I am brightangel79 and not what ever other angel!

I am brightangel79 and not what ever other angel!

"A Letter to Sir James Murray"

"A Letter to Sir James Murray" is a book illustrates the research output of an ordinary lecturer, Ms. Wong Hui Shin who has spent her life to understand  a few collection of voices from low values individuals.  These low values individuals are frustrated and angry about some words in Oxford Dictionary.  A list of riots happened.  A revolution of new era definitions of some words are defined.  Who are these low values individuals?  What were their words?  Why are these people frustrated and angry after learning some new words?  The social impacts and the perspective of low values individuals should be corrected.  Helps are needed.  A new charity organization is formed.  Ms. Wong Hui Shin!  She is the founder.  What is the charity organization?

Be patient!  A new book about this charity organization is coming.

Book Author:  Ms. Wong Hui Shin/ Hui-Shin Wong

My Consultation Hours

You may look for me in my office (BR 1016, Faculty of Computing and Informatics, Multimedia University, Cyberjaya, Selangor, Malaysia) from 9.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. every Tuesday or you can call to my office, +603-8312 5212 or my hand phone number +6013-390 1399; +6 012-298 2298.  

My first novel: "Amore: The Indication of Civilization of 22nd Century" is called for a delay of publication

I am not able to publish my first novel:  "Amore: The Indication of Civilization of 22nd Century" on time.  I would like to say sorry to all of you.  I shall inform you when the book is ready.      

Beautiful

I asked him, "Why do you say that I am beautiful?  The people around me never say that I am a beautiful woman."

He said, "A woman who can eat a lot is very beautiful.  You eat a lot.  I say you are beautiful."

I said, "Thank you!"  

Japan Rail Pass

If you wish to visit Japan, you may consider Japan Rail Pass!
 

Another blog which I had lost the password.

Hi there,

This is a blog about "Sunshine Little Kitchen" which I had lost my password.  I would like to update it, but, I can't.

http://sunshinelittlekitchen.blogspot.com/

I had modified the cover page and changed the back cover with different words.  Kindly view the latest outlook.  It must have a Author House logo for International Edition.  The kindle edition is another outlook.  Kindly read my blog posts.  So far, I only have International Edition and Kindle Edition Only.    

regards,
Ms. Wong Hui Shin 

Pebble Beach Car Show 2012

I was in Carmel.  

Age

I am 33 years old this year.  I born in year 1979.  I am a librian.  

Wise! Are you wise?

"What is wise?"  It is another Ph.D. topic in communication.  Are you wise?

"Sunshine Little Kitchen" in Waterstones Book Stores

You can get a hard copy of my book, "Sunshine Little Kitchen" in any Waterstones Book Stores. 

http://www.waterstonesmarketplace.com/booksearch?qsort&page=1&matches=4&isbn=9781467889643&full=1

"Sunshine Little Kitchen" is available in Public and Private Libraries

You may borrow a copy of my book, "Sunshine Little Kitchen" in any Public and Private Library in United States of America and United Kingdom. If you can not find one at this moment, please request a Book Requisition Form from the Library Administration Office. Fill in following details about my book. 

Book Name: Sunshine Little Kitchen
Author: Hui-Shin Wong or Wong Hui Shin
Published: 6/20/2012

Format: Perfect Bound Soft Cover
Pages: 168
Size: 6x9
ISBN: 978-1-46788-964-3
Publisher: Author House

The libraries may need 30-60 days to purchase the book(s), process them and place them on the library shelves.

Be patient! "Sunshine Little Kitchen"!

Some working groups are working on the library purchasing in Australia, New Zealand and other countries. You may fill in the Book Requisition Form in any library in your country, so that the library administrative will contact the publisher.

Thank you.

"Sunshine Little Kitchen" Nook Edition

My book, "Sunshine Little Kitchen" is available in Nook Books, http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sunshine-little-kitchen-hui-shin-wong/1111726044?ean=9781477214602

You may buy a hard copy of my book in any Barnes and Noble book stores in United States of America.  I need your support.  Thank you!  

"Sunshine Little Kitchen" Kindle Edition

"Sunshine Little Kitchen" Kindle Edition has a new cover page!  You may also borrow this book from Kindle Owners' Lending Library.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00942WZI0

"Sunshine Little Kitchen" Kindle Edition is available in India, United States of America, France, United Kingdom, China, Japan, Germany, Italy and Spain.

I need your comments for my book.  Thank you.

  

Travelation: More Flights. Lowest Price, guaranteed.

Los Angeles Welcome Party at Howl at the Moon!

I am in California, United States of America now.    

To everyone especially those who are in Los Angeles now, I will host a party for 100 guests in Howl at the Moon, Universal City Walk, 1000 University Studio Blvd, University City, California on this Saturday (18th August 2012). I will be there at 7.00 p.m.. I would everyone who enjoy Los Angeles to join the party.  You need not to pay any cover charge from any happy hours until 9.00 p.m on this Saturday and you will be able to get 2 drinks for USD 1 each until 9.00 p.m.. Just walk at the reception and mention that you are Hui-Shin Wong's guest(s) or you can say that you are the Malaysian Book Author's guest(s). All are welcome! Let's enjoy a night with musics and interaction. I do not have 100 friends in Los Angeles, but, I wish that I can start to build the friendship now. The party is just for music, good drinks and friendship. All singles or married couples are welcome!  I have 100 pax capacity for the night.  Cover charge is taking care.  

Let's meet!  
See you there!

regards, 
Hui-Shin Wong 
Book Author 

  

What is the post-mortem of "Sunshine Little Kitchen"?

It is an interview session to find out what God has led the Malaysian Footprint blog creator and "Sunshine Little Kitchen" author, Ms. Wong Hui Shin to work for a better community and a better world.

Q:  Congratulations!  Your first book, "Sunshine Little Kitchen" is on sales on www.authorhouse.co.uk and amazon.com.  I know that you spend more than 10 years to make it happen.  What do you feel?  

Hui-Shin:  I am really glad to land on my first step of my dream.  It was a lot of efforts, persistency, continuously support from various parties.  I am really happy about my book although I have spent some unexpected money.  You may know more about my book "Sunshine Little Kitchen" from my facebook page, www.facebook.com/huishinwong 

Q:  What is your dream?  

Hui-Shin:  I have numerous of dreams.  My dreams are big.  I am going to illustrate one of my dreams related to "Sunshine Little Kitchen".  It is a community service, charity portal or something to give back to the society.  I am working on it since year 2000.  I would illustrate how would I make my dream a reality step-by-step.

Q:  Tell us more.  

Hui-Shin:  First, I would expect to gather fund from the sales of the "Sunshine Little Kitchen" International Edition to publish the "Sunshine Little Kitchen" Asia Edition (Chinese and English version).  The idea is to have Asia Edition because the International Edition is far expensive than what the majority Asian readers' expectation.  I would want all Asian to get a copy as the bible to alert them that some people are just having an ugly heart, ego and jealous.  They just like to take advantages of others.  The bible, "Sunshine Little Kitchen" is a contact point for those who have a dream or any problems to voice up their words through my email address.  The response of the email address would be able to advise them accordingly, so that they can solve their problems and walk near to their dreams.  

Q:  Why is it the response of the email address?  Are you saying that you will not reply the emails personally?    

Hui-Shin:  I will invite a group of panels who are eligible to go through these problems and dreams.  I will forward the email to the panels, so that the response of the incoming emails will be a collection of fair views and not personal responses.  The idea is to encourage all people in developing countries particularly those people from rural areas to start dreaming.  Also, it is a portal for these people to voice up their problems.  All incoming emails and responses are confidential, but, we would like to request for permission to publish their dreams and their problems in Malaysian Footprint Magazine to work as an educational program/ material.

Q:  Malaysian Footprint Magazine?  Can you illustrate more?  

Hui-Shin:  Malaysian Footprint (www.malaysianfootprint.blogspot.com) is a blog which is started in January 2008.  My initiate plan was to make it as a communication portal with all my friends in Malaysia and overseas because I was always busy and one can hardly talk to me without a prior appointment.  Thus, I would like to write them into words, so that my friends would read my feelings and thinking, later, they can query and verify my feelings and thinking through emails, SMSs or phone calls.  Later and sooner, the Malaysian Footprint blog acts as a reading portal to the public, so that the stories illustration evolves readers' mindset to a globally thinker and not only a person who would like to follow others without thinking.  My research related to communication and miscommunication leads to one of the sentences: "See Think, Enlighten, then Follow (S.T.E.F.) http://malaysianfootprint.blogspot.com/2010/06/asianoffbeat-weird-stuff-straight-out.html".  The blog is also my objective to bridge the gap between poor and the rich, the intelligence and the ordinary, the masters and the slaves, the local graduates and the overseas graduates, the easterners and the westerners, the IT-savvy and non-IT savvy individuals.  I hope to extend my blog to a Monthly Magazine, i.e. Malaysian Footprint Magazine.  I would like to gather my Magazine start-up fund from 30% of the sales of my book "Sunshine Little Kitchen". 

Q:  "Sunshine Little Kitchen".  Can you tell us more?  

Hui-Shin:  "Sunshine Little Kitchen (ISBN: 978-1-4678-8964-3)" is a book which illustrates a miscommunication puzzle.  It contains no maps and no treasures, but, a list of words for wisdom from ten short traveling stories.  These ten stories are product of my personal traveling experience in three hundred and sixty five days over ten years around the world.

Q:  "Sunshine Little Kitchen" also sounds like food.  Do you have something to say about food?

Hui-Shin:  Yes, it is related to food.  In my book, I have illustrated a list of food from various countries.  I would like to use the 30% of the net sales income from my book to setup a pay as you wish restaurant.  The restaurant will serve buffet style and A La-Carte style.  All the food mentioned in my book will be listed in the menu of my restaurants.  It comprises Thai food, Japanese food, Korean food, Western food, Mediterranean food and Malaysian food.  

Q:  Pay as you wish?  Do you plan to make a lost for your restaurant?  

Hui-Shin:  Well, I would say it is a charity related restaurant chain.  My customers can pay RM 1, RM 10, RM 100 or RM 2000 for a meal in my restaurants.  I do not expect to make a profit.  I just hope that my restaurants have a break-even.  If it is a profitable restaurant chain, I would say all those profit will go to "Dr. Wong Foundation Fellowship". 

Q:  Restaurant chain?  Tell us more! 

Hui-Shin:  I would like to start my first "Sunshine Little Kitchen" restaurant in Malaysia.  Later, I would like to expand it to other countries.  I do not have the exact road map for my restaurants' expansion, but, I know that it is a restaurant for all people from different social ranking to have a chance to taste the food from all over the world.  Some people can never have a chance to eat Japanese food.  I would say my restaurants are a way for them to eat the food and at the same time knowing more about the culture from different countries.  The restaurants will have a performance stage.  There will have a specific cultural performance featured in my restaurants every month.  I want those people who visited my restaurants to experience the ambiance like of being in another country with the performance and the decoration of my restaurants.         

Q:  Can you illustrate further what is "Dr. Wong Foundation Fellowship"?  

Hui-Shin:  "Dr. Wong Foundation Fellowship" or "Dr. Wong Fellowship" is set up verbally in year 2000 and online in year 2007.  It is an imitated version of Thomas J.Watson Foundation Fellowship for non-Americans.  I am the first recipient of "Dr. Wong Fellowship".  I set up the fellowship and I grant it for myself.  It is a fellowship set up to encourage the recipient(s) to travel inside and outside his/ her own country in a year duration to enhance his/ her capability to be more open, resourceful and humane.  The 30% of the net sales income from my book "Sunshine Little Kitchen" will go to "Dr. Wong Foundation Fellowship".  Each of the fellowship award worth RM 13,999.90.  It can be a minimum of one and maximum of five fellowships granted each year to all eligible youth under 21 years old except Americans.  The fellowship will grant all Malaysians for the award(s) for first ten years and slowly, it will open to the citizens in other developing countries, and, later, the citizens in developed countries except Americans.  I will register the "Dr. Wong Foundation" officially once the 30% of my net sales income of my book achieve the minimum amount of a Foundation or a charity organisation set up fund in Malaysia.  

Q:  How about the 10% of your net sales income of your book, Sunshine Little Kitchen?  

Hui-Shin:  I will keep the 10% of the net sales income of my book, "Sunshine Little Kitchen" as my personal wealth.  I will hardly become another millionaire like J. K Rowling because all my sales income will go for charity first.         

Q:  I read about all your posts in your blog.  "Are you my soul mate, I am looking for you? (http://malaysianfootprint.blogspot.com/2008/11/are-you-my-soul-mate-i-am-looking-for.html)" which posted in November 2008 drew my attention.  I would say you are one in millions.  I want to know more about that.  Are you still single?  

Hui-Shin:  Yes, I am still single.  I would add in 3 criteria of my dream man besides what I have posted in the blog post in November 2008.  1)  He must be able to give me the sense of security.  2) He must able to give me the sense of belonging, and, 3) He must support and admire what I want to do in my life in all ways or either ways; financially, spiritually, emotionally, socially and physically.

Q:  I wish that your dream man will approach you soon.  Oh yes, how about your Lamboghini's dream?  

Hui-Shin:  Oh!  It is a secret for myself actually.  I revealed it just recently.  When I was a student in Penang in 1998, I created my first web pages as my college assignment.  It is a group assignment with my university mate, Stella Eng.  I vowed loudly to hope that I will marry a man who will give me a Lamborghini as my birthday present during our marriage.  I never state when I want a Lamborghini while I do not mind to have it in my 60's.  Of course, I wish my husband can flourish in all his undertakings, so that, he can buy me one.  

Q:  Interesting!  You are a fan of Lamborghini.  How about a Ferrari?  

Hui-Shin:  Well, I believe I will have the ability to buy one Ferrari for myself.  I do not know when is the time, but, I believe that I am capable to do so after I have done all the social responsibilities.        

Q:  Thank you, Hui-Shin.  Do you have any words for your readers and anyone in the public?  

Hui-Shin: I wish that my readers will spread their words about what I want to do for a better community and a better world.  I hope that my readers will buy at least a book to support my dreams.  I would encourage and accept government funding, external donation and corporate fund to start and maintain Sunshine Little Kitchen restaurants, Malaysian Footprint magazine and Dr. Wong Foundation and its Fellowship.  I would encourage those talents (writers, journalists, people in Service Industry, Food and Beverage Industry and Stage and Art performance industry) who plan to work with me to send me their resume, so that we can work together for a better community and better world.      

Q:  I am sure your dreams will come true.  

Hui-Shin:  Thank you.  May you have a wonderful day.      

Responsiple

Responsible is a very important value for every individual to flourish in a domain knowledge.  It is also an important value for a relationship.  Two ways communication is always the coolest.  Without a 2 ways communication, i.e. without asking questions and verifying questions and answers session, a communication will not be established.

You can always take the attention of a communication by saying, "Hey!  I need your attention.  Can I ask you some questions?"  If the person still not listening.  You may shout another time, "Hey!  I really need your attention, can you listen to me?"

Communication break down mainly an individual is ego, not responsible and trying to escape from a responsibility.  A lot of times, a communication breaks down due to one party is not willing to talk.

When you know that one party is not willing to communicate, then, you would generally make a conclusion that he is trying to escape from his responsibility or he is really busy.

When you are really busy, please inform the other party that you are busy and set a day for the discussion always to eliminate the any miscommunication happened.

In fact, there is no such word of miscommunication in the dictionary, it is only the way of people thinking is far different from one and another.  Thus, it is always effective to have communication.

"Sunshine Little Kitchen", my first book illustrates the causes and solution of miscommunication with many traveling journey.        

I hate people who are not responsible after he did something.  According to Oxford Advanced Learner's English-Chinese Dictionary, responsible means legally and morally obliged , example to take care of somebody or something or to carry out a duty and liable to be blamed if one fails.

My first book publication!

My book, Sunshine Little Kitchen International Edition (ISBN: 978-1-4678-8964-3) is available for sales now. I need your support to buy my book at www.authorhouse.co.ukor www.amazon.com.  Kindly like my page at www.facebook.com/huishinwong
. Thank you.

Teach Your Child How to Think

Today's kids have life-and-death choices to make.

Are you going to wait until schools start to teach thinking directly to your children? That may be too late. Thinking is the most fundamental of human skills but education does very little about it. Where is 'thinking' in the curriculum?

The belief that intelligence and thinking are the same has led to some unfortunate conclusions:

Students with high intelligence are automatically good thinkers.
Students with low intelligence can never be good thinkers.
The more information you have the smarter you are.
Wisdom can't be taught...it comes with age and experience.
Our increasingly complicated lifestyle demands clear and constructive thinking: making decisions, making choices, taking initiatives, and being creative. Watching television for twenty to thirty hours a week, as many children do, results in a passive mind that can only copy what others are doing (including drugs, sex and violence). Give your child a better chance in life. Thinking is a skill....even a superior brain is wasted without it. You can start to teach your child how to think now.

With examples, exercises, games, and drawings, Dr de Bono, a Rhodes scholar and leading authority on the direct teaching of thinking, demonstrates the difference between intelligence and thinking, and provides a step-by-step method for helping children develop clear and constructive thinking. Even one or two thinking habits taken from his book and given to your children may strongly affect their life.

Edward De Bono's CoRT programme is the most widely used international method of direct teaching of thinking in schools.

Source (http://www.edwdebono.com/debono/tyc.htm)

The Cherry Tree

Kindly check one of the legends and stories of George Washington, "The Cherry Tree." It is a very meaningful stories and I like it very much.

http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/presidents-day/george-washington/short-stories/the-cherry-tree.html

When "the father of his country", George Washington was younger, he accidentally copped his father's favorite tree, the cherry tree. His father was angry when he knew that the tree was copped. He would like to know the mischievous person who has copped his tree.

When he reached home and said with an angry face and angry voice, "George, do you know who has killed my beautiful little cherry tree? "

It was a very hard question. George Washington cried, "I can not tell a lie. Father, you know I can not tell a lie! I did cut your tree with my little hatchet."

The anger died out. His father took George to his arm and he said, "My son, you should not afraid to tell the truth. I am very glad to have you as my son. Your value to tell the truth is better than having 1000 trees. "

"You make a mistake.  I forgive you.  We should forgive everyone who make a mistake and his intention to change to become better."

I am impressed and I always follow the rules of thumb to work for a better world. Somehow, in reality, especially when you have grown up, you have to talk politically and you have to tell white lies to be free from dangers.

Through my experiences, telling the truth will bring risks and disaster for myself because some of the powerful people not happy to listen to the truth. I need to choose either to keep quiet or talk politically.

Let's go through the story. Assuming that it is at these modern days and the situation is not applying to father and son.

Assume that it is a stranger's and another stranger's story.

There are many possibilities.

1) The tree owner kept quiet because he had many things to do. He did not want to find out who has cut the tree. He just forgive and forget.

2) The tree owner asked around, but, no one answered. The one who cut the tree keep quiet.

Do you know the whole situation or scenario, so that you can judge correctly?

If you know something about an individual, will you verify with them?

One is not wrong till he/ she has found guilty in a court session.

Hey people! It is time to improve ourselves. Stop, being a busy body!

You shouldn't not comment anything when a case is not call for hearings.

Notes On The PhD Degree

Last week at the department colloquium coffee hour, several students engaged the faculty in a discussion about our Ph.D. program. It became clear that many of the students did not understand the basics; they were surprised at some of the questions and confused by some of the answers.
These notes provide basic information about the purpose of a Ph.D. program in an attempt to help students decide whether to pursue a Ph.D. degree.

---

The Basics

A Doctor of Philosophy degree, abbreviated Ph.D., is the highest academic degree anyone can earn. Because earning a Ph.D. requires extended study and intense intellectual effort, less than one percent of the population attains the degree. Society shows respect for a person who holds a Ph.D. by addressing them with the title ``Doctor''.
To earn a Ph.D., one must accomplish two things. First, one must master a specific subject completely. Second, one must extend the body of knowledge about that subject.

Mastering A Subject

To master a subject, a student searches the published literature to find and read everything that has been written about the subject. In scientific disciplines, a student begins by studying general reference works such as text books. Eventually, the student must also search scholarly journals, the publications that scientists use to exchange information and record reports of their scientific investigations.
Each university establishes general guidelines that a student must follow to earn a Ph.D. degree, and each college or department within a university sets specific standards by which it measures mastery of a subject. Usually, in preparing for Ph.D. work in a given field, a student must earn both a Bachelor's and Master's degree (or their equivalent) in that field or in a closely related field. To demonstrate complete mastery of the subject, a student may be required to complete additional graduate-level courses, maintain a high grade average, or take a battery of special examinations. In many institutions, students must do all three.
Because examinations given as part of a Ph.D. curriculum assess expert knowledge, they are created and evaluated by a committee of experts, each of whom holds a Ph.D. degree.

Extending Knowledge

The essence of a Ph.D., the aspect that distinguishes Ph.D. study from other academic work, can be summarized in a single word: research. To extend knowledge, one must explore, investigate, and contemplate. The scientific community uses the term research to capture the idea.
In scientific disciplines, research often implies experimentation, but research is more than mere experiments -- it means interpretation and deep understanding. For Computer Scientists, research means searching to uncover the principles that underlie digital computation and communication. A researcher must discover new techniques that aid in building or using computational mechanisms. Researchers look for new abstractions, new approaches, new algorithms, new principles, or new mechanisms.
To complete a Ph.D., each student must present results from their research to the faculty in a lengthy, formal document called a dissertation (more popularly referred to as a thesis). The student must then submit their dissertation to the faculty and defend their work an oral examination.

Relationship To Products

In some cases, the results of scientific research can be used to develop new products or improve those that exist. However, scientists do not use commercial success or potential commercial profits as a measure of their work; they conduct investigations to further human understanding and the body of knowledge humans have compiled. Often, the commercial benefits of scientific research are much greater in the long-term than in the short-term.

Research Activities

Computer Science research can include such diverse activities as designing and building new computer systems, proving mathematical theorems, writing computer software, measuring the performance of a computer system, using analytical tools to assess a design, or studying the errors programmers make as they build a large software system. Because a researcher chooses the activities appropriate to answer each question that arises in a research investigation, and because new questions arise as an investigation proceeds, research activities vary from project to project and over time in a single project. A researcher must be prepared to use a variety of approaches and tools.

A Few Questions To Ask

Many of you are trying to decide whether to pursue a Ph.D. degree. Here are a few questions you might ask yourself.

1. Do you want a research career?

Before enrolling in a Ph.D. program, you should carefully consider your long-term goals. Because earning a Ph.D. is training for research, you should ask yourself whether a research position is your long-term goal. If it is, a Ph.D. degree is the standard path to your chosen career (a few people have managed to obtain a research position without a Ph.D., but they are the exception, not the rule). If, however, you want a non-research career, a Ph.D. is definitely not for you.

2. Do you want an academic position?

A Ph.D. is the de facto ``union card'' for an academic position. Although it is possible to obtain an academic position without a Ph.D., the chances are low. Major universities (and most colleges) require each member of their faculty to hold a Ph.D. and to engage in research activities. Why? To insure that the faculty have sufficient expertise to teach advanced courses and to force faculty to remain current in their chosen field. The U.S. State Department diplomatic protocol ranks the title ``professor'' higher than the title ``doctor''. It does so in recognition of academic requirements: most professors hold a Ph.D., but not all people who hold a Ph.D. degree are professors.

3. Do you have what it takes?

It is difficult for an individual to assess their own capabilities. The following guidelines and questions may be of help.

Intelligence:

In your college and graduate courses, were you closer to the top of your class or the bottom? How well did you do on the GRE or other standardized tests?

Time:

Are you prepared to tackle a project larger than any you have undertaken before? You must commit to multiple years of hard work. Are you willing to reduce or forego other activities?

Creativity:

Research discoveries often arise when one looks at old facts in a new way. Do you shine when solving problems? Do you like ``brain teasers'' and similar puzzles? Are you good at solving them? In school, did you find advanced mathematics enjoyable or difficult?

Intense curiosity:

Have you always been compelled to understand the world around you and to find out how things work? A natural curiosity makes research easier. Did you fulfill minimum requirements or explore further on your own?

Adaptability:

Most students are unprepared for Ph.D. study. They find it unexpectedly different than course work. Suddenly thrust into a world in which no one knows the answers, students sometimes flounder. Can you adapt to new ways of thinking? Can you tolerate searching for answers even when no one knows the precise questions?

Self-motivation:

By the time a student finishes an undergraduate education, they have become accustomed to receiving grades for each course each semester. In a Ph.D. program, work is not divided neatly into separate courses, professors do not partition tasks into little assignments, and the student does not receive a grade for each small step. Are you self-motivated enough to keep working toward a goal without day-to-day encouragement?

Competitiveness:

If you choose to enroll in a Ph.D. program, you will compete with others at the top. More important, once you graduate, your peers will include some of the brightest people in the world. You will be measured and judged in comparison to them. Are you willing to compete at the Ph.D. level?

Maturity:

Compared to coursework, which is carefully planned by a teacher, Ph.D. study has less structure. You will have more freedom to set your own goals, determine your daily schedule, and follow interesting ideas. Are you prepared to accept the responsibility that accompanies the additional freedoms? Your success or failure in Ph.D. research depends on it.

A few warnings:

Students sometimes enroll in a Ph.D. program for the wrong reasons. After a while, such students find that the requirements overwhelm them. Before starting one should realize that a Ph.D. is not:

Prestigious in itself

Almost everyone who has obtained a Ph.D. is proud of their efforts and the result. However, you should understand that once you graduate, you will work among a group of scientists who each hold a Ph.D. degree. (One faculty member used to chide arrogant graduate students by saying, ``I don't see why you think it's such a great accomplishment -- all my friends have a Ph.D!'').

A guarantee of respect for all your opinions

Many students believe that once they earn a Ph.D. people will automatically respect all their opinions. You will learn, however, that few people assume a Ph.D. in one subject automatically makes you an authority on others. It is especially true in the science communicaty; respect must be earned.

A goal in itself

A Ph.D. degree prepares you for research. If all you want is a diploma to hang on the wall, there are much easier ways to obtain one. After you graduate, you will have occasion to compare your record of accomplishment to those of other scientists. You will realize that what counts is the research work accumulated after a scientist finishes their formal education.

A job guarantee

When an economy slows, everyone can suffer. In fact, some companies reduce research before they reduce production, making Ph.D.s especially vulnerable. Furthermore, once a person earns a Ph.D., many companies will not hire that person for a non-research position. As in most professions, continued employment depends on continued performance.

A practical way to impress your family or friends

Your mother may be proud and excited when you enroll in a Ph.D. program. After all, she imagines that she will soon be able to brag about her child, ``the doctor.'' However, a desire to impress others is insufficient motivation for the effort required.

Something you can ``try'' to find out how smart you are

Sorry, but it just doesn't work that way. Unless you make a total commitment, you will fail. You will need to work long hours, face many disappointments, stretch your mental capabilities, and learn to find order among apparently chaotic facts. Unless you have adopted the long-range goal of becoming a researcher, the day-to-day demands will wear you down. Standards will seem unnecessary high; rigor will seem unwarranted. If you only consider it a test, you will eventually walk away.

The only research topic you will ever pursue

Many students make the mistake of viewing their Ph.D. topic as a research area for life. They assume each researcher only works in one area, always pursues the same topic within that area, and always uses the same tools and approaches. Experienced researchers know that new questions arise constantly, and that old questions can become less interesting as time passes or new facts are discovered. The best people change topics and areas. It keeps them fresh and stimulates thinking. Plan to move on; prepare for change.

Easier than entering the work force

You will find that the path to successful completion of a Ph.D. becomes much steeper after you begin. The faculty impose constraints on your study, and do not permit unproductive students to remain in the program.

Better than the alternatives

For many students, a Ph.D. can be a curse. They must choose between being at the top among people who hold a Masters degree or being a mediocre researcher. The faculty sometimes advise students that they must choose between being ``captain of the B team'' or a ``benchwarmer'' on the A team. Everyone must decide what they want, and which profession will stimulate them most. But students should be realistic about their capabilities. If you really cannot determine where you stand, ask faculty members.

A way to make more money

While we haven't heard any statistics for the past couple of years, graduate students used to estimate the ``payoff'' using the starting salaries of Ph.D. and M.S. positions, the average time required to obtain a Ph.D., the value of stock options, and current return on investments. For a period of at least five years that we know, the payoff was clearly negative. Suffice it to say that one must choose research because one loves it; a Ph.D. is not the optimum road to wealth.

The good news:

Despite all our warnings, we are proud that we earned Ph.D. degrees and proud of our research accomplishments. If you have the capability and interest, a research career can bring rewards unequaled in any other profession. You will meet and work with some of the brightest people on the planet. You will reach for ideas beyond your grasp, and in so doing extend your intellectual capabilities. You will solve problems that have not been solved before. You will explore concepts that have not been explored. You will uncover principles that change the way people use computers.

The joy of research:

A colleague summed up the way many researchers feel about their profession. When asked why he spent so many hours in the lab, he noted that the alternatives were to go home, where he would do the same things that millions of others were doing, or to work in his lab, where he could discover things that no other human had ever discovered. The smile on his face told the story: for him, working on research was sheer joy.
Source: http://www.cs.purdue.edu/homes/dec/essay.phd.html

Being Superficial

"It might not be true to say that those who has never gone through challenges, attacks and obstacles will think very superficially." ~ Ms. Wong Hui Shin

Make A Difference

“The world is not interested in what we do for a living. What they are interested in is what we have to offer freely - hope, strength, love and the power to make a difference! ”

—Sasha Azevedo
(1978-); Entertainer

Quote of the day from The Foundation For a Better Life

“What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. These are but trifles, to be sure; but scattered along life's pathway, the good they do is inconceivable.”


Joseph Addison (1672-1719);
English essayist, poet, playwright and politician.

Grammar Checker

If you need someone to edit your grammar for a piece of writing, you may try www.grammarly.com.  

"Family" Talks

18th March 2008, the St. Patrick's Day was celebrated at Trafalgar Square yesterday. About twenty of  my "family" members were there for the celebration. I did not turn up as promised because a friend from Malaysia suddenly gave me a visit on that day.  I apologized to my "family" members for not able to join the fun. Well, I hoped that I had not disappointed anyone. Happy St. Patrick's Day!

The "family" members were not related to each others, however, we were living under a same roof, a five-story building in central London. We were from different parts of the world. The people who were living here were family oriented and quality individuals. We normally would have our snack time in front of a TV around 9.00 p.m. everyday. We were very close to each other, and we shared our daily stories, food and something interesting about our countries. It was interesting enough! We just treated everyone like brothers and sisters. We had different education qualification. We were lawyers, associate professors, real estate agents, medical doctors, world travellers, students, cooks, waitress, drivers, cleaners, programmers, nurses and many others.  We were young!  It was a combination of graduates from the Ivy Leagues universities to high school dropped out. We were international compatible, having dreams, and we were fluent in English.

We had only a few Asians. We had only one Indian, one Malaysian, one Filipino and two Koreans. The Asians were normally quiet at a communication period except the Malaysian and the Indian. The popular communicators were the German, the Australian, the Canadian, the Italian, the Portugal, the Danish and the Belarusian. We had a few South African, Spanish, American and French. The "family" talks were not gossip, however, we exchanged ideas and cultures to know more about our country and ourselves. It was all about friendship. We had fairy tales, the success stories, Oxford University, Microsoft, Law, London Police Force, our family background, our parents, European Union, the country politics and etc.

The fairy tales started with Prince Charles and Princess Diana, the Denmark's Crown Prince Frederik and his Australian wife, Mary Elizabeth Donaldson, the Malaysian Princess and the French and .......

"Go! Mary! Go! Go! Mary," said the Australian. The Australians were very supportive on Mary and the Danish Prince's marriage. "They met at a Pub and Mary did not know that he was a Prince. All Australians  were very proud of her, a Tasmania lady," he continued.

We moved on to St. Peter's college, Jesus College and Trinity College at Oxford University. A handful of them graduated from there in Law, Art History, Geography, Philosophy, Politics and Economics.

"How did you guys get into Oxford? It is amazing, right? I just wonder what food you guys eat every day.  How can you be so smart?  I want to attend schools in Oxford too," said the Canadian.

"What are you eating? I am extremely hungry. Can I have some? " said the Norwegian.

"These are the cauliflowers and leeks mixed with tomato paste and extra virgin olive oil. Also, this is a cup of green tea with lemon flavour. You may have some if you would like to," said the Malaysian.

The TV showed the "Hairspray", and it had created a history for a resolution for the blacks on the dancing stage.

"This is my private trip. I would like to stay here because I love this place when I first check-in 3 years ago," said the Nigerian professor in Pharmacy.

Later, it was about the country politics in Belarus and Cyprus. They were not sure about their political stand. Are they joining European Union? Belarus is an independent country which has some relationship with Poland, Ukraine and Russia. Cyprus is an independent country related to Greco-Turkish relationship. The Belarusian and the Cyprusian were very concern about their countries' politics, and, they had reminded me about the relationship between Singapore and Malaya years ago before Malaysia achieved the independence from the British.

The German was very concern about her look, her dress and her career. She was the most popular lady among us, and she was an interesting lady. She was very hot. We loved her very much.

More Recipes related to Rice

http://www.seehoychan.com/webtop/recipes/recipe10.phtml

Heavenly Brown Rice Balls With Braised Mushrooms
Recipe by John See Serves 4
Ingredients:
Rice balls: 1cup cooked Heavenly Brown rice 1tbsp garlic, minced 3tbsp white onion, diced 1tbsp sesame oil 1tbsp toasted sesame seeds 1tbsp light soy sauce 1 cup minced chicken A pinch of ground white pepper 1egg 1tbsp cornflour	Braised mushrooms: 1tbsp oil 2tbsp garlic, minced 100g mixed mushrooms, sliced 2cups chicken stock Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Combine all the ingredients for the rice balls together. Mix until uniform. Gently form the mixture into 1½inch round balls. Steam 5 minutes until chicken is cooked. In a non-stick pan heat the oil over medium-high heat. Fry the garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the mushrooms and chicken stock, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately with the rice balls.

Yellow Cucumber stuffed with Tofu and Brown Rice
Recipe by John See Serves 2
Ingredients:
1cup cooked Heavenly Brown Rice 1tsp deep-fried garlic 1tbsp shallots, finely sliced 1tbsp sesame oil 1tbsp light soy sauce	1 egg tofu, cubed 40g peeled water chestnuts, sliced 1 yellow cucumber, peeled, halved and hollowed 500ml chicken stock
Garnish:
5g coriander leaves
Method:
Gently mix all the ingredients together, except for the cucumber and stock. Spoon this mixture into the hollowed out cucumber halves. In a small saucepan, pour in the chicken stock. Carefully place the stuffed cucumbers into the stock. The stock should come up to the top of the cucumber, but not overflow into it. Simmer for 7 minutes, or until the cucumber is tender. Remove from the stock. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

Lamb Satay with Peanut Sauce and Heavenly Brown Rice
Recipe by John See Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked Heavenly Brown Rice 2 medium red onions, cut into wedges, to garnish 1 cucumber, halved lengthways and cut diagonally into 2cm pieces, to garnish
Peanut Sauce:
6 shallots, finely chopped 2 red chillies, finely chopped ½ cup chunky peanut butter 12 tbsp palm sugar, finely chopped	4 tsp dark soy sauce 1 tbsp tamarind pulp, soaked in ¼ cup water Salt to taste ¼ cup vegetable oil
In a food processor, blend all the ingredients to a fine puree, adding a little water if the mixture is too thick. Heat the oil and fry the peanut puree until it is fragrant.
Satay Marinade:
1 stalk lemongrass (lower part only), bruised 15 galangal, finely chopped 15g ginger, finely chopped 8 shallots, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 ½ tsp salt 2 tsp palm sugar	1 tbsp tamarind juice ½ tsp ground turmeric 1 tbsp ground coriander 1 tsp ground cumin ½ tsp ground fennel 1 kg boneless lamb leg, cut into 1cm cubes
Method:
In a food processor, blend all the ingredients, except for the lamb, into a fine paste. Pour over the lamb and mix to coat. Cover with cling wrap and leave in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 8 hours, or overnight. Preheat the grill or prepare the barbecue. Grill or barbecue the marinated lamb for 8-10 minutes until tender, basting frequently with the remaining marinade. Serve hot with the peanut sauce, onion, cucumber, and Heavenly Brown Rice.

Grilled Stuffed Teriyaki Squid
Recipe by John See Serves 2
Glazed with tangy sweet teriyaki sauce and stuffed with plump fragrant grains of Heavenly Rice, the humble squid becomes an undeniably delicious treat.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup cooked Heavenly Rice 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce 2 tbsp Japanese pickles, chopped 1 tsp nori seaweed, shredded	2 tsp lemon juice Pinch of salt, pepper and chilli flakes 2 x 120g squid, cleaned 1 tsp olive oil
Method:
Mix the Heavenly Rice, 1/4 of the teriyaki sauce, pickles, seaweed and lemon juice together. Season with salt, pepper and chilli flakes. Stuff the rice mixture into the squids and brush them with the remaining teriyaki sauce. Heat the oil in a stovetop grill pan until hot. Grill the squid until cooked, about 3 minutes.

Stir Fried Spring Onion and Pepper Beef Rice
Recipe by John See Serves 2
Try, if you can, to resist the savoury aroma of this flavour-enhanced version of fried rice. Simple and easy to prepare, it has a sizzling taste that'll gratify even the most jaded palate.
Ingredients:
2 tsp sesame oil 2 tsp garlic, minced 35g spring onion (white part only), sliced 10g young ginger, thinly sliced 10g red capsicum, sliced 10g green capsicum, sliced	10g yellow capsicum, sliced 100g beef, thinly sliced 1 cup cooked Heavenly Rice 3 tbsp ready-made black pepper sauce 1 tsp dark soy sauce 2 tsp cornflour, blended with 1/3 cup water
Method:
In a non-stick wok, heat the sesame oil and stir-fry the garlic, spring onion and ginger until fragrant. Add the capsicum and beef. Stir-fry for 1 minute. Add in the rest of the ingredients. Stir-fry for another 3 minutes.

Garlic Butter Rice with Braised Leg of Lamb
Recipe by John See Serves 2
Ingredients:
Garlic butter rice:
50g unsalted butter 45g deep-fried crispy garlic 2 cups cooked Heavenly Brown Rice 2 red capsicums
Braised leg of lamb:
2tbsp olive oil 40g white onion, sliced 20g garlic, minced 40g leek, sliced 45g sausage, sliced thickly 60g carrot, sliced thickly	60g zucchini, sliced thickly 2cups red wine 30g tomato paste 550g leg of lamb Salt and pepper, to taste
Garnish:
20g flat leaf parsley, chopped
Method:
To cook the lamb, heat the olive oil in a non-stick pot. Fry the onion, garlic and leek until fragrant. Add in the rest of the ingredients, except for the lamb. Bring to the boil and simmer for 4 minutes. Add in the lamb and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, until tender. To make the garlic butter rice, melt the butter in a pan. Add the garlic and rice and fry for a minute. Slice the tops of the capsicums and scoop out the seeds and membrane. Spoon the rice into the hollowed out capsicum cups. Garnish with parsley, and serve with the lamb.
Tip: You can braise the lamb leg a day before serving, to improve its flavour.

Chicken Roulade With Mango Chilli Dip
Recipe by John See Serves 2
Wow your guests with this palate-pleasing dish. It looks like it takes hours but can be made in minutes.
Ingredients:
2 x 120g chicken breasts A pinch of salt and pepper A pinch of sugar 1/2 cup cooked Heavenly Rice 60g tomato, seeded and cut into strips 60g mango, cut into strips 45g unsalted butter, diced 1 tbsp virgin olive oil	Mango chilli dip 80g mango, diced 40g cucumber, diced 10g red chilli, sliced 2 tbsp mayonnaise 1 tbsp lemon juice A pinch of salt and ground black pepper
Method:
Combine all the ingredients for the mango chilli dip. Flatten the chicken breast with the back of a knife until it is 1/2 cm thick. Season with salt, pepper and sugar Mix together the Heavenly Rice, tomato, mango and butter. Divide the rice mixture into two portions. Spread one portion of the rice mixture over the chicken breast. Roll up the chicken to enclose the filling. Tightly wrap the chicken up in cling film. Tie a knot in the cling film at each end. Repeat step 4 with the other piece of chicken. Heat a pan of water until boiling. Gently lower the stuffed chicken into the water and simmer for 4 minutes. Remove the chicken and peel away the cling film. In a pan, heat the oil until hot. Lightly sear the chicken on all sides until golden brown. Serve with mango chilli dip.

Brown Rice with Herbs & Cashews
Recipe by Josephine Huang Serves 6
A fresh-tasting rice dish that's redolent with aromatic herbs and is simple to make! Follow the first four steps then leave it to cook while you go about your other activities.
Ingredients:
100g cashew nuts, chopped 2 tbsp olive oil 6 spring onions, chopped 300g Heavenly Brown Rice, washed 2 cloves garlic, chopped 2 tbsp lemon juice	625ml vegetable stock or water 1 tsp salt 200g baby spinach leaves, shredded 3 tbsp fresh mint, chopped 3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Roast the cashews for 5-10 minutes until golden brown, but not burnt. Heat the oil in a pan and cook the spring onions until soft. Add the rice and garlic. Stir-fry for 2 minutes until the rice is evenly coated. Add the lemon juice, stock and salt. Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover and cook for 45 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the spinach and herbs. Cover and leave for 8 minutes. Mix the spinach and herbs through the rice. Sprinkle with the cashews and serve.

Nasi Ulam (Malay Herbal Rice Salad)
Recipe by Josephine Huang Serves 4
For those who think that healthy food is boring, this delicious recipe will have your tastebuds tingling!
Ingredients:
500g cooked Heavenly Brown Rice, cooled 100g deep-fried salted fish, finely shredded 100g cucumber, finely shredded 100g green beans, finely shredded 4 shallots, thinly sliced 4 spring onions, thinly sliced 1 stem lemongrass (white part only), finely sliced	2 kaffir lime leaves, stems removed and finely shredded 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped 1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped 1/2 cup fresh Asian basil leaves, finely chopped 2 tbsp sambal belachan 2 tbsp fresh lime juice Salt, to taste
Method:
In a large bowl, stir the rice with a fork to get rid of the lumps. Add all the other ingredients and mix well. Season with salt to taste.

Fried Sesame Brown Rice with Chilli Bean Sauce
Recipe by John See Serves 2
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp minced garlic 2 tbsp diced onion 30g celery, sliced thinly 1 cup cooked Heavenly Brown Rice (cooled, preferably overnight) 1 tbsp sesame oil 2 tbsp sesame seeds (toasted) 2 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp chilli bean sauce
Method:
Heat oil in a wok over medium high heat. When hot, add the garlic and onion and fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the celery and cook, stirring constantly, until softened. Add the rice, breaking it up with your fingers as you toss it into the wok. With your spatula, keep moving the rice around the wok for approximately 1½ minutes. Add the sesame oil, sesame seeds, soy sauce and chilli bean sauce. Stir-fry for another minute.