Today, 4 members of my family are making their way to Mecca for the hajj pilgrimage. For those who are unfamiliar, the hajj is a once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage that every Muslim who can afford it is obligated to undertake between the 8th to the 12th of Zulhijjah (the last month of the Islamic lunar calendar).
Not very many young Muslims think about going for hajj; to them, it is only something to contemplate when they are past forty. Heck, I myself am only thinking of the pilgrimage in abstract, academic terms. I only know that I want to go any season but summer (cos it's hot as heck in Saudi in summer, yo).
From what I've heard from those who had gone for it, it is a physically and mentally challenging journey but most rewarding spiritually. But I really love what this guy have to say about going for the hajj.
Good journey, my dears. May your hajj be mabrukh!
Monday, November 8, 2010
Friday, November 5, 2010
Now *this* is the kind of politician I want ... back when I was an angsty, anarchic teenager.
His manifesto is awesome.
I bet this is his theme song.
Unabashedly stolen from Obefiend here.
His manifesto is awesome.
I bet this is his theme song.
Unabashedly stolen from Obefiend here.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Sh*t & giggles, midweek edition
I'm sure you've met a couple of these and want to set them on fire.
This is the life, no? Ah, to be Kermit ...
This guy is so clueless. Guess what they say about advertising execs is true. *snerk*
Ah, casualties of war comes in many colours. Some of them homophobic.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
TOP 10 REASONS WHY TRICK OR TREATING IS BETTER THAN SEX
#10
YOU'RE GUARANTEED TO GET AT LEAST A LITTLE SOMETHING IN THE SACK!
#9
IF YOU GET TIRED YOU CAN WAIT TEN MINUTES AND GO AT IT AGAIN!
#8
THE UGLIER YOU LOOK THE EASIER IT IS TO GET SOME!
#7
YOU DON'T HAVE TO COMPLIMENT THE PERSON WHO GIVES YOU SOME!
#6
FORTY YEARS FROM NOW YOU'LL STILL ENJOY CANDY!
#5
ITS O.K. WHEN THE PERSON YOU'RE WITH FANTASIZES YOU'RE SOMEONE ELSE, BECAUSE YOU ARE!
#4
IF YOU DON'T LIKE WHAT YOU GET YOU CAN ALWAYS GO NEXT DOOR!
#3
IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THE KIDS HEAR YOU MOANING & GROANING!
#2
LESS GUILT THE MORNING AFTER!
#1
YOU CAN DO THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD!
In other words, candy trumps sex any day.
YOU'RE GUARANTEED TO GET AT LEAST A LITTLE SOMETHING IN THE SACK!
#9
IF YOU GET TIRED YOU CAN WAIT TEN MINUTES AND GO AT IT AGAIN!
#8
THE UGLIER YOU LOOK THE EASIER IT IS TO GET SOME!
#7
YOU DON'T HAVE TO COMPLIMENT THE PERSON WHO GIVES YOU SOME!
#6
FORTY YEARS FROM NOW YOU'LL STILL ENJOY CANDY!
#5
ITS O.K. WHEN THE PERSON YOU'RE WITH FANTASIZES YOU'RE SOMEONE ELSE, BECAUSE YOU ARE!
#4
IF YOU DON'T LIKE WHAT YOU GET YOU CAN ALWAYS GO NEXT DOOR!
#3
IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THE KIDS HEAR YOU MOANING & GROANING!
#2
LESS GUILT THE MORNING AFTER!
#1
YOU CAN DO THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD!
In other words, candy trumps sex any day.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Trolls are everywhere ...
Trolling is commonly decried as a negative social activity redolent with malicious intent and provocation. However, an accomplished troll does not necessarily require a 4chan account; those who enjoy doing it in real-life do not get the benefit of a sockpuppet.
Reading the list below made me realise that I have been an inadvertent real-life troll in said situation. Oops.
Top 5 annoying questions at scientific meetings.
5. Question: “You know, our group has been working on this for a long time, and we found that…”
Really means: “How come you got invited to talk about this and not I?”
4. Question: “Have you tried using Y instead of X?”
Really means: “We are doing the same thing using Y, since we can’t afford to use X on our budget. But we haven’t had results in the past two years, and you totally scooped us. Is there any way we can actually get results using Y?”
3. Question: “So where do you think this work is going?”
Really means: “I was just scratching my head, and the microphone runner thought I was raising my hand and handed me the mike. Now that I actually have the mike, I might as well ask something”.
2. Question: “You know, I was just talking about this recently with Bigshot1 and Bigshot2, and they said that…”
Really means: “Hey, look at me! I’m important enough to have engaged both Bigshot1 and Bigshot2 together in a conference. (They couldn’t get away because it was the conference dinner with free booze).”
1. Question: “It seems that this whole field of…. is filled with very exciting prospects. We have been looking into…. and Bigshot3 has recently published in Science….(3-4 minutes more in the same vein) so my question is: what are your thoughts?”
Really means: “Muahahaha. By hijacking Q&A time, I got to present at this conference even though I was not invited to. Sucks to the Program Committee.”
From here.
Reading the list below made me realise that I have been an inadvertent real-life troll in said situation. Oops.
Top 5 annoying questions at scientific meetings.
5. Question: “You know, our group has been working on this for a long time, and we found that…”
Really means: “How come you got invited to talk about this and not I?”
4. Question: “Have you tried using Y instead of X?”
Really means: “We are doing the same thing using Y, since we can’t afford to use X on our budget. But we haven’t had results in the past two years, and you totally scooped us. Is there any way we can actually get results using Y?”
3. Question: “So where do you think this work is going?”
Really means: “I was just scratching my head, and the microphone runner thought I was raising my hand and handed me the mike. Now that I actually have the mike, I might as well ask something”.
2. Question: “You know, I was just talking about this recently with Bigshot1 and Bigshot2, and they said that…”
Really means: “Hey, look at me! I’m important enough to have engaged both Bigshot1 and Bigshot2 together in a conference. (They couldn’t get away because it was the conference dinner with free booze).”
1. Question: “It seems that this whole field of…. is filled with very exciting prospects. We have been looking into…. and Bigshot3 has recently published in Science….(3-4 minutes more in the same vein) so my question is: what are your thoughts?”
Really means: “Muahahaha. By hijacking Q&A time, I got to present at this conference even though I was not invited to. Sucks to the Program Committee.”
From here.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Sheer poetry
These princesses ain't waiting for some lame prince to come and rescue the day. They can kick ass and take names ... even in tulle.
Creep (Radiohead) - Scala & Kolacny Brothers from Alex Heller on Vimeo.
The Scala & Kolacny Brothers choir gives a new dimension to pop and rock standards. Stop motion animation = FTW!
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Life is like Lego (TM) ...
... you learn something new every day. One of my youngest uncles bought me a Lego set when I was a wee sprog; it ever got completed to the specs on the box when he opened it and showed me how to do it. I am ever fail at following instruction, much less constructing three dimensional structures. No wonder I never even contemplated architecture school. :p
But this guy? I would award him eleventy billion internet for this. Soooo cool.
But this guy? I would award him eleventy billion internet for this. Soooo cool.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Arthropod abuse with trebuchet
Not many of us like the leggy creepy crawlies. If you want to see them get what's coming to them, mediaevel geek-style, take a look at this video.
Ganked from Improbable Research.
Ganked from Improbable Research.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Cookies for egg heads
Cute and edible!
All from Ms Humble.Some are her artwork while others are done by other contributors who share their scientific artwork.
Gel electrophoresis cookies. Looks very close to the real thing what with the drum-stick appearance of the bands and the colour! Just like it was being viewed under ultraviolet light! ♥
Petri dish cookies inspired by Escherichia coli streaked on a nutrient agar. No complaining of the streaking technique; icing is a lot harder to work with than broth-and-inoculating loop.
Exploding brain + popped out eyes FTW!
Gingerbread men in aqua containment / clean room suits are so adorable. They look paranoid, though.
Zebrafish makes for an awesome haematopoiesis model because they are practically transparent during the juvenile stage (or so I'm told). Edible glitter simulates the translucence beautifully.
Atomic cookie + nucleus (proton + neutron+ electron represented yo!). Gorgeous and delicious.
Gingerbread scientists are so adorable and edible!
What's a laboratory without beakers, test tubes & Erlenmeyer flasks?
Drosophila melanogaster, the humble household fruit fly, has been the workhorse of genetics for decades.
Who says that scientific people are boring and not creative?
All from Ms Humble.Some are her artwork while others are done by other contributors who share their scientific artwork.
Gel electrophoresis cookies. Looks very close to the real thing what with the drum-stick appearance of the bands and the colour! Just like it was being viewed under ultraviolet light! ♥
Petri dish cookies inspired by Escherichia coli streaked on a nutrient agar. No complaining of the streaking technique; icing is a lot harder to work with than broth-and-inoculating loop.
Gingerbread men in aqua containment / clean room suits are so adorable. They look paranoid, though.
Atomic cookie + nucleus (proton + neutron+ electron represented yo!). Gorgeous and delicious.
What's a laboratory without beakers, test tubes & Erlenmeyer flasks?
Drosophila melanogaster, the humble household fruit fly, has been the workhorse of genetics for decades.
Who says that scientific people are boring and not creative?
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