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Lousy day, tough luck for lunch. I guess someone just kenna "bewitched" and unable to get herself to school... sigh
The Great White Tower
Just finished watching this Japanese drama. This is definitely not one of those conventional Japanese drama portraying sweetness, goodness and romance between cute guys and gals, but the “dark side” of the medical profession. The main plot focuses on two brilliant doctors. Zaizen (cast Karasawa Toshiaki 唐沢寿明), one of the very best surgeon, is cold and ruthless and will achieve his goals using every means. Satomi (cast Eguchi Yosuke 江口洋介), on the other hand is unpresuming and would do anything to the benefit of the patients. Although they have different beliefs, deep down inside, they respected each other for their medical skills. After watching this drama, just some thought – Right or Wrong, who to judge?
1) Is it right for a doctor to escape responsibility for his negligence which resulted in the death of a patient, just because he has once saved thousands of lives?
2) What are the consequences if the above doctor is proven guilty?
He will be sacked by the hospital. The sponsorship for his cancer research fund will be terminated. The opportunity for him to save more lives in the future, through his great surgical skills as well as the outstanding research to fight cancer will both be taken away. Is this still worthwhile in fighting for the justice of only one dead patient? However, this case will serve as a warning to prevent future repetition of similar negligence cases.
3) If the doctor, Zaizen is proven not guilty, will he repeat the mistake in the future? Will other hospitals or doctors repeat the same scenario?
4) Is rejecting a patient who is terminally ill till the stage where cannot be treated, in order to have the bed space for other waiting patients who can have a chance of being treated the right way to do?
This drama has reflected a lot of scenarios which we can see in real life. In some sensitive places where I used to work at, Medical Officers (MO) sending patients to be put on drips although they don’t really need it. Their reasons - for the medics to have more practice in setting up drips so that they will be ready and won’t panic in real emergency cases. But do they really have the rights to give such orders? No matter how high their ranks may be, this is not just between officers and subordinate, but doctors and patients! Where is the moral ethic of a doctor? They may be right that by “sacrificing” these patients for the medics to practice IV (Intravenous Infusion), will help to improve the medical proficiency of the medics and hence enable them to save more lives in the future. Is this really the case? Then part of the credits should go to these patients. Unfortunately, they are totally unaware of the shit they are getting. And why do this happen only to low ranked patients and not to someone with a higher rank? As far as I am concern, I believe those MO just want to polish up their medics’ medical proficiency to prepare them for one of those medical centers’ audition, so that they can get the best medical center award and stuff. Pui pui pui.
Of course, if the “patient” is not really a patient, then it is a different story. Servicemen who 'chao geng' deserved to be wacked since they do not show respect for the doctors.
In the case of mass casualties, doctors will choose their patients or who they are going to save, due to the limited medical supplies. This is similar to the above case #4 in the drama. Those who cannot be saved will be left to die, don’t waste the medical supplies which can be used to save other patients. Is this the right thing to do? Leaving the patient to die, without attempting to prolong his life? Referring to the above case #4, if the patient’s life has been prolonged for 3 months more, and he has done some great service to the society during this period, is this more meaningful than saving other patients who later turned out to be rotten brats of the society? Of course, this is just an bold assumption. Everybody will have to die sooner or later. Then what gives a doctor the right to give up a 3 months lifespan of a dying patient over a 50 years lifespan of another patient? (Rough but reasonable estimation) Doctors shouldn’t have a choice over their patients. In matters related to life and death, there is no definite answer. Some doctors decide to go with numbers or probability (giving up the 1 life over 10 lives, etc). This practice is well adopted by our local doctors. Some doctors give treatment based on first come first serve, and never give up on treating a patient, even if it is prolonging their life for just a few more seconds. As long as the doctor has he’s own beliefs and principles, and stick to them ethnically, he should be well respected… and for what’s right, what’s wrong, who to decide? Whatever it is, just have a clear conscientious.
Haha, I guess I really like medical dramas, bring back lots of memories during those days. Another recommended one, Kyumei Byoto 24 Ji 救命病棟２４時 season one, two and three. But if you do watch them, watch them in Japanese sound track. If not, the favour is not as good. Heard that the Taiwanese making their own version of The Great White Tower, hope they don’t screw up this drama.
Another thing worth to mention, the theme song of this drama, Amazing Grace... is simply beautiful...
What also touches me is, two persons, with total different beliefs and principles, always have disagreements, can become the best of friends. In fact, the best friends. Always pointing out each other's fault and error. They have a common objective - to save lives... A true friendship!
One of the most famous facility in A*STAR IHPC is the CAVE (Cave Automatic Virtual Environment). Here is a brief introduction on the CAVE.
How the CAVE Works
The CAVE works by reproducing many of the visual cues that your brain uses to decipher the world around you. Information such as the differing perspectives presented by your eyes, depth occlusion, and parallax (to name a few) are all combined into the single composite image that you are conscious of, while the rest is decoded by your brain to provide you with depth cues. The CAVE must reproduce all of this information in real-time, as you move about in the CAVE. To achieve this remarkable feat, the complex network of computer hardware and software known as the CAVE was created.The CAVE provides true stereoscopic imagery through the use of four rear-projected screens using an active stereo system. Electrohome CRT projectors are used for the imagery and are bounced off of mylar mirrors so that the CAVE will fit within the constrained space of the room (the projectors require a ten-foot throw distance). Infrared Crystal Eyes active stereo LCD shutter glasses are used in conjunction with the projectors to provide true stereo at an ideal rate of sixty frames per second (thirty frames per second for each eye), however, this frame rate varies greatly with each individual application. All applications are written to use the standard CAVE libraries, with several additional NCSA proprietary extensions available. A twelve-processor Silicon Graphics Onyx 2 Reality Monster powers the CAVE through four Infinite Reality 2 graphics boards (one for each wall). In addition, an eight channel digital sound environment is available to CAVE developers to augment their applications with supplemental auditory information. Wired tracking is provided through either Ascension Technology's Flock of Birds electromagnetic tracking or through the new Isense ultrasonic tracking system.
Why the CAVE Works
When you look at the world, you are seeing it from two different perspectives. The small distance between your eyes means that each eye sees the world from a slightly different angle. Your brain assembles these two images into a single composite image and uses the differences in perspective, along with other cues, to determine the depth of the scene. The CAVE recreates this effect by providing the right and left eyes with slightly different perspectives of the scene that mirror what they would see in real life. This provides the critical depth information that makes everything seem to "come alive" in the CAVE.The special glasses that you wear in the CAVE are actually shutter glasses that make the right lens become opaque when the image for the left eye is being displayed and vice-versa, so that each eye only sees the image designed for it. The special tracked glasses and CAVE wand are both attached to electromagnetic sensors that allow the computer system to know where within the CAVE each is located and what its orientation is. The computer can use this information to general the proper viewpoint within the scene (so that you can peer around the corner of a building by physically moving your head). Occlusion and parallax, which are also present in most modern arcade games, are calculated based on the location of the tracked glasses and the current eye being drawn for, providing unparalleled realism.
CAVE Components
NCSA's CAVE is a complex collection of systems which must work together to provide a convincing virtual environment. There are four basic components which comprise the CAVE. They are
The Computers
The Graphics Systems
The Sound System
The Tracking System
The Computers
Several computers are required to run the CAVE. The primary computer, named Cassatt, controls and coordinates all of the CAVE activities ensuring that the complex pieces of the CAVE work together correctly. Cassatt is a twelve-processor Silicon Graphics Onyx 2 Reality Monster. Another computer, named Satie, is a support computer for Cassatt. Satie is an SGI O2 workstation. It is used by NCSA's researchers to remotely control the operation of their more advanced CAVE applications and to provide additional resources to Cassatt. The CAVE's tracking systems are controlled by two microcomputer workstations. These computers are used to execute the complex software required to continually monitor the position of the special tracked glasses and the CAVE Wand from anywhere in the CAVE.
The Graphics Systems
The CAVE is primarily a graphical system and thus has extremely demanding requirements for its graphics hardware. Ninety-six different images are displayed every second on each of the CAVE's four walls at very high resolution. The CAVE's graphics system is broken into two parts: the images projected onto the CAVE's walls and the shutter glasses that make the images appear three dimensional. 
The images projected onto the walls of the CAVE are provided by the four Electrohome CRT projectors which surround the CAVE. The projectors that create the imagery for the CAVE require ten feet between themselves and the projection screens that make up the walls of the CAVE. NCSA's CAVE is housed in a relatively small room so there is not enough room to allow the projectors to simply be placed ten feet back from the screens. To solve this problem, mirrors are used so that the projectors may be placed at angles to the CAVE walls at the appropriate distance. Mylar mirrors are used since ordinary glass mirrors of the required optical quality would be cost-prohibitive. 
When you enter the CAVE you must wear special shutter glasses in order to see the images in 3-D. The shutter glasses used in the NCSA CAVE are infrared Crystal Eyes active stereo LCD shutter glasses. Since the CAVE displays different images for the right and left eyes, these glasses ensure that each eye only sees the image designed for it.
The Sound System
In addition to its extraordinary graphics capabilities, the CAVE also provides superb audio facilities. It has an eight channel audio system with state-of-the-art digital audio support that is controlled by an advanced sound mixing board. NCSA's Vanilla Sound Server provides access to these facilities from within a standard CAVE application.
The Tracking System
The CAVE has an extremely advanced tracking system that enables it to constantly track the position and orientation of the special tracked glasses and the CAVE Wand. The tracked glasses are identical to the rest of the shutter glasses used in the CAVE except that they have a wire attached to them that is attached to the Tracker Control Unit. The person wearing the tracked glasses controls the viewpoint of the CAVE. They can look around the corner of an object, step behind it, look underneath it, or anything else that they could do in real life. None of the other glasses have this capability. The CAVE Wand is also attached to the Tracker Control Unit via a wire and allows you to walk around (with the joystick in the middle) or interact with the virtual world through the push buttons.
The above information are obtained from the source, NCSA (National Center for Supercomputing Applications).
Coming up next: personal experience with the CAVE @ IHPC... Special guest appearance to be confirmed.
Photographer, Ngow Chasing
Merry Christmas
圣诞快乐
メリークリスマス
Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar
Froehliche Weihnachten
Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année
Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo
God Jul och Gott Nytt År
Interesting lessons Yes, what's your problem?! (p/s: Still waiting for Alvin to send me the photos of the party) Btw, this is my little humble keyboard...
For the first case, no problem with that, since it is supported by evidence. Well, I guess if they don’t need any eyes, what for have them? No purpose for eyes without any light, they will still be blind.
For the second case, there is no concrete scientific evidence. But in layman terms, I don’t like to use the word ‘crying’ for that action of babies when they are new born. Rather, I will just describe them as ‘shouting’ or ‘yelling’, because they are not happy, (buey song), “What the hell?! I am hungry, give me milk… I want my food.” ‘Crying’ should be more emotional, and that explains the tears. When a person cries, he gets emotional, and tears flow… For a newborn baby, 'shouting' is more appropriate.
For the last case, you may have learnt about this in discovery channel. But I am quite surprise. If you are not convinced, (read this, click here). Basically, what we see is inverted from what we feel. The image formed in our retina is upside down. The actual feel of the object is right side up. In order to make it more convenient for our hands and legs motion coordination, our brain has processed the image to be right side up to match what we feel.
Well, three things I learnt from cai ling, when I met up with her last evening after work. We went to my favorite ramen restaurant at China Square.
The hungry gal! 
After dinner, wanted to find someplace to sit down for a drink and relax. We went to New Asia Bar initially, but couldn’t get any seat, guess it was too crowded because of the Christmas season. In the end, I suggested my favorite pub, Paulaner, just opposite Suntec City at Millennium Walk. Live band music, german cheese sausages and my favorite Munich Lager, in a very relaxing atmosphere. What more can one asks for after a week of hard work.
What’s worth mentioning about this German pub is of course the live band (other than the beer). They played the guitars so effortlessly, but damn freaking good. Well of course we made a few song requests. First was Daniel, which they were able to do it without much difficulty. Next, just their luck to have such a customer, cai ling decided to test their ‘strength’ and picked a difficult song - Goodbye yellow brick road. Of course, it was quite disappointing that they didn’t sing it. Well, this time I am not the one purposely made things difficult for them, although I did encourage it =p
But for one thing, I really admire their passion for music. Just look at this uncle, we wouldn’t be surprise if he put on a tie and good for work in the office during daytime from 9 to 5pm, and continue with his passion for music at night as a part time? Sometimes, I wonder does he even get pay, because I have heard of people doing it for free!
We slacked there, with the sausages, beer and music. She was also a little bit into the boxing matches showing on the TV there. Haha.. it would be better if they were some soccer matches instead.
After that, I went for another party. Yesh, a long evening for me. Alvin Tan has thrown a party at his house and invited the 0899ers. He has just returned from Australia on vacation. It just doesn’t sound right when I heard that he is currently doing major in economics and Chinese studies. Nothing wrong with Econ, but… Chinese Studies!! What the hell, the words ‘Alvin Tan’ and ‘Chinese Studies’ just doesn’t link. For those of you who know this guy, he is an ex-ACS-ian, with the very ang mo ACS-attitude, who always had a hard time during Chinese lessons. But well, anything can happen lah. With China's economy coming up, it is really needed.
After the party, took a cab home as there no more buses. It is already past midnight. Yawn… a busy day! Next monday, Chong Qing Hot Pot for wenxiang's farewell. 
Destination
Had a very crappy morning today, was enjoying my breakfast in the coffee shop at clementi when suddenly an old man approach and asked if I would like to have my fortune read? Looking back at him, I replied in mandarin “你看不出我有一个从来就不看相的相吗？” If he can predict my fortune, he should be able to predict that I am a person who will never want to have my fortune told. He was kind of pissed off and walked away.
All along, I believe in fate. Whatever’s going to happen, whoever one’s going to meet are all fated. It is also called one’s destiny. However, I do not believe there is anybody who can predict a person’s fate. I believe that everything is fated, even if some fortune teller has advised you on something and it has changed your life, it is also fated that you are meant to have met that fortune teller, and fated that your life will be change by him. But the interesting point is, no one knows what is exactly fated until it has really happened!
Still remember a year back when I was touring in Hong Kong with a friend. When we were walking along this street called “Temple Street”, we were stopped by a fortune teller. He asked if he could read our fortune. Arrogantly, he said that he will not even want to read our fortune if we don’t have a good one for him to read. In mandarin “要是你的命不好，我才不要跟你看”. Then, he suddenly grabbed my friend’s hand and said, “This hand of yours have yet to made any money, I will only recommend you the cheapest package.” Basically, he is just trying to say that we are non-working adults and have no income. Sounds impressive ah?? What happened next, of course, we bor chup him and went off. My friend was quite pissed off. Of course, that fortune teller said that when he grabbed my friend’s hand, because on that day, my friend was wearing a Casio watch. Ha, I bet he will say different thing if my friend was wearing a Rolex. So, conclusion, fortune tellers are all craps.
Personally, I believe that the person who can successfully predict his own future is he himself. All that is required is faith. For me, since young, I enjoy traveling and touring around the world. When we were younger, we tend to dream more. Some people wants to be a doctor, some people wants to be a lawyer. As for me, I dreamed to be a pilot, photographer, a tent-maker or even a lonely planet author! All possibilities that can provide me with opportunities to travel. I see myself traveling from countries to countries; experience all the different types of cultures and lifestyle. Is this going to be my future? Before I realized, all these have already been registered in my sub-conscious. After the A levels, a backpacking trip to the States to visit an old secondary schoolmate. During NS, because of my vacation, I was awarded with many opportunities to travel through the various sailing trips. Of course, not to mention school vacation trips and diving trips to nearby countries. This is the future that I have predicted long ago since childhood. Did I purposely make them happened? I am not sure… all I can say is all these have always been registered inside my sub-conscious, although I may not have realized. Just have to… keep walking, towards my destination.
One should always be clear of his destination at all times. It may not be very exact or distinctive, but at least he must be clear of his purpose or objective. Of course, along the way, he may get lost and become diverted. However, if he still remembers his destination, eventually he will find his way back. I always feel sad for those people in TV drama scenario where they felt so loss, hop onto a taxi and can’t tell the driver where they are heading for; “just go straight”. Haha, I know this is exaggerating. At the airport, all passenger knows where they are heading, which country, which city and which flight they are taking. If you happen to come across a passenger at the airport, who is unsure of where he’s destination is, you better beware! It could be somewhere like the twin tower! Still remember, once during lunch time when I was going out of office to eat with the JC kids. Haha, we have no destination. When asked, where for lunch. They decided that we took whichever bus that arrived. Different buses go to different places for lunch. Well, we don’t have a clear destination, but we are certain of our purpose – lunch! Okie, sorry, I am diverting…back to the track…
Not long from now, in about a month’s time, I will embark on another exciting journey – My SEP (Student Exchange Program) in Europe. Definitely planning lots of trips, to cities including, Vernice, Bacelona, Milan, Paris, Rome, Amsterdam (just to list a few). Still remember how excited I was, when applying for this exchange trip a year ago. But now, as departure date was getting closer, a strange feeling. I am not really eager to leave Singapore, not really looking forward to the day of departure. Why am I feeling this way? Is it because this will be the first time I will be away from home for a long period of six months? Going to miss my friends and family? I guess this is also the purpose of this blog. Just to give an update here and there, to the people back home, so that they can have an idea of what’s happening around me.
Will just have to continue to keep walking, keep discovering and keep believing.
Met up with Yehong and went to Orchard for a friend's performance. My colleague, Phoebe has invited me to watch her christmas carol singing. Have not meet up with yehong for quite some time, so decided to ask her along. Have been meeting up with people recently, before I leave Singapore.
It is a nice Christmas atmosphere in Orchard road. We went for the first performance at 7.30pm. Phoebe was not difficult to spot, she was just beside this russian girl. However, don't think she spotted us from the stage. The songs were nice, especially the flute. There was a chinese song throughout the whole performance. Haha, it is just difficult to imagine Phoebe singing a chinese song. I bet she was just moving her mouth without any voice coming out.
Our Star of the night
After the first performance, there was a half time break before the 2nd half continue at 9.30pm. We went for dinner at NYDC. Of course, "I m hungry, i m hungry.." sounds familar to Phoebe?
During dinner, got some updates on what this sister of mine has been doing recently. She has became much more mature. (Yesh, definitely more than me.) Beyond independent, she has even been helping other people. She is giving tuition to two kids free of charge, because of the kids' family background, the kids' mother has contracted some serious illness and the kids has not been going to school for 6 months. Juggling with her heavy schoolwork, taking on part-time jobs, giving tuitions, and now, giving free tuitions to help others... Yehong, I am so proud of you!
After dinner, we went back for the 2nd half.
The very expressive...
and the expressionless...
This time, manage to catch Phoebe backstage. It feels nice talking to her again. This whole morning, just feel kind of unused in office, without her voice, think I have gotten used to it during the past 2 weeks. It just seems so quiet suddenly. It was an enjoyable evening. Thanks for the invitation and the great songs, Phoebe. Merry Christmas to all!
友達のための手紙
やあ！元気ですか？あなたたちに最後に手紙を書いてから随分たちます。僕のこと忘れてないですよね？僕は今大学三年生です。来年の一月に、イギリスのリースターのラフボラフ大学に六ヶ月間交換留学生として行きます。その後、7月に日本に行きます！！東京工業大学で一年間、2006年の7月から2007年の8月まで研究をします。あなたたちにすぐにでも会えるといいな!!みんなベストを尽くしてね。幸運を!
Above, the letter to my japanese friends, whom I will be meeting very soon... Air ticket confirmed, of course, to UK first. Leaving on the 25th January, one month after christmas, ready to count down...
Similar Personalities
The little girl who sat next to me during my recent attachemnt at A*STAR Institute of High Performance Computing, the little girl who made a hell lots of noise... Everyday when lunch time is approaching, I will get a gentle little whispering "Are you hungry?" Well, this is just the warming up of the engine, and then it came, "I am hungry... I am hungry...non stop!" To the 0899ers, this girl just remind me of the very interesting creature we have in our gang, yesh! Xinlin, she is exactly like you in personalities and behaviours. Noisy, and bitch a lot especially when hungry. Xinlin will be coming back from the States on the 27th Janauary, a pity that I will be flying off 2 days before to UK. Sad that I will be missing out lots of fun with the 0899 bruthars and sistars.
Back to my colleague, still remember the very first day that I was at A*STAR. She has given me the impression that she has got a little bit of attitude. When I tried to introduce myself and say hello, she just turned away, with a few giggles, put on her earphones and continue with her work. Maybe at that time, the amplifier was still not yet connected to the speakers. Somehow, after a few times of having lunch together, there seem like there's nothing that she couldn't talk about, her ambition to become a physio therapist, lots of JC stuffs, family - very proud of her two brothers, support for Man U, and always wanting to knock down people, behaving like an army officer! Haha, better don't mess with her or get deceive by her gentle appearance. Who knows, when she put on her uniform and ranks, a devil army officer will be awaken! This gal will also start speaking in mandrain when she goes mad, but she only knows how to say "乌龟". Haha. Thanks for the x-mas card and chocolate =) Had an enjoyable time with you around.
The last day of her internship, this is what she left behind, sticking all over my desk... represenation of her voice...
Masterpiece of Phoebe Ng
