According to multiple online sources, other than the current H1N1 'swine' flue, notable pandemics which occurred recently were the 1918 Spanish flu, the 1957 Asian flu and the 1968 Hong Kong flu. I shall be describing each of the 3 pandemics briefly.
The Spanish flu was a severe pandemic that spread globally, affecting even minor countries. About 50 - 100 million people were killed in this pandemic. It had an infection rate of 50% and killed about 1/5 of the infected. Earlier, before the flu was discovered, patients infected with the Spanish flu were diagnosed as having dengue or other diseases which had similar symptoms. The most distinctive symptom of the flu was bleeding from parts of the body which produced mucous, such as the nose. The origins of the flu were unknown, but some speculated that it originated from China.
The Asian flu pandemic was actually a type of avian flu which originated from China. Online sources state that the flu was actually developed from a mutation of the flu virus in wild ducks, which then quickly spread to humans. It affected mainly Asian countries, but reached the US very quickly. It spread to Singapore by about February 1957. About 1-4 million were killed in this pandemic.
The Hong Kong flu pandemic involved from a flu, which developed genetically from another category of flu virus. The flu originated from Hong Kong and spread globally, killing approximately 1 million.
By the way, an epidemic is a disease which is widespread throughout a locality (you could think of a locality as a relatively insignificant area, as compared to a country or a continent). A pandemic is an epidemic on a large scale.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
History ACE project
Today, Darrel, Zhu Cheng and I went to Changi Museum and Changi Beach to do our ACE project. The exhibits in the musuem were not too intriguing to me as I was taught quite a lot about the Japanese Occupation in my primary school SS syllabus, hence the things on display only refreshed my memory and gave me nothing really new. However, one thing I found interesting was the Changi Chapel. Changi Chapel was just outside of Changi Museum and it could be seen at the entrance of the museum. According to the brochure, it was actually a recreation of small chapels and simple churches during the Japanese Occupation, which were built by POWs at that time. Families of ex-POWs come to Changi Chapel in remembrance of the deceased. The chapel had a wooden board on the walls, where relatives of Austrailian ex-POWs could pin up notes of the words they wish to pass on the dead or the living. Beside the board was a display of paper cranes and the explanation of the meaning behind folding paper cranes. In the centre of the chapel was a cross, donated by a general of a regiment. Then, beside it, there was a poem dedicated to the people who died during the war, and a box of sand with a few lit candles in it, to remember the victims of Sook Ching who were executed at Changi Beach.
After we were done touring the museum and the chapel, we started filming ourselves. Since the museum did not allow for photography and video recording, we decided to do an audio tour of the museum and film the chapel instead. I started by introducing the chapel, and Darrel went on to describe the objects on display in it. It went quite smoothly, except that before we began there was a small dispute over how the recording should be done.
We had lunch and moved on to Changi Beach. Changi Beach was a well-known spot used by the Japanese to execute anti-Japanese suspects. There was memorial near the seashore, which explained the events that took place at the beach. Zhu Cheng took over as the guide and after we were done recording the place, we went home.
After we were done touring the museum and the chapel, we started filming ourselves. Since the museum did not allow for photography and video recording, we decided to do an audio tour of the museum and film the chapel instead. I started by introducing the chapel, and Darrel went on to describe the objects on display in it. It went quite smoothly, except that before we began there was a small dispute over how the recording should be done.
We had lunch and moved on to Changi Beach. Changi Beach was a well-known spot used by the Japanese to execute anti-Japanese suspects. There was memorial near the seashore, which explained the events that took place at the beach. Zhu Cheng took over as the guide and after we were done recording the place, we went home.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
History of blogs
Blogging is very popular nowadays and according to online sources, the craze began in the late 1990s. In 1998, a person named Cameron kept track of the all the blogs which existed on the Internet then. At that time, blogs already existed but there were very few blogs, as blogging was not popular then. It was actually possible to keep track of all the blogs and there were about 23 in existence in 1999.
Then in early 1999, people took interest in blogs and more began reading them. It was then, the craze for blogging took the public by storm. People created their own blogs and soon it was difficult to keep track of all the blogs on the Net. The earliest definition of a blog was a website with dated entries. Brad Fitzpatrick started Livejournal and Pyra Labs launched Blogger in 1999. Pitas was also created in the same year. Blogging became very popular and continued all the way till today.
Then in early 1999, people took interest in blogs and more began reading them. It was then, the craze for blogging took the public by storm. People created their own blogs and soon it was difficult to keep track of all the blogs on the Net. The earliest definition of a blog was a website with dated entries. Brad Fitzpatrick started Livejournal and Pyra Labs launched Blogger in 1999. Pitas was also created in the same year. Blogging became very popular and continued all the way till today.
Keyboard shortcuts
Acting on the request of Rayson, I have decided to post more keyboard shortcuts for both his and others' reference.
F1: Opens Help pages in Internet Explorer and Firefox, brings out Office Assistant in MS Word
F5: Refreshes opened tab in Internet Explorer or Firefox
Alt-Spacebar: Displays list of actions available with opened window - Restore, Move, Size, Minimise, Maximise, Close (similar to right-clicking on the blue space on top of your current window)
Alt-Esc: Cycles through windows in the sequence of them opened
Ctrl-A: Selects all the text in open window
Ctrl-Alt-Del: Brings up Windows Task Manager
Ctrl-Backspace: Deletes entire word typed
Ctrl-Enter: Appends “www." and ".com" in front and at the end respectively of your typed address (e.g. "example" - ctrl-enter - "www.example.com")
Ctrl-Shift-Enter: Appends "www." and ".org" in front and at the end respectively of your typed address (e.g. "example" - ctrl-shift-enter - "www.example.org")
Shift-Arrowkey Left/Right/Up/Down - Selects text towards the left/right or up/down
Shift-Enter: Appends "www." and ".net" in front and at the end respectively of your typed address (e.g. "example" - shift-enter - "www.example.net")
F1: Opens Help pages in Internet Explorer and Firefox, brings out Office Assistant in MS Word
F5: Refreshes opened tab in Internet Explorer or Firefox
Alt-Spacebar: Displays list of actions available with opened window - Restore, Move, Size, Minimise, Maximise, Close (similar to right-clicking on the blue space on top of your current window)
Alt-Esc: Cycles through windows in the sequence of them opened
Ctrl-A: Selects all the text in open window
Ctrl-Alt-Del: Brings up Windows Task Manager
Ctrl-Backspace: Deletes entire word typed
Ctrl-Enter: Appends “www." and ".com" in front and at the end respectively of your typed address (e.g. "example" - ctrl-enter - "www.example.com")
Ctrl-Shift-Enter: Appends "www." and ".org" in front and at the end respectively of your typed address (e.g. "example" - ctrl-shift-enter - "www.example.org")
Shift-Arrowkey Left/Right/Up/Down - Selects text towards the left/right or up/down
Shift-Enter: Appends "www." and ".net" in front and at the end respectively of your typed address (e.g. "example" - shift-enter - "www.example.net")
NPCC Road Safety Test
On Thursday, June 4th, I had my NPCC Road Safey Test. This test was quite important because if I failed it, I will not qualify for the test which allows me to advance to the next rank. Again, like the Bronze Badge Proficiency Test, it was not too hard and I have a fair bit of confidence that I would be able to pass it.
Anyway, on Thursday, I assembled at Salt Centre in my NPCC uniform and a bus brought the NPCC squad to the NPCC Road Safety Park. The trip took only about half an hour and there, we were brought to lecture hall, where we would be having our Road Safety lecture and test. I learned stuff like the types of signs you see on the roads were divided into three categories: warning, informative and prohibitory. There are a few other categories, but we were only taught three.
After the lecture, we had the test. Here is a question which was in the test:
1. Name the purpose of this sign:
Well, it's obvious that this is a "No Entry" sign, hence its purpose is to prevent the entry of all vehicles into a certain area.
The setters of the test did not state the passing score, but it should be around 5/10.
Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4b/Japanese_Road_sign_(No_Entry_for_Vehicles).svg/470px-Japanese_Road_sign_(No_Entry_for_Vehicles).svg.png
Anyway, on Thursday, I assembled at Salt Centre in my NPCC uniform and a bus brought the NPCC squad to the NPCC Road Safety Park. The trip took only about half an hour and there, we were brought to lecture hall, where we would be having our Road Safety lecture and test. I learned stuff like the types of signs you see on the roads were divided into three categories: warning, informative and prohibitory. There are a few other categories, but we were only taught three.
After the lecture, we had the test. Here is a question which was in the test:
1. Name the purpose of this sign:
Well, it's obvious that this is a "No Entry" sign, hence its purpose is to prevent the entry of all vehicles into a certain area.The setters of the test did not state the passing score, but it should be around 5/10.
Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4b/Japanese_Road_sign_(No_Entry_for_Vehicles).svg/470px-Japanese_Road_sign_(No_Entry_for_Vehicles).svg.png
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Tripod '09 CIP
Last Saturday (June 6th), I took part in a CIP event (newspaper collection again) organised by Tripod 2009. Most of the students at the CIP activity were from Bukit View Sec., New Town Sec. and Crescent Girls' Sec.
I arrived at blk. 102 in Jurong East at about 8.00 a.m. and soon I was assigned to a group. It was not much fun as I knew none of my group members and they were talking about things which I was not really interested in.
The newspaper collection began and I discovered that they did not really have an efficient way of collecting the newspapers. Each block had 25 stories, and after each group was done with a level, they were supposed to leave the newspapers at the lift lobby and call up the two people waiting at the ground floor. They would then inform Friedrick (some guy from BtVSS) and I, who would have to rush up to that level and bring the papers down. Two was really not enough to cope with the 'summons' and plus, the organisers neglected the fact that the lifts did not stop at every floor and took moved up and down slowly. I had to rush up an down the block to collect the newspapers. I made a few suggestions but they insisted on going with the plan. In the end, we took much more time than we should have.
This newpaper collection was not as fun as the one at Taman Jurong, and I had less CIP hours in this one. 3 1/2 CIP hours is not too bad, so I guess I should be satisfied.
I arrived at blk. 102 in Jurong East at about 8.00 a.m. and soon I was assigned to a group. It was not much fun as I knew none of my group members and they were talking about things which I was not really interested in.
The newspaper collection began and I discovered that they did not really have an efficient way of collecting the newspapers. Each block had 25 stories, and after each group was done with a level, they were supposed to leave the newspapers at the lift lobby and call up the two people waiting at the ground floor. They would then inform Friedrick (some guy from BtVSS) and I, who would have to rush up to that level and bring the papers down. Two was really not enough to cope with the 'summons' and plus, the organisers neglected the fact that the lifts did not stop at every floor and took moved up and down slowly. I had to rush up an down the block to collect the newspapers. I made a few suggestions but they insisted on going with the plan. In the end, we took much more time than we should have.
This newpaper collection was not as fun as the one at Taman Jurong, and I had less CIP hours in this one. 3 1/2 CIP hours is not too bad, so I guess I should be satisfied.
Chess
I shall talk a bit more about chess in this post.
The main governing body of chess competitions is the FIDE (Fédération Internationale des Échecs, French for "World Chess Federation"). It was founded in France with its first president being Alexander Rueb. It organises major chess competitions like the World Chess Championships and the bienniel Chess Olympiads. The FIDE was also in charge of awarding chess titles like Grandmaster (GM) and International Master (IM) to strong chess players. The first chess players to receive the GM title included Mikhail Botvinik, Paul Keres and David Bronstein, who were all from the Soviet Union.
The Elo rating system, also known as Elo's system, was a set of ratings created by Arpad Elo. It was intended initially for chess players, but the system became widely adopted for other things like sports teams. A chess player's Elo rating was calculated by the FIDE, and currently, as of April 2009, the chess player with the highest rating in the world is Veselin Topalov, Bulgarian chess grandmaster, with a rating of 2812. He is closely followed by V. Anand, Indian chess grandmaster, with a rating of 2783, Magnus Carlsen, Norwegian chess grandmaster and prodigy, with a rating of 2770 and Vladmir Kramnik, Russian chess grandmaster, with a rating 2759. By the way, Singapore is ranked 64th in the world, with 3 GMs and 10 IMs, and an average rating of 2400.
The main governing body of chess competitions is the FIDE (Fédération Internationale des Échecs, French for "World Chess Federation"). It was founded in France with its first president being Alexander Rueb. It organises major chess competitions like the World Chess Championships and the bienniel Chess Olympiads. The FIDE was also in charge of awarding chess titles like Grandmaster (GM) and International Master (IM) to strong chess players. The first chess players to receive the GM title included Mikhail Botvinik, Paul Keres and David Bronstein, who were all from the Soviet Union.
The Elo rating system, also known as Elo's system, was a set of ratings created by Arpad Elo. It was intended initially for chess players, but the system became widely adopted for other things like sports teams. A chess player's Elo rating was calculated by the FIDE, and currently, as of April 2009, the chess player with the highest rating in the world is Veselin Topalov, Bulgarian chess grandmaster, with a rating of 2812. He is closely followed by V. Anand, Indian chess grandmaster, with a rating of 2783, Magnus Carlsen, Norwegian chess grandmaster and prodigy, with a rating of 2770 and Vladmir Kramnik, Russian chess grandmaster, with a rating 2759. By the way, Singapore is ranked 64th in the world, with 3 GMs and 10 IMs, and an average rating of 2400.
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