Khalil Girbran on Children

AND a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, Speak to us of Children.
And he said:
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of to-morrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the Archer’s hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.

.

Thinking Faith on Post Modern Prodigal Son

The latest from Thinking Faith...


The Prodigal Father - A Postmodern Homily
The familiar parable of the Prodigal Son traditionally prompts us to reflect on the love and forgiveness of the father who welcomes back his younger son. But what if we focus on the effect of the father’s generosity on the relationship between the two brothers? Desmond Ryan argues that if we look at this story in a new way we see the harmful consequences of prioritising relationships based on authority over those based on a sibling model. Read >>

.

Counterfeit Medications

Counterfeit drugs is one of my greatest concern when I started practising medicine. How can I be sure that the drugs I prescribed is the real stuff and not sugar water?


This is an interesting article from The Scientist that shares my concern.
The article is written by

Brendan Borrell

---

The Counterfeiter

The story of how one of pharma’s biggest enemies was nabbed in Houston, Texas

Stone / Getty Images

On May 25, 2007, Kevin Xu logged into his Gmail account and found a startling message from a man who could have been his biggest client.

From an office suite on the 28th floor of the Plaza Royale in Beijing, the baby-faced businessman had gone from selling shark cartilage and penicillin to Chinese hospitals and clinics to cashing in on the high-profit margins of the European and—he hoped—US pharmaceutical markets. Xu kept a list of 29 brand-name drugs he could deliver at cut-rate prices, from the baldness remedy Propecia to lifesavers like the antileukemia drug Gleevec. If it wasn’t on the list, Xu boasted that he could find a way to get it.

read more

The Child with Fits

Prayer of the Father of the Bride

The pomp and ceremonies of the wedding are over, the last revelers have gone home and the young couple has embarked on their honeymoon. Here am I, O Lord, sitting quietly before you. I wish to thank you for the privilege of being the father of the bride. My heart is bursting with gratitude that come from your wonderful generosity. When I first held my little girl in my arms - so small, warm, fragile and beautiful – I know that it is pure grace that brought her into my life. As I watch her grow from a baby to childhood and gradually blossom into womanhood, I can feel your presence in our little family and your smile upon us all. Father, I confess that I have not been a good father but I have been trying my best. For whatever my shortcomings have been in bringing her up, I trust in your Holy Spirit to fill in the gaps.

Father, I pray that you will help her to become the helpmate to the man you have so carefully chosen for her. Let them be anamcara to each other. Now, they have to learn from each other. Please give them lots of grace for each occasion, overflowing with forgiveness, and joy in their new life together. May their love grow into hesed love – a covenant love of commitment.

As they grow closer to each other, let them grow closer to you, O Lord, the originator and finisher of their faith. And as they begin their journey together, may they partake of the goodness of your table fellowship, drink deep of your living water, and dive deep into your fathomless depths. You are a self-revealing God. Please help them to appreciate your presence in their everyday life. May they grow in their marriage as they grow deeper into knowing and becoming like your Son. Yet in their growing, let them allow one another to reach their full potential as themselves, not as each other’s expectation, but as their own unique personalities.

As you have taught us, there is a season for everything. There will be times of great rejoicing and there will be times of great sorrow. Here, in the springtime of their marriage, give them joy as they discover the pleasures of each other. Protect them with your angels and build a hedge around them that they may be safe from pettiness and violence of this world. Lead them to your communities of faith that will nurture and nourish them in all ways. Give them a sense of vocation and involve them in your missio dei.

Father, help me to ‘let go’ of my little girl and to welcome a new ‘son’ into my family. It is a time of transition for me and my joy is bitter-sweet. This is a new experience for me though I know that many fathers have walked this path through time immemorial. I must now take on a different role. Teach me, O Lord, to be a blessing to them.

18 July 2009

Mother's Day 2009

How to be the World's Greatest Mum

Sermon Statement

Seven principles of how to be the world’s greatest mother


Read more


Download sermon (MP3) here

Mother's Day 2009

How to be the World's Greatest Mum

Sermon Statement

Seven principles of how to be the world’s greatest mother


Read more


Download sermon (MP3) here

Making Money Blogging

Blogging is a logical development of the Internet Web 2.0. People blog for many reasons (reasons why I blog). In spite of censorship and threats of lawsuits and detention by governments, millions of people continue to express their opinions on all sort of topics. In the United States, it is claimed that there are as many bloggers as lawyers which says a lot. Can blogging become a profession? In other works, is it viable for bloggers to quit their full-time jobs? Mark Penn, writing in the Wall Street Journal April 21, 2009 (Asia edition) calls blogging 'America's Newest Profession.'

Paid bloggers fit just about every definition of a microtrend: Their ranks have grown dramatically over the years, blogging is an important social and cultural movement that people care passionately about, and the number of people doing it for at least some income is approaching 1% of American adults.

We know that print newspapers are facing declining subscription. One of the possible reasons may be the perceived control of print newspaper by government and big businesses. Bloggings on the other hand is slowly developing to be a reliable independent source of information (another perception). Many newspaper columnists are now blogging. Blogging, like print is a form of media. So can we make money from blogging? Maybe only a fortunate few but things are changing so rapidly that no one knows in the future.

So one day when we ask our children, "What do you want to be when you are older?"

"Doctor, lawyer, engineer?"

"Blogger"

Making Money Blogging

Blogging is a logical development of the Internet Web 2.0. People blog for many reasons (reasons why I blog). In spite of censorship and threats of lawsuits and detention by governments, millions of people continue to express their opinions on all sort of topics. In the United States, it is claimed that there are as many bloggers as lawyers which says a lot. Can blogging become a profession? In other works, is it viable for bloggers to quit their full-time jobs? Mark Penn, writing in the Wall Street Journal April 21, 2009 (Asia edition) calls blogging 'America's Newest Profession.'

Paid bloggers fit just about every definition of a microtrend: Their ranks have grown dramatically over the years, blogging is an important social and cultural movement that people care passionately about, and the number of people doing it for at least some income is approaching 1% of American adults.

We know that print newspapers are facing declining subscription. One of the possible reasons may be the perceived control of print newspaper by government and big businesses. Bloggings on the other hand is slowly developing to be a reliable independent source of information (another perception). Many newspaper columnists are now blogging. Blogging, like print is a form of media. So can we make money from blogging? Maybe only a fortunate few but things are changing so rapidly that no one knows in the future.

So one day when we ask our children, "What do you want to be when you are older?"

"Doctor, lawyer, engineer?"

"Blogger"

Some Notes on Swine Fever

An outbreak of severe pneumonia has been identified in Mexico and the south-western States of the USA. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) over 870 cases of pneumonia have occurred causing 62 deaths since March 2009. In 8 cases identified in the USA a new strain of H1N1 influenza has been isolated. The virus appears to be derived from a strain of swine influenza.

Usually infections between species happen independently of each other. For example, any infection in animals not not pose a threat to human until it jump species. This is what happened in SARS and bird flu, and now swine flu.

The majority of cases in Mexico have occurred in healthy young adults. The degree of infectivity of the virus is not known but close family contacts and health care workers may be at risk.

Antiviral sensitivity testing has indicated the virus is sensitive to oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir, but is resistant to amantadine.

Clinical information is limited. Emergency Departments and ICU’s are asked to consider a traveller who presents with:

·

an Influenza Like Illness (ILI) (fever and cough and fatigue) and who has travelled to Mexico or California, Arizona, New Mexico or Texas in the past two weeks

or

· pneumonia and who has travelled to Mexico or California, Arizona, New Mexico or Texas in the past two weeks

as potentially infected with the new strain of influenza A. There is as yet not enough information about the new disease. Its symptoms of fever, cough and fatigue is vague enough to fit any type of infections.

Suspected cases should be managed in respiratory isolation until test results are available. All staff involved in managing the suspected case should implement protective measures including a P2 mask, suitable eye protection and gloves, with attention to frequent hand hygiene.

While staff should be vaccinated against seasonal influenza the current vaccine is unlikely to fully protect against the new strain.

Presently there is no suspected cases of swine fever in Malaysia.

.

Some Notes on Swine Fever

An outbreak of severe pneumonia has been identified in Mexico and the south-western States of the USA. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) over 870 cases of pneumonia have occurred causing 62 deaths since March 2009. In 8 cases identified in the USA a new strain of H1N1 influenza has been isolated. The virus appears to be derived from a strain of swine influenza.

Usually infections between species happen independently of each other. For example, any infection in animals not not pose a threat to human until it jump species. This is what happened in SARS and bird flu, and now swine flu.

The majority of cases in Mexico have occurred in healthy young adults. The degree of infectivity of the virus is not known but close family contacts and health care workers may be at risk.

Antiviral sensitivity testing has indicated the virus is sensitive to oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir, but is resistant to amantadine.

Clinical information is limited. Emergency Departments and ICU’s are asked to consider a traveller who presents with:

·

an Influenza Like Illness (ILI) (fever and cough and fatigue) and who has travelled to Mexico or California, Arizona, New Mexico or Texas in the past two weeks

or

· pneumonia and who has travelled to Mexico or California, Arizona, New Mexico or Texas in the past two weeks

as potentially infected with the new strain of influenza A. There is as yet not enough information about the new disease. Its symptoms of fever, cough and fatigue is vague enough to fit any type of infections.

Suspected cases should be managed in respiratory isolation until test results are available. All staff involved in managing the suspected case should implement protective measures including a P2 mask, suitable eye protection and gloves, with attention to frequent hand hygiene.

While staff should be vaccinated against seasonal influenza the current vaccine is unlikely to fully protect against the new strain.

Presently there is no suspected cases of swine fever in Malaysia.

.

Breast Feeding and The Mommy Wars

I am not aware of the Mommy Wars until I read this interesting article by Christine Gardner. As a practicing paediatrician, I always advise for breast feeding. I wish Christine all the best in her breast feeding.


The Politics of the Pump

How breast-feeding became the new front in the Mommy Wars — and why I'm going to breast-feed my first child.

Christine J. Gardner | posted 4/22/2009 09:03AM

The Mommy Wars are alive and well. In the latest skirmish, the attack is squarely on the most womanly of arts: breast-feeding. Harvard historian Jill Lepore fires the first volley in the January issue of The New Yorker. "Is human milk an elixir, a commodity, a right?" she asks. Apparently, it has been all three and more, including a weapon of terrorism and life-saving medication:

Can a woman carry containers of her own milk on an airplane? Before the summer of 2007, not more than three ounces, because the Transportation Security Administration classed human milk with shampoo, toothpaste, and Gatorade, until a Minneapolis woman heading home after a business trip was reduced to tears when a security guard at LaGuardia poured a two-day supply of her milk into a garbage bin. Dr. Ruth Lawrence, of the breast-feeding committee of the American Academy of Pediatrics, promptly told the press, "She needs every drop of that precious golden fluid for her baby"; lactivists, who often stage "nurse-ins," sent petitions; and the T.S.A. eventually reclassified human milk as "liquid medication."

read more

Breast Feeding and The Mommy Wars

I am not aware of the Mommy Wars until I read this interesting article by Christine Gardner. As a practicing paediatrician, I always advise for breast feeding. I wish Christine all the best in her breast feeding.


The Politics of the Pump

How breast-feeding became the new front in the Mommy Wars — and why I'm going to breast-feed my first child.

Christine J. Gardner | posted 4/22/2009 09:03AM

The Mommy Wars are alive and well. In the latest skirmish, the attack is squarely on the most womanly of arts: breast-feeding. Harvard historian Jill Lepore fires the first volley in the January issue of The New Yorker. "Is human milk an elixir, a commodity, a right?" she asks. Apparently, it has been all three and more, including a weapon of terrorism and life-saving medication:

Can a woman carry containers of her own milk on an airplane? Before the summer of 2007, not more than three ounces, because the Transportation Security Administration classed human milk with shampoo, toothpaste, and Gatorade, until a Minneapolis woman heading home after a business trip was reduced to tears when a security guard at LaGuardia poured a two-day supply of her milk into a garbage bin. Dr. Ruth Lawrence, of the breast-feeding committee of the American Academy of Pediatrics, promptly told the press, "She needs every drop of that precious golden fluid for her baby"; lactivists, who often stage "nurse-ins," sent petitions; and the T.S.A. eventually reclassified human milk as "liquid medication."

read more

Considering Cord Blood Banking?

An interesting comment from Summer Johnson on cord blood banking at blog.bioethics.net

To Bank or Not to Bank? For Cord Blood, The Answer is No.

Much ado has been made over private cord blood banking when a baby is born for its potential someday to maybe save a child's life. New research suggests, however, that the likelihood of that eventuality coming to pass is incredibly small.

According to WaPo the study published last month in the journal Pediatrics, 93 pediatric transplant specialists were surveyed to find out how many had used banked cord blood. The answer? Very very few. Just 50 had used banked blood and just 9 had done autologous transplants (giving blood back to the donor). Other cases involved giving the blood to siblings or other relatives.

read more

Considering Cord Blood Banking?

An interesting comment from Summer Johnson on cord blood banking at blog.bioethics.net

To Bank or Not to Bank? For Cord Blood, The Answer is No.

Much ado has been made over private cord blood banking when a baby is born for its potential someday to maybe save a child's life. New research suggests, however, that the likelihood of that eventuality coming to pass is incredibly small.

According to WaPo the study published last month in the journal Pediatrics, 93 pediatric transplant specialists were surveyed to find out how many had used banked cord blood. The answer? Very very few. Just 50 had used banked blood and just 9 had done autologous transplants (giving blood back to the donor). Other cases involved giving the blood to siblings or other relatives.

read more

A Very Long Day

Just finished watching the first season of the television series of 24. I was totally captivated and blown away by the series. 24 is the number of hours in a day and each season is to capture a 24 hour period in the life of John Bauer, director of Los Angeles Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU). Thus each episode is one hour long and is shown in 'real time' i.e. as if things are running as it is in real life. With the availability of the whole season on DVDs, I am able to watch the whole season continuously and I am amazed at the continuity and excitement of Bauer's really long day. This season was first shown in November 2001.

The storyline is intriguing as there are lots of twist and turns as viewers tried to identify who the traitors are in the CTU. (spoiler). The first season is about an assassination attempt on presidential candidate, David Palmer and Jack Bauer's attempt to stop them. Bauer's wife and daughter were kidnapped by the assassins who turned out to be connected to what Palmer and Bauer did in Kosovo 2 years ago.

Aside from the plot twists, the series also deals with family dynamic issues. Jack Bauer's family with a workaholic father with post traumatic shock (after the Kosovo incident), David Palmer's family with a rape, murder, cover up and an ambitious manipulating wife, and the Danzens' family, the man Palmer and Bauer was supposed to kill in Belgrade. It is the question of how far a man will go to protect his family

No wonder it is so popular. According to Wiki, "24 is the second longest-running espionage series in television history, behind the original Mission: Impossible series by number of episodes and The Avengers by longevity of broadcast. 24 is expected to surpass Mission: Impossible in January 2010, with the airing of its 172nd hour in the early episodes of Season 8, and will overtake The Avengers on March 20 that year."

Now to season two, heh heh

A Very Long Day

Just finished watching the first season of the television series of 24. I was totally captivated and blown away by the series. 24 is the number of hours in a day and each season is to capture a 24 hour period in the life of John Bauer, director of Los Angeles Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU). Thus each episode is one hour long and is shown in 'real time' i.e. as if things are running as it is in real life. With the availability of the whole season on DVDs, I am able to watch the whole season continuously and I am amazed at the continuity and excitement of Bauer's really long day. This season was first shown in November 2001.

The storyline is intriguing as there are lots of twist and turns as viewers tried to identify who the traitors are in the CTU. (spoiler). The first season is about an assassination attempt on presidential candidate, David Palmer and Jack Bauer's attempt to stop them. Bauer's wife and daughter were kidnapped by the assassins who turned out to be connected to what Palmer and Bauer did in Kosovo 2 years ago.

Aside from the plot twists, the series also deals with family dynamic issues. Jack Bauer's family with a workaholic father with post traumatic shock (after the Kosovo incident), David Palmer's family with a rape, murder, cover up and an ambitious manipulating wife, and the Danzens' family, the man Palmer and Bauer was supposed to kill in Belgrade. It is the question of how far a man will go to protect his family

No wonder it is so popular. According to Wiki, "24 is the second longest-running espionage series in television history, behind the original Mission: Impossible series by number of episodes and The Avengers by longevity of broadcast. 24 is expected to surpass Mission: Impossible in January 2010, with the airing of its 172nd hour in the early episodes of Season 8, and will overtake The Avengers on March 20 that year."

Now to season two, heh heh

No link between MMR and Autism

From The Sunday Times, UK

February 8, 2009

MMR doctor Andrew Wakefield fixed data on autism

Brian Deer

THE doctor who sparked the scare over the safety of the MMR vaccine for children changed and misreported results in his research, creating the appearance of a possible link with autism, a Sunday Times investigation has found.

Confidential medical documents and interviews with witnesses have established that Andrew Wakefield manipulated patients’ data, which triggered fears that the MMR triple vaccine to protect against measles, mumps and rubella was linked to the condition.

The research was published in February 1998 in an article in The Lancet medical journal. It claimed that the families of eight out of 12 children attending a routine clinic at the hospital had blamed MMR for their autism, and said that problems came on within days of the jab. The team also claimed to have discovered a new inflammatory bowel disease underlying the children’s conditions.

read more

This report confirm my belief that MMR is a safe vaccine and has no link to autism. Most other researchers have backed away from the MMR-Autism link and in fact 10 of the 13 authors have retracted their statements in a report in Lancet in 2004 (Murch SH, Anthony A, Casson DH, et al (2004). "Retraction of an interpretation". Lancet 363 (9411): 750. ).

"We wish to make it clear that in this paper no causal link was established between MMR vaccine and autism as the data were insufficient. However, the possibility of such a link was raised and consequent events have had major implications for public health. In view of this, we consider now is the appropriate time that we should together formally retract the interpretation placed upon these findings in the paper, according to precedent."

Yet I continue to deal with anxious parents who are worried about the MMR-Autism link. I managed to convince almost all about the safety and benefits of MMR except parents of children with autism. For some reasons, they are fixed in their perception that MMR cause autism.

It is a sad day for medical research. Andrew Wakefield has done irreparable damage to the reliability of medical research, protection of children by the vaccine MMR and the confidence of parents with autistic children in the medical profession. I am sure in spite of this report, the MMR-autism link will continue to circulate and discourage parents from bringing their children for vaccination.

No link between MMR and Autism

From The Sunday Times, UK

February 8, 2009

MMR doctor Andrew Wakefield fixed data on autism

Brian Deer

THE doctor who sparked the scare over the safety of the MMR vaccine for children changed and misreported results in his research, creating the appearance of a possible link with autism, a Sunday Times investigation has found.

Confidential medical documents and interviews with witnesses have established that Andrew Wakefield manipulated patients’ data, which triggered fears that the MMR triple vaccine to protect against measles, mumps and rubella was linked to the condition.

The research was published in February 1998 in an article in The Lancet medical journal. It claimed that the families of eight out of 12 children attending a routine clinic at the hospital had blamed MMR for their autism, and said that problems came on within days of the jab. The team also claimed to have discovered a new inflammatory bowel disease underlying the children’s conditions.

read more

This report confirm my belief that MMR is a safe vaccine and has no link to autism. Most other researchers have backed away from the MMR-Autism link and in fact 10 of the 13 authors have retracted their statements in a report in Lancet in 2004 (Murch SH, Anthony A, Casson DH, et al (2004). "Retraction of an interpretation". Lancet 363 (9411): 750. ).

"We wish to make it clear that in this paper no causal link was established between MMR vaccine and autism as the data were insufficient. However, the possibility of such a link was raised and consequent events have had major implications for public health. In view of this, we consider now is the appropriate time that we should together formally retract the interpretation placed upon these findings in the paper, according to precedent."

Yet I continue to deal with anxious parents who are worried about the MMR-Autism link. I managed to convince almost all about the safety and benefits of MMR except parents of children with autism. For some reasons, they are fixed in their perception that MMR cause autism.

It is a sad day for medical research. Andrew Wakefield has done irreparable damage to the reliability of medical research, protection of children by the vaccine MMR and the confidence of parents with autistic children in the medical profession. I am sure in spite of this report, the MMR-autism link will continue to circulate and discourage parents from bringing their children for vaccination.

Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3

Nate Ralph in his review of Red Alert 3 in WIRED (October 29, 2008) notes

For the most part, Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 delivers the same sort of campy, alternate-universe take on real-time strategic warfare that the series' fans have grown to love. But this latest skirmish in the perennial war between the Allies and the Soviet forces lets you bring a friend to the battle.

The ability to engage in a cooperative campaign gives the game's hectic combat a welcome twist. For the first time in any strategy game, two players will have a chance to tackle a campaign side by side. This means constructing complementary armies, coordinating tactical strikes and fighting difficult computer enemies while working their way through the game's three campaigns and 27 missions.

I managed to buy the game on Friday. Unfortunately my human co-gamer has to go back to Australia the next day so I ended up playing the game alone. It will be interesting to play this game with my co-gamer. The interface is good and as I have souped up my VRAM to 8Gig, my computer gave me good performance without being 'hung-up.' It is an enjoyable game, similar to all other Command and Conquer. This time I get to play the Russians, Allied and Japan. Just finished the Japanese part of the game (9 missions).

It is enjoyable because it employs a gaming engine I am familiar with and challenging as I figure out the strategy of the game writers. Or as Nate Ralph commends, "the reason most people pick up a strategy game in the first place is to meet new and interesting people and crush them mercilessly." Hmm. That too.

read Nate Ralph's review here

Related Posts
Command and Conquer: Tiberium Wars
Command and Conquer: Tiberium Wars Novels
Seven Lessons I Learnt Playing Command and Conquer 3
Is Computer Games Bad for Your Kids?