Singapore: Increase in new TB cases

Thinking of moving to Singapore? Think again...

According to Reuters, Singapore is the 2nd most crowded country in the world. That explained the headline above.

Yes, new TB cases in Singapore are rising. You can read the news at The Star.

Some of the highlights are:

The Health Ministry was alerted to 2,791 new cases last year, a figure 10.9% higher than the 2,517 in 2009.

Last year, TB affected 39.2 individuals for every 100,000 residents here; the year before, it was 38.6 for every 100,000.

As I have blogged before, TB is different from H1N1 or the common cold. The mycobacterium tuberculosis, which causes TB can linger in the air for up to four hours after an infected individual coughs, sneezes, laughs, sings, or talks. This is unlike H1N1 (or any influenza/common cold virus) where the virus dropped to the ground after an infected individual coughs or sneezes.

H1N1 (or any influenza/common cold virus) is spread via respiratory droplets while TB is spread airborne. Both are highly contagious and one should not be infected.

Being infected with TB is not nice at all. You have to undergo an antibiotic therapy for 9 months (or even more) just to cure it. You have to eat antibiotics every single day for 9 months. You must not missed a day or you will be in serious trouble (meaning you can't be cured). And these antibiotics are not the ordinary antibiotics you see in the clinic. The side effects are awful.

And again, no Chinese sinseh is able to cure a person from TB. Probably, that's why TB cases are rising. Some infected people keep going to the Chinese sinseh hoping to find a cure but instead they spread their infection to others because they keep coughing and they can't be cured by the sinseh!

So, stop the spread, go to a proper medical clinic, and observe cough/sneeze etiquette!

I came face to face with a burglar just now.

I looked at him and he looked at me. Both of us pretended that nothing has happened.

It was about 7.30pm on Dec 26, 2011 when I heard someone was trying to open the back window. So, I peeked through the backdoor and I saw him. A scumbag was trying to steal something from my house.

I looked at him and he looked at me and he pretended that he was just loitering on the backlane. I pretended that nothing has happened too because I don't know what weapon he has. He was just a foot away from me. I guessed he was pretty surprised to see me standing there looking at him.

So, I watched him walked away and then only I shouted "PENCURI!!!!"

And he scolded something vulgar.... "pkm", and he started to run.

And I shouted even louder "PENCURI!!!!!!"

My neighbour who stayed behind came out and looked too.

And the scumbag ran away.

Phishing scam alert

Look at what CIMB sent me below...

Looks like CIMB has sent me an email requesting me to update my details at cimbclicks.com.my

Hmmm....but it looks fishy to me.

It is because a bank will never never never never send any emails to its customers! So, remember that!

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Dear Customer,

Greetings from CIMB Clicks!

Your online banking will expire soon. To avoid any interruption to your service,please log in to your CIMB Clicks account using our website below to updateyour internet banking profile.
http://www.cimbclicks.com.my/

Sincerely,CIMB Bank

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I rolled my mouse over the link and it shows as www.moolah.asia/phpthumb/cache/source/file/activate/Logon.html.

Don't be fooled by such emails.

If you want to go the CIMBClicks website, go to google and type it down the full link yourself.

Also, check the URL address at the top of your browser to ensure it is indeed www.cimbclicks.com.my after you have entered into that website.

By the way, what is moolah.asia?

How to survive in an ODL environment?

Many of us have gone through the conventional learning environment of attending face-to-face lectures and tutorials at universities or colleges.

Many would then ask how is it like learning in an ODL (Open and Distance Learning) environment when hours of classes attended are limited or it doesn't exist at all!

For me, I don't like the idea of attending classes to learn something. I rather read a book on my own and learn it by myself. I prefer reading a book by myself rather than sitting in a classroom listening to some unnecessary dreadful painful lectures. Anyway, lecturers are humans as well just like you and I. If they can master the subject matter, so can you.

The key to success in an ODL environment is self-discipline!

You have to study on your own, practice exercises on your own, and revise everything on your own. If you have questions, just post your questions online and your lecturers/tutors will answer you. That's what I like about ODL.

If you had been attending tuition classes when you were in primary and secondary schools, the ODL environment will definitely give you a culture shock because classes are limited. The tuition classes you had attended when you were in school have made you very reliant on the teachers. Attending tuition classes does not encourage you to do your own reading and to do your own research. The tuition teachers are just spoon feeding all of the students by teaching, teaching, and teaching every single detail of the syllabus.

The ODL environment inculcates independent learning because you won't be given any lectures. For those who are lazy and for those who refuses to read on their own, they won't survive the ODL environment.

To survive in an ODL environment, you must be independent and you must have strong self-discipline!

Empty vessels make the most noise

A former classmate of mine told me about this guy in his classroom.

He often argues with the tutor, challenges the tutor, seeks answers for the assignments without trying, and causes trouble in the classroom. All these things happen in an MBA classroom as was told by my former MBA classmate.

Guess what? That trouble-making individual is a manager! But without a degree.

My friend aptly said, "Empty vessels make the most noise". My friend added, "He doesn't know much about the subject matter and yet causing so much noise in the classroom".

That manager also demanded the tutor to reveal the pages in the textbook to where he could find the answers to the assignments. And he demanded furiously and scolded the tutor as well if she did not reveal the pages.

Some people just want an MBA for the sake of paper qualification.

I just applied for a PhD programme

I just sent in my application for PhD in USM yesterday.

I filled in the application forms and got my referees to fill in the forms too. Together with the forms, I need to hand in 3 passport photos, copies of my academic transcripts and certificates, and my brief research proposal.

I managed to get a fee waiver for my application fees of RM70 because I got hold of the voucher from USM when they came over to PISA during the education and career fair.

All I need to do now is to wait for them to process. And meanwhile, I need to read more. The new semester will start in mid-February 2012.

Does experience matter in an MBA?

Does experience matter in an MBA?

I don't know. Because...

I have come across some coursemates who claimed to have over 20 years experience but they were still weak in producing a good assignment.

And yes, they were still some who did produce excellent assignments.

So, I think it all boils down to your writing and academic ability.

There is no point bragging about your working experience spanning over 49 years when that person can't even write a good assignment. When I was a student, they were some who bragged about their extensive working experience and complained that they were given low grades for their assignments. They complained and demanded to know why they were given low grades. Having over 49 years of experience does not mean that you deserve an A! How arrogant they are...

If experience is so important, they might as well award MBAs to all those hawkers, mechanics, plumbers with over 49 years of experience. (No offence to anyone).

I spoke to one of my tutors a few months back and she lamented to me such annoying attitude some managers have. They might be a big boss in their organisation and they still think they are a big boss in the classroom and henceforth, they should be awarded As for their not-so-excellent piece of work.

When some of them demanded to know why they were given low grades, all my tutor did was to put side by side their assignment and another student's assignment, which was given an A. Immediately, they know why they were not given an A.

So, does experience matter? I don't think so.

I think what matters most are your hard work, writing ability, and research ability.