Some Basic Science and Explanations of INTERSTELLAR

Have you watched the movie? I would highly recommend it but for some some people it may be too deep to understand.

I'd say it was a great movie with many thrill rides along the way and jam packed with physics, lots and lots of physics. Not to mention the very nicely done portrayal of space, wormholes, blackholes and the many wonders of the universe that normal people probably won't get the chance to see in our lifetime.

I am writing this to explain some basic science and concepts of the movie and its plots, so SPOILER WARNING for those who haven't watched it yet.

Disclaimer: I do not claim to be an expert in astrophysics or any physics for that matter, all information below is based on information I learnt in my studies and general information.

Lets start with the plan they have:

Plan A: Travel to a new planet to confirm that it is hospitable (a choice of Miller, Mann and Edmunds), return to Earth and then using Professor Brand's gravity solution to move people of Earth in a space station towards the new planet with the power of gravity.

Side note: Halfway through the movie you kinda forget why they are so hyped about the gravity solution, its because Professor Brand promised to solve the solution and harness the power of gravity to lift people away from Earth. However the solution can never be found because it was missing data from a black hole's singularity to complete it (More about singularity below). With the help of Coop, Murph solved the gravity formula and discovered the way to manipulate gravity and lift people on Earth in a space station named Cooper Station into space and towards the new planet Edmund, which is why it is orbiting Saturn and found Cooper drifting in space.

Plan B: Travel to a new planet to confirm that it is hospitable (a choice of Miller, Mann and Edmunds) and use frozen embryos to repopulate the new planet (which is why there is a female crew on board).

Some basic science of the movie:

1. There is no air in space, Sound is transmitted through vibrations through the air. No air = no sound in space. Hence you see a lot of soundly shots as the ship is maneuvering in space.
2. When they dock on the Endurance for the first time, they spin the endurance so that the centrifugal force creates an artificial gravity. Coop maintains the rotating speed when gravity reaches 1G which is the standard number for gravity on Earth. Subsequently, the gravity of our moon is 0.6G, at Miller is 1.3G, and Mann's is 0.8G.
3. A wormhole is placed by future humans near Saturn. A wormhole is a short-cut to other parts of the universe. Its existence is still in debate among scientists.
4. Gargantua is a black hole not a wormhole. A Black Hole is something with a gravity so powerful it sucks everything in it, including light which makes it black. No one knows what's in it because everything is only one way in.
5. Miller's planet is orbiting the Gargantua like the moon orbiting the Earth, hence the gravity of Gargantua is affecting it increasing Miller's gravity.
6. Basically the more powerful the gravity, the slower time runs. (Yes, gravity affects time.) The gravity of Miller's planet combine with Gargantua's was so much that 1 hour in Miller = 7 years Earth time.
7. The huge waves in Miller's planet is caused by the massive gravity of Gargantua, like how moon's gravity affect the waves on Earth.
8. When the crazy Dr. Mann didn't dock properly on the endurance, the air from the inside of the Endurance gets vacuumed out into space. Because space has no air at all, the pressure of air flowing out into space from the Endurance becomes so powerful that it blasts the Lander and Dr. Mann out instantaneously. Air pressure will push air from a room with high air pressure (Endurance) to a room with low air pressure (space), the larger the difference in air pressure the greater the force of the pressure.
9. Boom! And the Endurance spins into Mann's planet. In space there is no air or force to slow down any movements, so once the Endurance starts to spin, it will virtually keep spinning forever until an obstacle is met.
10. This is basically how space travel is done. The ship only needs to push enough force to make the ship go forward, and because there is no air or force to stop the ship, the ship will continue with the same speed and direction virtually forever without having to constantly apply fuel. Unlike on Earth you have to keep pressing the gas to keep your car going because air and friction is always slowing your car down. This is why the astronauts can take stasis naps for years for the journey from Earth to Saturn,
11. When Cooper tries to match the rotation of the Endurance to dock his Lander, the spinning of the ship causes high levels of gravitational force (see No. 2), high levels of gravitational force (G Force) will cause people to faint, which is why Dr. Brand fainted for awhile, and Cooper told TARS to take the stick if he faints as well. Astronauts and fighter plane pilots wear special suits to protect against high G Force so that they don't faint easily.
12. When Cooper and Brand decides to use the high gravity of the Gargantua to pull the ship around it and then blast off to Edmund's planet, he mentioned Newton's 3rd Law of Motion: When one body exerts a force on a second body, the second body simultaneously exerts a force equal in magnitude and opposite in direction on the first body. Simply put, when you push against a wall, the wall pushes back against you with the same force.
13. Cooper hopes that with this law, by dropping 2 space ships our from Endurance into Gargantua, the force of dropping the ships into it will create force for Endurance to get out of it.
14. Nothing can get out of a black hole, but some scientists theorize that you can get out if you enter a 5 dimensional universe (which is where Cooper went).
15. Singularity is where matter is infinitely dense, imagine all everything in this world being compressed into a single point. When Cooper and TARS entered the black hole singularity, it was constructed to be a 5 dimensional universe where time is seen as a physical plane. It is the date in this dimension that is needed to complete the gravity problem.
16. Cooper was sucked in the Gargantua entering a dimension where time is lay out frame by frame, the thing that Cooper was doing to the books and sand and the watch are all manipulating gravity. As he said gravity can transcend time and space, hence it is possible to play and use gravity to communicate to the past. Which is why he cannot just write a note and pass it to his daughter from within the black hole.
17. The Gargantua has massive gravity hence the time there is super slow. By the time Cooper finished helping his daughter, time on Earth has already passed many decades.
18. Because Brand was also near Gargantua to be slingshot to Edmund's planet Brand got out of Gargantua's gravity almost the same time as Cooper, which is why Amelia Brand is still young and just landed at Edmunds about the time Cooper was found in Cooper Station.
19. Humans in a very very far future created the wormhole and the black hole space so that Cooper will help ensure that the human race will survive their fate on Earth.

A nicely portrayed Gargantua, the black hole

Some scientifically inaccuracy in the movie:

1. Because of the massive gravity on Miller's planet, Cooper and Brand's ship would need a lot of energy to blast off from its surface, probably more than what the Lander is capable of producing.

1. With the super massive gravity from the black hole Gargantua, Cooper would have been travelling in light speed when entering it. Humans traveling at this speed will cause massive friction and Cooper would have been disintegrated before he reach the singularity of the black hole.
2. The temperature of a super massive black hole would have been too high for Cooper to survive in it with his space suit.
3. Also, since Gargantua is a super massive black hole, the massive gravity and time dilation would mean that time around Cooper and Brand would pass so slow when they are in the black hole area, that hundreds of years would have passed when they return to normal space-time.

Well, I hope what I wrote was simple enough for everyone to understand.

Even if you don't understand, it is still a great thrill ride.

As I said, I am not an expert in any field above, feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

To further confuse you of their timeline, here is a timegraph (taken frm reddit.com):

And if you are interested, here is Discovery Channel's The Science of Interstellar narrated by Matthew McConaughey (Coop):

Be Gentlemen But We Stay Boys; Be Ladies But We Stay Girls

Remember your high school years? How long has it been now? More importantly, do you still remember the feeling of being young hearts, chasing after forgotten hopes and dreams?
I just realised 2013 means that I have started high school exactly 10 years ago.

How times have moved so fast. Back in the days we would dream and talk about what we wanna be, what we wanna do, what kind of person we want to end up to be. How much of that came true now? Do you still remember the feeling to dream, to talk about nonsense and laughing so hard and being genuinely happy?

As we grow older, we learn to fit into society - to "grow up" and be men and women that fits the society norms. How much good values from our teenage years did we held on to, and how much did we gave up to "grow up"? How many dreams and values were forgotten because we thought it wouldn't be "mature" to be that way anymore. As we grow to be more and more suited by the needs of our society, our friends, our family, how much of our true self have we given up since our teenage high school years?

When we were young in the happy days, we were so eager to grow up, to take on adult roles and responsibilities. Little by little, the world lost its magic and fantasies, life became tasks to fulfill for others everyday, and we get caught up in the endless cycle of daily monotonous lifestyles. The innocence and dreaming nature of the person we once were gets chipped off little by little.

But who says we can't have fun even as we grow older? Life can still be enjoyed through the passion and feelings of our young self - daring to dream, to do the impossible, to enjoy simple and silly things, while at the same time we fulfill our inevitable duty of being part of the family, and part of the society.

"Rosie and Tanya: What happened to you?
Donna: I grew up.

Rosie and Tanya: Well grow back down!

[Dancing Queen starts]"

- Mamma Mia! (2008 film)

And that is why we must be gentlemen but stay boys, and be ladies but stay girls!

Take a listen to this meaningful song by Girls' Generation:

Lyrics:

[Taeyeon] Oh woah

Anata to no deai de,

After meeting you

Dono kurai watashi wa kawareta no darou?

I wonder how much I have changed?

[Jessica] Jibun de wa mienai no

I can’t see it myself, but

Akogareta sugata ni chikazuiteru no?

Have I become closer to the person that I admire?

[Tiffany] Wanna be, wanna be, suteki na

Wanna be, wanna be, I want

[Yoona] Gonna be, gonna be, otona ni

Gonna be, gonna be, to become

[Seohyun] Nareru you ni itai, demo

A wonderful adult, however

[Tiffany] Be ladies, but we

[All] Stay girls

Kokoro wa hold on

Hold on to our hearts

[Sunny] Yume miru kimochi wo

Because we haven’t lost

[Sooyoung] Ushinawanai de iru kara

The feelings to dream,

[All] Stay girls [Taeyeon] itsu mademo

Stay girls forever

Arukidashita hi no you ni

Like the days we walked forth

[All] We wanna stay girls

We wanna stay girls

[Yoona] Warattari, naiteitari

Laughing and crying

[Yuri] Omoidashitara afuredasu kono memories

When I remember, these memories pour out

[Seohyun] Donna hi mo, donna toki mo

No matter the day, no matter the time

[Tiffany] Anata no koe ni sasaerareta

Your voice supported me

[Hyoyeon] Every day, every day, hitori ja

Everyday, everyday, because I

[Hyoyeon/Sunny] All the way, all the way nai kara

All the way, all the way, wasn’t alone

[Sooyoung] Tadori tsuketa, [Seohyun] kono basho ni

I was finally able to reach this place

[Taeyeon] Be ladies, but we

[All] Stay girls

Mujaki na pure hearts

Innocent, pure hearts

[Tiffany] Donna mirai ni itatte

no matter what the future holds

[Yoona] Kawaranai mama de iyou ne

Don’t change who you are

[All] Stay girls

[Jessica] Hitamuki na brave hearts

Earnest, brave hearts

Hanasanai kara, zutto

Because we will never let go

[All] We’re gonna stay girls

We’re gonna stay girls

[Sunny] Wanna be, wanna be movin’ on

[Hyoyeon] Gonna be, gonna be only one

[Yuri] Gotta go, gotta go, [Tiffany] wow wow

[Yuri] Be ladies, but we

Stay girls

Chikatta one thing

I promised one thing

[Sunny/Tiffany] Yume wo kanaeru made,

Until my dream comes true,

[Jessica] Akirametari wa shinai yo

I will never give up

[Seohyun] Stay girls dakara anata mo,

Stay girls so, you too,

Sono hitomi no mama de…

Stay like that with those eyes...

[Sooyoung] Be ladies, but we

[All] Stay girls

Kokoro wa hold on

Hold on to our hearts

[Jessica] Yume miru kimochi wo,

Because we haven’t lost

[Sunny] Ushinawanaideiru kara,

The feelings to dream,

[All] Stay girls [Tiffany] itsu made mo,

Stay girls forever,

Arukidashita hi no you ni,

Like the days we walked forth,

[All] We wanna stay girls

We’re gonna stay girls

11 Irrational Beliefs

So I was busy going through my Counseling notes when I found Albert Ellis's theory on Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) and found 11 irrational beliefs in which he believed irrational thinking causes emotional and behavioral changes.

Basically what he meant was that, what we think, not what happened, will cause how we feel, and most of the time we think irrationally which causes our misery and problems.

Here are the 11 Irrational Beliefs that causes us misery:

1. An adult human must be loved or approved by almost everyone.

2. In order to feel worthwhile, a person must be competent in all possible respects.

3. Some people are bad or wicked and therefore should be blamed and punished

4.When things are not the way you want them to be, it is a catastrophe.

5. People have little or no control over the external causes of the bad things that happen to them.

6. The best way to handle a dangerous or fear-producing event is to worry about it and dwell on it.

7. It is easier to avoid certain life difficulties and responsibilities than it is to face them.

8. One needs to depend on others and to rely on someone stronger than oneself.

9. One's present behavior is determined primarily by one's past history.

10. One should be upset by the problems of others.

11. There is always a perfect solution to a human problem, and it is essential to find it.

Basically, Ellis states that by removing these irrational thinking and input more rational thinking we would be happier. This is not too far from the truth. Our thoughts do cause our feelings, and what we think is how we perceive the world. People who don't give a damn are happy in a sense that they don' t think whats happening to them is awful, its not awful to them when things don't work their way. Some people think that its the end of the world when things are not right for them.

Here is an example of how irrational and rational thinking changes our behavior, emotion and actions:

However, this theory doesn't explain and solve all human problems. It's just one step closer for us to understand the power of belief and that we are essentially what we think about. And like Ellis stated above, rationally thinking, there is not always a perfect solution to a human problem, and it is not essential to find it.

So have you got rid of your irrational thinking?

The REAL Reality of Self-Defense and Saving Your Own Ass

Did you notice? Crime rate is on the rise especially lately. With two consequtive robbing and kidnapping event at The Curve, robbery from knowing IP address, a Chinese cornered and beaten up by 12 members, beatings in Bukit Bintang area, air stewardess molested, even my mother's friend's son was beat up by a motorcyclist pretending to be injured, etc etc. Self-defense is seemingly getting more important, or is it?

The thing is many people have a wrong impression in self-defense. Even an ex-beauty queen can say something like "Don't bother learning martial arts." So lets clear up the fog a little. People spend thousands every year to buy insurance for injury, accident and death, but doesn't spare some of that money to acquire the more "physical" assurance - self-defense.

What? Self-defense? Get real!

* First off, learning self-defense is very different from learning martial arts. Learning martial arts requires passion and commitment to be able to excel; but anyone and everyone can learn self-defense. (Izham, A., 2012)

* Self-defense does not guarantee that you will be able to walk away from a fight uninjured, especially if the opponent is armed. Make this clear - when you are involved in a fight, you are putting yourself in harm's way. Even experienced master of any martial arts will not necessary leave a fight unscathed.

* Self-defense does not guarantee that you can fight off ten people at the same time. It only happens in the movies, not many can handle multi-people assaults, but knowing self-defense will give you an edge and increase your odds of surviving any kind of assault.

If so, why should I learn self-defense?

When you learn self-defense, we do not ask you to go and fight all the robbers that come your way. If someone is trying to rob you, say with a knife, and you figure that the items on you are not worth your life, then just give up your cash. No big deal. No point risking your life for a few hundred RM that you can earn  back right?

BUT! If it comes to a point that the assailant is not just trying to rob you, but trying to physically injure you, kidnap you, rape you, or worse kill you, then what are you gonna do?
Then it suddenly becomes a fight for your life! Your fight-or-flight response suddenly goes into high gear, your heart is beating out of your chest, you get numbness in your fingers and toes, you get a sudden boost of strength and speed.

At this point, you have to fight! 'Cause you realize if you don't, you'll definitely die. But your body cannot do what it does not know how to do. This is where self-defense come in.

When you are in a grave situation, your body will do what it is programmed to do, you will not be able to think straight, and don't count on remembering kung fu moves from movies you've watched. If you have learnt self-defense, you will act instinctively (because you have trained to attack and defend in a certain way) to attack and protect yourself. This self-defense "instinct" is the difference between living and dying.

Yes, you might get hurt, bruised or cut. But it is better than losing your life right? 

But it doesn't change anything if I am ambushed by many people at the same time?

It does make a difference. You might not be able to handle everyone at the same time, but many self-defense teaches tactics to be employed when facing many opponents. And a good strategy can be the difference whether you are going to make it out alive or not.

Let me tell you this, a trained person can move faster and more efficient in a fight than regular people.

Then I could just get a weapon and protect myself, I don't necessarily need self-defense, right? Or I could ask someone to accompany me?

You can get an alarm, or a pepper spray, or a knife, or some other types of weapon.

Consider this, having a weapon that you do not really know how to use puts you at risk because the assailant can always snatch your weapon and use it against you, then you would have given them more power to hurt you.

Learning self-defense, and your body becomes your weapon. It can never be taken away or used against you.

While it is safer to have someone go with you, but at most cases, the assailants just beats up everyone, like in the case of my mum's friend's son. So you sometimes can't count on people to protect you. In the hour of urgency, only you can protect yourself.

Nah, these things will never happen to me, and I can feel it when something bad is about to happen?

As a victim of an almost-successful robbery a few years ago, I can tell you, you can never feel it, or anticipate it or in anyway sense that it is going to happen to you.

I was just walking thinking about how to get back to the office and it just happened abruptly.

I tell you, when it happens, it will shock you, and you will not have time to think.

Bad things happens out of your control, out of your comfortable life zone. You can't sense it or predict it, and that makes it very scary - to know that you are not always in control, and that you will get injured or die in a matter of seconds. Ask the victims of The Curve, or any victims of robbery, rape and assault, and they will tell you the same thing. They never planned to be assaulted, or think that it will happen today, but it happened and they got a shock of their lives. It never hurts to be prepared.

Don't wait for disaster to strike then only understand the importance of prevention is better than cure.

Don't take life for granted, life is beautiful and to be enjoyed, but remember that it is also short and fragile.

Protect yourself, just like you're being insured.

Are you going to let life control you? Or take control of your life?

Recently a newscaster from TV3 joined our federation for self-defense because she realized the dangers of her parking lot at night and she works long hours. She is taking control of her life, she knows there is a danger and she wants to be protected.

Protect yourselves, be ready. Self-defense is like an insurance - you won't need it when you buy it, but when you need it it will not be readily available.

People that don't understand the concept of applying self-defense will think that it is useless, or think that it will make things worse, but have they really get into that horrific situation where you have to fight to live another day.

Learn something, anything, that will help protect you and keep you away from the dangers that prevents you from enjoying your life. There are many out there if you seek, Taekwando, Karate, Shinto-ryu, wing chun, krav maga, even just a basic self-defense. Spend some time to learn to protect yourself.

Take better control of your life.

On a side note, one of the sifu in our federation is having a free women self-defense workshop on 2/6/2012. Take a look if you are interested: http://selangoripmanvingchun.org/2012/05/women-self-defense-workshop/

The Case of 贱男人 & 笨女人

Have you ever had those friends that loves somebody so much that they foolishly cling on to them even after they are hurt so bad so many times by that same person already. I think we all met these friends at least once in our lives.

Back in my high school days when I was counselor I have heard many of these cases - basically a girl that loves a bad boy so much even after he hurt her and mistreat her she would still give her undivided love. I haven't heard another case for so long until today. I thought that these cases would subside as we grew older because people become mature enough to protect themselves and love themselves first. I guess I was wrong.

Today a course mate told me a story about her friend, quite pretty and has a good personality, but is stuck with a guy that goes way beyond taking advantage of her. According to my friend, they broke up many times, about 30 times approximately, all because of some trivial matter, such as the bf said that the girl has changed and he cannot accept it... Many times the guy would break up with her, leave her heart broken, and go on with another girl. After he broke up with his new GF, he would come back to her and she would accept him again.

On one occasion, when they were together, the boy even had sex with another girl in his room. The best part is that she can accept it and says that as long as he is honest she can forgive him. By this point of the conversation, me and another friend is giving the WTF face already. Seriously WTF!

The girl apparently is very soft hearted and would listen to whatever the boy says. The boy would tell her not to call him to 烦 him during certain times 'cause he is busy. Basically he will layan her when he want to and ditch her aside when he doesn't feel like it. She would be heartbroken every time they breakup.

My course mate grew up with this friend and she had tried many times to advise her to leave the guy for someone better, but she wouldn't budge. She looks nice and has a lot of people courting her but she is just so hopelessly in love with this boy. No matter what people tells her, she will never move away.

These kind of boy (I wouldn't call him a man since he has no balls) are exactly the type of people that make our fellow womankind hate us. They are the kind that gets good guys' blood boiling. How can you be with a man who cheats  frequently on you and treats you like dirt! Arghh!!!

But I have seen these cases far too many times already. And the ones who gets hurt are also the friends of these girls. As a friend, we feel hurt for them when they get hurt and dumped one too many times. We know we cannot do anything to waive her belief of love to the boy, she must one day realize how foolish she was by herself. We as friends can only painstakingly stand and watch over her when she cry. And as we look into the cruel reality of such things, we can only wonder why girls seem to fall head-over-heels for someone that hurt them, and ignore those that truly love them and give them happiness.

“如果女人总是等到夜深，无悔付出青春，他就会对你真。

是否女人永远不要多问，她最好永远天真，为她所爱的人。

只是女人，容易一往情深，总是为爱所困，终于越陷越深。

可是女人，爱是他的灵魂，她可以奉献一生为她所爱的人。”

－问

Maybe such is life. Humans have the tendency to like to get hurt and to feel the numbness of their hearts as they weep. I have searched many years for the answer as to why girl would give such a guy their all, and as other better qualified men would die for her love. Many of my friends was, and some of them still is, in such situation. Perhaps this is fate's cruel joke; a trial to strengthen the heart. Or perhaps love is just too beautiful and worthy of getting hurt.

“不是学不会，只是觉得爱太美。值得去沉醉，流泪。”

－学不会，林俊杰

I think this song is suitable now:

I Try to Remember

1. Everybody Doesn't Have to Love Me

Not everybody has to love me or even like me. I don't necessarily like everybody I know, so why should everybody else like me? I enjoy being liked and being loved, but if somebody doesn't like me, I will still be okay and still feel like I am an okay person. I cannot make somebody like me, any more than someone can get me to like them. I don't need approval all the time. If someone does not approve of me, I will still be okay.

2. It Is Okay to Make Mistakes

Making mistakes is something we all do, and I am still a fine and worthwhile person when I make them. There is no reason for me to get upset when I make a mistake. I am trying, and if I make a mistake, I am going to continue trying, I can handle making a mistake. It is okay for others to make mistakes, too. I will accept mistakes in myself and also mistakes that others make.

3. Other People Are Okay and I Am Okay

People who do things I don't like are not necessarily bad people. They should not necessarily be punished just because I don't like what they do or did. There is no reason why other people should be the way I want them to be, and there is no reason why I should be the way somebody else wants me to be. People will be whatever they want to be, and I will be whatever I want to be. I cannot control other people or change them. They are who they are; we all deserve basic respect.

4. I Don't Have to Control Things

I will survive if things are different than what I want them to be. I can accept things the way they are, accept people the way they are, and accept myself the way I am. There is no reason to get upset if I can't change things to fit my idea of how they ought to be. There is no reason why I should have to like everything. Even if I don't like it, I can live with it.

5. I Am Responsible for My Day

I am responsible for how I feel and what I do. Nobody can make me feel anything. If I have a rotten day, I am the one who allowed it to be that way. If I have a great day, I am the one who deserves credit for being positive. It is not the responsibility of other people to change so that I can feel better. I am the one who is in charge of my life.

6. I Can Handle It When Things Go Wrong

I don't need to watch out for things to go wrong. Things usually go just fine, and when they don't, I can handle it. I don't have to waste my energy worrying. The sky won't fall in; things will be okay.

7. It Is Important To Try

I can. Even though I may be faced with difficult tasks, it is better to try than to avoid them. Avoiding a task does not give me any opportunities for success or joy, but trying does. Things worth having are worth the effort. I might not be able to do everything, but I can do something.

8. I Am Capable

I don't need someone else to take care of my problems. I am capable. I can take care of myself. I can make decisions for myself. I can think for myself. I don't have to depend on somebody else to take care of me.

9. I Can Change

I don't have to be a certain way because of what has happened in the past. Every day is a new day. It's silly to think I can't help being the way I am. Of course I can. I can change.

10. Other People Are Capable

I can't solve other people's problems for them. I don't have to take on other people's problems as if they were my own. I don't need to change other people or fix up their lives. They are capable and can take care of themselves, and can solve their own problems. I can care and be of some help, but I can't do everything for them.

11. I Can Be Flexible

There is more than one way to do something. More than one person has had good ideas that will work. There is no one and only "best" way. Everybody has ideas that are worthwhile. Some may make more sense to me than others, but everyone's ideas are worthwhile, and everyone has something worthwhile to contribute.

-Author Unknown

All The Hype About 2012

Happy New Year 2012!

The year has finally come! I remember talking to my friend back in 2008 about the Mayans predicting the end of the world in 2012, and laughed at how many years we still have left.

The thing is, is it really true? Well here are the many ways how the world will be predicted to end: http://www.endoftheworld2012.net/

If it is true. Should we start preparing now? Hahaha! I mean there won't be much point to save up our money and plan for next year since we are all gonna die anyway. If the world should end, I wonder how would our lives end. Alien? Earthquake? Nuclear? Anti-matter? Solar flare? Sounds painful. Ouch!

If it is not true. Then there is nothing to really think about is there? Life goes on anyway. Think about how stupid people will feel when they wake up on 2013 and nothing happened.

Problem is we have no idea whether it is true or not. How are we suppose to know whether an alien is coming, or whether the Mayans or the apocalyptic prophecy is true? In an age where everything needs proof, it is kind of hard to believe in oracles and prophecies and messiahs. All regarded as primitive and its evidences unsubstantial.

Most important of all is the collective mindset of people. How so? Because people "feel" that no such things will happen, as they "feel" comfortable and normal living lives everyday that this year will be the same as every year. A catastrophe of such a big scale "feels" just too impossible to happen. How accurate is our "feelings" really?

In conclusion we really have no idea what would happen in the future. What is important is we appreciate life everyday regardless whether the world is going to end or not.
If it is going to end, then there is nothing we can do about it, so we don't have to worry.
If it is not going to end, then there is nothing to worry about.
So there is really nothing to worry about. Haha!

Have a good year ahead everyone!

Please Hear What I Am Not Saying

Don't be fooled by me.

Don't be fooled by the mask I wear.

For I wear a mask, a thousand masks,

masks that I'm afraid to take off,

and none of them is me.

Pretending is an art that's second nature to me,

but don't be fooled.

For God's sake don't be be fooled.

I give you the impression that I'm secure,

that confidence is my name and coolness is my game,

that the water's calm and I'm in command,

and that I need no one.

But don't believe me.

My surface may seem smooth but my surface

is my mask, ever-varying and ever-concealing.

Beneath lies no complacence.

Beneath lies confusion and fear and aloneness.

But I hide this. I don't want anybody to know it.

I panic at the thought of my weakness and my fear being exposed.

That's why I frantically create a mask to hide behind,

a nonchalant sophisticated facade, to help me pretend,

to shield me from the glance that knows.

But such a glance is precisely my salvation.

My only hope, and I know it.

That is, if it's followed by acceptance,

if it's followed by love.

It's the only thing that can liberate me from myself,

from my own self-built prison walls,

from the barriers I so painstakingly erect.

It's the only thing that will assure me

of what I can't assure myself,

that I'm really worth something.

I don't like to hide.

I don't like to play superficial phony games.

I want to stop playing them.

I want to be genuine and spontaneous and me,

but you've got to help me.

You've got to hold out your hand

even when that's the last thing I seem to want.

Only you can wipe away from my eyes

the bland stare of the breathing dead.

Only you can call me into aliveness.

Each time you're kind and gentle and encouraging,

each time you try to understand because you really care,

my heart begins to grow wings, very small wings,

very feeble wings,

but wings!

With your power to touch me into feeling

you can breathe life to me.

I want you to know that.

Who am I, you may wonder.

I am someone you know very well.

For I am every man you meet,

and I am every woman you meet.

-Jill Zevallos-Solak

It's so easy to get stalked now...

What I meant is our security over the internet.

Being in the 21st century, we all have Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Friendster (if it still exists), Check-ins and dozens of blogs and websites that we participate in.

We put down all our information during the registration without knowing what effect it brings to us.

Anybody with a keen eye for observation can learn about a person's life and lifestyle just by scrolling down their page in Facebook, Twitter, or any information providing pages about yourself.

For example, we can easily determine things like what's your favourite colour, favourite hangout place, favourite food, where we live, who we mingle with, all just by look at your profile and pictures.
Check-in's just makes you easier to catch. Reminds me of a friend who was stalked by a guy through her check-in's.
Statuses can reveal more than what we write, it shows your current mental state, your vulnerability, you lifestyle. Trailing through someone's statuses we can easily get a picture of the life they have been living.

We might not think of it as this serious, but it only takes one smart (and crazy) guy who had a bit of a grasp of psychology to take one look at your profile and easily know everything about you.

But of course, I am talking about the negative effects of mentally unstable people who has any reason to stalk you and do bad things to you. There are also some positive ones, but that is another story.

Girls especially, should take more care in the things they put up on the net. The problem is people don't see the seriousness of things until it really happens to them, and then they wonder why it happens to me.

What are Blogs For?

Seriously, what is it for? I can't find a clear definition for it. Blogging have existed for such a long time now. Most people treat it as a diary to include anything and everything about their daily lives in it. Some use it to start a business (a good business plan if you ask me), some use it to tell stories, some use it so communicate, etc etc.

Perhaps blogging was a predecessor of Facebook-ing? Before Facebook was invented, there were no places that allowed people to vent their anger, share their joy, share their pictures and video besides sharing it on a blog. Where can you find a better place to look at people's stories before Facebook? The blog!

Now that Facebook has become a world wide phenomenon, blogging has become more like a diary than ever. Or is there just something about writing down your feelings down in a blog beats writing notes and statuses on Facebook everyday.

We would write down everything on a blog and keep it hidden in some part of the World Wide Web hoping some people might come across your blog and read it, rather than post something on Facebook and everybody would know it. I guess this depends on the people. Attention seekers, partially closed and the fully private people would have different uses on it. Hmm... Fascinating...

Time for class!!!

FOREVER ZERO

Have you ever stopped and wonder about the meaning of our existence as human being? Have you ever wondered how the universe will be without human and without anything in it?

Humans come from the Earth which comes from the beginning of the Universe. The Big Bang that created every atom and particle in this world eventually created space, galaxies, solar systems and planets. (For more info please search for the Big Bang Theory). Our planet Earth, eventually formed and cooled and a layer of gas protected it which became our atmosphere and then the first single-cell organism appears in the ocean. Eons passed and after eons of evolution, the human emerge with superior intelligent and started populating the planet.

Life as we know now comes about. But have you ever wonder how would the world be like with absolutely NOTHING in it! Think about it... There will be absolutely no Galaxies, no Planets, and no humans. No drama, no stress, no love, no happiness, no cruelty, no good, no evil. There is just nothing in this world. How would that world be like. Cold and empty and dark?

We march on with our lives everyday taking things for granted and never actually thought of the magic and miracle of life in this world. How many years it took for a planet to form and ultimately how many years it took for humans to come along. Thinking about emptiness and nothingness lets me realize how wonderful it is to be alive and to have sentience. Do you?

It always have to happen in America???

It's very weird that in movies every major catastrophe has to happen in the US.. Example, alien visit Earth, conquering the Earth, and the first place they land is America! (Independence Day, War of the Worlds, Signs, The Day The Earth Stood Still, X-Files, Race to Witch Mountain, E.T., Paul, and the list goes on and on and on~). What about a zombie virus pandemic? It has to strike US first. (Resident Evil, Zombie Land, 28 Days Later, 28 Weeks Later, I am Legend, etc). Or some kinda weird scary thing, like those things that turns people crazy and we don't know what it is (The Crazies, The Mist, The Happening, etc) has to happen there too. We never see aliens and zombies happen anywhere in China or Hong Kong or Malaysia and how would they deal with that.

Also, great superheroes like Superman, Spider-man, Batman, Ironman, Hulk, X-men, Green Lantern all have to happen there too!

But I guess that is because there are more creative minds of these sort of things in America than here in Asia. No asian people created anything that went on the big screen. Maybe Dragon Ball? Dragon Ball can be counted as the most successful story created in Asia that includes extra terrestrials., (Goku, Bezita was a Saiyan from Planet Vegeta and so on). But the Dragon Ball movie sucks! I guess they cant make a great Asian production better..

I would like to see if any of these things happening in Malaysia. Imagine aliens start to blast Kuala Lumpur and how Malaysians will deal with it. Or maybe turn citizens of KL into zombies? But no, no Cicakman please...

A Proton Transformer

Natural Selection

First off, this is not a bio lecture.

To those who don't know biology, natural selection is a process that happens in nature in all species on Earth. It is the process where the stronger individual in a species survives and the weaker individual dies off. Example, a particular giraffe has a longer neck than other giraffes and therefore is able to eat more leaves in higher trees, other giraffe has less longer necks and thus when the leaves in the lower part of the tree is finished they die of starvation while the longer neck giraffe survives.

So why does this process happen? So that the stronger and fittest individual can pass on their stronger genes and produce stronger offsprings! (For more info on this, see Darwin's Theory of Evolution)

While this happens in all species, it is not so true for the human species in the last 2 centuries. Our death tolls has dropped dramatically in the past 2 centuries since we created hospitals and extensive medical studies that cures illnesses and grocery stores to aid our food scarcity. Of course this means that the human population has risen like a rocket!

But is this really a good thing? Natural selection exist to ensure the survival of the fittest so that one generation is stronger than the next, in a sense to create stronger and stronger creatures. When humans stopped this process, we are allowing the weaker humans to survive and creates weak children. One example is hereditary diseases (illness that is passed through the parents to the children), such as color blindness and haemophilia (an illness that prevents blood clotting, and then severe loss of blood results in death). In this example, if the father has this disease, and then he passed it to his son and then the son of his son and so on! In this way, we are making our children suffer our diseases which was supposed to die off along with us. Why make them suffer horrible sickness due to our own weakness? While the stronger and healthier human should have populated the Earth.

On the other hand, with our gigantically enlarged brain, our morality, which comes from our emotions, tells us that each life has value and should not end prematurely. We all weep and cry and feel sad when a life ends. We cannot let a person die just because he/she is weak! And I am not saying we should all let sick and weak people die. But sometimes it makes me wonder, should we obey the heart of men or obey the laws of nature?