Only mediocrity is twitter.com/paulocoelho/st…
— Paulo Coelho (@paulocoelho) April 19, 2013
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Paul Coelho: Only mediocrity is ...
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
You know you have lived too long in Sweden when by Deni Alexander
by Deni Alexander.
You know you have lived too long in Sweden when:
1. It's acceptable to eat lunch at 11.00.
2. You rummage through your plastic bag collection to see which ones you should keep to take to the store and which can be sacrificed to garbage.
3. You associate pea soup with Thursday.
4. The first thing you do on entering a bank/post office/pharmacy etc. is look for the queue number machine.
5. You accept that you will have to queue to take a queue number.
6. A sharp intake of breath has become part of your vocabulary, as has the sound 'ahh'.
7. You associate Friday afternoon with a trip to system bolaget.
8. Your native language has seriously deteriorated; you begin to "eat medicine" and "hire videos".
9. Your front door step is beginning to resemble a shoe shop.
10. When a stranger on the street smiles at you, you assume that:
a. he is drunk;
b. he is insane;
c. he is American;
d. he is all of the above.
11. The only reason for getting of the boat in Helsinki is to eat pizza and cheap alcohol.
12. Your old habit of being "fashionably late" is no longer acceptable. You are always on time.
13. When you don´t think you get any help from the doctor.
14. When it doesn´t disturb you that people have their feet up on the seat next to you on trams, trains and buses.
15. You take off your shoes in libraries.
16. You know that "religious holiday" means "let's get pissed."
17. You use mmmm as a conversation filler.
18. An outside temperature of 9 degrees Celsius is mild.
19. When someone asks for "three cheers", you say "hoorah, hoorah, hoorah, hoorah".
20. You have only two facial expressions, smiling or blank.
21. You think riding a racing bike in the snow is a perfectly sensible thing to do.
22. You think it's more fun to stay at home and drink then go out.
23. You wear warm clothing when it's 25 degrees plus in April - because it's April.
24. You wear shorts and t-shirt when it's barely 10 degrees in July - because it's July.
25. You get extremely annoyed when the bus is two minutes late.
26. You become a punctuality freak and dump your friends for being late more than once.
27. When a stranger asks you a question in the streets, you think it's normal to just keep walking, saying nothing.
28. You've been engaged for four years and don't have any plans to get married.
29. You and your friends know exactly the same information, and have the same attitudes and beliefs in the value of Social Democracy.
30. You think black rimmed glasses are cool.
31. Your wardrobe now consists of 20 different shades of black and grey.
33. You don't question the concept of 'telephone time'.
34. It seems reasonable that no business can be conducted on Friday afternoons. [or the entire month of July]
35. You assume that anyone who apologies after bumping into you is a tourist.
36. You actually care if your mobile phone meets the fashion standard - and so do your new Swedish friends!
37. You get into a Mercedes taxi cab and think nothing of it.
38. Paying $10 for a cup of coffee seems reasonable.
39. You understand that when a colleague asks you out for "a drink," it will probably be a long night with a severe hangover the next day.
40. You start to think that having a sauna in the nude with a bunch of strangers is a necessary part of daily life ... and a necessary part of business.
41. You believe that when you finally win your Nobel Prize, it is best to be modest and say "Oh really, it was nothing!"
42. You get offended if, at a dinner party, someone fails to look you in the eyes after raising their glass for a toast.
43. You become extremely skilled at assembling pre-packaged furniture kits.
44. "Candles" are a permanent fixture on your weekly shopping list.
45. Most of your friends have the same names and you must use both names to distinguish between them.
1. It's acceptable to eat lunch at 11.00.
2. You rummage through your plastic bag collection to see which ones you should keep to take to the store and which can be sacrificed to garbage.
3. You associate pea soup with Thursday.
4. The first thing you do on entering a bank/post office/pharmacy etc. is look for the queue number machine.
5. You accept that you will have to queue to take a queue number.
6. A sharp intake of breath has become part of your vocabulary, as has the sound 'ahh'.
7. You associate Friday afternoon with a trip to system bolaget.
8. Your native language has seriously deteriorated; you begin to "eat medicine" and "hire videos".
9. Your front door step is beginning to resemble a shoe shop.
10. When a stranger on the street smiles at you, you assume that:
a. he is drunk;
b. he is insane;
c. he is American;
d. he is all of the above.
11. The only reason for getting of the boat in Helsinki is to eat pizza and cheap alcohol.
12. Your old habit of being "fashionably late" is no longer acceptable. You are always on time.
13. When you don´t think you get any help from the doctor.
14. When it doesn´t disturb you that people have their feet up on the seat next to you on trams, trains and buses.
15. You take off your shoes in libraries.
16. You know that "religious holiday" means "let's get pissed."
17. You use mmmm as a conversation filler.
18. An outside temperature of 9 degrees Celsius is mild.
19. When someone asks for "three cheers", you say "hoorah, hoorah, hoorah, hoorah".
20. You have only two facial expressions, smiling or blank.
21. You think riding a racing bike in the snow is a perfectly sensible thing to do.
22. You think it's more fun to stay at home and drink then go out.
23. You wear warm clothing when it's 25 degrees plus in April - because it's April.
24. You wear shorts and t-shirt when it's barely 10 degrees in July - because it's July.
25. You get extremely annoyed when the bus is two minutes late.
26. You become a punctuality freak and dump your friends for being late more than once.
27. When a stranger asks you a question in the streets, you think it's normal to just keep walking, saying nothing.
28. You've been engaged for four years and don't have any plans to get married.
29. You and your friends know exactly the same information, and have the same attitudes and beliefs in the value of Social Democracy.
30. You think black rimmed glasses are cool.
31. Your wardrobe now consists of 20 different shades of black and grey.
33. You don't question the concept of 'telephone time'.
34. It seems reasonable that no business can be conducted on Friday afternoons. [or the entire month of July]
35. You assume that anyone who apologies after bumping into you is a tourist.
36. You actually care if your mobile phone meets the fashion standard - and so do your new Swedish friends!
37. You get into a Mercedes taxi cab and think nothing of it.
38. Paying $10 for a cup of coffee seems reasonable.
39. You understand that when a colleague asks you out for "a drink," it will probably be a long night with a severe hangover the next day.
40. You start to think that having a sauna in the nude with a bunch of strangers is a necessary part of daily life ... and a necessary part of business.
41. You believe that when you finally win your Nobel Prize, it is best to be modest and say "Oh really, it was nothing!"
42. You get offended if, at a dinner party, someone fails to look you in the eyes after raising their glass for a toast.
43. You become extremely skilled at assembling pre-packaged furniture kits.
44. "Candles" are a permanent fixture on your weekly shopping list.
45. Most of your friends have the same names and you must use both names to distinguish between them.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
#Rock4rights2
Join now
With the success of R4R held in April 2011 at Fort Cornwallis Penang, the Committee decided to organise a second instalment of the music festival, this time partnering with KDU University College through its Law Department, together with Frinjan.
R4R2 will comprise of the following components:
i) Booths (food and beverages, arts and crafts, clothes, informational) - MAKAN!
ii) Live performances (Two Stages)
The theme for R4R2 is “Associate. Assemble. Articulate”. It encapsulates the rights enshrined in Article 10 of the Federal Constitution. Article 10 guarantees the following:
i) Freedom of speech and expression;
ii) Right to peacefully assembly; and
iii) Freedom of association.
R4R2 will comprise of the following components:
i) Booths (food and beverages, arts and crafts, clothes, informational) - MAKAN!
ii) Live performances (Two Stages)
The theme for R4R2 is “Associate. Assemble. Articulate”. It encapsulates the rights enshrined in Article 10 of the Federal Constitution. Article 10 guarantees the following:
i) Freedom of speech and expression;
ii) Right to peacefully assembly; and
iii) Freedom of association.
The theme for R4R2 is “Associate. Assemble. Articulate”. It encapsulates the rights enshrined in Article 10 of the Federal Constitution. Article 10 guarantees the following:
i) Freedom of speech and expression;
ii) Right to peacefully assembly; and
iii) Freedom of association.
We have seen many music festivals and concerts before this. Some with an underlying message, while others are simply about music. With R4R2, we hope to convey our message of constitutional awareness and appreciation of human rights through the most universal of languages; the medium of music. Music is the most effective medium to attract youths to the notion of constitutionalism, rights and democratic governance. Music itself is a form of expression, guaranteed and protected by the highest law of the land, the Federal Constitution. Thus, the marriage of rights and music is novel yet natural.
Details of the event are as follows:-
Date : 19 January 2013
Venue : KDU College, Section 13 Campus, Petaling Jaya.
Time : 3.00pm until 11.00pm
FREE ADMISSION!
Below are the confirmed acts so far that will be performing during the event:
Main Stage
1. Pitahati
2. Sphere
3. Nao
4. Azmyl Yunor& The Sigarettes
5. Khottal
6. Keladak
7. Iqbal M
8. Vials
9. Kyoto Protocol
10. Shh...Diam!
11. Enterprise
12. Akta Angkasa
13. Si-De
Electro & Acoustic Stage
1. Ariff AB
2. ZDICM
3. Flica
4. +2db
5. Jerome Kugan
6. Goodflers (Stand Up Comedy)
7. Indie Film/Documentary Screenings by KOMAS
Live Visuals by FINDARS.
http://www.youtube.com/
Come show your support towards the cause and help spread the word!
i) Freedom of speech and expression;
ii) Right to peacefully assembly; and
iii) Freedom of association.
We have seen many music festivals and concerts before this. Some with an underlying message, while others are simply about music. With R4R2, we hope to convey our message of constitutional awareness and appreciation of human rights through the most universal of languages; the medium of music. Music is the most effective medium to attract youths to the notion of constitutionalism, rights and democratic governance. Music itself is a form of expression, guaranteed and protected by the highest law of the land, the Federal Constitution. Thus, the marriage of rights and music is novel yet natural.
Details of the event are as follows:-
Date : 19 January 2013
Venue : KDU College, Section 13 Campus, Petaling Jaya.
Time : 3.00pm until 11.00pm
FREE ADMISSION!
Below are the confirmed acts so far that will be performing during the event:
Main Stage
1. Pitahati
2. Sphere
3. Nao
4. Azmyl Yunor& The Sigarettes
5. Khottal
6. Keladak
7. Iqbal M
8. Vials
9. Kyoto Protocol
10. Shh...Diam!
11. Enterprise
12. Akta Angkasa
13. Si-De
Electro & Acoustic Stage
1. Ariff AB
2. ZDICM
3. Flica
4. +2db
5. Jerome Kugan
6. Goodflers (Stand Up Comedy)
7. Indie Film/Documentary Screenings by KOMAS
Live Visuals by FINDARS.
http://www.youtube.com/
Come show your support towards the cause and help spread the word!
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Use of Indigenous Micro-organisms (IMO) in Natural Farming
The use of IMO as a soil enhancer was started in Malaysia by the Department of Agriculture in
2001 through the Asian Productivity Organization. Farmers in at least three states are actively
using this technology. Some farmers claim that this technology decreases the cost of production
by 30% compared to conventional practice. However, this technology needs meticulous
preparation. Without good training, it is difficult to follow via textbook instructions. The
principle needs to be understood before one can grasp the methodology. After familiarization
with the techniques, farmers often make changes in the preparations to suit their particular inputs
and problems faced.
The basic preparation for enhancing the soil is:
i) IMO4. Indigenous micro-organisms are naturally inoculated by placing cooked rice under a tree
in an undisturbed area. Between 3 and 5 days, the rice will turn mouldy (IMO1). Add brown
sugar (1:1 ratio) to the mouldy rice and then further ferment for 3-5 days (IMO2). Add the
fermented mixture (1gm/L) to 10 kg rice bran and further ferment for 3-5 days (IMO3). This
final fermented mixture of rice bran is mixed with the farm soil in the ratio of 1:1(IMO4).
ii) Compost. Add IMO4 at the rate of 1:10 to oil palm empty bunches and compost it for about 3
months.
iii) Fermented plant juice extract (FPJ). Add a volume ratio of 1:1 water spinach (Ipomoea
aquatica) and brown sugar and leave in a jar for 5-7 days. Cover the jar with white paper and tie
the mouth tightly with a string or rubber band.
iv) Fermented Fruit Juice (FFJ). Add chopped papaya (Carica papaya) and mix with brown sugar
at a ratio of 1:1 by volume and keep in a jar for a week. Cover as in (iii).
v) Oriental Herb Nutrient (OHN). Add cinnamon with rice vinegar at a ratio of 1:3 by volu me. Top
up with brown sugar at a volume of 1:1 of the mixture of the latter. Leave the mixture to
degrade for 7-10 days in a jar before use. Cover as in (iii).
vi) Fish Amino Acid (FAA). Mix fish heads, bones and entrails with brown sugar at a ratio of 1:1
volume and keep in a jar for 1 month. Cover as in (iii).
vii) Egg calcium phosphate (CaP). Burn egg shells and then mix with rice vinegar at a volume ratio
of 1:10. Leave to degrade for 30 days.
viii) Bone calcium phosphate PCa. The procedure is similar to (vii) but use cattle bones instead.
(Cho 1997).
In field preparation, IMO4 is added at the rate of 1 tonne/ha, four days before planting. Different
combinations of the basic formulation are applied to the soil to enhance plant growth. The formulations
known as Type II, Type III and Morning Sickness are given in Figure 3. Type II formulation is used
during the growth stages of the plant. Type III is used for increasing fruit size and Morning Sickness is for
flower initiation and fruit setting. For leafy vegetables, after IMO4 application and when the plant is 5
days old, Type II is sprayed every 5 days at 2% concentration onto the soil; 100 L of Type II at 2%
concentration should be sprayed onto the leafy vegetables and the amount is increased by half after 14
days of age.
source: Aini Zakaria (2006),SOIL-ENHANCING TECHNOLOGIES FOR IMPROVING CROP PRODUCTIVITY IN MALAYSIA
AND CONSIDERATIONS FOR THEIR USE, retrieved from http://www.agnet.org/htmlarea_file/activities/20110719102200/4.pdf
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Margaret Heffernan: Dare to disagree
"So, how do we have these conversations more easily and more often? Well, the University of Delft requires that its PhD students have to submit five statements that they're prepared to defend. It doesn't really matter what the statements are about, what matters is that the candidates are willing and able to stand up to authority. I think it's a fantastic system, but I think leaving it to PhD candidates is far too few people, and way too late in life. I think we need to be teaching these skills to kids and adults at every stage of their development, if we want to have thinking organizations and a thinking society.
The fact is that most of the biggest catastrophes that we've witnessed rarely come from information that is secret or hidden. It comes from information that is freely available and out there, but that we are will fully blind to, because we can't handle, don't want to handle, the conflict that it provokes. But when we dare to break that silence, or when we dare to see,and we create conflict, we enable ourselves and the people around us to do our very best thinking.
Open information is fantastic, open networks are essential. But the truth won't set us free until we develop the skills and the habit and the talent and the moral courage to use it.Openness isn't the end. It's the beginning."
Sunday, March 11, 2012
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