Get ready!

For the Muppet ... DOMINATION!



Ah, Kermit ... *fond memories*

How do you mend a broken heart?

Chocolates? Alcohol? Beating up some unsuspecting stranger/not-stranger (literally or figuratively)?

Phhbbbttt ... so old school.

If you want to go for the most cutting edge measure, you gotta go the stem cell way.


How do you mend a broken heart? (Full version) from British Heart Foundation on Vimeo.

On the other hand, setting the property belonging to the person who broke your heart on fire may also help. However, make sure that you either have a good lawyer on your side or that you can't be caught.

*grin*

The scariest book I ever read

No, it was not Twilight. Nor did it feature any of the usual monsters of the week hunted by the Winchester brothers *dreamy eyes* (even though reading it may scare the crap out of Dean).

Did not feature these darlings.

Eric Schlosser wrote a frank and engaging examination of one of the biggest icons of Americana: Fast Food. Its history unfolds in early 20th century and helped produce some of the biggest self made men in the US, the perfect embodiment of the American dream.

This book exposed the nightmarish side to these success stories.  From unfair business practices that ruins small businesses, fatal food contamination,  hideous and slave-like working conditions, to the globalisation of obesity via fast food and even exploitation of children through advertisement, Schlosser exposed any number of issues that we do not think about when we unwrapped our burgers. Although most of the companies featured in the book refused to officially cooperate in his research, Schlosser was able to persuade a number of the employees of those companies to speak to him; giving him first hand accounts of what lay behind the shiny facade of the big corporations that made the fast food machinery what it is.

Naturally the corporations featured in the book did not take it lying downand fought back with threats of lawsuits and such. Boldly, Schlosser invited them to conduct fact checking and prove any of the allegations in his book as untrue. Although there was much blustering and threats, none of the corporations named in the book took legal action against him. Instead, they launched an online campaign that petered out like a deflated balloon.

What I find most interesting in the book is that even though the successes of the individuals that built these giant corporations underscore the possibilities promised by the American Dream, it came at the expense of the iconic Western cowboys and the freedom promised in the frontiers. As small and medium sized ranches disappear to the pressures of economy, it also diminished the mythical tough men of the West: suicide rate of the American cattle ranchers and farmers are three times the average in the country (refer to page 146). The legendary West featured in films and dime novels are now lost in the mist of history.

Books like Fast Food Nation makes one pause and contemplate one's decisions over things that were previously taken for granted. I don't think a reader of the book would immediately swear off McDonalds and KFC. But perhaps you would scrutinise the fine print even more after reading this. After all, caveat emptor.

Like Dean Winchester often said; it is people who are the worst monsters, not the demons and ghouls and beasties that stalk in the night.

Amazing Diamond

I have always had a thing for Shara Worden's (aka My Brightest Diamond) voice. She is a trained opera singer with an amazing range and depth as well as texture, though I do not know if she's a coloratura soprano. I first fell in love with Gone Away, one of the best songs to slash your wrist by when pining for a former lover. But what she executed in this video is both cute and awesome and I think you will agree with me that it takes amazing lungs to sing this flawlessly while stamping as hard as she did.



*chin-hands in admiration*

A picture > 1k words

Ever feel like the information overload is avalanching you? The Internet has changed the way information is being disseminated and traded. Add something like Wikileaks to the mix and you have a real smorgasbord of information and data to analyse and process; some of them more raw than a mooing steak on a plate.

Those in the scientific field are quite used to this; after all it is their job to generate data and then crunch it to create another piece to the puzzle of the universe (and then bend over backwards trying to fit it into the story). Most of us are the end-users who swallow and accept whatever conclusion that has been generated by someone else; be it political information, or economic and financial tips or even sports statistic.

Data crunching oftentimes lead to dry numbers and incomprehensible graphs.

Displaying information in a way that is attractive, elegant and comprehensible takes a great deal of patience, creativity and hard work. Thus, I doff my hat off to Mr. David McCandless. His ability to condense a great deal of information into concise, attractive graphics that convey the message directly with clarity and objectivity is amazing.



Here are some of his work (ganked from his website) for you to enjoy and admire.

 

... this beat it fills my head up ...

Anyone driving along Jalan Dato Abu Bakar this morning and saw a female in a blue cap headbanging dementedly in her car while stuck in the traffic jam?

That was me.

And it was because of this song.



God, it has been ages since a song completely ate my brain like a zombie.

Emo goth, moi?

Because sharing is caring, hein?



Within Temptation's operatic goth/symphonic rock style is fabulous. They suffer comparisons to Evanescence, but I think that they have a wider repertoire to their American counterpart. It also helps that Sharon den Andel sounds really good live, which, unfortunately, cannot be said for Amy Lee.

Enjoy.

I discovered this guy courtesy of Manolo for the Big Girl; the awesome ladies of wit and style.

Go to his website for more dark hilarity.

Rapping for Public Health

The world is anticipating the second wave of H1N1 to bitchslap us during the final quarter of 2009. How well prepared are you to face it? Do you know how to protect yourself? Do you know how to prepare your family?

If you want some pointers, watch this guy.



That was John D. Clarke, MD, FAAFP. Who says that all doctors are nerdy?

Book rec.: Not Quite a Husband by Sherry Thomas

Keen on adventure? Keen on a well-crafted story with meticulously drafted characters with whom you can fall in love?

Why not read a book that can make you laugh ...

He was serenely unconcerned. He wouldn't have to taste it if the quinine came up his behind.

Make you melt?

You were the moon of my existence; your moods dictated the tides of my heart.

Make you shiver?

Let me have you again. Let me make love to you properly. Let me give you the kind of pleasure that you gave me, delicious, terrible pleasure.

Go read this book.

Going kaboom and kablooey!

I had an awesome time with my cousin last night watching GI Joe. Movie preview, whoo! And the movie was everything a summer popcorn flick should be.

1. Violence? Check.
2. Buff, good looking characters? Check.
3. Lots of things being blown up? Check.
4. Insane storyline about world domination? Check.
5. Villain with evil, raspy voices? Check.
6. Side plot of love interest? Check.
7. Awesome special EFX that make you go, "Oooh!" Check.
8. Explosive climax with sequel potential? Check.

Just disengage the logical part of your brain while you watch.

ETA: Thank you, Sophie!

A Little Less Conversation

Tagged by Sweet Eve. Hee!

The rules:
1. Put your music on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!
4. NO CHEATING! (yeah, right)
5. Tag others (only if you wanna)


IF SOMEONE SAYS “IS THIS OKAY” YOU SAY?
Help Me I'm Falling in Love (Again) (kd lang)

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
Make it Mine (Jason Mraz) ..... Covetous we are, precious ....

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
Run Baby Run (Sheryl Crow) ..... the hell? my ankle hurts!

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
Never Miss a Beat (Kaiser Chief) ..... Well, since it is the anthem of every ignorant git of an adolescent boy ... yeah. This is right.

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE?
Your Body is a Wonderland (John Mayer) .....Oh yez...

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
A Pain that I'm Used To (Depeche Mode) ..... Gee, and I thought we're pals ...

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor) (Robert Palmer) ..... Will it never be out of my mind? *snerk*

WHAT IS 2+2?
Time is On My Side (Rolling Stones) ... I flunked add maths, though I adore Numb3rs.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
I'll Remember (Madonna) ..... Will store all our shananigans together, yup ...

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Take a Bow (Madonna)

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Carbon (Tori Amos) ..... Need to plant a tree to offset ... or maybe a forest.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Addicted to Love (Robert Palmer) ..... Yez! Wants ...

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Paint it Black (Rolling Stone) ..... and then eat, drink and be merry ...

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
Dreams (Fleetwood Mac) ..... kinda bittersweet, no?

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
3.45 No Sleep (The Cardigans) ..... Your snoring ... *smirks*

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
You'll See (Madonna) ..... You know what it is ...

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Jesus Doesn't Love Me Anymore (Dragonette) ..... how appropriate...

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
All I Wanna Do (Sheryl Crow) .....Yez! Let's go! *wink wink*

WHAT’S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
Sweet Sangria (Tori Amos) .....the need to drown one's sorrow...

WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
Your Cloud (Tori Amos) ..... this song really does... sweet and a little melancholic ...

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
Don't Stop Me Now (Queen) ..... belting this out with Freddy at 100 km an hour ...

WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
And I Love Her (The Beatles) ... that I should be omnivorous?

HOW WILL YOU DIE?
Pour Some Sugar On Me (Def Leppard) ..... what a way to go!...

WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?
Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon (Urge Overkill) ..... Hee! you tell me ...

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Scarlet's Walk (Tori Amos) .....pretty true considering the path I tread ...

DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?
Landslide (Fleetwood Mac) .. uh ...

WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
A Place Called Home (Kim Richey) ..... the fear of hurting the nearest and dearest to me ...

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
Heads Will Roll (Marion Raven) ..... ver royal like, what?...

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY, WHEN YOU MEET YOUR BOSS?
I'm Going Slightly Mad (Queen) ..... Literally.

WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
A Little Less Conversation (Elvis Presley) .. it's all about the aurgasm, baby!

Cock of the Walk

While being driven to work this morning,I confessed to my parents this morning that I have a blog and am actively writing in it. My father's comment?

"Stay away from political and religious issues. You don't know enough about religion to comment on it."

At which point I had to smugly point out that my e-mail to Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin, the ex-mufti of Perlis had been placed in his website as an e-mel pilihan (insert giddy cackle). I continued on to explain that the e-mail was a long(-winded?) commentary on the sad state of the religious education for our young.

I held court in the car to my captive (literally) audience on how no one should blame the sad state of the Malay Muslim youths' moral judgement to the lack of religious education. Seriously, the national religious education curriculum (of which all Muslim children are subject to at all Government schools) is a rigorous one and covers all the basics that a Muslim should know: from aqidah, fardhu ain, sirrah nabawiyah and tauhid. There are even practical classes on how to pray. I remember being scolded by my ustazah for failure to bring the requisite telkung to school for the practical.

So why is it, with the well-crafted religious education curriculum that is taught from Primary One to Form Five, do we still say that our social ills are due to lack of religious education? Is it because our religious teachers adhere to the medieval teaching style whereby all dissent will be awarded with hell? Or the lack of a sensitive and well thought-out approach to inculcating our religious values?

Man, I could go on and on. But I had already arrived at my lab.