Merry Christmas!

I just want to greet you all a Merry Christmas!

Here's my christmas prayer:

Lord, on this christmas day,
In the midst of joy of our celebrations,
Help us recall what is truly important about this day.
In the midst of opening presents,
Help us remember the love that each gift represents.
In the midst of christmas dinner,
Help us remember that you are the source of all life.
In the midst of family gatherings,
Help us remember that you are the fulness of all joy.
In the midst of christmas mass,
Help us remember the supreme act of love, sacrifice, and humility
that we celebrate on christmas day
When your son came  as a helpless unknown baby
and grow to be the life and light of the world.
Amen.

Merry christmas!!

Hermit mode

My 2 week christmas vacation officially begins. I can't think of anything productive to do, and my schedule is full of christmas and new year parties, some birthday party, fiestas, etc.

I don't think there's anything worthy of my money in the theaters right now. It will be the MMFF soon, and I'm not a fan of local movies especially MMFF entries. Or maybe I'm just bitter because I can't watch "I am legend" during the break. haha.

Wander my friends

2007 was a great year. But at the same time, it was also a tragic one. Some friends didn't make it to the year 2008, some just barely even made it to 2007. Sadness will forever permeate our lives yet many are oblivious to this fact. In memory of my friends:

Mar cheo an tsleibhe uaine ag
imeacht go deo
D’ainneoin ar dtuirse leanfam an tsli
Thar chnoic is thar ghleannta
go deireadh na scrib’

Seo libh a chairde is canaidh liom
Lionaigi’n oiche le greann is le sport
Seo slainte na gcarad ata imithe uainn
Mar cheo an tsleibhe uaine,
iad imithe go deo

Wander my friends, wander with me
Like the mist on the green mountain, moving eternally
Despite our weariness, we'll follow the road
Over hills and valleys, to the end of the journey

Come on my friends and sing with me
Fill the night with joy and sport
Here's a health to the friends who have gone from us
Like the mist of the green mountain, gone forever

All along the watchtower

Battlestar Galactica Season 3's own version of Bob Dylan's All Along the watchtower. I so love this series, and the finale episode featuring this song is just awesome. Enjoy!

It's christmas!

Yes, it's the season to be jolly. But the truth is, I can barely feel the spirit of xmas. It's been like this for the past 3 or 4 years ever since I decided to go to medical school. The christmas decorations are still here, so are the presents, the joyous mood, but still, I've become so cold-hearted to actually forget it's the season to be jolly! I don't know how many more xmas's it will take before I can feel its spirit again. But then again, I DO know why we're celebrating xmas.

The Great HALO 3 merchandise

Some websites (Joystiq, kotaku, etc.) are sponsoring this Legendary HALO 3 giveaway. There are tons of HALO 3 related paraphernalia here. Here's what you get:

Halo 3 Xbox 360 Console (with controller and headset)
Halo 3 Legendary Edition
Halo 3 Zune
Spartan Controller
Covenant Controller
Halo 3 Headset
Halo 1 (Xbox game)
Halo 2 (Xbox game)
Halo books 1-3 (The Flood; First Strike; The Fall of Reach)
Ghosts of Onyx book
The Halo Graphic Novel
Halo soundtrack
Halo 2 soundtrack Vol. 1
Halo 2 soundtrack Vol. 2
Multiplayer Beta T-shirt
Cortana T-shirt
Game Fuel Master Chief T-shirt
Mountain Dew Game Fuel

If only there's a way for me to be in the States right now.. sigh.. Aaaah, certainly a DROOLFEST.

Suzuki Kizashi

The Suzuki Kizashi is a concept car that has this odd but striking design. Power comes from a 3.6L V6 mated to a 6-speed automatic, and the press release makes mention of hybrid technology. I love concept cars for what it its. They rarely go into production and remain as concepts. But I find this fact quite charming for some reason.

[Source: Suzuki]

PRESS RELEASE (Translated: Unofficial translation by Babelfish)

Exhibition summary of 40th Tokyo motor show 2007

Suzuki Concept Kizashi 2

The stirring impression the top athlete having and, it adopted the expectation which becomes unknown overflows from inside as design expression the crossover sport wagon. You propose to the user of the wide layer where with the wide field such as the leisure from business, life is enjoyed actively. As for design two keywords, "dignity" and the "stirring impression" adopting the emotional silhouette which raises the satisfaction which uplift impression is owned to running for the axis. As for the 3.6LV type 6 cylinder engine of the sea bass maximum aerodynamic volume displacement not only strong acceleration feeling with the combination with 6 speeds AT, and at high speed regarding cruising, actualizing the running which exceeds class. In addition, you are inserting also the hybrid engine and the like which considers in environment in range of vision.

Reality bites

This is it. My 2 week vacation is about to end. Well, I can say I had fun. I went to the beach thrice, got drunk on several occasions, watched more than a dozen movies, had countless dates (haha!!), played a dozen games, and at the same time worked on my research. Those 2 weeks were definitely not enough!

Now I'm back to this old life. STUDY STUDY STUDY.

Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace by Foo Fighters

It's been awhile since I last heard from this band. I was pleasantly surprised when this was released on September 25 without me knowing that the band was working on an album for quite some time now. (Yeah, I don't have a life.) But anyway, this album feels so "foo fighters" This may not be their best album, though once you're halfway through the CD you'll realize that the diversity of the sounds is its strength and every song feels just right. I'd give it a 4/5.

Track listing:

1. The Pretender

2. Let It Die

3. Erase/Replace

4. Long Road To Ruin

5. Come Alive

6. Stranger Things Have Happened

7. Cheer Up, Boys (Your Make Up Is Running)

8. Summer s End

9. Ballad Of The Beaconsfield Miners

10. Statues

11. But, Honestly

12. Home

Rebuild of Evangelion

My favorite anime of all time gets a remake with Rebuild of Evangelion. RoE is a four part film, the first one will be shown in Japanese cinemas this year. The first one is entitled ヱヴァンゲリヲン新劇場版:序 (Evangelion Shin Gekijōban: Jo) or Evangelion The New Movie: Preface. Based on the trailers, this retelling of the classic anime series looks slick, the animation is top-notch and Hideaki Anno's signature style of storytelling is evident. I certainly can't wait for this to be released fansubbed, or in import DVDs.

HALO 3 Finish the Fight

A few hours from now, HALO 3 will be unleashed in the United States. This is one of the if not THE MOST anticipated game of the year. I've been waiting for this game for months. I already ordered my copy and am expecting it to arrive soon.

As of this writing, the metacritic score for this game is 96 (UNIVERSAL ACCLAIM based on 25 reviews)

Youconvertit.com

Youconvertit.com is a web-based file conversion service. It lets you upload audio, video, image, or document files and convert from one format to another. Just select the file from your computer to upload, select your target format, and the web service will send you an e-mail when your new file is ready to download.

Unfortunately, you don't have much control over the conversion settings. The quality of the converted file ranges from abysmal to great but anything in between is okay for the neophyte and the technophobe. It depends on the document type, say if you want to convert simple HTML to text file, then the services does the job pretty well. But if you're converting multimedia files, the results aren't that good.

Currently, the service has no file size limit, and there are no ads and it sports a slick and clean looking interface.

BOKURANO

Bokurano is not your usual mecha anime. Sure, the cast is composed of teen kids fighting in giant alien robots reminiscent of my favorite anime of all time NEON GENESIS EVANGELION. Then there is a convoluted plot as well as some melodramatic and eerie music, plus slick animation and some over the top battle sequences. All the elements of a tyical mecha anime are there. And then some.

The anime studio GONZO is well known for its characteristic style in animation and that is the use of lots of CG (Gatekeepers, Samurai7, Last Exile, etc.) and this style is clearly evident here. The action here isn't heavy unlike the other mecha anime. In fact, the battles are quite short. What sets this apart from the other mecha anime is the characters and the plot. The kids here aren't your ordinary kids. They have family and social issues. It may sound ridiculous but spread across a planned 24 episodes (as of this writing episode 18 is already out) are themes of broken families, abandonment, missing fathers, molestation, solitude, bullying, and child prostitution.

SPOILER ALERT: And one of the best parts of the show that sets the pace for further plot and character development is how the battles are fought. The battles are one on one and there is only one pilot for every battle though all of the characters get a chance to watch the action from the cockpit. After a battle is won, the pilot dies giving its life to the robot so that it can use the life energy of the pilot to recharge, regenerate and proceed to the next battle. So essentially, all kids WILL die. Sad ain't it? This is definitely not for the kids, and not for the weak of heart.

BIOSHOCK

Just got my copy of this game. I'm still in the early levels though but I can say this is an awesome followup to the System Shock series. The gameplay is cinematic, the atmosphere is tense and creepy, and the graphics top-notch. The underwater city of Rapture is a sight to behold. I can't seem to play this at night though, it just creeps me out and video games are a lot scarier than movies.

The Gates Estate

In the seattle suburb of Medina on the shores of Lake Washington lies Bill Gates' $53 Million dollar, 66,000 square foot estate. US NEWS has a tour of the estate HERE.

Here are some interesting info about the house:

• 104 electricians used


• All timber used in the house are perfectly finished and nearly perfect with almost no knots.


• All woodwork is flawless


• Acoustics were a big concern.


• Woods and fabrics were used to ensure perfect acoustics throughout the house.


• Flooring is heated, even in the driveway and walkways throughout the estate. S


• ecurity system is monitored from the Microsoft campus.


• There is a salmon hatchery on the estate.52 miles of communication cable


• Hidden cameras are everywhere, including some hidden inside stone walls.


• Floor sensors can track a person within 6 inches.


• The bathtub can be filled and temperature can be controlled by Gates as he drives home from work.

SUNSHINE

Sunshine is a sci-fi film by Danny Boyle. One of my favorite directors. I was wondering what this director could do with such a plot. A team of scientists, physicists and astronauts are sent on a mission to reignite a dying sun. On the way, they discover that their mission isn't so perfect as it seems. A simple mistake would mean the end of their mission and of the world. The fate of humanity depends on this "last best hope". They're onboard the Icarus II, a station partly controlled by a creepy sounding AI. As to what happened to the Icarus I, it's revealed later in the film.

I love this movie. It may not be the best sci-fi film out there, but this one is unique, different and refreshing. The special effects are not over the top nor excessive as some big budget films but they're very effective. The haunting cinematography is top-notch. There is a diabolical twist near the end of the movie that seems to throttle the movie to its conclusion. It seems as if they rushed the climax and the ending, but still, it's a pleasure to watch from start to finish.

28 weeks later

I just saw this movie and I have to say it's a brilliant follow-up to one of my favorite movies 28 days later. I was skeptical at first. Danny Boyle wasn't on the director's chair this time, and the film seems to have lost its independent film flavor. Nevertheless, by the time the movie ended, I was on the edge of my seat (literally), and I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. Brilliantly paced and downright creepy.

Fin..

Whew.. and so it ends.

I took what is possibly the hardest exam I ever took in my life. PERIOD.

I'm not sure if I'll pass or fail surgery, but either way I can't do anything about it. Better luck next time. I'll have to do well in Pediatrics and Internal Medicine if I wish to pass third year. haha..

Another notable thing is... it's SEMBREAK!! Unfortunately, my plans aren't set. Our school demands so much from us that even sembreak isn't spared. Nevertheless, I could use a day or two out of the city and enjoy the beach in Bantayan or Malapascua or nearby Mactan.

Pictured here is Bantayan Island, Cebu.

Surgical Pathology

I just took my exam in surgical pathology today and here are some intersting infos regarding poliomyelitis.

Here's what it looks like in a section of the spinal cord:














This is a slide of acute inflammation affecting both the cord and meninges. Blood vessels are conspicuously dilated with characteristic perivascular cuffing of leukocytes. Dead motor neurones of the anterior horns are replaced by clusters of neutrophil polymorphs and macrophages.

Salient features include: perviascular lymphocytic infiltration, neuronal degeneration, prominent collections of glial cells around areas of the nerve cell degeneration or necrosis and some scattered hemorrhagic foci.

The Philippines has already been considered polio free. During the 90's there was aggressive implementation of the EPI (expanded program on immunization), a component of which is OPV (Oral polio vaccine). OPV is still used in the barangay health centers today though the American Academy of Pediatricians no longer recommend this type of vaccine and this vaccine is no longer available in American soil. What they do have and recommend is IPV (inactivated polio vaccine). The OPV used in the barangay health centers actually can cause polio albeit the risk is extremely low, one in 2.4 million. Private practitioners have abandoned OPV and switched to IPV since IPV does not cause polio. Experts believe that using oral polio vaccine is no longer worth the slight risk, except in limited circumstances. Still, OPV is useful for mass immunization and it has helped our country get rid of the disease.

a 5 kilo mammoth

This is what I've been bringing to school for the past 2 months. It is 5 kg in wt., hardcover, nearly 2000 pages (average for a medical book), and costs PhP 4,950.00. Let me introduce you to Schwartz Principles of Surgery. Be forewarned though, this book is TORMENTING. Apart from its weight, the content is just unbearable. You have to think like a surgeon to understand this one.

One down

Today is supposed to be a momentous event in Philippine history.

But earlier this morning, I actually didn't care. The guilty verdict came out, but I never even noticed. I was busy CRAMMING.

The exams came and so did the rain. As usual, it was an absurdly difficult exam. If all surgeons were to be placed in such precarious situations as stated in their case questions, then I'd rather be a pediatrician. I found some of the items funny, but the answers are not so clear cut and well defined. If a doctor is part of the EMS team and arrives at the scene, the first thing he should do is NOT to check the airway, breathing or circulation. Nor place a hard collar to stabilize and avoid neck and cervical injury. What he should do is approach the fireman/senior police officer who is in charge of the scene and have a CHAT. Well, that was the word used in the exam, and that's what we're supposed to do. Of course, a chat is too inane a term to be used medically. But the chat here means questioning the people in charge of details and events related to the accident.

Oh well, there were a lot of silly questions scattered in the 100 item exam, but I'm too tired to even mention the most memorable ones. 2 more exams to go.

So it begins...

Today, my final exams for SURGERY officially starts. I took the first exam today, there's a lovely break tomorrow then exams on wednesday, thursday, and friday before finally, SEMBREAK. Why the hell am I creating a blog anyway? I used to have a blog but that went down along with the site that hosted it and in my frustration promised I'd never make another blog EVER. Makes me wonder what I'm doing here. haha!

Anyway, this lovely ophthalmology exam I took earlier this morning isn't so lovely as it sounds. I studied and studied hard I did. I didn't watch TV this weekend, didn't play computer games (DOTA my ass, go to hell. haha) But still, I only managed to answer with confidence less than half of the questions. (50 item exam) I never liked ophthalmology though I find it interesting. But anyway we weren't asked basic questions a general practitioner would know. We were asked questions only ophthalmology residents could answer. Take for example, ophthalmologic therapeutics. We were bombarded with tons of questions regarding highly specialized treatments we could only read in books or hear in news and journals. Of course, we have LASIK, LASEK here, but what being asked about the specific differences between Nd:YAG laser and the other laser methods? hmmm.. Thankfully some of the basic questions were fun (!!!) to answer like differentiating between the dozens or so causes of inflammed eye. All our questions are of the mulitple choice type and patterned after the board exams. We even have answer cards where we shade our answers using pencils and the computers will do the job of checking the papers and voila! our scores are out in no time. Well, bottomline is, I think I failed. haha!

So I guess I have to study well tomorrow, use the freetime given to us. It's gonna be one hell of a long week. Surgery, damn you! haha..

Disclaimer

Medicine is an ever-changing science. As new research and clinical experience broaden our knowledge, changes in treatment and drug therapy are required. The author of this work have checked with sources believed to be reliable in their efforts to provide information that is complete and generally in accord with the standards accepted at the time of posting. However, in view of the possibility of human error or changes in medical sciences, neither the author
nor any other party who has been involved in the preparation or publication of this work warrants that the information contained herein is in every respect accurate or complete, and they disclaim all responsibility for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from use of the information contained in this work. Readers are encouraged to confirm the information contained herein with other sources. For example and in particular, readers are advised to check the product information sheet included in the package of each drug they plan to administer to be certain that the information contained in this work is accurate and that changes have not been made in the recommended dose or in the contraindications for administration. This recommendation is of particular importance in connection with new or infrequently used drugs.