Software: Brief Look at MediaMonkey

J. uses iTunes because it syncs with his iPod mini. Also, because he finds it fairly well designed. However, it’s a real resource hog on his Acer Travelmate 8104 running Windows XP Professional.
That’s why he’s just recently switched to MediaMonkey. Having loaded 16gig worth of songs into its library, MediaMonkey takes up 37,728 KB of [...]

Neurosurgical Case: Down Syndrome

It’s interesting how much a topic comes to life when you have the pleasure of encountering a real-life case.
Last time, J.’s first week in Internal Medicine allowed him to meet a cheerful, tall, skinny, lanky young man whose feet stuck out the end of the bed. He was in for spontaneous pneumothorax. He’s never failed [...]

Thoughts on Gun Control

Singapore is a small island with very, very stringent gun control, where guns are banned except for certain professions such as the police, security forces and the military.
A person found in unlawful possession of any arm or ammunition gets 5-10 years and at least 6 strokes of the infamous Singapore cane. A person who has [...]

Perspective on Salsa in London, Ontario

Reading websites such as LB: Your Nightlife Source for London, Ontario! , J. learnt that the main salsa dancing place was Old Chicago at 153 Carling Street on Wednesday nights. J. also heard good things about Orlando Valencia & The Pachanga Band, the in-house live band. So he went to check out the place on [...]

Medical Elective: Getting Used to Canada Part 1

Singaporeans visiting Canada for the first time might be slightly taken aback at a few of the differences between Singapore and Canada. For the most part, however, both of these countries are Commonwealth countries, considered developed nations and speak English as their native tongue (despite Singapore’s national language being Bahasa Melayu).
If friendly banter does not [...]

Medical Elective: J’s First Week in Neurosurgery

When neurosurgery is mentioned, the tough-as-nails, practical, go-getter kind of personality is conjured up. These are neurosurgeons. They’re badass, you know, they’re the only ones who dare to go into the cranial vault. Otolaryngology and dentistry muck about the rest of the head, orthopaedics do spine and sometimes brachial plexus/peripheral nerve injuries, plastics and ophthalmology [...]

Medical Elective: Chinese in Toronto, Canada

A popular choice of university of medical students in the University of Toronto (Faculty of Medicine). It is conveniently located in downtown Toronto with the student residences about a 2.5km walk away from Toronto Western, one of the hospitals affiliated with UToronto.
There is a sizable Chinese population in Toronto (10.6% of 2.48 million), a city [...]

Medical Elective: Flying to Canada

Toronto, or some other medical school in Canada has accepted you as an elective student for 4-8weeks. Yay! Go you!
Singaporean citizens have it easy, it is not required to obtain a visa. However, a medical examination inclusive of chest X-ray is still required, For those that are of other nationalities but staying in Singapore, please [...]

Suicide – Death of an Acquaintance

One of J,’s acquaintances, a junior from the same institution previously and girlfriend of another of J,’s friends, has passed away.
It seemed the classical determined suicide with high suicidal intent instead of just being a cry out for help. There were the following characteristics:
1. Plan of suicide
2. Hiding of suicidal intentions
3. Timing of death in [...]