Ravi Kumar Online

A DC shock

2009-10-18T07:26:00.003+08:00

This blog has been asystolic for a few months now and needs a little jolt. So there.. here's a little DC shock to start it.
Writing... a therapy for the soul..

Licence to Treat

2009-05-11T16:50:00.002+08:00

A picture says many words.. (5 years of it)
Saying anymore would be saying too much.

Ride of the Rohirrim

2009-04-11T19:07:00.004+08:00

I bet most of you have watched the Lord of the Rings. If you haven't, please do so. And then watch it again. It really is an awesome movie. There are countless scenes of grandeur, pure courage, and much more that cannot be put into words. The elven palaces shown in the movie are some of the most beautiful of palaces. The castles of men in Lord of the Rings are just amazing in terms of size and build. Minas Tirith, the castle of Gondor, is a castle carved out of a mountain!
I better not continue rambling this way, but let me bring your attention to one scene in the movie.

The knights from Rohan had arrived in the battlefield to aid their allies, the people of Gondor. And their charge is, in my opinion, worth watching over and over again.
There's a small pep talk, followed by all the knights charging towards the huge mass of orcs. The orcs shoot arrows in an attempt to cause panic among the horseriders, but this doesn't work. You could almost call them 'crazy' horseriders, with the way they continue to push on and stampede over the orcs. I've linked the video below so you guys can watch it too. Listen to the music too, I think it's the best part of the soundtrack for the entire movie.

The Chainmail health-tips con

2009-04-11T18:45:00.003+08:00

Health tips through chain emails... I wonder who comes up with them.
When something which is obviously untrue pops up, the possibilities are:

1. The person who wrote them has something against the company that produces the product
2. The person who wrote them wants to seem important by saying something
3. The person who wrote them just wants to have a laugh.

There are only too many such emails floating around.
e.g. Pringles causes cancer. Coke causes gastric cancer. Potatoes bring happiness. Mobile phones can burn your skin if you touch it while its being charged. Drink more water in the morning and less at night. And the best one yet... Only answer mobile phones with your LEFT ear.
I also had one that said the foods that are good for a particular organ are shaped as such.
For example, a slice of carrot looks like a 2-D image of an eye.

There are lots more, which I religiously delete from my inbox.

Slum-Dawg

2009-04-06T20:23:00.002+08:00

Let it be known that I do not usually watch movies in the cinema unless they have:
1. An awesome high-tech action sequence (something like James bond, transformers, and the like)
2. Very good sound effects (these are very difficult to appreciate at home)

Hence it came to pass that I did not watch Slumdog Millionaire in the cinema. But the tons of fangirls and fanboys it had created among my friends, almost overnight, had definitely piqued my interest in it. So I downloaded it from rapidshare to watch it.

I have to say.. It is definitely a movie worth watching. It's about a guy who perseveres through a tough life, and ends up winning 20 million rupees on Who Wants to be a Millionaire, AND winning the love of his life. That, in my opinion, automatically makes him a gazillionaire..
The director did a good job in making the movie very believable, such that you feel for the main character and are genuinely happy that he had a happy ending. The music director did a good job too. A few skeptics had told me that the only reason AR Rahman won the oscar is because this movie was set in english, and that this movie's soundtracks were less impressive than his other movies. Nonetheless, I think the soundtrack for this movie was very good, and fit the scenes perfectly. Go watch the movie and let me know what you think.

In summary? I'd give this movie an 8 out of 10. Be prepared to feel good about yourself after watching the movie.

Just enjoy the show

2009-03-17T04:03:00.004+08:00

Do you sometimes feel that life's events are beyond your control? that the entire concept of life itself is incomprehensible? Perhaps then the best thing to do is let go and just go with the flow! So says Lenka, in her song 'The Show'. And perhaps there's truth in it.

The Show - by Lenka

I'm just a little bit caught in the middle
Life is a maze and love is a riddle
I don't know where to go I can't do it alone I've tried
And I don't know why

Slow it down
Make it stop
Or else my heart is going to pop
'Cause it's too much
Yeah, it's a lot
To be something I'm not

I'm a fool
Out of love
'Cause I just can't get enough

I'm just a little bit caught in the middle
Life is a maze and love is a riddle
I don't know where to go I can't do it alone I've tried
And I don't know why

I'm just a little girl lost in the moment
I'm so scared but I don't show it
I can't figure it out
It's bringing me down I know
I've got to let it go
And just enjoy the show

The sun is hot
In the sky
Just like a giant spotlight
The people follow the sign
And synchronize in time
It's a joke
Nobody knows
They've got a ticket to that show
Yeah

I'm just a little bit caught in the middle
Life is a maze and love is a riddle
I dont know where to go I can't do it alone I've tried
And I don't know why

I'm just a little girl lost in the moment
I'm so scared but I don't show it
I can't figure it out
It's bringing me down I know
I've got to let it go
And just enjoy the show

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nTSU-mFWGs

(p.s. sorry i couldn't embed the video, but you should really watch it, it's fun)

Women drivers

2009-02-20T07:39:00.002+08:00

Women never fail to astound me.. in every way.. It's why we love them so much, i think. It's either that, or fear for our lives.
Here are some videos guaranteed to have you in stitches..

This video is hilarious. Love the song ..

Don't mess with the pint-sized old ladies.

Apparently you shouldn't mess with ladies in shanghai too.

ROFL-ing your hineys off

2009-02-18T02:16:00.011+08:00

ROFL is a common abbreviation used in chats, which I initially thought to mean a dog's bark, but later found out that it meant Rolling On the Floor Laughing. See picture below for instructions on how to ROFL.

occasionally it's modified into ROFLMAO; (not exactly the bark from Chairman Mao) but rather .. .. .. laughing my ass off.

It sounds really funny when you translate it into Malay. Perhaps it's because we're then able to picture exactly what the phrase means literally.

"Berguling-guling berketawa sehingga punggungku kehilangan"

I invite my fellow readers to translate it into whatever other language and see how it sounds.

Perhaps some of you might be able to say "laughing my callypygians / steatopygians off", whichever suits your fancy..

Speaking of which.. here's a news article that might get your callypygians going..
http://shanmugamlakshmanan.blogspot.com/2009/02/city-dwellers-say-gday-to-haze.html
I had no idea I had such a talented cousin...

p.s. Another way chatters indicate to each other that they're laughing is to use the simple abbreviation of LOL. You won't believe how many years it took me to figure this out. And it means Laugh out loud.
One guy I chatted with, when he was laughing out really loud, would say 'Loooool!'
I haven't yet approached him about it, but I am about to suggest he use LORL instead. It just makes more sense in my opinion.

(by the way, I have no idea who this is...)

Sleeping in the nude, and the dirtbags of malaysian politics

2009-02-18T01:18:00.005+08:00

Sleeping in the nude.
Some say it's comfy.
Some just prefer sleeping that way.
And perhaps most people do it.
After all.. isn't it the way we were brought into this world?

What then is the problem when a state EXCO member does it? Nude photos of Elizabeth Wong, taken apparently while she was asleep in her own bedroom, have been distributed via MMS. Apparently some newspapers were even about to publish them. I don't know if they did, I hope they didn't. Some politicians immediately jumped at the chance to bring her down, saying that it was morally unacceptable for her to allow such a thing to happen. Perhaps if they thought about it for a microsecond longer, ... oh well, they probably did think about it. Isn't it just the perfect situation to bring down a reputable person?
My heart goes out to her for being victimized in such a way. Invasion of privacy does tend to leave a deep scar in a person's life. The poor lady has offered to resign from both her posts due to mounting pressure.
The article summarizing what happened so far can be read here: http://imchristy.blogspot.com/2009/02/malaysia-kini.html

How does snow form?

2009-02-04T09:32:00.006+08:00

It is the beginning of february.. supposedly the last month of winter. But we all know that spring, summer, autumn and winter are just very rough guides to the weather these days. Perhaps the only thing that is certain now is that July is less cold than January. Everything else in between is uncertain and variable shades of grey.

It has been snowing the last few days in Dublin. And i'm not talking about the usual 1mm thick, 'almost rain-like in consistency' snow that falls for a couple of days in december every year. This time it's a heavy snowstorm that falls throughout the day, especially heavy at least twice during the day. I had gone to Belfast for a revision course over the weekend. Imagine my surprise when i find the area completely white when i returned. Very dramatic change. Reminds me of my trip to stuttgart in december.

So I thought I would write a little about the formation of snow. Something simple that you and I would understand.

Ok, we all have some rough idea that water evaporates from the ground and travels up to form clouds, right? High up in the atmosphere, at the level of the clouds, the pressure in the air is very low, and so water vapour can remain as water molecules despite the subzero temperatures. (At low pressures, the boiling point and freezing point of any substance are both lowered). But when these water vapors come into contact with another small ice crystal or a small dust particle, the vapour changes form directly into ice (instead of becoming liquid water first). This is called sublimation (gas to solid conversion). The ice formed are hexagonal crystals, and these fall to the ground once they collect more ice from the rising water vapor and become heavier.

On the ground, they remain frozen for a while, since their white colour reflects off the sun's light and heat. Therefore remaining frozen, and ironically providing cover, like a blanket, to the vegetation underneath from the surrounding cold temperature.

So why does snow fall only in winter? I suppose the weather is so cold that the normal height to which water normally rises to on a warm day becomes much colder, and ice forms at a much lower height. Only as small ice crystals, but recruiting more water molecules as the come into contact. That's what i think anyway, anyone who knows better can let me know.

I found a video online that says almost exactly what i wrote above. Just watch it for the animation.

And this animation shows it too. If you watch closely, the bright blue water vapor gets attracted to the small ice crystals, making them bigger and heavier.

Wifi vs Health

2009-01-23T03:31:00.003+08:00

Penang has launched its city-wide free Wi-fi, a very impressive concept if you ask me. Now more people can avail of the internet at almost no cost at all (besides a wireless-enabled-computer).

They had announced this idea a few months back, and I did expect them to have opposition from the current internet providers (Streamyx, etc)..
What I didn't expect however, was the Parents-Teachers-Association of a primary school to object to this idea based on the fact that wireless signals are harmful to the body!

I mean, look around you! Mobile phones, wireless signals already in place (and i'm sure there must be something like that in their school even), the new wireless internet modems, sat navs, traffic camera sensors, ...
The list of wireless signals we survive in is endless!

Some people can be just a little less intelligent at times.... *sigh....

Letting go

2009-01-13T05:01:00.003+08:00

The most important lesson I've learnt in life so far (or rather the most recurrent one) is to LET GO.
It is a very difficult thing to do. And sometimes it may mean throwing away a piece of your heart. Sometimes it may mean accepting something about yourself that you don't really like. Sometimes its accepting a fact about someone else, a fact that you have refused to believe. Sometimes it may mean letting go of money. Sometimes it may mean letting go of a grudge. Anger. Desire. Obsession. And sometimes it means letting go of a dream.

But it is essential.

For in my past experiences, which have encompassed all of what I mentioned above, not letting go had resulted in major retributions which I could have easily have avoided. And when I finally decided to let go of whatever it was I was holding on to, I felt much better. There are still a couple of things I hold on to, which I find difficult to let go of, but such is the journey of life. Perhaps there is a line in a holy book that simply says 'Let go and be free'.

A very brief summary of Stuttgart and Barcelona

2009-01-08T09:44:00.005+08:00

I'll try to post more about these two great cities later on, but for now, here's a very brief summary.

Stuttgart:

Reasons to go:
1. A friend (that's always a good reason)
2. Mercedes museum (hell yeah.. very nice indeed)
3. Christmas markets (if you happen to be there between 25th Nov and 24th Dec, don't miss it!)
4. Gluhwein!! (only available in christmas markets during the aforementioned period of time)
It has a taste of it's own, you have to try it once in your life.

Barcelona:

Reasons to go:
1. Relatively warm weather
2. La Sagrada Familia (Temple of the Holy Family; Designed by famous architect Antoni Gaudi; Been in construction since 1880's and scheduled for completion in 2026 after being destroyed and/or halted a couple of times along the way)
3. Beaches (if you go in the summer) - I went in the winter, silly me..
4. Sangria (lovely wine with herbs + oranges + ++)
5. Old city / Gothic city (very nice architecture and shops, and one or two museums, including Dali, a very horny artist with very weird paintings, one example is the melting clock)
6. Flamenco (a very nice dance and song performance, see it once in your life at least)
7. La Ramblas and the Market (very wide range of foods and other items on sale)

Movie Review: Bolt

2009-01-08T08:30:00.002+08:00

No, it's not a documentary about the athlete who broke 2 world records in sprinting last year...
It's about a super-dog, or rather a dog who has been trained to think since young that he possesses amazing superpowers. In actual fact he plays the role of a super-dog in a movie-set in Hollywood. Yeah, strange story so far, but that was just the first 20 minutes or so of the movie.

Then, one day when he is separated from his beloved owner, he panics and decides to use his 'superpowers' to save her from the evil clutches of 'The Green-eyed man'. He meets several animals along the way, and what ensues is a mixture of comedy (lots of it), action, friendship, and an internal dilemma that occurs when your average super-dog finds out he no longer possesses superpowers.

It's a really fun movie, and I'd urge you to watch it if you like comedies where you can relate to the characters.

I'd give it a 4 1/2 out of 5 (it's good for its genre)

Youg docs walk a tightrope

2008-12-09T08:41:00.002+08:00

An excellent article (survey) by The Star

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/12/7/focus/2724546&sec=focus

Thanks Jeff Lee for the link :)

1 in 5 Malaysian doctors have psychiatric issues

2008-12-04T07:38:00.002+08:00

A couple of days ago, there was an article in The Star entitled as above. The article went on to quote some minister as saying that the reason behind this is the lack of a screening process to handpick the mentally sane students before they enter medical school.

This is a very wrong way to look at it... if I may give my two pence worth.
Psychiatric issues are probably as rampant in Malaysia as it is elsewhere in the world. And some people go on to become professionals despite having minor psychiatric issues.
The problem is that Malaysia (the government, and by that it's people) seems to think that there is no reason to treat these issues. Everyone thinks it never happens to them. And those who are depressed are too ashamed to admit it, since others would probably think that they are weak.
And depression IS a common psychiatric condition among the working class.

Weakness.

Really? Is it weak to admit that you are depressed? I would think the opposite, rather. You'd be brave to admit something that's potentially embarassing, and would be right to do so, if it will help you overcome the issue in the long run.
Why do you have to pretend to be ultra-strong anyway? Isn't it more depressing that friends think you're doing fine in life when you actually aren't coping with it that well?

Society.

Society has all these stereotypes about what is considered good and what is bad. (Society by the way, is you, your parents, uncles, aunts, grandparents, friends..) A good person is supposed to be able to earn lots of money, is always happy, is totally independent, is able to take whatever shit comes his/her way without help from anyone else, only has fun by helping someone else...
I can safely say that it is never that way.
Everyone needs help. More often than they care to admit.
And society (that's everyone again) needs to understand that at some point in life, everyone goes through issues that they cannot handle personally, and very few have that amazing family-system to help them in those times.

In summary:
Malaysia, please stop thinking that psychiatric patients have themselves to blame. Help them.

Of yoga and hindus, christians and muslims

2008-11-27T05:40:00.002+08:00

Does it matter?

The fact that various bodies in malaysia actually took the time to discuss the effect of Yoga on muslims is more disturbing.

The biggest heist in history

2008-11-23T01:38:00.003+08:00

Robbers make off with 60-tonne crane

BUTTERWORTH: A crane owner has placed an advertisement in two newspapers offering a reward of RM100,000 for information leading to the recovery of a 60-tonne crane worth RM1.2mil which was reportedly stolen by eight men in Bertam near Kepala Batas.

In the Thursday incident, the robbers blindfolded and tied up four workers of a crane renting company and escaped with the crane. The robbers however left behind a 45-tonne crane after it was trapped in mud at a remote area in Bertam.

It is learnt that the company based in Mak Mandin had received a call at about 3pm on Wendesday from someone who wanted to hire the two cranes for use in Bertam.

On Thursday, four workers took the two cranes to the said site where a man in his 30s was waiting at about 9.30am. The man then told the workers to drive the cranes into an oil palm estate.

The man then drove off in a four-wheel drive vehicle. About 10 minutes later, eight men armed with machetes (parang) arrived in another four-wheel drive vehicle and confronted the workers.

The workers managed to free themselves at about 1pm and called their employer before lodging a police report.

(The Star Online)

Definitely the 'heaviest' heist in history.

Maybe they're building a secret apartment block somewhere... I'll be on the lookout for reports of more robberies of tractors and cement factories.

The temp

2008-11-20T03:34:00.002+08:00

2 months since I'd started final med, I'm now in an interesting part of the course called Sub-internship. It's only for a period of 2 weeks, but it definitely is an eye-opener (mind you I'm writing this at day-3 of sub-internship). It's basically me pretending to be a doctor, and the team I'm attached to is supposed to treat me as an intern and ask me to do what an intern does. The team I'm attached to is a surgical team, but it doesn't really make a difference whether it's medicine or surgery, all an intern does is clerk-work anyway. Menial jobs that the more senior doctors don't do. I guess it's part of life, you start as someone who cleans up after everyone else and then a year later they trust you enough to give you a few more responsibilities and make someone else do the cleaning instead. And so the cycle continues.
It's not much to look forward to, but hey, at least I know it's only for a year.
Still however, being a sub-intern sort of gives you a purpose. You're actually doing something instead of standing close to the wall and being fired questions by the consultant or registrar (as is the tradition for medical students when they're not sub-I's).
So I suppose what I'm trying to say is that I'm enjoying it (with my mind always telling me that it's just for 2 weeks). Of course, my brain is taking it's self-proclaimed holiday since there's about 1 hour a day of studying.

Electronic Newspapers

2008-10-18T18:52:00.002+08:00

I guess it's just a natural transition to occur with all the advances in technology up to now..

____________________________________________________________________

What's new about it? Well, for a start there's no paper - it's electronic.

The device looks just like a table mat, it's as light as a magazine.

We have paper being distributed all over the country which is consumed on that day and then discarded into the bin. This doesn't need to be the case.

Dean Baker

But onto it you can download hundreds of newspapers and - at the touch of a button - browse through them quite safely, without elbowing anyone ever again.

"It's very robust," says Mr Baker.

To prove it he whacks the screen with his fist. Not a scratch.
The machine's so tough, because everything, from the screen to the electronics inside, is made of plastic.

That's why the electronic newspaper is so light, flexible and revolutionary.

Source

Iran to stop executing youths

2008-10-18T18:49:00.001+08:00

hm.. about time, i'd say..

'Iran is believed to be the country that executes the largest number of juvenile offenders - defined as those aged under 18 - in the world.

At least six youths have been executed in Iran this year alone.' source

Gods at war

2008-10-17T07:43:00.001+08:00

in the spirit of youtube videos..

more prank calls

2008-10-17T07:36:00.001+08:00

Prank calls!

2008-10-17T07:01:00.003+08:00

1. Often-times the technical support for any major company in Ireland is in.. where else... India. And most of the time they make you wait for at least 10 minutes, and don't answer the question you had in the first place. It really is very frustrating.

2. Though I haven't had this happen to me before, it must be irritating to have some sales person contact you on the phone regarding whatever item.

Jabba the Actor

2008-10-17T05:46:00.004+08:00

After watching Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace, I was just listening to the soundtrack and occasionally glancing at the screen which was showing the cast of the film. So a few names caught my eye...
Liam Neeson
...
Ewan McGregor
..
Natalie Portman
..
Kiera Knightley
.. (didn't know she was part of the movie..)
..
and....

Jabba the Hutt???

It actually said: Jabba the Hutt - as Himself

Input from Darth Shanmugam (if you're reading this, shamu), archivist of the Star Wars chronicles, would be greatly appreciated.. as to how the morbidly obese Jabba the Hutt came into existence on planet Earth.

___________________________________________________________________

By the way, for those of you who unlike Darth Shan, have not watched this movie more than once, I'd recommend watching it again. There's a fair bit of comic relief provided by the Gungans (the race that Jar Jar Binks belongs to)

Some quotes:

Gungan Guard to Binks
"Yousa in beeeg doodoo this time" i.e. big trouble
----

Binks: "Err... Hello daddy-big-boss-ness your honour"
Gungan King: "Jaar Jaar Beeenks... Whosa us'n da others?"
Amidala: "I am Queen Amidala of the Naboo. I come before you in peace."
Gungan King: "Ah.. Naboo Bigen.. Yousa bringen the mechaneecs (droid army). Yousa aall bombaad."

Trust me, it's better when you watch the video yourself.

Hindraf declared illegal

2008-10-16T02:49:00.002+08:00

Poor guys..
Who knew fighting for rights would be so difficult?

and I quote:
"The Hindu Rights Actions Force (Hindraf) has been declared an illegal organisation from Wednesday. Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said in a statement the decision was made following the ministry being satisfied with facts and evidence that showed Hindraf, had and was, being used for unlawful purposes and posed a threat to public order and morality."(source)

God only knows if they will reveal these 'facts and evidence'. Or maybe only the government knows.

ISA should be Love and Caring Act

2008-10-16T02:09:00.002+08:00

One of the BRILLIANT MP's (that's member of parliament) in Malaysia has proposed that the uber-draconian Internal Security Act, one that is under increasing controversy, to be renamed the 'Love and Caring Act' (Akta Kasih Sayang).

So now if anyone does anything that is deemed seditious by the government, he/she can be arrested using the 'Love and Caring Act'.
Makes it that much more humiliating.

Datuk Shah Rukh Khan

2008-10-15T01:26:00.002+08:00

Tuesday October 14, 2008 - The Star Online

'Malaysians more deserving of Datukship than Shah Rukh Khan'

KUALA LUMPUR: Local artistes are protesting the conferment of Datukship upon Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan.

The Malaysian Artistes Association (Seniman) chairman Datuk Mustapha Maarof said the intention to award the Darjah Mulia Seri Melaka to the actor should have been referred to Finas to determine his eligibility.

“It is their right to award the title. But we hope the selection of recipients should have been properly considered first. State governments should ensure their awards are given out to only the most qualified candidates or the awards will lose their prestige,” he said in a press conference.

He also named Azean Irdawaty, M. Nasir, Kuswadinata and Ruminah Sidek as artistes deserving to receive the Datukship. He added it was an insult to Malaysians that Shah Rukh Khan did not turn up to accept the award.

Shah Rukh Khan was awarded the Datukship on Saturday during the 70th birthday of the Yang Di-Pertua of Malacca Tun Mohd Khalil Yaakob. According to Mustapha, Seniman would be submitting a protest letter to the Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Ministry at 4pm today.

---------

FYI, the award has already lost its prestige.

Film review: You don't mess with the Zohan

2008-10-05T11:03:00.004+08:00

"You Don't Mess with the Zohan", ever.
It's a ridiculously funny movie, and I can't stress more on the word 'ridiculous'. He's an Israeli with superhuman strength who leaves the Israeli army in order to try to make it big in the hairstyling industry in America. But he faces trouble... both from his parents back home and the palestinian-israeli neighbourhood he ends up working in. There are some political jokes which are, again, ridiculous and rather funny, like the Hezbollah Customer Service Helpline.
Is it suitable for children? Definitely NOT. There's no overt nudity, but a lot of undertones which may make you cringe if you're watching it with a minor. If you ARE a minor (< 21 years), don't watch it, some of those undertones WILL disgust you.

News highlight: Police power abuse?

2008-10-05T08:50:00.002+08:00

Sunday October 5, 2008 - The Star Online

House of man who cried police brutality set on fire

By CHRISTINA KOH

KAMPAR: A contract worker whose son made a report that police assaulted him has been running into ill-luck. And he believes it may not be a coincidence.

In the latest incident, N. Nagarajan, 37, saw the front part of his house destroyed in a fire. Nagarajan said his mother-in-law woke him up during the fire in Kampung Labu Kuci at 5.10am yesterday and the family managed to put it out.

”No one saw who did it. The only trace left is the smell of kerosene.

“I’m afraid because I have children and I have to take them to school. If we hadn’t spotted the fire, all of us could have died,” he told a press conference at the Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) office here.

On Aug 6, Nagarajan had alleged that police detained his son, Logeswaran, 10, accusing him of stealing his teacher’s purse with RM700, MyKad and other documents.

Logeswaran claimed that at least two policemen slapped, choked and threatened him with a parang and pistol and tried to melt plastic over his private parts to get him to confess.

On Wednesday, Nagarajan said two men attacked him with a helmet and threatened to “burn the house” if he refused to withdraw the police report.

Perak police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Zulkifli Abdullah said there was no reason for police to target the family.

Asked about the assault on Logeswaran, he said the boy could have made up the story.

- I don't suppose a 10-year old boy would make up stories about police threatening him with dangerous weapons or trying to melt plastic over his groin, would he? -

Who makes it to the top?

2008-10-04T07:47:00.002+08:00

Who makes it to the top? I'm guessing either the very organized or the crazy ones, not anyone in between. As evident by the consultants in Beaumont hospital. Does it hold true for the rest of the society? I wonder..

Inflation through the roof

2008-10-03T05:24:00.002+08:00

From BBC, I quote: "Zimbabwe's official inflation rate is still about 11 million per cent and there are severe food shortages"

11 million percent??!

That's inflation through the roof, the sky, and beyond..

Brown Eyed Girl

2008-09-26T06:45:00.001+08:00

Here are 2 nice renditions of the song:

The origin of words

2008-09-26T01:45:00.004+08:00

I'm sometimes fascinated by how things are named. As in.. why was a door named 'door'? and who named a 'sofa' and why? When I was a small kid, my younger brother wondered out loud about this, and I managed to come up with a 'smart alec' reply..
"It's because if you sit at one end of it, the other end is so-far away". My brother was annoyed that I had made a stupid joke, while my mother simply laughed at it. Truth be told, I did think that was the actual reason someone came up with the name. Now, I'm not entirely sure about it. It wouldn't be a creative way to name an object anyway, the same as if someone had named a chair 'fourlegs' (which, by the way, is how true for the tamil word for chair).

In medicine, some names of diseases describe the disease itself, for example multiple sclerosis = multiple plaques in the brain, or myocardial infarction = death (infarction) of heart (cardio-) muscle (myo-). Or sometimes it just reflects the name of the doctor who discovered the disease, like Turner's syndrome or Creutzfeld-Jakob Disease. That's when it gets frustrating.

Anyway, let's get back to common objects, shall we? I'll add to it from time to time. There's no way I can think of all at one go.
(Do contribute to the list if you can)

bicycle = a vehicle with 2 wheels which go in cycles
Motorbike = a motorized bicycle
Scooter = A vehicle used to scoot (to go suddenly and speedily) around
Ronaldinho = little Ronaldo
Blog = abbr. of weblog = A list/diary of events (log) on the world wide web
Web = A large amount of information, which is interlinked and connected, very much like the shape of a spider's web.
Sandwich = named after John Montagu, Fourth Earl of Sandwich. Gosh... are you serious? (contribution by Meenu)
X-ray = from the fact that it was an unknown ray before it was discovered by Rontgen (hence also known as Rontgen ray or rontgenogram)

.. more to come ..

New scooter on the block!

2008-09-21T02:30:00.002+08:00

The dream (a 2-month-long dream for me) has become a reality! I am now a proud owner of a 2002 Piaggio VESPA 50cc scooter. It's cool as far as scooters go. Looks like it's been made in the 60's.
If I were to settle for a scooter due to financial reasons (as I was in this case), the Vespa, I'm sure, would make me feel proud and satisfied.
However, the fact that my license is flying towards me in an airplane as we speak, means that I can only use it to travel after wednesday or so. Gotta be patient....

More pictures once I wash and polish the bike. I see great potential in it in terms of appearance.

Scooters and bikes - Dream versus reality

2008-09-20T20:42:00.002+08:00

DREAM

REALLY BIG DREAM

REALITY?
Let's see in a few hours time...

Teresa Kok Freed

2008-09-19T17:51:00.003+08:00

Can someone be considered 'a threat to national security' if she asks a mosque to reduce the volume of their prayers? I wonder...

Even more surprising is the government 'believed' she said that after one person from another political party accused her of saying such, and she denied it profusely.
Then it lead to her arrest. (which was by the way, without a trial)
And much dissent nationwide (AND worldwide to a certain extent).

Thankfully she was released today.
I'm happier though, that the public now speaks up more against such ridiculous accusations and arrests. She is now planning to sue several people connected to her false arrest, which is great since it will send a message that the people are not stupid, and can no longer be suppressed.

Studying vs. Working

2008-09-16T02:23:00.003+08:00

Studying and working... What's the difference?

According to people who are working, studying is much easier.
Maybe.

But I think studying and working are on two different spectrums.

Imagine being in the middle of an empty field. You're anticipating an attack so you build defensive buffers in strategic places.

1st scenario: Students
In studying for an exam, you don't know where the next attack is going to come from, so you're supposed to build defences all around you. But when the attack finally comes, it's going to hit only from one angle. Hence a lot of your work will be relatively useless.

2nd scenario: Working class
In working life however, as what I imagine it to be, you know where the attack is going to come from, and you even see it coming in slow motion. Therefore you build defences in places that really matter. All your work therefore, is useful work with regards to negating the oncoming attack. However, the pressure may be too much, and the work that you do might or might not be enough.

Maybe that's why students think that working life cannot possibly be tougher than their final exams, while the working class on the other hand envy the students and their 'easy life'.

Go ahead... say something... your opinions matter too.

Why am I not stressed?

2008-09-15T22:41:00.000+08:00

seriously... exam is tomorrow! what's wrong with me?

Best-selling thriller -- Anwar vs. UMNO

2008-09-15T08:21:00.004+08:00

Here's some advice. Put your storybooks aside. Those novels of mystery and crime are NOTHING compared to the drama in Malaysian politics.
Trust me, I love reading thriller novels, and I think this past few months in Malaysian politics have been most intense. If you haven't been following the news, both mainstream and alternative, you have been missing out on a lot. The final chapter, it seems, is going to take place this week!

Of course, I do hope that it will return to a more calm level after this month, for the sake of the peace in the country. A lot of people are struggling for justice, some sacrificing more than others. Kudos to them.

A recap of Summer 08

2008-09-04T22:00:00.007+08:00

As my holidays come to a close, I still can't grasp the fact that I'm spending my last day in Ipoh for yet another year. The next time I come here will be in July or so next year, as a doctor. Sounds cool, I know.

So it's about 6 weeks that I had this summer holiday. 12th July till 8th september. Ok, so it's about 7 weeks.
Let me just recap what I did during the holiday (apart from the Dubai trip), and that which had kept me far away from blogging.

Met old friends (they're actually as young as I am) and all of my cousins.
Paintball!
Offered to teach Physics or Maths tuition for a few weeks, but unfortunately had no takers.
Trained for and obtained a motorcycle license.
Began to compile a book, and harassed a few printing shops for tips. The book is still in it's embryonic stages.
Did 3 weeks of elective attachment in Ipoh General Hospital (albeit 15 half-days).

hm.. I must have missed out something on that list.. but that's all the big things that I did. Oh yeah, a 'little' bit of studying as well (Don't blame me, it's the one holiday I had after a really long time).

This actually exceeded my expectations of what I would achieve this holiday. Hopefully most of my future escapades are as fruitful.

It guided me to the following conclusion. Enjoying summer holidays doesn't have to be a lazy period where you do nothing. In fact it is more enjoyable to do things you don't normally have the chance to do, and achieve something, however small the achievement may be. Having said that, it's always good to have a couple of days off in the middle of it all just to recollect your strength and your thoughts. Being at home also gives an extra boost to your normal functioning capacity, for reasons difficult to explain.

Authors of boredom

2008-09-03T23:06:00.003+08:00

An author is a fool who, not content with boring those he lives with, insists on boring future generations.
- Charles de Montesquieu -

Hilarious.

I disagree though. An author requires imagination. The more imagination he has, the more people would want to buy his books. Why? Because everyone wants to live in an alternate world, don't they? This world is far from perfect, and some people choose to zone out into an alternate world where everything ends nicely.
Well, that's for novels.

But perhaps I should stop before I start to bore you.

The Paths

2008-09-01T00:00:00.001+08:00

A picture to ponder

Hit and run

2008-08-23T00:07:00.002+08:00

Hit and run

Why do people do it?

Are they:
1. Panicking? and yet have enough control over their senses to run away..
2. Trying to save their No Claim Bonus?
3. Hoping that the victim was just dazed enough (and just 'slightly' injured) such that he wouldn't note their vehicle registration number?
4. Pumped with adrenaline.. and given the option of 'Fight or flight', choose to fly instead of fight with the muscular victim.
5. Deluded, thinking that their actions have no consequences. Just like in the car-racing computer games.
6. Following the example set by an equally deluded parent/uncle/husband. Monkey see monkey do.

Any takers?

Bukit Ceraka

2008-08-23T00:02:00.002+08:00

Meenu, since you asked for it... :)

Klang

2008-08-20T23:22:00.006+08:00

So it really has been a month since my last post.. well, I've actually been rather busy these holidays, trying to do several things at once. In situations like this, all I can do is hope that at least one of them works out.

I made a really good decision last weekend (which is a rather rare occasion). The usual tendency is for me to rethink and reconsider whether a decision I had made was the best among other possible options, but this time it's as if I made one firm decision to go to Klang this weekend knowing that I really wanted to do so, and everything just fell into place after initial problems with tickets. It was the most relaxing weekend I had this entire holidays, due to the fact that I have cousins with fantastic attitudes, attitudes that I would love to emulate, attitudes with enough strength to temporarily lift the stress from me, so I may continue with renewed strength. And my heart felt so light.

Dublin-London-Dubai-Kuala Lumpur: The journey

2008-07-20T16:13:00.004+08:00

The entire day after my paper on friday, just over a week ago, I could not believe that I was free.. that 4th Med is almost entirely over, and that I was actually heading home for some fun. Within the first half an hour after the exam, Arthur had already planned a night out for us. So, of course, we had to go. But it also meant that I had to pack everything within 4 hours, in which I actually succeeded, surprisingly.
I left the next morning at 11am to London, where I stayed with a dear family friend, who was very accomodating, and made my short stay very comfortable. And I had the wonderful pleasure of meeting some really good friends (probably some of the best that I have). It's a pity I get to see them only once a year if I'm lucky.
Lik Lin's obviously not playing that arcade game.... Look, it's a steering wheel, but instead of a car, there are 2 pretty girls on the screen.

Another day, another flight. This time to Dubai.
Dubai still maintains old houses, and turned them into tourist spots. But rather than just leaving it as a nice facade, they have converted all of these traditional houses into restaurants, hotels, museums, travel agents, etc etc.

Below is a wooden model of a traditional house. It has a wind tower, normally situated right above the bedroom, which cools the air of the house.
The typical living room looks something like this..
Dubai is split into two by the Dubai Creek (more or less a river), which interestingly, was dredged from a natural inlet in the 19th Century. The riverfront is beautiful in most places.
And you get across by ferry, which is very cheap. (1 Durham each way = approx RM1)
Dubai is perhaps best known for its marketplaces, also known as Souks. Each one is a large collection of shops all catering to a particular category of items.
There are souks for clothes...
for spices...
for perfumes... (couldn't find that one)
and even for Gold!
yeah... try to imagine about 70 shops like that... full of gold.
I also went for a Desert Safari. That was cool too. But nothing much to describe, except that the activities were Dune-bashing (Four-wheel-drives drive very fast up and down the dunes of sand), Quad-bike (just riding a 250cc, four-wheeled dune buggy on the sand) and watching a belly dance.

So, there you go. I hope you enjoyed my little virtual tour of Dubai. It is an interesting place to visit, but rather expensive. I'd say it is as expensive as places like Dublin or London. But I'm grateful for the experience of travelling there, experiencing 2 days in an arabic country, and my first experience of travelling alone to a foreign country. Thankfully, my hotel was booked beforehand, and the people in Dubai are very honest people, even extending their honesty to tourists.

It's now my 6-week-long break here in Malaysia, within which I've planned to do several things. God-willing, I would be able to complete them all and still be able to visit my cousins and friends all over Malaysia.

Classroom-cartoons

2008-07-10T05:08:00.003+08:00

Some cartoons about studying

Where do you sit in class?

That's what happens when the exams are around the corner...

Some pros and cons of the medical profession

2008-07-08T22:37:00.005+08:00

Quoting my friend's words today: "This has to be the toughest year of med school. Hopefully"
Exam's on friday and I'm feeling no pain.
Flight back on saturday and I'm feeling no joy.
damn..
can't wait for saturday. I'm hoping an enjoyable night out in London would let me feel some sort of happiness, something I can't say I've had over a good few months.

As far as I've seen, doctors have amazing abilities:
1. They sleep less
2. They survive stress better than anyone
3. They are more organized in whatever they do, allowing for lightning-speed decisions
4. The profession ensures respect from almost everyone
5. etc etc

Incredible isn't it?

But there's also a ridiculously tough training regime in medical school and as junior doctors.
1. Ever-rising stress (increases 6-month-ly on average)
2. Ever-reducing amounts of social interaction
3. Continuous studying for life.

4 advantages and 3 disadvantages? not bad.. right?

Open letter of apology

2008-07-07T22:39:00.003+08:00

In light of me writing some very emotionally-laden posts here about some of my friends, I would like to offer my sincerest apologies to them. It was the heat of the confusion, and I was annoyed for some reason or the other. But I really shouldn't have written things on my blog. I guess I wasn't thinking about the consequences, that someone would actually read it and make the connection about who it was about (I know, it's basic logic, but as I said I wasn't thinking clearly, And I do apologize for it).
If you can find it in your heart to forgive me, I'd be ecstatic.
Thanks in advance.

p.s. I've since deleted those posts in question.

Quotes to ponder on

2008-07-05T20:28:00.003+08:00

“Patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels.”

~ Samuel Johnson

“If patriotism is ‘the last refuge of a scoundrel’, it is not merely because evil deeds may be performed in the name of patriotism, but because patriotic fervor can obliterate moral distinctions altogether.”

~ Ralph B. Perry

“No matter that patriotism is too often the refuge of scoundrels. Dissent, rebellion, and all-around hell-raising remain the true duty of patriots.”
~ Barbara Ehrenreich

“Dissent is the highest form of patriotism.”

~ Thomas Jefferson

If you are Malaysian, these are definitely quotes to ponder on. Especially if you believe that your own country and/or race is the best. Come to think of it, racism is a form of patriotism, is it not? Being kinder to persons of the same origin as you, and slightly less kind towards anyone else.

Inspirational talent

2008-07-05T06:00:00.002+08:00

Remember the time when our parents used to tell us "Be honest". "Work hard and someday, somehow, good things will come your way".

Sometimes we think, due to influence from friends or what we see in the world outside (not all examples are meant to be followed, mind you), that in order to get to the top you not only have to work hard. But a little dishonesty is required. A little bribe. A little bit of hiding information from others. A little bit of pushing the other guy down. After all.. the word on the street is.. that it is essential!
Or is it?

I have a few Youtube videos here that showcase extremely talented people, who undoubtedly have worked hard to achieve this talent, and when you look at them you would think.. These people must definitely have angelic attitudes. They look like they cannot ever cheat a person. And they also look like people who can easily be manipulated and trodden on by others. They will of course gain their well-deserved fame and a great future, which has probably started off by this show (America's got talent).

My hope is that everyone learns to be this way, and learns that happiness can be achieved even without trickery. And for the rest who are already honest but feel that the world is just taking from them without returning anything (of course, these people might or might not have the internet access to read this in the first place..), just hang on in there and know that a bright future awaits :)

Shocking week in Malaysian politics

2008-07-03T23:58:00.003+08:00

The Star headline read " Altantuya: Razak's PI makes shocking statutory declaration " (Click here)

'Shocking' is a major understatement if you ask me.

Remember Abdul Razak Baginda? the guy who was initially charged with the murder of Altantuya (the Mongolian model who had helped secure the submarine deal for the Malaysian government, due to her multilingual skills of course) His private investigator, P. Balasubramaniam, had filed a statutory declaration against Najib (our deputy Prime Minister).

Basically what the report said was that Najib had sexual intercourse with the model and had been the one to introduce Altantuya to Razak, promised her US$500,000 (close to RM2 million), and then when she came to get the money from Najib, he had asked Razak to stop her from harassing him. Balasubramaniam also says that Razak gave all this information to the police, and that he (Bala) was beside him at that time, but the police had omitted all of this information in his statement that they had written down, and he (Bala) had signed it out of desperation due to being locked up in jail for no reason for 7 days.

What's going to happen now? I don't think even God can tell...
It's been such a dramatic week.
Anwar Ibrahim had been set on trying to take over the government before September 16th and was extremely confident about it. Then someone (Saiful) files a sodomy case against him. Then Anwar releases pictures placing Saiful in contact with Najib's aide. And now, Bala files a statutory declaration against Najib, placing him under a huge huge spotlight. Earlier on, Raja Petra had also filed a statutory declaration declaring that Najib's wife was at the scene of the murder. I wanted to visit his website to see if he had anything to say regarding the latest updates, but sadly the website is down.

Update (4th July 08): Private investigator Balasubramaniam retracts his statutory declaration against Najib. Interesting...

Some paediatrics course milestones

2008-07-02T02:46:00.003+08:00

Milestones completed:
1. Log book (12 case histories, 1 topic presentation)
2. 2000-word essay - (thanks yan yee for the motivation)

Now to study for the exam in 10 days time. Should be a piece of cake. We have been trained to laugh at the face of stress. (Laugh, then panic, then cry, then gain white hair, then sit for exam, then be VERY relieved)

Essay was on cognitive development in the growing child. Very non-medical. Let me know if you want to read it.
Topic presentation was a slideshow on Malaria. This is more medical, and no idea if it's as useful without my voiceover. But email me if you want to have a look at it. (ravipoem@hotmail.com)

Teaching

2008-07-01T23:51:00.003+08:00

Is this where my future is heading to? Hopefully! :) Over the past few months we were each asked to give a couple of presentations on particular topics in Medicine to the class. And I noticed that I really enjoyed presenting each time! Sure I spent a lot of time preparing the slides, and the tutor only gave me 6.5/10 for today's presentation (that, i think, is the highest anyone gets. You get 6.5 if you do well, and 5.5 if you do badly. Not the fairest of marking systems, but there you go.) but I enjoyed handing out information that was almost entirely new to my friends.

And maybe the attraction to teaching is genetic. A wild theory that most likely cannot be proven either way. But my father loves lecturing in universities, and goes there quite often. I used to wonder why he still does it when it pays very little, but now I know why. In retrospect, he used to give lectures to the public on certain medical conditions, sort of like a public medical awareness strategy.

And looking back, probably the main aim of setting up this blog in the first place was to write about educational and interesting stuff that I read about on the net or elsewhere. I admit, I might have written a couple of emotionally-decorated, and maybe one or two emotion-filled posts, but all teachers do that ;)

miscellaneous

2008-07-01T04:56:00.002+08:00

It's extremely rare that I even name my post as miscellaneous. In fact this is the first time :) Due to laziness to post something constructive.

1. I'm flying back in 2 weeks time and I still don't feel it. In fact it's up to a point where I haven't made arrangements for arriving in KL, or even where to stay for the one day that I will be in London. When the 12th of July comes it'll hit me as quite a surprise for sure. For now I gotta pass this paediatric exam in 2 weeks time, so I won't have to cancel my flight back home. Just one look at the topic list is enough to give me a panic attack.

2. Are you as annoyed as me about all the applications friends ask you to join on Facebook? I keep ignoring them. It's become almost a matter of principle to maintain a simple Facebook page. I mean.. I don't mind the 'poking' and 'sheep-throwing' but come on.... Human Gift application? Friends for sale? Movie quiz? Stickerz? DOTA??!!

What the heck is wrong with these people?

2008-06-25T06:53:00.003+08:00

Tuesday June 24, 2008

KB council bans lipstick, high heels

KOTA BARU: Muslim women employees working here are forbidden to wear lipstick and high-heeled shoes to work.

This directive is contained in a municipal council circular dated May 25 and signed by its president Shafie Ismail, which has been distributed to business premises here.

A check, however, found that only a few tenants had received the circular this week.

The circular stated that the directive, targeted at Muslim women employees working in food outlets and other business premises, was issued to prevent incidents like rape and illicit sex as well as to safeguard the morals and dignity of Muslim women in Kelantan.

It stated that Muslim women were forbidden to wear thick make-up, bright coloured lipstick and high-heeled shoes which made a tapping sound.

Those who insisted on wearing high-heeled shoes should choose those with rubber soles.

Attempts to contact Shafie for clarification were futile.

The directive on the wearing of lipstick and high-heeled shoes are in addition to the wearing of scarves, which should cover the chest and not be of transparent material, blouses with long sleeves, which were long and loose, as well as socks.

Those who do not adhere to the regulation can be fined up to RM500. – Bernama

Seriously... these are idiots trying to make it look as if a woman is asking for rape if she wears high heels or wears make-up. To all the women there, not all men are like this I assure you. It's only the lunatics who 'somehow' end up in the city council. Don't let this prevent you wearing sexy clothes. If these lunatics had their way, they'll make sure all women look like men, and hence effectively kill whatever sexual desire the man has towards the woman.

Wonderful things that happened today..

2008-06-25T00:15:00.003+08:00

1. Met very nice paediatric doctors in Drogheda. It's great that they're the ones teaching us students. One doctor gave me a gruelling tutorial this morning, in a nice way, and made me feel a little more confident about the exams in 2 1/2 weeks time.

2. Met a malaysian doctor who came here to get a job. Very friendly and humble guy. Also met a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at the B&B, who also was very friendly. The plan is to get his contact details, so maybe my father and him can exchange ideas/views/whatever else orthopaedic surgeons discuss.

3. Got an amazing lecture through video conferencing. The tutor explained it in a way that would stick in my head for quite some time.

4. Had a good lunch for a really cheap price.

5. Met very pleasant parents of children in the hospital, who were very willing to talk to a student (me) regarding their hospital visit.

6. Probably made friends with a few babies as well. One 1-year-old was smiling all the time. Really made my day.

7. Got my ENT results... was confused for a second, coz the exam seemed very easy when I wrote it, but I only got a little more than a pass mark for the exam. Hm... oh well...

8. Managed to head home early today! :) 3.15pm. Yeah, that's rather early compared to the norm. Watched some Youtube, and ready to do my project now.

It's amazing isn't it? Maybe the number of good things that seem to happen depends on how well you feel regarding yourself. And it definitely helped that I saw many friendly patients in the wards and the A&E department yesterday and today. Who knows... I might venture into paediatrics in the future.

The Malaysian Job

2008-06-24T04:20:00.003+08:00

Unlike the complex planning required to steal millions in the Italian Job, the Malaysian robber is simple minded and only requires a couple of thousands of dollars. Hence his plan is the most simple, yet most clever plan. I'll let this news article explain the details...

Monday June 23, 2008

ATM fully ‘withdrawn’

By RASHITHA A. HAMID

KUALA LUMPUR: An ATM machine was “excavated” from a petrol station in Batu 6½, Jalan Klang Lama, here, yesterday morning.

A man driving an excavator had pulled up at the station at 5.30am and a worker on duty thought he wanted to fill the machine up with fuel.

When the man suddenly drove the excavator into the glass door, he ran into a room inside the station to hide and only emerged after the theft was over.

Using the articulated arm and bucket of the excavator, the thief managed to tow away the ATM machine, said Brickfields OCPD Asst Comm Wan Abdul Bari.

ACP Wan said the CCTV camera in the station did not capture the event as it was aimed at the cash register.

Police are still trying to find out how much money was lost as the bank had yet to disclose the amount kept in the machine.

“We are still looking for the excavator and ATM machine,” ACP Wan added.

Anyone with information about the incident is urged to alert the police via the Rakan Cop hotline 03-2115-9999.

Apparently it's not a new thing.... See also:

1. Tractor used in ATM raid attempt in Northern Ireland. (Click here)

2. Van used in ATM raid attempt in Kansas. The van got stuck on top of the ATM, and so they had to abandon it (the van). Can you believe that? Looks like they lost more money than they otherwise could have robbed. You can view the video here.

Effects of the petrol price hike

2008-06-23T03:57:00.003+08:00

Due to the huge petrol price hike from around RM 1.90 to RM 2.70,...

1. Cardiologist Dr Ramesh Singh Veriah takes just 10 minutes driving from his home in Bangsar to his workplace at University Malaya Medical Centre in Kuala Lumpur. Previously, the 5km journey took some 30 minutes.

2. Adam, from Pandan Indah, now arrives for work in Jalan Hang Tuah in the city centre 20 minutes early.

Like Ramesh and Adam, many drivers in the Klang Valley, Penang and other parts of the country are seeing less traffic following the June 5 fuel price hike.

4. Kuala Lumpur City Hall recorded a drop of almost 12,000 cars entering the city daily a week after the fuel price hike;

5. Queues at LRT stations are getting longer and car parks are bursting at the seams;

6. A bus company in Putrajaya has recorded a 10% increase in the number of passengers;

7. Daily traffic volume on the Penang Bridge has dropped by 7% from the previous daily volume of 67,000 vehicles;

8. Sales of motorcycles have increased by up to 25%. Demand is higher than supply now
(source: The Star)

This may look good at face value (especially the 1st 2 points), but it certainly means that it's gonna be more difficult to use public transport in KL now. If only the government would take steps to improve the public transport system.. Centralize the management, and create daily/weekly/monthly passes that can be used on all the trains/buses, while also of course increasing the number of trains and buses in the city.

Turkey vs. Croatia

2008-06-21T06:09:00.003+08:00

This just has to be the most dramatic Euro 2008 match. Both teams were equally matched, and both were playing very enthusiastically, putting their all into winning the match. In the first half, Turkey played better than Croatia, but didn't score any goal. In the second half, Croatia went all out attacking, but still no goals. The game proceeded into extra time (30 min).
After the first half of extra time (15 min) the game was still a goal-less draw. In the second half, it was pretty much the same as the first half... except.... Croatia scored at the 29th minute! What more can you ask for, right? scoring a goal when there's only 1 minute left for the match to end. The entire team started celebrating. The coach, manager and substitute players came onto the pitch celebrating.

But, a minute left is a minute left.. so everyone resumed playing again. If I was in the Turkish team, I would have been disheartened by the late goal from Croatia, but God bless them, they did not lose spirit, and played as normally as they could although some of their players were making very early shots at the goal, in desperation.
Then, on the 32nd minute... Turkey scored! Equalized!
It was in fact 2 minutes into injury time!
And what's more... it was the last touch of the ball for the match!

This is what the scoreboard looked like:
Croatia - 1 - Klasnic - 119'
Turkey - 1 - Semih - 120' + 2

Croatia was shattered. Turkey had the psychological advantage after being handed a second chance by this absolute-last-second goal, and went on to win the penalty shootout.

It was the THIRD time in this Euro 2008 games when Turkey came back from a losing position to claim a victory.

Amazing!

Turkey now goes on to play Germany in the Semifinals.

Phew! What a match..

Summer purchases

2008-06-18T03:42:00.005+08:00

There are, of course, several items I bought in Tesco and SuperValu this summer, but that would hardly qualify as memorable (not even groceries which were below half price). Some purchases are memorable, and would significantly affect your life. And below are a few I've already bought (the summer having just started :))

1. A Scooter!

MBK Ovetto 2002

Although it is a shared purchase, and was 2nd-hand to begin with, I'm hoping it would significantly reduce my traveling time between house and hospital. Dublin public transport isn't the best. And car insurance is too expensive.

2. Stereo system

Technics CH550

I was looking for a stereo system for quite a while. The cheapest ones had brands like Argos, or other names I hadn't heard before. The good ones were, naturally, expensive. Thankfully a senior was selling hers. She told me it was a small CD player with a 2.1 speaker system. Imagine my surprise when I saw this! The 2 shopping bags I brought to carry the system back home was a joke.. and I had to call a cab to help me lug it back to my house.
Total cost: 60 euro
Totally worth it. The sound is amazing.

That's really it.

I did buy a few CDs as well, but I wouldn't categorize these as life-changing.

Michael Jackson's Number Ones : Good buy. Has his best songs in it..
Bic Runga - Beautiful collision : Disappointing. I only bought this because I liked her voice when I heard her on Youtube. This album must be her least successful one. Priced only at 5 euro. I should have known it was too cheap...
Norah Jones - Feels like home : Good. Norah Jones' albums seem to be a lot more expensive than other artistes'. This album was actually released quite some time back, and was still priced at 21.99 euro. Her latest album sells at 34 euro!
The Beach Boys - Sounds of Summer : Buy it if you are a Beach Boys fan (as I learned not many are). Most of their good songs are in it, interspersed with some unknowns, but overall it's good.

Pictures of Giant's Causeway

2008-06-10T04:05:00.004+08:00

The trip to the giant's causeway was in itself very enjoyable, with all the amazing scenery, the singing in the car (our attempt to keep whoever was driving awake :)) and the actual driving itself. God knows I love driving... but have been doing so very sparsely over the last one year. (I would have considered getting a car, but the non-irish license holder is bullied into paying a minimum of 2000 euro per year for car insurance.) My brothers seriously don't know how lucky they are.

The one thing I can share with you from the trip are the photos we had taken. (Don't ask me to record my singing online, it'll only cause thunderstorms wherever it is played.)

If my baby steps towards embedding the pictures below doesn't work as well as you want, do visit this website for a better view of all the pictures:

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/drravi1984/GiantSCauseway

The unnatural relief

2008-05-30T18:29:00.004+08:00

And slowly strange lines appeared on the ground, growing in width and height, until 5 thick fingers they formed. Slowly they rose above the ground and curled in upon its epicentre. And I slipped through the mighty fingers of what must most definitely be the instrument of the devil. But looking back I see, that not all were as lucky as me, though more deserving.

Sand sculptures

2008-05-28T21:35:00.003+08:00

Sand sculptures... Takes a lot of time, and lots of effort..
And then the rain pours (typical of the unpredictable weather this summer) and damages some, if not all, of the sculptures. But the sand sculpting team perseveres... immediately repairing the damages done to the fragile structures, their motivation soaring unnaturally high.

For this is not a one-day affair.

I am describing none other than the International Sand Sculpture Festival. a.k.a. FIESA. which occurs every year. It runs from 22nd May to 22nd October this year i believe. And there's a surprising lack of information on the world wide web regarding this. Even wikipedia has nothing on it.

The festival is going on in Portugal, and this year's theme is "Hollywood", as seen in the picture above. Do go to their website (www.fiesa.org) and browse through the pictures. It's all in Portugese, but you just need to click on the word Galeria. Or you could visit the Star Newspapers picture page.

Here are a few statistics about the event:

Number of sculptors: Over 60
Amount of sand used: 35,000 tonnes!!
Area used: 15,000 sq.metres

I think it's amazing that they have so much motivation to build sculptures that will inevitably be reduced to nothing by wind and water. Kudos to them!

Manage your stress

2008-05-27T09:07:00.007+08:00

Ok, it's time to buck up, and stop thinking I'm having bad luck... coz that most certainly is a relative thing. And I'm actually having it good over here.

All this feelings of stress makes me think... surely I'm not having it that bad.. surely a lot of people are going through much worse stress in their lives. I'm usually given the opportunity to solve or dissipate the stress, so I'm actually very very lucky. Gosh, I must look like such a child when I write complaints on my blog..

But I would really like everyone to know how to deal with stress. Stress is such a harmful emotion, both to yourself and to the people around you. And stress simply builds on itself unless you act on it. The worse you think you are, the less motivation you have of doing constructive things.

I was looking around, and found a website that simplifies the ways to manage stress. And I have listed them below. Please have a look at it and try to practise some of the methods in your daily life.

Cheers!

Look around See if there really is something you can change or control in the situation	Set realistic goals for yourself Reduce the number of events going on in your life and you may reduce the circuit overload
Exercise in stress reduction through project management/prioritizing
Remove yourself from the stressful situation Give yourself a break if only for a few moments daily	Don't overwhelm yourself by fretting about your entire workload. Handle each task as it comes, or selectively deal with matters in some priority
Don't sweat the small stuff Try to prioritize a few truly important things and let the rest slide	Learn how to best relax yourself Meditation and breathing exercises have been proven to be very effective in controlling stress. Practice clearing your mind of disturbing thoughts.
Selectively change the way you react, but not too much at one time. Focus on one troublesome thing and manage your reactions to it/him/her	Change the way you see things Learn to recognize stress for what it is. Increase your body's feedback and make stress self-regulating
Avoid extreme reactions; Why hate when a little dislike will do? Why generate anxiety when you can be nervous? Why rage when anger will do the job? Why be depressed when you can just be sad?	Do something for others to help get your mind off your self
Get enough sleep Lack of rest just aggravates stress	Work off stress with physical activity, whether it's jogging, tennis, gardening
Avoid self-medication or escape Alcohol and drugs can mask stress. They don't help deal with the problems	Develop a thick skin The bottom line of stress management is "I upset myself"
Try to "use" stress If you can't fight what's bothering you and you can't flee from it, flow with it and try to use it in a productive way
Try to be positive Give yourself messages as to how well you can cope rather than how horrible everything is going to be. "Stress can actually help memory, provided it is short-term and not too severe. Stress causes more glucose to be delivered to the brain, which makes more energy available to neurons. This, in turn, enhances memory formation and retrieval. On the other hand, if stress is prolonged, it can impede the glucose delivery and disrupt memory."

since it is a huge piece of information, it's only fair to acknowledge my source: http://www.studygs.net/index.htm

The 3 laws of graduation

2008-05-23T03:41:00.008+08:00

Today's blog entry could have been a page-long essay as to why Prof Malone is not our favourite lecturer, after the death-trap he set for us today caused some very serious neurological insults to my precious brain. He most definitely has to lower the passing grade for this exam, for if he doesn't, between one quarter and one half of the 200+ students who sat for the exam will have to explain to their parents and/or sponsors as to why they need another 40,000 euro to repeat their 4th year in medical school in order to pass a 6-week rotation that the college holds so dearly to their hearts.

And Ejann would continue to have that weird (coke-addict-like) smile I saw on her face after the exam, sort of like what you would see in a psychiatry ward. (I'm sorry for not having a picture of it, would have qualified as a 'priceless' moment)

But.. I suppose you probably would want to be spared the onslaught of complaints.

Anyway,
if you got through that paragraph :)
here are the 3 laws of (delayed) graduation that Sir Isaac Newton proposed.

p.s. you might have to click on the image for a clearer view

Good luck for the exams

2008-05-22T06:37:00.003+08:00

Here's to everyone who has an exam tomorrow.. (or anywhere in the near future)

May the luck of the Irish bless your efforts.

Cheers.
Ravi.

Death Trap tomorrow

2008-05-22T01:54:00.003+08:00

i.e. big big big exam - with highest failure rate among all of 4th year exams

Gosh, is it possible I might go mental even before I begin internship?

I guess the fact that I'm blogging and reading other blogs when given 3 days to study before such an exam proves that some neuron connection somewhere has been blocked/damaged/re-routed. Probably due to all the microwavable food I've been ingesting for almost a month.

Ejann the 'King' of online games

2008-05-21T05:06:00.004+08:00

It all happened one tuesday night: (on MSN) - (Medical student Social Network)

Ejann: Yo
Ravi: yoyo
Ravi: Hey ejann, i'm feeling sleepy from all that studying. Wake me up with an interesting conversation.
Ejann: Damn I'm bored... playing online games now
Ravi: I'm bored too. Talk to me.
Ejann: Let's play an online game
Ravi: Sure. Why not?
Ejann: (Opens up bejewelled)

20 minutes later.. (and after a few 'arrgh', 'dammit' and 'oh no's)

Ravi: (closes his side of bejewelled)
Ravi: erm.. Ejann? enough la
Ejann: Wait wait
Ravi: I believe I've just discovered a new form of substance abuse... or obsessive compulsive disorder
Ravi: complications include day-time hallucinations of jewels...
Ravi: ... and seizures
Ejann: Still playing
Ejann: brb
Ravi: sigh....
Ravi: both prof malone and I are deeply hurt
Ejann: (no answer)

Ravi, feeling disappointed, closes MSN, and attempts to read about how being too 'sweet' during pregnancy actually does harm to the baby.

p.s. my sincerest apologies to the King

Ejann when she was younger
Ejann's current keyboard

You might be in medical school if..

2008-05-20T08:58:00.003+08:00

You see neurons in soap suds in your shower.

You feel like vomiting and automatically lay in the rescue position.

When drinking, you and your friends think that the increase in your AST/ALT tomorrow is going to be hilarious!

You still do drugs, but at least you know what they do to you. And never fail to inform those you’re doing them with.

You blame neurotransmitters for anything going wrong in your life

You can have a conversation about the abscess you drained today while eating cream of broccoli soup without any problem at all. Or for that matter, over any kind of meal.

You have named a dead person…and talked to them about your stresses while finding their lumbar plexus. Haha. Sad cases..

You know that specialties are pre-defined by personality type.

The drama in your life now is worse than it ever was in high school.

When you go out with non-medical students, you’re abnormally quiet, because you don’t know what to talk about besides med school.

You can name the four people in your class who are the question-asker, the arguer, the bigshot doctor’s son/daughter and the stoner/alkie/druggie who’s never IN class.

You know countless dirty mnemonics for parts of the body, but couldn’t tell anyone what the front-page headline today is. :) not for me. I even know Malaysian news.. check it everyday!

Your life consists of three parts: studying, drinking, and sleeping.

You refer to the semesters you took organic chemistry as “The Good Old Days.” (indeed..)

You consistently tell people that they just don’t understand how bad it really is. (aha, now you know why I wrote all those complaint articles. Sorry about that though)

You know that, in theory, you have a family and friends, but you can’t place the last time you saw them.

You don’t bother dating because the divorce rate is 70% for physicians. (Good God.. I hope not!)

You constantly find yourself saying things like “I just have to get to spring break” or “I just have to get through Step 1.”

You question every day if you should drop out and open a coffee shop, then realize that as statistically impossible. (Trust me, I really do think of such possibilities..)

Hilarious!
Most of it is true... not all, but most.

And I could add another one:
You start to name muscles and arteries and nerves on the chicken you're about to cook. (happened only when I was starting to learn anatomy though)

LOL

erm.. copyright from
http://onceadaydreamer.blogspot.com/2008/05/you-might-be-in-med-school-if.html
... i guess.
But she also stole it from somewhere else!

Have sex with care, for there are those who care too much

2008-05-20T00:41:00.005+08:00

When two adults (over 18) decide to have consensual sex, are they doing an act that is punishable by law?
Religious extremists.. they sicken me (even if they masquerade under the name of 'religious authorities'). I agree, this couple is doing something that is to be frowned upon in the Malaysian community (pre-marital sex) and the way the guy in the story below sneaked into the house didn't help matters (however, he probably wouldn't be allowed to enter her house otherwise). But, to punish them is not the way. Talk to them. Educate. Empower. (Remember what the rest of the world is saying?)

A society of sexual oppression is where sexual crimes would occur.

Monday May 19, 2008

Anti-climax for lovers

A TEENAGER who “broke into a house” was arrested by police not for theft, but for having sex with the house owner’s daughter, reported Metro Ahad.

According to the Sunday weekly, residents in Teluk Intan saw a teenager getting off his motorcycle at the back of a house and climbing over the fence.

Suspecting it was a robbery, residents contacted the police who surrounded the house and ordered the 19-year-old to surrender.

They entered the premises when they failed to get a response from the teenager, only to see through a window that he was having sex with the 19-year-old girl.

The couple were taken to the Teluk Intan police station before being surrendered to the Perak Islamic Department for further action.

Obs& Gynae.... &Neonatology.. again

2008-05-20T00:07:00.002+08:00

It's been almost a month since I last sat for the triple assessment stated above. Now Prof Malone (the same guy who gave us the aforementioned troublesome paper) can't contain his glee.. as he looks down at us from his throne at the obstetrics and gynaecology department, and bellows with a confidence that comes from experience,

"Behold the syllabus and tremble before me! You're mine! Mwahhahahaha"

And so begins our little uphill journey once again, this time only 2 and a half days long, as we attempt to rack our brains and recall and reorganize the lump of information from 4 weeks past.

On a side note:
Today's ENT paper was a real joke.. honestly, I was laughing at it.
Paper 1: 20 MCQs over 1 hour
Paper 2: 50 True/False statements over 70 minutes.

Why can't all exams be like this? :)
Reason: E.N.T. does not contribute to our 5th year finals, so they just made an exam for the sake of making us study something. They don't care how well we do as long as we pass. Some of my friends were annoyed since they studied hard for something that was so easy.
I was thanking my stars though. I had recently lost all motivation to study and was worried about my carefree attitude the last couple of days before the paper. Never before had I just brushed aside an exam like that. I don't know what got into me. Anyway, the motivation has come back now, partly because I only have 2 more subjects that I have major exams for. Yay! :)

Funny pictures of the day

2008-05-19T02:20:00.003+08:00

Young love triangle

The cheapest way to have a flat screen TV

Talk about an exploding heartbeat!

.....

Liquor thief

The Dummies guide to shooting

Cellphones... they're not just for making calls you know?

Control the mind

2008-05-18T06:59:00.004+08:00

The novels I have read recently (yeah believe it or not I actually read lengthy novels during an exam study break) have given me the insight that the possibility of losing one's mind should not be taken lightly, and that strong efforts are indeed necessary to strengthen one's personality and control the mind's desires.
I would admit that I require more control of my mind. Even reading novels should take a backseat now in view of issues which are doubtlessly of higher priority. The thing is ... such words of wisdom are easier said than done.
However the ease of losing control strikes me, and I wonder if others are experiencing the same thing and keeping silent about it, as I have.. only mentioning it in a blog (but at least that's a step to admitting the problem) And I quote; "Knowing the trap is the first step in avoiding it".

U Must Not Object

2008-05-17T04:36:00.004+08:00

There was a talk by the Pakatan Rakyat (all 3 of DAP, PAS and PKR) here in Dublin today (Friday, 16th May 08), which was publicised over our brand new socializing (and stalking) website, Facebook. And apparently someone had put up a poster in RCSI as well, what courage...
I sadly could not attend because of my final exams going on this month, and also because I know that JPA can very easily remove my scholarship if they find out I'm involved in 'undesirable activities' which I suspected includes this talk.

My suspicion was confirmed the very same day of the talk, when we received an email by the Ireland JPA officer.

"Sukacita diingatkan bahawa saudara / saudari, selaku pelajar tajaan JPA adalah tidak dibenarkan terlibat dengan aktiviti-aktiviti parti politik sewaktu berada di bawah penajaan JPA"

What she turned a blind eye to, however, was the fact that there were the Kelab UMNO Dublin, and Kelab UMNO Ireland and possibly UMNO clubs in every city of Ireland and the UK, which comprised almost entirely of students.
(for those who don't know, UMNO is the ruling party of Malaysia, slowly losing grip over the country)

Buyer's remorse

2008-05-15T22:35:00.003+08:00

It's when you regret paying money to by something, unfortunately, AFTER the transaction has been made.

It quite commonly happens to me, and possibly reflects impulsivity and indecision on my part, and I'm sure it also reflects a lack of funds in my bank account :P.
Usually it is when I spend more than 20 euro on a single item:

1. A collector's DVD of the TV series Mind Your Language, which I paid 70 euro for. And I haven't really watched it since I watched the whole DVD in one go, spanning a few days.
2. Several music CDs.
3. My PSP (sometimes)

Well, I think that's it actually. It isn't really healthy to have buyers remorse in my opinion, since it's not as if you learn anything from it anyway.

The grass is greener if you can't step on it

2008-05-15T03:24:00.003+08:00

There's a theory I'd like to postulate..

The search for something unobtainable is more fun than that which is obtainable.
Especially when it comes to the chemical attraction we call love.

A personal experience, you ask? Yeah in the past. And this time it was just silly thoughts that a girl had the hots for me, and when I explored it a little further I realised it was only a daydream on my part.

But tell me, have you or have you not ignored a girl/guy (depends on what you are) simply based on the reason that he/she is too easy to get? Is the chase for the unobtainable that much more fun, even if the obtainment itself is nigh impossible?

Leave a carbon copy of your thoughts here.

Psych's Out

2008-05-13T02:26:00.003+08:00

Well, not all of it. 1 more paper later on this month, but that's a tolerable exam.
Today's exam was half good, and half bad... as all exams are. The written paper, the one that required more work and forearm muscles, was in fact the easier paper, since they did ask what we learnt about during our attachment to psychiatry.
The MCQ paper however, was a whole different story. Who the hell sets these papers... I would really like to know. 50 questions in 50 minutes, containing information which has never ever been taught to us by anyone, or written about in the lecture notes. Not even repeats from past years! Thankfully, there were some questions I knew, or think I know. So maybe a 25/50 is just about possible.
Major headache today.
Coz we also had a 1-hour group discussion about what might come out in day-after-tomorrow's General practice paper, which is a good thing... Some social contact, some learning, and some debriefing from the terror of the MCQs.

An appeal by Marina Lee

2008-05-08T18:44:00.004+08:00

The following letter was written by Marina Lee, wife of Raja Petra Kamaruddin, and was posted in his blog (Malaysia Today).

As a wife and mother, I want to know from my fellow citizens whether a government that has incarcerated my husband in the Sungai Buloh prison on trumped up charges and brought untold suffering on my family, especially when one of my daughters is sitting for her final examinations, is a legitimate government.

No wife, mother or child should to go through this horrible experience when all her beloved husband did was to uphold justice and truth.

On 2nd May 2008, the Armed Might of the regime was unleashed on my family when they came to my house in search of evidence for some alleged crime that my husband was supposed to have committed.

I thought that this can only happen in a Gestapo state but not in my beloved Malaysia. You be the judge of this. (Read more)

Update: RPK agrees to post bail, will be released tomorrow a.m.

He volunteered to go to prison in order to instigate a national and international outcry over the over-liberal use of the term 'sedition' by the malaysian government. And I think he managed to do so in his short term in prison. Even Reuters UK had a say about it. And of course, the Pakatan Rakyat as well.
There still is going to be a trial in October 08 regarding RPK's blog, where since the whole nation would be watching, the truth will prevail. Looks like Barisan National has triggered a landslide they cannot control.

Update (9th May): RPK released. Writes brief account of what happened immediately before and during the prison stay.

Bugatti Veyron vs. Euro-Fighter

2008-05-05T08:03:00.006+08:00

So it's an obsession with supercars that I have today (as you can see from my new blog layout).... well, who doesn't? Anyway, Top Gear is famous for reviewing ridiculously expensive but ridiculously powerful cars that very few people can buy, but which the rest of us love to watch and dream about. And they are also famous for ridiculing cars which don't have 'passion' and go as far as destroying them cruelly, as you can see in the clip I posted some time back about them bashing and ripping apart a Perodua Kelisa. I'd admit, it is a horrible car.

But today's post is about the fastest car on earth.. The Bugatti Veyron. It has 1000 horsepower and a top speed of 407kph. To imagine the power of the car, just picture 1000 horses pulling the body of the car. Yeah..

On a previous episode of topgear, they organised a little challenge for the Bugatti. It had to race a private Cessna plane from Italy to London. And it won. However, technically, the plane started about 1 hour after the car did, but anyway...

This episode is a follow-up of that, where the Royal Air Force pitched one of their fastest fighter jets against the Bugatti in a mind-blowing drag-race. Alright, enough of words.. time to watch the clip.

if the video doesn't work, watch it here.

They also do other crazy stuff, but that's for another day. Supposed to be studying now.. damn...

Malaysian News Snippets 03-May-08

2008-05-04T05:35:00.003+08:00

1. Raja Petra is called by the police to give a statement after he wrote an article in his blog which implicated Najib and his wife Rosmah in the Altantuya case. Talk about freedom of bloggers huh? He, however, refused to give a statement, and they had to send him home after few hours. This is the 3rd or 4th time that they confiscated all his computers, for unstated reasons. He's already written the post, hasn't he? What are they looking for in the computers?

2. Opposition calls for freedom of press.
Investigations by the authorities on bloggers and a columnist of The Sun, and stringent licenses for newspapers has seen Malaysia dropping from 92nd place in 2006 to 142 in 2007 in the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index.

3. Those applying for new moneylending licences will now have to show proof that they have RM1mil in working capital before their applications are processed.
... I won't kid you... prior to this I actually thought moneylending was only done either by banks or illegal Ah Longs. But I suppose this makes sense. And they also have a Malaysian Moneylending Association.

4. Uthayakumar (ISA detainee who recently made the news yet again for being denied treatment for diabetes) now has a 'serious heart condition'. Karpal Singh will move a motion at the Dewan Rakyat sitting on Tuesday to discuss his medical condition and appeal for his right to be brought to IJN or any private hospital of his choice. Seriously.. there should be no question regarding that...
Karpal adds .. “A detainee under the ISA is not a criminal and he does not lose his residual rights which include the right to proper medical treatment.”

5. JPA (Public Service department) promises local scholarships for students who obtain 9As in the SPM. What they fail to say, however, is that these scholarship comes with a 10-year government bond, which I think is hardly worth it if you're studying in a Malaysian university.

6. Tan Sri Nasimuddin (founder and chairman of the Naza group) died of cancer in the US two days ago. He is also being investigated by the UK government for allegedly exporting cars to Malaysia using forged British vehicle-registration documents. More here.

Videos

2008-05-03T04:39:00.003+08:00

At times of great stress, one needs great entertainment :) Isn't that right? Well, I found a few videos on youtube which I would like to share with you.

First is a song which I have been looking for for a long time, and only today I decided to use my youtube-searching abilities to find it. Took some time coz I didn't know the name of the song.

Then, the next one is a baby (yeah, a baby!) doing a breakdance!

He just might become a very famous dancer in the future.

Finally, in a strange twist of events, Radio Television Malaysia invited the one and only Raja Petra Kamaruddin (his blog is a great source for political news) to speak in an interview. He did quite a bit of government bashing in a very intelligent way, and the interviewer was squirming and trying to make him say good things about the government. Do watch. It's very good.

The triathlon of the year.

2008-04-26T23:27:00.003+08:00

I had 3 exams yesterday, for 3 different subjects, for which I had 5 weeks experience. All I can say is that I'm glad that is over. I'm giving myself a 2 day break now (which actually ends today, haha) before starting to study for the 4th year finals (which is about 1 week away).

Well, let me tell you a little about the Obs&Gynae written paper.

We were given 18 questions, and 5 minutes per question. Reasonable enough? but....

You had to allocate exactly 5 minutes for each question. When 5 minutes was up, the beeper would go off, and you'll have to turn the page to answer the next one. If you've found out you just screwed up the entire previous question.... that's too bad.. coz that time is up. And you are NOT allowed to turn the page back. There are invigilators walking around to make sure everyone follows that rule. And to top it all up, every page had a sub-question (5-subquestions per page) that was so obviously trying to trick you. If you can't think of the answer within one minute, too bad... coz according to the stupid stupid insensitive and idiotic professor... the patient would be dead if you need more than 5 minutes to figure out what to do for her. Yeah... right....

Well, the reason I haven't sent complaint emails to everyone responsible is because the Obs&Gynae viva stations were much more reasonable, since it had doctors who had more humane characteristics than this moron of a professor. The neonatology paper had very reasonable questions too. And since I did study day and night for weeks for this paper, I have no doubt that I will pass. Still, as a matter of principle, I should complain about it...

However, as you go up higher in medical school, marking is based on impression. And if the consultant knows you caused him a lot of trouble, he will definitely have a bias against you during the clinical exam. And who dares to go against the consultant? not even the other doctors. They are all scared of them. It's a taste of what's in store out there... the morally-best option is not the smartest option.

The moment of truth..

2008-04-24T21:35:00.000+08:00

is approximately 15 hours away..

Exam rantings and Olympic-issues

2008-04-24T02:08:00.002+08:00

There are 2 types of examiners..
1) those who try their best to fail you
2) those who try to pass you

I think i got the former today. She asked me things they have never taught me before, and I was nervous coz I handled a baby wrongly. Thankfully though, before my mistake, I presented my case well. That should qualify me for a 50.

Next exam is on friday, and I hope I get more of no.2 rather than no.1 :)
Definitely there are some stations that you're meant to fail, and some you're meant to pass. It's all predetermined by the Gods (i.e. the consultants and exam office). It's just a natural selection process. You can prepare yourself for it, but there's a significant amount of luck involved too.

By the way,
Remember the Olympic torch? They must have ran yesterday in Malaysia. And apparently there were thugs representing the People's Republic of China (PRC) who were harassing people who supported Tibet. In case you didn't know, Tibetans protested during the Olympic Torch relay in other countries like France and India recently, because they don't think China deserves the honour of holding the Olympic Games after their alleged bullying of the Tibetans.
And apparently there were more PRC flags than there were Malaysian ones! Amazing huh? This run was supposed to be non-political.
One guy wrote about his personal experience here.
And Marina Mahathir also wrote about her personal experience in her blog.

Bic Runga

2008-04-23T05:46:00.002+08:00

Go to youtube and listen to her songs. You'll fall in love with her voice. :)

No Pain No Gain

2008-04-21T05:09:00.003+08:00

Remember this, Ravi...

No Pain No Gain!

Aint no mountain hiigh enough...

2008-04-21T03:37:00.003+08:00

"When faced with a seemingly insurmountable task, stand back and take a look from a different perspective."

That's what I'm telling myself as an attempt to justify the break from studying that I took for the whole of today. But I think I deserved the break. Been doing work and studying almost non-stop till this weekend. Tomorrow's a fresh start then :) Or maybe as early as tonight,...... I might get too nervous to wait for tomorrow.

Where are all the police?? Oh... there they are...

2008-04-20T04:34:00.005+08:00

"The torch will arrive at the KL International Airport early tomorrow (21/4/08), and will be protected by a 1,000-strong police team, which will include Special Action Squad (UTK) members." source: TheStar.

The leaders of United States, India and Malaysia gather before the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Jacques Rogge (President of IOC): Dear prime ministers and presidents, as you know, the Olympic games are just around the corner. The Olympic Torch would be on its way to your countries. Have you decided on who's going to carry the torch and who will accompany it?

George W. Bush: Yes. As tribute to global peace, we have decided to give the honour to Chinese 1992 Olympic champion swimmer Lin Li. We will have 5 security vehicles accompanying the runner, to be prepared in the event of sabotage.

Dr. Manmohan Singh: We have arranged for the most popular athletes to bear the Olympic Torch through India. They will include Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar. And in case they decide to pull out, we have an entire hockey team to choose from. A total of seven Ambassador police cars will accompany the runner, so he and the torch will be safe from the prospective protests at the borders of the troublesome Pakistan and China.

Pak Lah: Ah, tok Rogge, don't worry... We have everything under control. We .. are.. going ... to... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...... (snore)...

Jacques Rogge: Ahem ahem

Pak Lah: huh? oh.. ya.. as I was saying, we have everything under control.. There is no problem in Malaysia. Corruption is at its lowest level. And everyone supports the ruling party.. and my son-in-law...

Jacques Rogge: Ahem, about the Olympic torch?

Pak Lah: Yes I was getting to that.. there's no need to rush.. Anyway, we have the best datuk-datuk and dato' seri's to take part in the run. There will be 200 runners to take the olympic torch through the country, and they will include famous names such as Dato' Muhammad bin Muhammad, Dato' Michelle Yeoh, Dato' Alex Todt, Dato Seri Samyvelu, Dato Seri Najib Tun Razak, Dato Hishamudin, Dato Sheik Muzaffar, Dato Lim, Dato Ahmad, Dato Muthusamy....

Jacques Rogge: Ok, we get the point. Anyone else?.. wait, did you say 200? How big is malaysia anyway?

Pak Lah: Ya, the line-up will include about 130 'top division' UMNO leaders. And best of all, we will ensure the best security for the runners by providing 1000 members of the royal police and Special Action Force as escort. We will be prepared for any major protest by the terrorist group Hindraf or the Legal Council. Also, to make the situation more lively, we have invited 50 'kompang' musicians to escort the runner and also 10 top-spinning champions and 10 teh-tarik specialists, to show some malaysian culture.

Jacques Rogge: Erm... Right.. (fake smile) The entire world is appreciative of your wonderful efforts.
Alright gentlemen, I'm impressed with what I've heard so far. May this Olympic Games be a special one indeed.

One third a hurricane

2008-04-19T19:10:00.007+08:00

The wind (or should I say Gale) outside my window is really scary today.. Even when my windows are closed, I can HEAR the sound of the wind (like a sports car passing by). Had to turn up the heater today, even though it should, by right, be getting warmer outside these days.

I checked Yahoo weather for Dublin today, and apparently the wind speed is 25-35 mph.. that's more than one third the speed of a level one hurricane! I'm definitely staying in today.. But hopefully the wind subsides a little tomorrow, coz I need to go to town to return a DVD.

Category	Wind Speed	Barometric Pressure	Storm Surge	Damage Potential
1 (weak)	75 - 95 mph 65 - 82 kts 33 - 42 m/s	> 28.94 in. Hg > 980.0 mb > 97.7 kPa	4.0 - 5.0 ft. 1.2 - 1.5 m	minimal damage to vegetation
2 (moderate)	96 - 110 mph 83 - 95 kts 43 - 49 m/s	28.50 - 28.93 in. Hg 965.1 - 979.7 mb 96.2 - 97.7 kPa	6.0 - 8.0 ft. 1.8 - 2.4 m	moderate damage to houses
3 (strong)	111 - 130 mph 96 - 113 kts 50 - 58 m/s	27.91 - 28.49 in. Hg 945.1 - 964.8 mb 96.2 - 97.7 kPa	9.0 - 12.0 ft. 2.7 - 3.7 m	extensive damage to small buildings
4 (very strong)	131 - 155 mph 114 - 135 kts 59 - 69 m/s	27.17 - 27.90 in. Hg 920.1 - 944.8 mb 91.7 - 94.2 kPa	13.0 - 18.0 ft. 3.9 - 5.5 m	extreme structural damage
5 (devastating)	> 155 mph > 135 kts > 70 m/s	<>	> 18.0 ft > 5.5 m	catastrophic building failures possible

However, undoubtedly there's no risk of a hurricane forming here in Ireland.. Why?
I quote, "Hurricanes require a special set of conditions, including ample heat and moisture. For a hurricane to form, there must be a warm layer of water at the top of the sea with a surface temperature greater than 27 °C (80 °F)".

There is waaayy too little heat here.

How much can I really take?

2008-04-18T03:03:00.004+08:00

This entire 5 weeks has been an uphill journey, as if it's a test to see when I'll let go. I'm almost done with the course-work that I was supposed to do over the past 5 weeks.
Next week is the neonatology and obstetrics and gynaecology exams. A week later is the 4th year final exams, and the week after that is the paediatric course for 6 weeks. And then..... Then there's summer, finally! :)
Three major hurdles ahead, and I'm getting into gear for it. My head is pounding even before the first hurdle. How much can a human really take? Let's find out, shall we? Quite certain I'll be a changed person after all of this.
____________________________________________________________________

No, actually I'm sure I can get through it if I keep up what I'm doing. Just takes time to get used to the work, that's all. I'm starting to sleep (or get drowsy) in the bus and train, and amazingly wake up just in time for my stop. Going on autopilot at the moment...
There are of course some friends who manage to stay cheerful despite all the workload, and just thinking of them gives me some strength to go on. After all, if they can, why can't I?
Good thing is I haven't fallen sick yet, despite the mental exhaustion. I suppose that's a boon during this time.

It's a Boy!

2008-04-17T02:44:00.003+08:00

I saw my first normal delivery today.. (seen a C-section delivery previously, but this one is more amazing). Can you imagine a baby's head coming out slowly from the mother's womb onto the welcoming hands of the midwives? The baby even automatically rotates itself to help its passage through the bones of the pelvis. Amazing!

Although I was not related at all to the couple, I felt a sense of eagerness through the woman's labour, and relief and joy once the baby came out as perfect as it could be.. I daresay the parents emotions were much more, but it really is a wonderful experience to see a baby being born, and to see the joy emanating from everyone in the room.

Then the baby cried.. 2 seconds after it's head popped out, and all throughout the check-up by the midwife, until he was given to his mother.... then he stopped, subconsciously knowing that she's his mother and that he had survived the entire 9 months and the 9 hours of labour due to her love.

Do it anyway!

2008-04-13T21:24:00.002+08:00

I know my last 2 posts were borne out of frustration, but i wanted to end the weekend on a happier note. It's not good to carry around so much excess baggage. I still have work to do, but it's a little less than the amount of work i had yesterday..

Anyway..

My cousin sent me an email with a poem written by Mother Teresa. It's entitled 'Do it anyway', and I think it's the best poem to pick you up if you're down. I printed it out and put it in front of my desk, as I know I'll be requiring it quite often. Maybe it'll help you too?

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centred;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough;
Give the best you have anyway.

2nd class in my own home?

2008-04-13T19:44:00.003+08:00

Alright, there's another thing that's pissing me off, but I can't talk about it since I hear the government has nothing better to do than to look at what bloggers are writing about. Let me instead insert an official article from the Star newspaper. They can't take me down for that, can they? Read ahead, and see what you think..

Tengku Faris: Don’t question Malay rights

By ZULKIFLI ABD RAHMAN

KUALA LUMPUR: The special rights and privileges of Malays should not be questioned but the community should make every effort to improve and stay united, the Tengku Mahkota of Kelantan said.

Tengku Mohammad Faris Petra Sultan Ismail Petra reiterated that nobody should challenge Malay rights and privileges, adding that these developments were becoming apparent following the recent general elections.

“The Malay Rulers will act as a source of unity and loyalty among all the people as stated in the Constitution and Rukunegara.

“As such, the people should be united and no one should question the special rights and privileges of the Malays because it is quid pro quo in return for providing citizenships to 2.7 million people of other races who joined the Malay Federation.

“It is not appropriate for the other races to demand equal rights and privileges after they had already acquired their citizenships,” he said in his opening address at a Malay unity gathering held in conjunction with the Maulidur Rasul celebration at the Putra World Trade Centre yesterday.

The theme of the event, organised by a group of Malay NGOs named Barisan Bertindak Perpaduan Melayu (BBPM), was “Malay Unity is the Core of National Unity.”

The NGOs included the National Writers Alliance (Gapena), Federation of Peninsula Malay Students, Pekida and the Malaysian Islamic Consumers Association.

Tengku Mohammad Faris, however, reminded them that while they pursued stronger Malay unity, they should not ignore the rights of other races, such as freedom to practise their religions.

End of article.

If I'm 2nd class in my own home, doesn't that mean I can go to whichever country I want? There's not going to be a difference. Not better, and not worse. Can the government complain if I don't go back?

Sky-in-situ

2008-04-12T22:28:00.003+08:00

3 weeks ago, we bought a tv for the house. That was the start of a benign tumour.
Then we actively tried to make the tumour more sinister, by calling up NTL, CableWatch TV, and SkyTV.
Now, the tumour has progressed, to a 'carcinoma-in-situ' level. Not a malignant disease yet, mind you.. since we only applied for News, Knowledge, and Variety packages. No movies.

By the way... you know the song Thriller? There's an indian version! haha. I think it's Telugu or something.
Then some malay dude added subtitles to it... wrong (can't be worse) subtitles, but with hilarious effects. Have a look.

Uthayakumar is ill!

2008-04-11T04:26:00.002+08:00

This is guy is just too good. I'm at a loss for words at how they're treating him. From what I hear, they've written to the United Nations Commission for Human Rights to try to intervene. I hope that goes well. And I wish there was something we could do to help..

Picture of Baby two-face

2008-04-10T01:23:00.003+08:00

This is a picture i found on the net of the two-faced baby i had posted earlier. The picture was taken from an australian newspaper

Although the picture looks as if it has been photoshop-ed, i assure you it's an original photo. (Note the mole on her right face, and not her left).
One of life's great mysteries. Both her faces are functional, no wonder the people in her village think she's the reincarnation of a goddess. I just hope she doesn't talk from both mouths at once :)

But imagine if she had 2 brains too... she'll be a fantastic learner. Gives a whole new meaning to 'left' brain and 'right' brain :)

Najib, the next PM?

2008-04-09T01:54:00.001+08:00

Tuesday April 8, 2008 - The Star Online

Najib touched by Pak Lah’s open declaration

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is touched and grateful that the Prime Minister has openly named him as his successor.

“The Prime Minister had expressed his stance to several Cabinet members and I behind closed doors before, but yesterday was the first time he expressed it openly.

“I truly appreciate the confidence the Prime Minister has in me,” he said after opening the Kuala Lumpur Regional Centre for Arbitration 30th anniversary conference yesterday.

Najib represented Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and read out his speech during the opening ceremony.

The Deputy Prime Minister was asked to comment on Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s statement that he was the natural successor to the Umno presidency at a closed-door briefing for Umno grassroots leaders on Sunday.

Abdullah said there had never been problems between him and Najib, who would succeed him as Umno president when the time came.

“I will take into account the Prime Minister’s request for me to continue giving my cooperation to him to strengthen the administration to face present challenges and carry out reforms that he wants implemented,” said Najib.

Baby Twoface

2008-04-09T01:51:00.001+08:00

Baby born with 2 faces in north India, villagers worship her as a goddess

SAINI SUNPURA, India (AP) - A baby with two faces was born in a northern Indian village, where she is doing well and is being worshipped as the reincarnation of a Hindu goddess, her father said Tuesday.

The baby, Lali, apparently has an extremely rare condition known as craniofacial duplication, where a single head has two faces. All of Lali's facial features are duplicated except for her ears - she has two. Otherwise, she has two noses, two pairs of lips and two pairs of eyes.

"My daughter is fine - like any other child,'' said Vinod Singh, 23, a poor farm worker.

Lali has caused a sensation in the dusty village of Saini Sunpura, 40 kilometers (25 miles) east of New Delhi. When she left the hospital, eight hours after a normal delivery on March 11, she was swarmed by villagers, said Sabir Ali, the director of Saifi Hospital.

"She drinks milk from her two mouths and opens and shuts all the four eyes at one time,'' Ali said.

Rural India is deeply superstitious and the little girl is being hailed as a return of the Hindu goddess of valor, Durga, a fiery deity traditionally depicted with three eyes and many arms.

Up to 100 people have been visiting Lali at her home every day to touch her feet out of respect, offer money and receive blessings, Singh told The Associated Press.

"She is the reincarnation of a goddess,'' said Lakhi Chand, a 65-year-old farmer who came to see Lali from neighboring Haryana state.

"Lali is God's gift to us,'' said Jaipal Singh, a member of the local village council. "She has brought fame to our village.''

Village chief Daulat Ram said he planned to build a temple to Durga in the village.

"I am writing to the state government to provide money to build the temple and help the parents look after their daughter,'' Ram said.

Lali's condition is often linked to serious health complications, but the doctor said she was doing well.

"She is leading a normal life with no breathing difficulties,'' said Ali, adding that he saw no need for surgery.

Lali's parents were married in February 2007. Lali is their first child.

Singh said he took his daughter to a hospital in New Delhi where doctors suggested a CT scan to determine whether her internal organs were normal, but Singh said he felt it was unnecessary.

"I don't feel the need of that at this stage as my daughter is behaving like a normal child, posing no problems,'' he said.-AP