I must say that they really crack you up with very novel way of advertising their products.
Smooth E “Trailer”
Smooth E “Foam”
Smooth E “Brand X”
Smooth E “Daddy”
Smooth E “Materialism”
Smooth E “Boring Face”
Smooth E “Everyday”
- The Benthic Canine
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Ok I don’t usually do this, but I’ll make an exception and help the girls… So *ahem* Singapore Viewers, I present to you…
So girls, if you are highly stressed b’cause of the impending final examinations, and are in need of some retail therapy, do visit the site and take your pick! Satisfaction garaunteed!
-The Benthic Canine
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As much as we would like to think interviewers are impartial, they aren’t. It may not be overtly apparently but the underlying social perceptions still shape people’s presumptions and influence their impressions. Otherwise, in terms of academic and non-academic performance, how can a 4A level distinction 2S paper + an illustrious CCA record compounded with an Outstanding Student Award (from a non top 5 JC) lose a scholarship to a 3A level distinction 1S paper student from a top 3 JC?
Which brings me to this article published by the Straits Times 2 weeks ago.
According to a poll done by various people, it was discovered that the general perception was that SMU garnered the best looking individuals, followed by NUS and then Ngee Ann Poly. Important factors leading to this belief include personal experience and general reputation of the institution.
I ponder, can this be extrapolated to the scenario I mentioned above? That interviewers are free from biasness? That academic perception of various educational institution matter?
Here is the actual paper. CLICK HERE.
- The Benthic Canine
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They just love. Just like SMOOTH E BABY FACE ads.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4 Final
Smooth E Materialism
- The Benthic Canine
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I do not consider myself an activist, nor an advocator of passion or worldly grievances. But here is something that really caught my attention. A small unassuming poster pasted in a corner of the Science Lift.
What is ONE(SINGAPORE)? It is a site dedicated to raising public awareness on issues of poverty, and taking concrete actions to make poverty a history. On 17th October 2007 (TODAY), masses around the round world will be gathering in one voice in an event known as STAND UP, TAKE ACTION against poverty. Around the world over 100 million people in over 2,000 events across more than 100 countries are registered to Stand Up and Take Action against Poverty and for the Millennium Development Goals in a bid to remind world leaders they have only a few more years to keep their end of the promise – the eradication of global poverty by 2015.
EVERY THREE SECONDSA CHILD DIES
FROM EXTREME POVERTY
“Almost half the world’s population lives on less than two dollars a day, yet even this statistic fails to capture the humiliation, powerlessness and brutal hardship that is the daily lot of the world’s poor.”
Former UN Secretarial General Kofi Annan
“Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings.”
Nelson Mandela
Here in Singapore, more than 4000 people participated in the event – up from just 29 a year ago. Students at Raffles Girls School, Hwa Chong JC, Hwa Chong Secondary School, Raffles Institution and NUS all raised their voices to demand that world leaders do the right thing – more and better aid, debt relief, fair trade, gender equality, public transparency and accountability.
This is the largest social mobilisation in the history of the world – an 85 percent increase, 20 million more people than last year. Of the 43.7 million who “joined the call” during a 24-hour period on 16-17 October, nearly 33 million were in Asia. In India alone, 18 million people stood up to say it’s not right to live in a world where every three seconds a child dies from poverty.
Stand Up. Speak Out. Take Action. More than 43 million people from 127 countries have Stood Up and Spoken Out to demand a more urgent political response to the growing crisis of global poverty and inequality. From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe – from farmers in rural Nepal to students in Africa to entrepreneurs and celebrities here in Singapore – people are calling on world leaders to honour their promises to meet the Millennium Development Goals and create a world without poverty.
On 17th Oct, where will you stand?
- The Benthic Canine
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Remember the forwarded article that I posted up a couple of weeks ago? The one on “Who are the Malays – and how to unite them?” Yeah. It was written by a certain Michael Chick. Who is he, you might ask? Well, I can’t say for sure. He might be an Anthropologist. He might be a University Professor. I don’t know. But he does have some neat and insightful anthropological stuff worth reading.
Here is a prelude:
As every Malaysian should know, the legal and Constitutional definition of ‘Malay’ is as follows:
“Malay” means a person who professes the religion of Islam, habitually speaks the Malay language, conforms to Malay custom and -
(a) was before Merdeka Day born in the Federation or in Singapore or born of parents one of whom was born in the Federation or in Singapore, or was on that day domiciled in the Federation or in Singapore; or
(b) is the issue of such a person;
<<notice: no mention of genetics, descendency nor RACE per se>>
**DISCLAIMER: I’m sure he has done his research(?), be it impartial or biased. I shall not be the judge here and say no more than assert that it IS an interesting read FOR ME. If you are not happy with it, TELL HIM NOT ME.***
Its official.
Finasteride works. Also known as procepia, this highly marketed pill lowers the free DHT (dihydrotestosterone, a by-product of testosterone) that circulates the blood by inhibiting 5-alpha reductase. DHT binds to hair follicles to cause them to drop. For more information click here. Here are some results.
Before and After
The gaping hole shrank!! Woots!! I won’t go so far to say its fantastic results, but after 4 months, I’d consider that a good improvement…
My neighbour also mentioned that my tresses seem to me slightly thicker than the previous semester. And you know it works when melfy one days comes up to me saying, “What happened to your hair!?! You look like when you were year 1!! U ACTUALLY HAVE HAIR!!” Geez… i take that as a compliment… LOL
Anyway. For a pill that cost nearly a hundred a month it had BETTER work. Thanks to Michelle for getting it for me at staff price 
So it’s not THAT expensive after discount.. Here’s a tribute to her…
- The Benthic Canine
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Ok so what is Febrile you might ask. Fever (also known as pyrexia or a febrile response) is a frequent medical sign that describes an increase in internal body temperature to levels above normal. Fever is most accurately characterized as a temporary elevation in the body’s thermoregulatory set-point, usually by about 1–2 °C.
It is DIFFERENT FROM HYPERTHERMIA!!! Hyperthermia is an increase in body temperature over the body’s thermoregulatory set-point, due to excessive heat production or insufficient thermoregulation, or both.
In FEVER, the elevation in thermoregulatory set-point means that the previous “normal body temperature” is considered hypothermic, and effector mechanisms kick in - a cold sensation, and an increase in heart rate, muscle tone and shivering – all attempt to counteract the perceived hypothermia, thereby reaching the new thermoregulatory set-point. A fever is one of the body’s mechanisms to try to neutralize the perceived threat inside the body, be it bacterial or viral, by thermal denaturation.
There are arguments for and against the usefulness of fever, and the issue is controversial. Theoretically, fever can aid in host defense. There are certainly some important immunological reactions that are sped up by temperature, and some pathogens with strict temperature preferences could be hindered. Fevers may be useful to some extent since they allow the body to reach high temperatures, causing an unbearable environment for some pathogens. White blood cells also rapidly proliferate due to the suitable environment and can also help fight off the harmful pathogens and microbes that invaded the body.
So what induces fever? Pyrogens. Endogenous (from the inside the body) pyrogens include cytokines such as interleukin 1 or 6 (IL-1 or IL-6) and even tumor necrosis factor (TNF) secrete by the various immune cells. Exogenous (from the outside of the body) pyrogens include bacterial constituents such as lipopolisaccharide (LPS), which causes the release of endogenous factors. Ultimately, these endogenous factors (e.g. IL-1) activate the arachidonic acid pathway to produce Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) which act on the brain to cause the hypothalamus to effect the febrile response. The brain orchestrates this via the autonomous nervous system. And we dont have control over it. Aww
Or do we?
It can be easily treated by lowering the thermoregulatory set point with the use of anti-pyretics such as paracetamol (panadol), ibuprofen or acetominophen. However, fever should not necessarily be treated. Fever is an important signal that there’s something wrong in the body, and it can be used to govern medical treatment and gauge its effectiveness. Moreover, not all fevers are of infectious origin.
Fever can alternatively be treated facilitating heat loss. Heat removal is generally by wet cloth or pads, usually applied to the forehead, but also through bathing the body in tepid water. This is particularly important for babies, where drugs should be avoided. However, using water that is too cold can induce vasoconstriction, and reduce effective heat loss.
- The Benthic Canine
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Yes!!! Finally I’m free! Nope, not free from work, but at the least emancipated from the clutches of influenza that gripped me so tightly last week. A week of 38 degree febrile aches and malaise kept me at bay as work piled up. My head spinned like an electron under an external magnetic field. But a good 4 days is enough for the adaptive immune system to kick in and clear my system of its unwelcomed guest.
In any case, I suffered a really bad bout of influenza last week. Thanks to a certain ex-blockhead who decided to be caring and shared his love with his floormates.
Thanks. Then 4 others fell ill. So what’s influenza?
Influenza, commonly known as flu, has been since time immemorial been confused with the common cold. It is caused by a group of RNA Virus that infects birds and mammals resulting in febrile symptoms (chills and fever), sore throat, muscle pains, severe headache, coughing, weakness and general discomfort. It is normally spread by aerosols. It is much more severe than the common cold, causing seasonal pandamics and killing millions around the world. For example the Spanish flu killed over 50 million in 1918.
On the other hand, the common cold or acute viral nasopharyngitis is primarily caused by the picornavirus or coronavirus and infects the upper respiratory tract. Common symptoms include sore throat, runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing and cough, muscle aches, fatigue, malaise, headaches, muscle weakness, and loss of appetite. Fever and extreme exhaustion are more usual in influenza than in common cold.
So there is a difference. So every time you think you’ve got a fever and a bad sore throat, it may not always be flu. Flu is severe. With a cold, you feel like shit. With flu, you feel like MEGA SHIT. And if you have got a very congested nose with a lot of phlegm production, chances are, its NOT flu. It’s likely a pyogenic bacterial infection that is causes a whole load of phlegm.
And see what they made me wear… -_-’ zzz
Sian by half. Everyone stared with prying eyes.
- The Benthic Canine
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- The Benthic Canine
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Here is why I said she is popular… She appeared in David Choi’s tube. They collaborated on a chill song which I take particular fancy in.
RJ Rafael has also dedicated a song to her…
To know more about her, this is her “Biblography” – Who is Kina Grannis?
Now I know why she is so popular… she’s sweet and has a cheery disposition, always smiling and aceding to her fans’ request. Go girl!! This is her original composition which she sang at Superbowl 08.
More of her originals. She is a great lyricist Love her…
- The Benthic Canine
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Nope. I’m not getting attached. It’s just that this song has been ringing through my head the entire week. And youtube being my only source of twilight entertainment, I took fancy in searching for various covers of this song by various youtube singers.
On that note, I have come to realise that there are many talented singers out there who use youtube as a platform to express their undying passion for music. They may not have joined any talent contest or any reality TV series (read: Idol), yet they may possibly trash some of the contestants hands down. It’s these people who spread the love and joy of music to the world without asking for a dime back. I just wish I could sing like them.
Anyway, presenting the first singer for the day, David Choi (if you remember my earlier post, he was the one who sang the ninja turtle song: CLICK HERE).
Then there is AJ Rafael… I think he is Filipino… And he has a nice tone to boot…
There’s also RJ Aquino… ANOTHER Filipino in the states… And DANG! Philippinos are Asians answer to the Blacks in America. The Chinese can’t sing English songs for nuts. Especially when we keep on speaking Chinese. Go figure.
And this has gotta be my favourite… Gabe Bondoc… His voice is damn smooth… And he is not forcing the song out like the others… So chill… He reminds me of Adi. I don’t really have a nice singing video of Adi… But when I get my hand on it I’ll show you what I mean. And I’ll be DAMNED if his Filipino too… but he didn’t state anything about his race/ethnicity/origin.
There is also this wacky fella who made the song with kitchen wares -_-’ … I give him an A for Effort and Creativity.
There are girls who did covers of the songs too… And here are 2 notable girls – Kina Grannis and Alyssa Brianne.
And for the account, Kina Grannis is rather popular. She has been mentioned or has appeared in other people’s tubes. But since this post is about Mr Mraz I shall leave her out for the moment.
- The Benthic Canine
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Like I said. Talent makes wonders. Watch the following clip. Not the guy. His sister. She debuts at 1:00 minute onwards. ADORABLE!!! She’s better than many people I know even.
And you know how the Vietnamese language is uber nasal. Well look at this CHIO Vietnamese American. She’s good. I love.
- The Benthic Canine
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This is a very interesting mail my Dad forwarded to me. It’s prepared by a certain individual named Michael Chick and talks about Anthropology and the flow of humans eons ago. Is there truely a Malay race?
Who are the Malays? And how to unite them
That’s it. In a valiant attempt to raise my physical strength, I’ve been pushing quite a bit in the KR gym. The result? A sore elbow that bites every time I try to flex or put the pressure on it. I can’t do push ups without it eating into my sanity, let alone do any curls… This sucks… I can’t afford any elbow injuries now… NOT NOW…
Been googling to find out the problem… Well I’m no anatomy expert, but by identifying the source of the pain, I can find a possible conjecture to which the cause stems from. Simply put, I can’t carry a weight and flex my elbows (imagine a bicep curl). It feels like the tail end of my bicep at the crevice of the elbow is gonna rip off… In addition, the other side of the elbow that forms the reflex angle hurts too.. 
Then I found this video…
It seems that the pain is probably caused by the overstraining of either the Brachii, Brachioradialis or the Lateral Collateral Ligament. Not being very sure about it, I went to google some images…
Now it seems like an overstrain of the bicep tendon, the common extensor tendon or the anterior band of the Ulnar Collateral Ligament… Hmm so what seems to be the problem??
Whatever the case, I think it might have been caused by an over-zealous bicep curl or tricep extention… or something else. Bottomline is, IT SUCKS. Coz now I can’t exercise properly. And I can’t be Guoyong’s personal trainer (lol)… FYI Guoyong the year 5 oldest B Blocker.
Drats. I dont have a cheesy picture of Guoyong. Fine. I shall be nice and post a decent pic of him lest I receive karmatic retribution as quoted by a certain individual. Anyway, I can’t swim properly and I’m not sure if I can even play Vball. I hope it all heals within a week. Im in constant prayer that I will.
Oh… and this webbie is kinda cool. “Innerbody.com – Human Anatomy Online“. Its highly graphical and very interactive.
- The Benthic Canine
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