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K&C codename buddy

Tweets
January 31, 2010

I've posted a few items on twitter. I didn't have enough comments to include them as a blog entry, but I do wish to make them more permanent. So, here they are:

(From left to right)
1. This is probably the best part of Steve Job's iPad keynote. Other than that, the whole keynote is boring. Seems that Steve's reality distortion field has gone with his liver.

2. The ultimate accessory for the geek - an 80-port USB hub. Do I need that? Well, I may have up to 80 USB devices.. Thanks, but no thanks.

3. How many of you have heard of the Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity? I've known them on the first day Spirit landed on Mars in 2004. That day, I was still in F.3, and I saw a picture of Mars' landscape on the front page of SCMP. The twin rovers were sent to two different parts of Mars, both of them landed successfully. It was supposed to be a 90-day mission for them, but it turned out that their performance were far better than the Americans had expected. 1944 days had passed before Spirit got stuck somewhere and couldn't go any further. It's now been 2200+ days since its landing, and Spirit can still function, albeit stationarily. Automated rovers usually lose their function because over time, dust on the planet covers up their solar panels so that they don't get enough power. I just don't understand why they don't develop some mechanisms to clean off the dust (wiping? or in a more high-tech way, by electrostatics?), or go nuclear?

4. Last but not least, most of you should know ER has come to an end. I starting watching ER since season 7, so the end of ER is a sad news to me. But it's been a while I haven't watched any ER episode (probably since season 13, when most of the original crew had left and some irritating casts came). What's sadder, though, was that Abby left the ER some point in the last season. Her last episode is a sad one.

I don't need an iPad (yet)
January 29, 2010

So, iPad was officially announced yesterday (hong kong time). It was quite a surprise to me, not in the same way I expected though. Given that Apple labelled the iPad as a netbook killer, I expected so much more of it. I didn't envision any detail though, because I thought the iPad was going to be like the iPhone launched a few years ago, being a whole new device, bringing an entirely new experience that no one would have been able to envision. Instead, the iPad is just a big iPod touch, no multi-tasking, no communication with other devices, no ability to occasionally run desktop-class app (like photoshop) on the go. This is what I expect what a netbook can do - not too powerful, but being an ultra-portable computer that can handle work any time with a compromised performance.

Well, I still have hopes in the new apple device though, because over time the developers will be able to make use of its performance and create more powerful apps. But right now, I really don't need an iPad. I do need a new notebook though, and a new iPhone, which I maintain will be launched on June 28.

* * *
There are other exciting things yesterday though. (But iPad is still given the top priority because, you know, it's Apple.) Like ODTP key skills, which I passed. And the high table in the evening, which was joined by Lee Shau Kee. For your information, I was the MC, and luckily, no major embarrassment occured.

A fun and eventful day
January 26, 2010

My tutoring is canceled today, but that in no way diminished the joyful events today.

Irene, a hall tutor, invited all dental hallmates for lunch at a 私房菜. People from all five years were present. This created an odd combination as we left PP. But the lunch itself was very nice, and it was not too odd when we sat there.

And then I went to haircut. I'm still cut by Dickson, but given he's not working at Esprit anymore, I had to go back to FW, the same shop, but a different salon. It was cosy, and Dickson again gave me discount. What's interesting is that every time when it was an under-training guy who gels my hair, he'd try to produce the a very high profile style. But then his styling has to be approved by Dickson. This somehow resembles our work at the clinic which has to be examined by our tutors, doesn't it?

And then as I went back to hall, I bumped into Natural, who asked, "Have you got enough patients lately?"
"Yes now that I have a remedial course," I answered.
"Why is that related to remedial course?"
"Because I need to work on the model and make a new denture on one of the polyclinic sessions."
"..."
"..."

It's really a ridiculous thing, isn't it? I've got enough patients because I now have one less clinical session.. And if they really think we're not up to standard for RPD, why don't they let us work on real patients asap so that we can practice?

Sick of being sick
January 25, 2010

As most of you know, I've not been feeling well for a couple of days. I went to see a second doctor yesterday, but still not Dr. Fernando. I have more confidence in Dr. Fernando, but I hope that this doctor's medicine still works for me.

My life is still filled with rage. While my mood is constantly spoilt by the stupid RPD remedial, I'm also occupied by all sort of stuff: key skills on thurs, high table (also on thurs), tutoring, readings, … I can hardly find time for my own, well, spiritual growth. What kind of spiritual growth do you need, Kevin? Well, like reading - non-academical stuff. Or blogging. But I guess until I've finished all those stupid essays, I'm not going to find myself free again.

Btw, this is nice.

Exam, RPD remedial
January 18, 2010

One good news, one bad news. For me, I always choose to listen to the good news first. So, here it is: I passed my exam.

And the bad news? Since I was not feeling well and did not attend the RPD remedial test, I'm required to finish some work within this semester. What are they? To start with, we (five of us) will be deprived of one polyclinic session and fool around with a model mounted on an articulator in the clinic. And we'll make a new denture for that model (the whole process comprises 12 steps, and I expect it needs at least 5 weeks to finish. Second, we're asked to write seven pieces of essay; topics comprises the following:

1. Write an essay on impression trays in dentistry
2. List the factors affecting the accuracy of study casts
3. Surveying for RPD
4. Write an essay on support in RPD
5. List the causes of casting errors in RPD
6. Laboratory procedures in minimizing processing errors of acrylic resins
7. Assessment and adjustment of RPD occlusion

Question. 1) I suppose the RPD I made in sim lab was acceptable. Why am I required to sacrifice five clinical sessions to make one more stupid RPD? 2) Have they considered losing five clinical sessions means a lot for a student? And it's also against the patients' benefits. 3) We're required to write essays on those seven items to pass this course. Fine. But for those of you who "passed" previously, do you really understand those seven topics? Do you have a very thorough understanding on impression trays, support in RPD, and so on? Ask yourself and answer that honestly. And am I not having those knowledge? I bet the level of understanding is similar for all of us. We haven't touched any patient requiring RPD. And I bet once we've begun doing so, we'll be aware of the clinically important things. Writing seven pieces of essay and doing the simulation work we've already been graded satisfactory do nothing good for our patient management.

My point is that I only didn't attend one surveying test, what's the rationale behind depriving me of my precious learning time? As I've said very long time ago, RPD sucks.

Not quite ready for school yet
January 11, 2010

When you look at the time I sleep, you'd notice that I'm not quite ready for school yet. Well, I know 4 out of 5 school days this semester start at 9, but I'm just not ready to adjust my sleeping time to facilitate for waking up early. Is it just me or all of you feel the same?

One thing I've accomplished is that I've turned my desk back into order. Now it's somehow less messy. (And another random pix is attached. Isn't that cake, though unfinished, nice?)

I've had enough
January 10, 2010

Checking facebook, browsing through my friends' albums, I begin to wonder: why is my life so different from others? During the past Christmas break, my friends and I had been spending time differently. Some of my friends went to Shangri La (the real place, not hotel), some of them went everywhere and relax and had fun, some of them went to develop their interests; even if they were not having a spectacular moment, they relaxed themselves and soothed their souls by doing abso-fuckin'-lutely nothing. What seems an essential part of university life to many is never going to happen to us, dental students. In December, I had been panicking, studying endless hours, eating at CC Canteen again and again, and again, drinking countless cups of coffee. This basically shapes every part of my life before exam. Oh ya, I finally got some time to rest - a generous period of 4 days, which ends today. What do we got next week? A relaxing start-of-semester week? No. No, next week's going to be tough.

Browsing through K&C's archives, you may begin to ask yourself: why January has always been so gloomy? What is even worse is that if the previous Januaries had been gloomy, this one is pathetically hopeless.

Exam has passed
January 9, 2010

Sorry for not updating since 1/1. You guys should know that I my exam didn't finish until Jan 6. I guess this justifies the fact that I haven't been updating..

I haven't utilized every minute I saved though. In general, studying has been very slow, despite that holiday season has passed. I haven't studied a lot for exam, but for RPD's question I guess it wouldn't make a difference if I had studied more on that - you wouldn't expect questions about "glass transition temperature", "fovea palatini", etc.. Well, let's hope that Kevin Chan will not fail in this exam.

Another thing that struck me is that my router at home somehow can't connect to the Internet. Wired connection is fine though.. What shall I do?

Welcome to the future
January 1, 2010

Why future? Well, don't you think "2010" sounds very future? When I was young, and the year was 199x, I always wondered what would it be like in 201x. Now I know.. Anyway the future is now.. Although this sounds philosophical, it is a fact.

Well, it's new year now, but we're still doing something old, like studying RPD.. Even more unfortunate is that we're depending on a textbook written more than 20 years ago, in the 80s. C'mon, it's the future now, why can't we do something more interesting?

No matter what, my short-term new year wish is to pass this exam, and a longer-term one would be to graduate on schedule.

Happy new decade.

PS There's been (53347-51201) 2146 visits in Dec 2009, or 74 visits per day. Wut? 74? Thanks anyway..