To be a person that everyone knows
I have joined the organising committee for UniSIM Grads Night at ZIRCA, the theme is “Retro Party” and inviting someone special to attend this event. A Minister for Education Dr Ng Eng Hen, well the invite has been send, let see if he would appear.
Recently I watch a youtube video on Pirates of the Silicon Valley. Its a story of how Bill Gates convinced IBM to sell their disk operating systems and his main competitor Apple. Bill Gates didnt own many properties, neither is he a banker nor a politician, yet surpass them in the ways he did business. Which give rise to an inquisitive question, what if Bill Gates is born and raised in Singapore education system, who would he be?
One thing for sure, Bill Gates would have experienced a very different environment that possibly not allowed him to achieve what he has today. Someone who starts as a software engineer and changes the ways how people use their computers.
Uncategorized | Comment (0)Perfection
Been a long time since last update, I had since left the medical laser distributor since small private companies are very concerned with their operating cost, with a boss who only see in short term basis. But then, all is not gone and apply for some much stable positions in government Hospitals. I am not sure why there no response, and decided to email the Dean for a reply. In a rare move, the email is released to the public, just when I email him.
“Dear Prof Chong
How are you? Recently I participated in the focus group discussion by Brand Union, basically we talked about improving the image in SIM, and the facilities. Some of the students suggest professional, critical thinker, team spirit, passionate. There were also some feedbacks on the facilities:
Priorities:
1)more conducive lighting/ ventilation for study, extending the operating time overnight
2)wayfinding is disorganised, number system should be revised, include campus map
3)sheltered bus stop walkway to the main lobby
4)improve traffic flow into SIM
5)Posters/landmark in atrium
At the same time, I have been trying to apply for engineering and executive position in government Hospitals, but so far been unsuccessful. If you recalled back then in 2006, during the transition to Unisim degree, I had mentioned on “How would employers view Unisim graduates, when compare to other local graduates?” The term employers would include Ministries, Stats board, Multinational companies, and private companies. However that’s not the case, the positions which I applied to are Biomedical Engineer(NUH), Research operation executive(SGH) etc. There is some sort of barrier on a graduate who would want to switch field to the industry which he/she had studied. Isn’t that the whole point for a degree in which someone had a interest on, or is this a high time that hiring policies be changed?”
Impatient is getting onto me, afterall who here put effort for nothing in return, of course nothing is perfect, something are more than just equal. 
Update: Got a reply from him on the same day
Uncategorized | Comment (0)Hi James
A degree only gets you through the door. Yes, you can change to the field of your study but you must be prepared to start from ground zero and be treated like a fresh graduate.
Randomness is everywhere
Ok so Mas Selemat had been caught on 1st April, and this is not april fools but guess what, he was also selling Ramly Burger in JB while being a fugitive. 
Katari Ramly burger for you.
Quite daring I say, he has some business sense for all we know, lol.
Bought this a month ago, its a EDF Rafale model, about 1m long and fly on 14.8V electric motor. Its a reward since I had finished my degree.
The tiny bear is the pilot!
The foam plane looks sleek and has a steerable nose wheel, I took it to Ngee Ann Poly track to play with it. Comes with transmitter, receiver and ready to fly after assembling. The hardest part is the landing, not taking off, and keeping it in air require some skills.
Runway clear, ready to take off …
Uncategorized | Comment (0)21st Century, the Genetic Revolution
Well, finally received the transcript for Biomedical degree, and I got a 2nd upper class, heh.
The Industrial revolution in the 19th century has made mega machines and super tall buildings possible. Digital (computer) revolution in the 20th century, changes the way we live and interact with the use of computers. In the 21st century, with the decoding of the human genome completed in 2003, there is a paradigm shift in prolonging life expectancy, maintaining youth and finding cures for genetic diseases. Human life expectancy has been increasing due to better food and medicines, 100 years ago, the average human life is about 50 years old, and the present life expectancy is about 80 years old, an increase in 30 years. But the additional 20 years seems to be illusionary, because normal organs deteriorated, and succumb to infection. So what would you do with worn out parts, you probably want to replace it, and break through in genetic engineering could allow you to grow your own organ or replace with artificial organs. Imagine a day where an injection is all you need to reduce the chances of getting cancer. This idea may seems far fetch, the medical technology for gene therapy are well in place and drugs that are tailor made to work “best” for your DNA.
While the common practice to screen for genetic defects in the fetus, and instead of deciding to abort the fetus with genetic defect for example immune disease ADA. Gene splicing technology allow inserting normal DNA to aid missing or defective genes, thus even when both parent has defective genes, their newborn will not be affected with such defects. (This is just a description of gene therapy, neither me nor my parents have such genes)
Uncategorized | Comment (0)Short update…
Luck is preparation plus probability, and now I am an equipment engineer for medical laser. Well, the company is a distributor for many types of lasers used in clinics and hospitals. Seems that I had been very lucky to get employed in this economic situation.
The router is $139 and the wireless desktop is $55
Been to the ITShow with my cousin at Suntec last friday, and bought a D-Link router DIR655 and a microsoft wireless desktop 3000. Much cheaper than Sim Lim Square (SLS), but beware there are some items which are more expensive in the ITShow than SLS. I saw Audio House selling their LCD TV like hot cakes, some guys standing on a high platform and shouting the prices. Courts is also having a WWE ring high up, with a guy promoting their range of LCD TV. I bet this ITShow sales broke the previous year record.
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