Sinusitis

I had a terrible common cold last week with runny nose, fever, burning nose, burning throat, burning eyes, and cough.

Now, the common cold might be gone but it has turned into sinusitis.

Now, the runny nose continues. My nose is stuffy with mucus and it causes some pain to my nose and headache.

I will blog about sinusitis in the future.

An interesting field experiment

A research (a field experiment) showed that drinking Yakult could lead to lower incidences of diarrhoea. And the result was statistically significant (p<0.01).

Ok, you might ask what is this p<0.01. It means that the result was above 99% confidence, in statistical sense. Read the news right here. http://thestar.com.my/health/story.asp?file=/2011/3/13/health/7878096&sec=health

So let's have some Yakult to drink down those Probiotics (good bacteria) for a healthier gut!

Anyway, there is always ethical concern when comes to field experiment. The unfortunate kids who were given placebo are at the losing end compared to the lucky kids who were given Yakult at random.

I remember reading another field experiment where a group of sex workers were given placebo and some were given actual anti-viral drugs at random. Among the ones who were given anti-viral drugs, there were lesser reports of HIV infection. Again, the sex workers who were given placebo are at the losing end compared to the one who were given the actual anti-viral drugs.

Sometimes, sacrifices are needed for the benefit to the greater good of majority. Utilitarianism!

Race and Intelligence - Are East Asians smarter??

I recently watched a very interesting documentary on History Channel. The documentary is "Race and Intelligence: Sciences Last Taboo.

One interesting thing I learned from that documentary is about the research conducted by Professor Emeritus Richard Lynn.

Lynn's meta-analysis lists the average IQ scores of East Asians (105), Europeans (99), Inuit (91), Southeast Asians and Amerindians each (87), Pacific Islanders (85), Middle Easterners (including South Asians and North Africans) (84), East and West Africans (67), Australian Aborigines (62) and Bushmen and Pygmies (54).

I didn't know that, generally, East Asians (Chinese, Japanese, Koreans) have a higher intelligence average at 105 compared to the Europeans at 99.

The documentary also reported that ever since Berkeley College started the SAT examination for college entry, the college's population comprises East Asians at 40% while the blacks at 3%. This certainly supported Lynn's hypotheses, in some way.

You can even see this already by yourself in our local Malaysian schools and universities on who always scored the highest in exams.

I also find that the host/narrator (Rageh Omaar) seemed to be unhappy during his interview with Professor Lynn. When Omaar asked the Professor whether there is a hierarchical difference in race according to IQ, the Professor replied "Yes" with a very very straight face. And you can see how surprised Omaar was on hearing that. It looked like the narrator being a black, cannot accept that answer.

Omaar also asked "What is the evidence for that?", the Professsor rightly replied that it was just a conclusion from the research.

Indeed, it was just a conclusion from his research.

The theory that race and intelligence are correlated is always open to be annulled.

The underrated TB

Every now and then, newspapers will publish news on new infection of H1N1 or the H5N1.

What about TB? TB seems to be old news and underrated.

Like I blogged previously, TB was like HIV prior to the 1940s because there was no cure for TB at that time. So, imagine HIV being spread airborne. Those were the days.

Unlike H1N1 or H5N1, TB victims, just like AIDS victims, are tortured for months or even years before being succumbed to it. Of course, there is a cure for TB now. But....

Now, let's put TB aside, instead we have MDR-TB (multi drug resistant TB) today. This is a cause for concern because it's not easy to cure MDR-TB. Again, we are going back to square one.

Please read this journal right here for knowledge sake. MDR-TB is alive and spreading!

According to that study, in 2008, an estimated 390,000-510,000 cases of MDR-TB have emerged globally and China reported a high proportion of drug resistance with the highest burden of cases in the world.

You should be scared.

Jogoya at Starhill - The best buffet ever!

Recently, I went to Jogoya at Starhill Gallery, Kuala Lumpur. I would say this is the best buffet restaurant I have ever dined out. Cost at RM88, it is definitely worth it. There is a huge variety of food in it. And I do really mean HUGE. You have to even book in advance to ensure you have seats in the restaurant.

JAPANESE corner
They have sushis and many other japanese food, which I don't know since I'm not a fan of Japanese food and yet I dined out at a Japanese buffet outlet. This is the only corner for which I have not taken any food from.

DIM SUM corner

Shark fins and lots of dim sum food

STEAMBOAT corner

There are tom yam soup, miso soup, chicken soup, vegetables, fishes, prawns, scallops, and some other seafood

TEPPANYAKI corner
There are lot of dishes you can choose from and they will serve you

WESTERN FOOD corner

Lamb, grilled fish, potatoes....you name it, you have it

SEAFOOD corner

You can order whichever seafood to be steamed, fried, or whatever you want it and they will serve you

SOME OTHER ORDINARY FOOD corner as well
You can find such food in other buffet outlets as well. For example, noodles, rice, sausages...

DRINKS corner

Fruit juices, hot coffees, hot teas (green tea, chinese tea, and lots of other teas) and alcoholic drinks for non-muslims only

FRUITS corner


DESSERTS corner
I was truly amazed with the huge variety of desserts available

They even have coconut water!

Burrrrppp! Awesome!

Preacher of corporate responsibility

Accounting practitioners are supposed to be a preacher of good governance and corporate responsibility. Unfortunately, they have neglected one important group of minority stakeholders - RESEARCHERS!

One Star reader has responded today to my article, right here. She claimed that the GLCs have been very supportive to her research including allowing access to her to distribute questionnaires.

If the GLCs can be supportive of researchers, why accounting firms cannot? It is time we must change the mindset of accounting practitioners. We may not be able to force accounting firms to support researchers, but I believe, I strongly believe, we can do something to change their mindset. Now, I have this wild idea of finding ways to 'educate' those practitioners on research methods to open up themselves to researchers.

Perhaps, one day, after I graduate, I would like to seek help from my professional organisation to co-organise a forum together with my University to talk on this issue.

Researchers not welcome! Yesss, it was published!

I woke up this morning hoping for my article to be published. And there it is, printed in the Editor's column of The Star right here.

This time, I chose to reveal my name. And as usual, the article was edited.

Now, my main obstacles to my research are getting access to the organisations and getting people to respond to the questionnaire. Malaysians are infamous for not inclining in filling up questionnaires. Even my lecturer said that.

If you were to distribute questionnaires in the United States, the people there will be willing to fill up for you, including very busy CEOs and CFOs. It's because there is a strong research culture over there.

Anyway, I just wrote in to my professional organisation for help and they actually contacted me. One of the officers rang me up and said they can help in some way by distributing the questionnaires to their network members in Penang.

Now, at least there is hope.