis, wrestling etc. Favourite team = Manchester United, Favourite Player = Jaap Stam, Favourite Player At the Moment = Nemanja Vidic, Favourite Personality = The Rock.
Likes pop music as well, anything on the radio, favourite bands/singers = Black Eyed Peas, Justin Timberlake, Backstreet Boys (yes, I'm not ashamed to admit that, and I'm not gay, just like their music during the 90's)

Overtime, I will update the blog with videos and information on the above, with help from the blog design fanatic, Denise, my long-time partner-in-crime. Thanks to her for setting this up in the first place. You can check her blog out if you click on the links on the left. I've also included a few of my favourite links for soccer news.

All comments welcome and feel free to write anything (good or bad).

Until the next blog > take care
cheers