Blood Donation - 5th time

Yesterday I donated 450ml of blood at my campus - one of the blood donation campaign run by the students. It has become an on-going event with 3 rounds in a year. Since moving to Sg Long campus, I started to donate my blood - well you will think that you are doing a noble cause.

Yesterday donation was the 5th time so far. I also have a few colleagues conating for the 1st time this round namely Aik, Ruth and Yew (after many years). Of course a lot of the lecturers supported this blood donation campaign.

After 'selling' our blood, we managed to get a lot of goodies in return, hehehe. The goodies seems like getting more and more each round, which may motivate the donors to look forward for the next round.

Looking at the tireless efforts by most of the students, its really encouraging. I have one particular student, Heng Yeh Shiuan (Year 2 Sem 2 - BA), who performed her duty, yet at the same time didn't skip her classes (actually my class, I do not know about other class. At the same time, I also do not know her mid-term result yet, haha). At least setting a good example for others who may use these kind of events as an excuses to skip classes sometimes.

Looking forward for next round next year!

New University Ranking 2006

The THES World Ranking 2006 for Universities was out:

Our Malaysian universities ranking:
1. UKM - ranked 185 (previous year 289 - improved 104)
2. UM - ranked 192 (previously 169 - dropped 23)
3. USM - ranked 277 (previously 326)
4. UPM - ranked 292 (previously 394)

A fast glance on this stat show our Malaysian universities are improving on their ranking except UM which is continuing its decline and also losing its premier title to UKM. Significantly UKM jumped 104 places and both USM & UPM jumped to top 300. What's wrong with UM?

Hopefully, more and more local universities can ranked higher in this world ranking.

Happy 1st Anniversary and Happy Birthday too

Today is the 1st anniversary of this personal blog which I started last year.
Today is also my birthday. Received numerous sms wishes plus phone calls too. Thanks everyone for your thoughts and wishes.

As the physical is aging every seconds,
It is crucial to rejuvenate and
be more YOUTHFUL each moment.
The heart, mind, spirit and energy
must constantly remain youthful.
Life is beautiful!
Life is full with missions!
Arm with a strong resolve
Continue to challenge vigourously
Winning the fights each day,
Creating waves of victories each moment
Be the true victor in life!

It was the 1st entry of this blog, a poem created last year.

How about this year?

Dynamic and advancing youth,
Step forward convincingly,
Writing new histories each moment in life,
While remaining youthful mentally and physically,
Joyously be the messenger of peace,
Creating a glorious life each day!

Have a nice day for everyone.

The Success Story of Harvard University

World ranking No 1 university - Harvard University. What makes it so successful? As our local unversities are aiming to develop itself toward world class uiversities, the success story from Harvard University may spring some inspiration for these local unibversities.

Harvard Business School don Prof Daniel Quinn Mills said that Harvard is a major university because of the quality of its faculty.

• The university’s decentralisation policy meant that its president had control of only 7% of the university’s budget.
  
• Every school manages its own budget and its own path, subject only to supervision from the president and Harvard’s seven-member board of trustees.
  
• Every school must finance itself. In the short term, decentralisation creates big differences in salaries, facilities, etcetra, between the schools.
• Decentralisation has also allowed Harvard to use varying methods when appointing staff.
  
• The Arts and Social Science School hires faculty through ad-hoc committees with no special consideration being given to existing staff but the Business School has a policy of promoting from within.

(Source: TheStar, Sunday August 20th 2006)

4.5km Jogathon

After the race was over.

Two of the most mischievous students I had in Grp 1 (BA).

Date: 30th July 2006
Time: Early in the morning
Venue: Bandar Sg Long
Event: UTAR FAM Run

I ran and 'walked' 4.5km for almost 30 minutes. The air was fresh and less vehicles around. Was able to have lots of fun on that day. Attended the event as the co-advisor of the Sports Club, which organised the event. These photos were taken with the mischievous students from BA Group 1.

Exercise is good for health. Live a healthy lifestyle.

Ultimate purpose of education

The ultimate purpose of education is the formation of the individual human being, not only by sharpening and improving his intellectual potentials and providing him with a rich store of information, but also by inculcating in him ethical and moral standards.

Daisaku Ikeda (1992) Search For A New Humanity: A Dialogue Between Josef Derbolav and Daisaku Ikeda.

HAPPY TEACHER'S DAY 2006

Out of sudden, I received a call from my student this morning to wish me "Happy Teacher's Day". Quite touched by this wishes. Well, at least we are remembered for our contributions....or because I'm too strict and sarcastic in the class......hahahaha.

Wishing all the Lecturers and Teachers:

HAPPY TEACHER'S DAY 2006


One of my housemate is celebrating her birthday today too!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY 2006!

Seven Blunders of the Worlds

A quotation from Gandhi:

1. Wealth without work.
2. Pleasure without conscience.
3. Knowledge without character.
4. Commerce without morality.
5. Science without humanity.
6. Worship without sacrifice.
7. Politics without principle.

I'm particularly interested on the 3rd point with regards to the knowledge.

What is the true purpose of acquire knowledge?
To contribute the knowledge learned back to the society, in order to enable more people to attain happiness.

However, from my personal experiences, I discovered that some learned PhDs holders or people with high level of knowledge, would sometimes uses unethical methods displaying bad characters in view of protecting one's interest, especially those with positions. In other word, it means to harm others based on the knowledge learned, make others to suffer just to ensure one's position is survived. Then, what is the purpose of acquiring knowledge when it turn out to be harmful.

Thus, knowledge without characters is definitely something that we may have to take note and transform it into knowledge with great and noble character.

The role of the educators is to help the students to discover their inner potentials and at the same time utilising their knowledge in making this world a better place to live with improved ways of living.

If one's hope to be a respectful person, first he/she must respect others and at the same time posessing noble character.

PhD in Malaysia

The recently announced 9MP (9th Malaysian Plan) indicated that by 2010, 60% of academic staff in the public universities should have PhDs.

In another report, the Wan Zahid Higher Education Report, which was made public yesterday, suggested to achieve 100,000 PhDs in 15 years from now.

In line with these interesting reports, it is equally interesting to find a thorough writeup on a blog on how to increase the % of PhDs. Among other issues discussed was how the public universities can boost the number of PhDs academic staff.

1. Send potential PhD candidates to countries where the cost of obtaining a PhD is much lower. (Instead of US, UK or Australia, alternatives such as China, India and Singapore should be considered).
2. Streamline the application process such that potential candidates who have been 'confirmed' are forced to apply.
3. 'Let go' of lecturers who obviously don't have the aptitude or desire to do and finish a PhD.

A lot of interesting comments was posted in the blog as per this discussion.

End of Jan semester.....Yahoo!

At last, it's the end of another teaching semester. Having a week break now before going for another grueling week of marking the exam scripts.

What I had achieved this semester?
1. My Friendster is growing now.
2. My ubai3013 blog is growing too.
3. Higher satisfaction in my teaching this semester.

Feel much relieve after the MSORSM conference was concluded last week. No more pressure and now is the time to catch up with my works and studies.

Feeling the pinch of the increase in petrol price

This morning I went for a full tank petrol pumping for my 5 years old Iswara and I broke the record for being the highest price that I need to pay - RM80.00 for 42+ liter of petrol - it was the 1st time I pump petrol after the price increased last Monday.

Normally it cost only RM60 to RM65 for a full tank of petrol. What a big difference this time....May consider buying a mountain bike and cycle to work next time, putting on the backpack, wearing sunglasses and cap.

Any idea on how to change our life styles to cope with the inflation?

Hi, this is my photo.

This photo was taken on one of the day during the week just post-CNY 2006 holidays. Wearing yellow to prove my colleague's theory. Read the blog entry a few rung below.

I got the shirt from the Taiwan Soka Gakkai Youth Cultural Festival in May 2000.

2 weeks after CNY.....getting busy again

• CNY 2006 already a history.
• Half of the January semester already completed.
• Assignments are pouring in for marking.
• Students thesis groups are constantly looking for their supervisors since the submission is coming soon
  

This are some stories related to the post CNY.

Since Monday this week, the university is embarking on a security campaign where all the students and staff need to wear their ID the moment they step into the campus. This is to prevent unauthorised people from entering the premises. I believe this exercise should be put into action very long time ago.

How to encourage everyone to war the ID card? I'm wearing it because I have inserted the magnetic access card for staff room in the ID card holder together with my ID card - I need to use the acess card to enter into my office.

Some of my suggestions: (These ideas are already being practiced in some of the organisation as well as the educational institutions)

1. Incorporate the smart chip into the ID card

• to be used for entering the each lecture and tutorial rooms as an attendance marking tools (attendance report will be generated upon request by lecturers and tutors or being viewed online)
• library books loan can also be implemented
• e-cash systems for printing, cafeteria and as well as library fines
  

• Information kiosk can be provided around the campus for students to check all the relevant information by using the ID card on information such as examination results, time-table, attendance record and etc

Do you have anymore ideas? Or may be you can share with me whether you prefer to wear ID card or not.

Red or Yellow for CNY?

Fancy wearing Red colour shirt during CNY? Some believe it will bring luck especially during the "investment games" session. I wore it twice and seems like my investments did not perform, it even went below the par and can't get it to break-even.

A colleague of mine suggested a striking yellow may change the Bear into the Bull in the "investment games". Fancy to give it a try?

No matter what, be careful as not to get the much publisized limelights such as getting bald for playing mahjong. I just wonder how long is the uncles' hair that the police need to 'potong pendek-pendek' their hair? Some even look more good looking with the bald head.

Come this Sunday - its Red (Liverpool) or Blue (Chelsea).

Happy weekend!

Rewind.....pre-CNY

1st time since I started working, I took an additional day off before CNY holidays for a short family vacation. Every year, the normal routine will be spring cleaning, rest, watching TV, reunion dinner and preparing for CNY.

This year, the rhythm changed a bit where all these took the back seat as my family went for a short vacation near the seaside. Managed to beat the heavy traffic on Friday noon as well as Sunday noon where the opposite direction of the highway was a long line slow moving cars...imagine being stucked in the jam for hours on the 1st day of the CNY under the immense heat of the sun. Furthermore, my car's aircon was giving me some problems throughout the journey. Quite lucky then, I guess.

I decided not to bring along my laptop as it is a good time to rest and destress, although I had just downloaded a HK drama-series "Life Made Simple" (New Ah Wong) into my hard disk, which I really wish to finish watching it as soon as possible during the CNY holiday (which I did managed in the end). I ended up almost becoming like "Ah Wong" chasing after my two ever-energetic little nephews. Food, sleep, enjoying the sound of the waves and driving - main activities of the vacation.

I recalled that I have a former colleague who used to travel to have a few days stay in a hotel near the seaside whenever he want to write some chapters of his book. Not a bad idea. I may want to give it a try some time in the future.

Back to KL and my CNY begin....half a day later compared to the previous years.

Happy Birthday to everyone as today is the 7th Day of the CNY - Everyone's Birthday!

Back to school & work...post CNY.

Work resumed on Thursday (2/2/06) with morning class at 8am. Still being fresh from the Liverpool-Birmingham City match, a smooth drive from home to office kicked start the day.

The office is very quiet throughout the day - both yesterday and today. Car park is empty. Nearby shops are not fully opened. I guess everyone is still enjoying their CNY celebration.

All these will be transformed by Monday when majority of the students are back from their holiday, minus those who extended theirs, especially from Sabah & Sarawak. Then, assignments deadline are approaching. Another round of madness, hahaha.

Gong Xi Gong Xi

To my dearest friends,

Wishing all of you "Gong Hei Fatt Choy" with good health and prosperity.

Have a nice holiday!

CAN TIME BE BOUGHT?

Most of the time we always find that 24 hours in a day seems not enough for us to accomplish astonishing amount of tasks and works , be it at the workplace or being personal.

This lead to an interesting idea of

Whether time can be bought?

or

Can we buy time?

Any comment? Yours are definitely be welcomed to share with us.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2006

Its the dawn of a new year
A year promises greater adventures
Greater victories and advancement
Forward step by step
Creating greater value in life
Making this world a better place to live
Illuminating rays of happiness
For mankind

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2006