A Mug

I was making myself a hot milo yesterday when I suddenly thought about a random question~ what is the total volume of milo in the mug? I was thinking, perhaps most physicists would make the question easier by assuming it to be a cone, but the reality is; the side of the mug isn't linear, it's more like a bended cone, extending outward, and thus making the question less friendly. I started to contemplate upon possible solutions; differentiation, integration, differential equation.. hmm.. perhaps I should spend more time pondering upon the solution, and this really taught me a lesson: You should perhaps forget about measuring complex equations and conjugates at CERN or having a law bearing your name when you cant even measure the simplest thing around you..

Life's like that. We are so deeply immersed in exuberance of encouragement, praises, and forgot the basic thing. Well we cant remember everything of course, just like an expert of particle physics would probably fail in his Geography, or History..or even simple mechanics. BUT, that isn't the point. The difference between a successful physicist and a lousy one, is how the two respond to the failure. Anyway enough of this emo-ness

anyone knows how a Sphygmomanometer works? check that out if you dont even sure what it is.


But I'm always the kind me, provide u with the answer. It's not some sort of leviathans, nor is it something so bizzare that most ppl wouldn't wanna know.. it's so harmless...and useful
As always, I like to come up with random comments that make ppl sweat =.="
This piece of engineering marvel utilizes the simplest of physical concept: pressure, ie: P=F/A

Anyway the reason I'm mentioning this is because it replicates the questions that I post above. Most physics students, or engineering students, or students in general (I loathe act-smart students) prefer to know how GPS works, how the Large Hadron Collider works, how X-Ray Diffraction Spectrometer works, name some complicated names and you bet they are interested to investigate.

But dudessss (implying that there are a lot of these idiots around), you don't even know the simplest mechanics of all, which contributes so much in the area medicine and healthcare. You may try impress your grandma with all the shitty x-rays, spectrometers, polarizers, etc and when your lil brother ask you about SPHYGMOMANOMETER I bet you just shrug you shoulder claiming it to be some kind of Chupacabra.

Let's get down to Earth, try solve simple thing before proceed to another. Learn to walk before you learn to run..

And of course, there are a lotta useless trash in University of Malaya. How do they get in here in the first place?
Well we have to take a ride back in history...

Back in the early 20th century ie year 1905, University of Malaya was a premier institute of higher learning, where only the best of the best came together to craft a wonderful future for themselves.
Example: Tun Dr Mahathir, Ong Tee Keat, Ungku Aziz.. etc

Then, we were moved to the present location and separated from the Singapore campus, which eventually became National University of Singapore.


Under the leadership of Lee Kuan Yew, NUS was propelled towards excellence, and now they are among the top 50 University in the world.

We were not that bad initially. I remember back in 1990s' or early 2000 we were also top 100 university in the world (placed 89th at some point). But our education system slowly washes away our reputation.
The Malaysian Matriculation System, which contributes 90% of the population in local university annually, produces 50% idiots, 40% trash, and merely 10% English-speaking, smart students. In the medicine faculty, according to one of my medicine friend, 90% of the future doctors are from matriculation, who cant even speak proper English. Similar thing is occurring in other faculties as well.
In the Science faculty, 90% of the population is made up of English-fearing communities. They reject English, they despise bananas, and they do not accept the fact that they are so poor in English. They also question the importance of English in this globalized era. There are future Engineers who couldn't speak proper English, and can't even solve simple first year problem, who copy the resume of their senior (resume pun boleh salin ??!?!)

Of course, I cannot deny that there are high quality students from the pathetic system.. but the ratio of trash entering university each year is on the rise, and we are aiming towards becoming a top 100 university again. How far can we go, especially with our level of English, and our level of understanding of this world? Just walk around campus and pick a random student, chances are that he or she couldn't even name the capital of Turkey (Istanbul) or heard of the word Dakar (capital of Senegal)
I remember snapping a photo of me holding the prestigious World Cup, a fake one of course...and a random girl asked me

"what is that you are holding?"
"This is the Thomas Cup !!"
"Oh! So this is the Thomas Cup! I have only heard of it. It's so beautiful...."
-.-" but then I told her the truth of course...

dissatisfaction amongst STPM students is easily comprehendible.. it's up to our EDUCATIONISTS to do something about it. They keep changing the format of SPM, PMR and English every year, and yet they do not realise that the biggest problem lies in the pathetic matriculation system which aims to provide easy way for trash to enter university and graduate with a 2.0 degree, and work as engineers and doctors around the country, claiming to be the alumnus of the prestigious University of Malaya....

I guess this entry, though not very informative and reproach in nature, contains several thing that most ppl dont know.. so still..it's informative :p


~Malcolm