Blog Topic week 7 : part 1

Blog Topic Week 6 : Mortar & Pestle Mind Map.

 

Last week, we were all given a piece of white A3 sized paper for us to draw a mind map. What was the mind map about? Bare with me, let’s find out….

The lecturer asked us to draw a mind map about mortar & pestle. What do we do with it? We had to imagine, if we were in the future around the year 20012 if I’m not mistaken, mortar and pestle would never exist at that time. Probably replaced by something much more modern than a blender. I wonder what could it be… hmmm…. Anyway, let’s say in the future, suddenly I was the world renowned archaeologist who was luckily have dug up a mortar and pestle out of an archaeology site somewhere in the world, and sadly I never knew what was its use in the past. Well of course I knew what it is used for…. Sambal belacan… bashing udang kering and bla bla… but in this scenario, I never knew what it is for. Reporters, scientists and people of the world are inquiring about its use, so I had to come up with anything I can. Because a famous archaeologist can’t just say he doesn’t know in front of the worldwide media…. Well in reality it is wrong… but for this assignment it’s acceptable… Anyway…. Back to our scenario…

So, when the journalist asked me, what was it used for? I came up with some ideas by doing a mind map of the possibilities of its use… And there were a few out of hundreds of reasons I can give.

#1     In the past, people love to duel like in most cartoons and anime. Therefore, in a duel they used it as weapons and protective gears. The mortar can be used as a protective helmet for head protection. And the pestle can be used as a throwing weapon to throw at your enemies. It can also be used to whack off enemy’s head off if you are in a threatened situation.

#2     In certain ages, mortar and pestle was used as a currency. People used it as money to pay for things. For food and anything they could buy or trade. It used to be as valuable as gold. Maybe the value of one mortar can be RM10. And one pestle can be RM5 as it is smaller. Perhaps the currency at that time was called (MR) instead of (RM)..... (RM) is Ringgit Malaysia… but (MR) was Mortar Ringgit… back in the days people would say, hey dude… how much is this bike? Owh that bike is only fifty Mortar Ringgit….

#3     Mortar and pestle was also used by married couples. Usually the wife would sit and used the mortar to put her foot on it as a stool. Then the husband would use the pestle to massage his wife’s foot.

Well, so that was our assignment… might be a bit weird, but our lecturer once said, nothing is weird… it is just interesting…

 By:
Muhammad Tamim Faruq Bin Khairul 'Azmi.
(1122702918) 

CS Blog Topic week 5 (part 2)

Invention - innovation :
Again, not all inventions bring innovation, remember.
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/tech/article/japans-gadget-failures-the-futures-that-never-happened/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20400239

Invention – Innovation : Not all inventions bring innovation.

         

 It is true that inventions can be innovated, but not all inventions bring innovation. Because not all inventions are that usefull. Some of them are quite unnecessary. Like what the past Japanese inventors have tried to come up with, like the walking toaster, or a television shaped radio. But in my opinion, it might not be that good of use. But it is necessary in sense that it provides us with unique designs and models.

 

From what we have these days like the football shaped alarm clock, it is not that it can be used to play football with, but it’s just for fun. By having these weird and unique shaped things are fun. Sometimes people like things that are different. That’s why it can sell.

To me, Inventions like telephones can be innovated into something new and better like what we have nowadays, is because of its priority of use.

Now, we have wireless telephones and mobile smartphones as a replacement to the old corded telephone on the desk. It is not as heavy as the old model, and has better mobility to its user. It also provides us with thousands of useful functions in one smartphone.

 

By:

Muhammad Tamim Faruq Bin Khairul 'Azmi.

(1122702918)

Creative Studies - Blog Topic Week 5 (part 1)

Mindmap:

A mind map is a diagram used to visually outline information. A mind map is often created around a single word or certain text which is placed in the center, to which associated ideas, words and concepts are added to it. Major categories radiate from a central node, and lesser categories are sub-branches of larger branches. Categories can represent words, ideas, tasks, or other items related to a central key word or idea.

It can be drawn manually by hand using a pencil or multi-coloured pens. Some even draw mind maps using certain softwares or computer programs.

What are mind maps for? 

It can be used to generate, visualize, structure, and classify ideas, and as an aid to studying and organizing information, solving problems, making decisions, and writing. It also works for critical thinking and brainstorming ideas.

 

The pictures and colourful designs of mind maps makes the human brain remember everything about it easily. 

How to create a mind map?

According  to Tony Buzan, the person who made mind map popular, he suggested that there are a few guidelines that should help you create your own mind map easily for anything you wish to use it for.

Start in the center with an image of the topic, using at least 3 colors.

Use images, symbols, codes, and dimensions throughout your mind map.

Select key words and print using upper or lower case letters.

Each word/image is best alone and sitting on its own line.

The lines should be connected, starting from the central image. The central lines are thicker, organic and thinner as they radiate out from the centre.

Make the lines the same length as the word/image they support.

Use multiple colors throughout the mind map, for visual stimulation and also to encode or group.

Develop your own personal style of mind mapping.

Use emphasis and show associations in your mind map.

Keep the mind map clear by using radial hierarchy, numerical order or outlines to embrace your branches.

By:

Muhammad Tamim Faruq Bin Khairul 'Azmi.

(1122702918)

Creative Studies - Blog Topic week 4

Look at people & time to understand creativity better.

What traits made them creative?

What environmental conditions existed?

What was the process of creativity?

Hans Zimmer

 

Hans Florian Zimmer is a German film composer and music producer. He has composed music for over 100 films, including the award winning film scores for The Lion King (1994), Gladiator (2000), The Last Samurai (2003), The Dark Knight (2008), and Inception (2010).

He spent his early part of his career in the United Kingdom before moving to the United States. He is the head of the film music division at DreamWorks studios and works with other composers through the company which he founded, Remote Control Productions.

His works are notable for integrating electronic music sounds with traditional orchestral arrangements. He has received four Grammy Awards, two Golden Globes, a Classical BRIT Award, and an Academy Award. He was also named on the list of Top 100 Living Geniuses, published by The Daily Telegraph.

Hans Zimmer was born in Frankfurt, Germany in 1957. Where he played piano at home. His father died when he was just a child. He was 6 years old at that time. Can you imagine how a very young child at that age could handle that kind of emotions and experience at such an early age. And that’s how he moved it all and escaped into music. And he said music has been his only best friend at that moment.

What traits made him creative?

I found that some of his traits that made him creative was his passion, determination, motivation, imagination, and productivity. But most importantly was his dream.

Hans Zimmer quoted: When I was a kid growing up in Germany, I had this dream of becoming a film composer. But you can’t ever say that, because you were like in no where Germany and if you say the word Hollywood, all the other kids are going to beat you up or laugh at you.

But in this dream, there was an unmade movie and I didn’t know what the movie was. And half way this one, I suddenly realized I was working on the movie I always hoped I was working on. I was working with the team, the director, and the sound crew, that I imagined was the best that you can possibly ever have in life. So I said to Chris (Christopher Nolan-Director of The Dark Knight Rises), from now on, you just have to look forward to it….

And that was the power of his dream… One of his creative traits that brought him to where he is now today.

His passion for what he loves the most is music. It’s what is actually generating his creativity in his music and composition. What keeps him going. He even quoted: If something happened where I couldn’t write music anymore, It would kill me. It’s not just a job. It’s not just a hobby. It’s why I get up in the morning.

This tells that it’s his reason to live. That is how much passion he put to it. To something he really loves as a child. Something he has been dreaming of from a long time. Due to his pure determination, he managed to achieve his long life dream. And is living it right now. What else would be better than that. He is motivated by many of his favorites including J. S. Bach, Beethoven and many more.

What environmental conditions existed?

His life is surrounded by music. He has his piano at home where he used to play during his childhood back in Germany. And he was exposed to music from an early age which can also lead to one of the factors that expands his creativity. As his childhood was tough and filled with strong emotions as his father died at his young age. Through out his career, he has his musician friends around him which helps him with his creativity in composing music and film scores other than his own genius. He has been working in music bands, orchestras and worked with some of the best directors, crews and musicians. And this ends up creating a very motivational and creative environment for his career.

What was the process of creativity?

The process of his creativity was to go deeper. He went deeper and deeper into his music each time. He merges himself into the music itself. Becoming one with the scores and composition he does to truly get the feel and emotion of it instead of being outside of it. He learnt more and more. He explored the Japanese culture to understand the Japanese music in order for him to create his own score when he was working on The Last Samurai movie in 2003.

What he did was, he looked at some pictures that the director sent to him giving him some ideas on what to compose for the film’s soundtrack. Then, he calls on his best musicians to work with him personally and experiment with anything he comes up with. Later on they will put together several soundtracks and choose the best and the most suitable for each scenes…

Hans Zimmer - The Making of The Dark Knight Rises

Hans Zimmer - The Last Samurai Soundtrack

 By:

 Muhammad Tamim Faruq Bin Khairul 'Azmi.

(1122702918)