BLACK & WHITE CARPS

Carps in White, and in Black

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New Year's Eve and Chinese New Year

Dear all

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The eve of the New Year is perhaps the most exciting part of the event as many preparations for celebrating Chinese New Year will tend to begin a few days from the date of the Chinese New Year. Traditions and rituals are very carefully observed in everything from food, and then plants to clothing.

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At the New Year’s Eve, my mother and I went to buy some New Year’s decorations at a nearby market; we bought some auspicious flowers such as Daffodil, Lily and a tangerine tree, the bustle and clamor could be seen everywhere at the market and all things at there created an atmosphere of joy and renewal.

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Very often, most of Chinese like to buy some auspicious plants or flowers as decoration and dinner at the New Year‘s Eve is usually a feast of seafood and chicken signifying different good wishes. Taking the dried oysters as an example, it symbolizes good things for the whole family (since “Oysters” and “Good things” sound the same in the Cantonese dialect), and as for the tangerine tree; tangerine in the Cantonese’s view of point symbolizes a big haul coming from outside (since “tangerine” and “auspicious” sound the same in the Cantonese dialect).
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Apart from the above-mentioned, an ancient custom in the Chinese New Year is very popular to all children and unmarried people, it is called "Pocket Money". At the end of New Year’s Eve dinner, parents and old generation will give New Year’s money to their children, who have been waiting with growing anticipation for this moment to arrive.
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To insure the arrival of luck and wealth in the New Year, several taboos must be heeded. During the 1st day of Chinese New Year, floors may not be swept 千奇咪掃地 and garbage may not be disposed for fear of casting riches out the door; cussing and quarreling is to be avoided at all costs; and anyone who breaks a dish on this day must quickly say “大吉利是” to avoid incurring misfortune. Actually, many taboos are interesting and those are still maintained in the Chinese society.

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As a whole, Chinese New Year is celebrated in state and it is a meaningful holiday with happiness, and different good wishes have plunged into the heart of each Chinese.

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(Auspicious flowers and tangerine trees)



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-百花爭艷, 牛年行好運.......好!

- 水仙花開, 富貴衝入來.....好!

-(年年有魚, 大吉大利..........好!)

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- (花開富貴, 靈龜獻福...............好!)

Happy New Year in 2009

Ken Ngan

Happy birthday to my mother

Dear all
Yesterday was my mother's brithday, my nephew (Ka Hai) and niece (Chau Yi) gave their kiss to my mother as the birthday present.

- (Chau Yi, my mother and Ka Hai)

Best Regards

THANKS FOR THE CHRISTMAS PRESENTS

Dear Best Friends,

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Christmas in this year is quite different from the ordinary one. That is---- I was very busy with my examinations,, and with my work in the whole December, I did not go to celebrate for christmas holidays, but I got lots of christmas gifts and SMS from my best friends.

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.(今年花都有???)

.(CROSS筆我最鐘意)
Thanks very much for your presents. I like them very much.
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Best regards
Ken Ngan

Conferment of the title "President Emeritus" to the retiring President

Dear all, - A mail I received from the University Council, this mail reported that the university council of PolyU HK has decided to confer the title of "President Emeritus" on Mr. Poon Chung-Kwong (President Professor)upon his retirement on 1 January 2009. The title of "President Emeritus" is a tribute to Mr. Poon's 18 years of dedicated and outstanding service to the Polytechnic University since January in 1991. . Mr. Poon who has made towards the overall development of PolyU, particularly his achievements in leading the institution's development from a polytechnic to a university, in elevating the University;s staffing and research quality, and in soliciting support from donors and acquiring lands from the Government which provided much needed resources and facilities for the various strategic initiatives of the University. . By copy of this mail, I wish to make best wishes to his long and rewarding retirement. Ken Ngan 07536141G MSC

My Favourite Movie of 2008 (Wushu's Movie- Ip Man)

Dear friends, - What's my favorite movie of 2008? It definitely is the movie "Ip Man".This movie adapted from the life story of Ip Man- the grand master of the Wing Chun Style of Kung Fu and sifu of legendary kung fu superstar Bruce Lee. The movie "Ip Man", I think, that will be the first important record of Ip Man's life. Honestly, I didn't know who is Ip Man before this movie, Donnie Yen who is a good actor, he played well the role of Ip Man in this movie and expressed Ip's persistent devoton to Wing Chun, Wing Chun is a classic example of the love and respect, this movie is a concept, a spirit, a way of thinking- and it exemplifies a new peak in Hong Kong's wushu movies. - Donnie Yen - In the movie, Master Liu who said: I wanna fight against Three (3) persons, IP Man also spoke to the Japanese: I want Ten (10), and in the real life, I will say "I want to fight with 13, to fight with 13 pillows, not persons" Just a joke. Ken Ngan

Show & Tell

1. Introduction
This was an individual report requested by Professor. Shi, the instructor of the Subject: CORROSION CONTROL ME571. This report deals with several real life examples of corrosion / oxidation and will explain why and how the corrosion of metals happened or worked. The main aim of the report is to catch the cause-and-effect relationship of the corrosion and to recommend ways of preventing and controlling corrosion.
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2. Show & Tell of Atmospheric Corrosion
Atmospheric corrosion is surely the most visible of all corrosion processes, e.g. rusty bridges, flag poles, buildings and outdoor monuments. It has been reported to account for more failures in terms of cost and tonnage than any other type of material degradation processes. While atmospheres can be classified into four basic types, (1) Industrial, (2) Marine (3) Rural and (4) Indoor Atmospheric Corrosion.

The following findings can be found everywhere in real life, some or all of them are likely to live with our living areas.

3. Findings:
-Real Life Example: (Description of the atmospheric corrosion of sewage pipes)

Location: Kai Tak Nullah
Figure 1: Location of the affected sewage pipes in Kai Tak Nullah

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The pictures below (see Picture 2 and Picture 3) show the allegro wastewater was continuously splashing on the pipe surfaces, particular underneath the pipelines, such environment typically have high percent relative humidity (% ＲＨ) and will provide an aggressive electrolyte for the promotion of corrosion.

In fact, these pipelines in Kai Tak Nullah almost have 40 to 50 year history, they are in summer time exposed to a high-temperature atmosphere and their bottom sides are all the time contacting with the sewage. It can be referred-to in note 5 of this taught subject, a fundamental requirement for atmospheric corrosion processes is the presence of a film electrolyte that can form on metallic surfaces when exposed to a critical level of humidity (see picture 3 above), especially under conditions of alternate wetting and drying.
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In addition, unexpected rapid corrosion can be seen as well from the following picture, two different levels of corrosion on pipeline surfaces are viewed, the pipelines at column 2 and 3 their surfaces absorbed moisture (the pipe surfaces appeared saturated condition compared to that at column 1), and grew a thick layer of corrosive product on their surfaces.

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• 4. Factors affecting atmospheric corrosion
  Temperature
  Temperature plays an important role in atmospheric corrosion in two ways. First, there is the normal increase in corrosion activity which can theoretically double for each ten degree increase in temperature. Secondary, a little-recognized effect is the temperature lag of metallic objects, due to their heat capacity, behind changes in the ambient temperature. As the ambient temperature drops during the evening, metallic surfaces tend to remain warmer than the humid air surrounding them and do not begin to collect condensation until some time after the dew point has been reached. As the temperature begins to rise in the surrounding air, the lagging temperature of the metal structures will tend to make them act as condensers, maintaining a film of moisture on their surfaces.
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  Relative Humidity (RH)
  RH is defined as the ratio of the quantity of water vapor present in the atmosphere to the saturation quantity at a given temperature, and it is expressed as %. The critical humidity level is a variable that depends on the nature of the corroding material, the tendency of corrosion products and surface deposits to absorb moisture, and the presence of atmospheric pollutants. It has been shown in the above example 1, the critical humidity level is predicted to be 85 to 90% because the bottom surface and the surface around the whole pipe are quite near the splash zone. In the presence of electrolytes, atmospheric corrosion proceeds by balanced anodic and cathodic reactions. The anodic oxidation reaction involves the corrosion attack of the pipe surface, while the cathodic reaction is naturally the oxygen reduction reaction.
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  Wetness in A Long Period
  A resident (say me) has been living in Wong Tai Sin and living with Kai Tak Nullah for over 30 years, the mentioned pipelines installed in the said location should at least be 40 years long.
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  Moisture and Pollutants
  Dew and condensation are undesirable from a corrosion standpoint if not accomplished by frequent rain washing which dilutes or eliminates contamination. A film of dew, saturated with acid sulfates, and acid, chlorides of an industrial atmosphere provides an aggressive electrolyte for the promotion. Also, the stagnant moisture film either becomes alkaline from reaction with metal surfaces, or picks up carbon dioxide and becomes aggressive as a dilute acid.
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  5. Prevention of sewage pipe corrosion is suggested in several ways:
  Organic Adsorption Inhibitors, organics that coat metal with an oily surface layer will protect it. Inhibitors are commonly used in acids, although a few function in neutral or alkaline solutions. In adsorbing on the pipe surface, they replace adsorbed sewage or wetness and their hydrophobic action prevents water from solvating metal ions or prevent H+ ions from adsorbing at cathode sites where reduction to H2(g) could occur.
  
  Plastic cover plate to be added underneath of each sewage pipe, the function of this can isolate the contact point between the splash level and the bottom of pipe
  
  Always keeping the vertical distance between the bottom of pipe (or the bottom of the proposed plastic cover plate) and the waterline as long as possible so as to minimize the splashing effect.
  
  Periodically check and examination of the pipeline systems are should be carried out at least 3 months in order to control and monitor easily the corrosion products.
  
  
  6. Reference:
  Course Notes (ME571 CORROSION CONTROL)
  CORROSION CONTROL Second Edition, Bradford Samuel A.
  http://www.corrosion-doctors.org/Corrosion-Forms/area-effects.htm

Best Regards

Ken Ngan

Help

Dear all

Being a student is not easy these days. All of us have to bury our nose in the notes and reference books day in and day out in order to maintain our grades or stay ahead.

People living in the world have to help mutally, classmate in the same subject must do likewise. He helps you, you help him, people help people!
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Ken Ngan