GAMING IMPROVES BRAIN

Who says gaming is bad for children, a growing body of university research suggests that gaming improves creativity, decision making and perception. The specific benefits are wide ranging, from improved hand-eye coordination in surgeons to vision changes that boost night driving ability.

People who played action-based video and computer games made decisions 25% faster than others without sacrificing accuracy, according to a study. Indeed, the most adept gamers can make choices and act on them up to six times a second—four times faster than most people.

So play more games :) but don't overdo it, always remember to get enough sleep and don't get addicted. Casual gaming will help in developing the brain but excessive gaming can bring more harm than good, always remember that.

ARE YOU AS SMART OR AS BAD AS YOU THINK YOU ARE?

My dad once told me something that I wasn't able to appreciate until much later --- that it's not about being "smart", but about sustained focus, dedication, and discipline. I didn't believe him. I figured that some people are just born smarter, and there's an upper limit on your intelligence that holds you back, and that I had hit that limit. No doubt some people are more predisposed to certain kinds of achievement. It's very very easy to blame your intelligence than your motivation when by all accounts, you are busting your ass, killing yourself spending 20 hours on each analysis problem set and those guys are spending less than 5.


Years later only when i found out that, yes, what my dad told me years ago did worked. I realized that "genius" is overrated. It is rarely just there. You have to focus and keep pushing yourself to get there.





These thoughts had confirmed what I suspected all along. It's not about being clever, but it's about your commitment, your dedication and self-discipline. No one is born smarter, no matter what people seem to look like from your perspective. I've blamed my own intelligence than my motivation similar to the post above when in fact, I've just not been working hard enough. 

I really hope someone reads this and gets the message. 

The best way to learn how to learn is to push yourself into situations where you aren't the smartest person in the room, and to observe and get help from the people who are the smartest, to find out how they do it.  

DOWNSIDE OF IMAGINATIVE

Yes, sometimes being imaginative and creative brings more advantage for a person in work but in nowadays society, there is a downside. Company wants you to be creative but giving you instruction on how they want it instead. There is no point to be creative to start with since there is a barrier on how creative they want you to be. 

Other than that, for the cartoon on the right side. "...and, if your idea is so imaginative, innovative and original why aren't our competitors doing it?" Good question, because i am the first one who think of it first. As an example, tablet that everyone is using right now, yes, IPAD and SAMSUNG TABLET. This concept was thought by windows long before ipad was launched in this world. Why aren't windows advertised its tablet? Because Bill Gates afraid that this idea won't work in this world but look how successful apple is with IPAD, my dad even bought two of them after the new ipad launched this year.

So, sometimes being imaginative and creative is not a bad thing but are you a risk taker? That's a question. Being able to take risk and go with your idea is not an easy step, there will always be stepping stones who discourage or even criticize your ideas. I'll say, give it a go; if your idea fail, then find another solution to make your idea work.

ANIMAL LIPS PAINTING

I found one interesting art for lips while facebook-ing all day long, its kind of interesting and creative on how people manage to make such simple thing but looks beautiful at the same time. Wonderful isn't it.

There is fox, beaver, bee, crab and even panda. :D 

CALVIN AND HOBBES : CLASSIC CARTOON

When it comes to classic cartoon, who doesn't like Calvin and Hobbes.

Calvin and Hobbes do all the things little boys dream of, they build forts, exclude girls from clubs, go sledding, build time capsules, become superheros and generally form the most unique bond ever seen between a child and his playmate. One speculates that Calvin's extreme imagination might stem from boredom. He has no brothers or sisters in the cartoon strip. To others, he is probably mere genius.

Math Atheism - Why Didn't I Think of This?

Looking at how Calvin managed to use his genius brain, he is able to tuned into issues related to the environment, religion, philosophy and politics. But he's certainly not in your face about hot topics. He'll make you chuckle and laugh, as you should when reading the comics. You'll wonder how a 1st grader and his stuffed animal can have so much fun ( and be so worldly at the same time ).

WORLD IS CHANGING

I was walking under the hot red sun, the sun's rays were raining down on me as if i was just a feet away from it. Then i remembered how my mom describe her childhood was, the weather wasn't this hot, children still doesn't own an ipad at age 5, and society isn't as cruel as it is now.

The world is changing. Every second of it is so much more different than the previous.

Mortality. One is ever, forever mortal. It is so easy to take away life from what it originally belonged to that the meniscus between life and death is easily blurred. When was the last time you squashed the life out of something, be it accidentally or deliberately? Directly, or indirectly?

It is so common, as there must, and always will be, two sides to a coin. Life and death are a part of a whole, but to choose life is to condemn death. Why, do we choose life? Is it because we are living?

Death. What is it? As mysterious, intriguing, promising the eternal release from suffering seems, it is something that should never be in the hands of a human to decide. What right do you have, to take your own life, or take it from others?

Just because it happens everyday, everywhere, by anyone, doesn't mean that it is not wrong. Murder is, and always will be a crime.

Live life to the fullest. Study as you were to live forever. Live as though you were to die tomorrow.

Don't worry too much about the abstracts of life. Each answer only raises more questions, yet, never quench the passion for learning. Or rather, do not think of questions as negative, instead perceive them as yet-to-be-found answers.

Cogito, ergo sum.

This deceptively simple latin statement first came to me in its French form-  "Je pense donc je suis"

Dubito ergo cogito ergo sum.

-I doubt, therefore I think, therefore I am.

POP SONG'S SECRET RECIPE

Intro

Verse

Chorus

Verse 2

Chorus 2

Solo

Chorus 3

Outro

Does this look familiar to you? This has been the structure for most pop music for the past few years. A pop song usually consists of a series of verses, interspersed with a refrain(Chorus), and often with an instrumental breakdown(which are the favourite parts of songs of many, including yours truly).

The chorus is usually arranged to be in contrast with the verses harmonically, melodically and lyrically in a colourful burst of sound. Choruses are usually fuller in sound, and usually contain the 'hook' of the piece.

People have attempted to alter this primordial structure to give their songs a unique twist of their own, which ultimately resulted in the single-hook-endless-repetition songs that we have today.

It's a matter of personal taste in music, so I shall not delve any further into the genres of music.

"Four Chords" is one of the best work from The Axis of Awesome and only by using 4 simple chords a series of beautiful songs can be made.

James Blunt - You're Beautiful

Alphaville - Forever Young

Jason Mraz - I'm Yours

Mika - Happy Ending

Alex Lloyd - Amazing

The Calling - Wherever You WIll Go

Elton John - Can You Feel The Love Tonight

Maroon 5 - She Will Be Loved

The Last Goodnight - Pictures Of You

U2 - With Or Without You

Crowded House - Fall At Your Feet

Kasey Chambers - Not Pretty Enough

The Beatles - Let it Be

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Under the Bridge

Daryl Braithwaite - The Horses

Bob Marley - No Woman No Cry

Marcy Playground - Sex and Candy

Men At Work - Land Down Under

Banjo Patterson's Waltzing Matilda

A Ha - Take On Me

Green Day - When I Come Around

Eagle Eye Cherry - Save Tonight

Toto - Africa

Beyonce - If I Were A Boy

The Offspring - Self Esteem

The Offspring - You're Gonna Go Far Kid

Pink - You and Your Hand

Lady Gaga - Poker Face

Aqua - Barbie Girl

The Fray - You Found Me

30h!3 - Don't Trust Me

MGMT - Kids

Tim Minchin - Canvas Bags

Natalie Imbruglia - Torn

Five For Fighting - Superman

Axis Of Awesome - Birdplane

Missy Higgins - Scar

This work is an attempt to outline the perceived formulaic nature of popular songs. I play piano myself and frankly by twisting and arranging these 4 chords it gives off beautiful-beautiful musics.

LEGACY : HUMANS?

I was watching 2012 on one particular afternoon. Then some weird idea hit me. You know, the world is not immortal. Nothing is. What do you think would happen if humanity were to disappear?

Let's imagine a future where there are no more humans on Planet Earth. A future where all humans are dead, or missing. A possible dimension where the world is free, without mankind.


I went out, one day, taking a stroll on the streets of human infrastructure. My mission was to observe all signboards, the buildings and the sidewalks, looking at everything as though all humans were to disappear. There must be another sentient, intelligent civilisation out there. What if they were to come across our deserted planet, one that had no signs of life?

I picture them to land and gather information regarding the human civilisation, by looking at the relics we left behind. What would they conclude? 

What would YOU conclude?

Strolling down the streets, I see signboards and advertisements of people laughing, having fun. Flyers of insurance and bank loans are all over the pavement. The graffiti on the walls would probably make no sense to the lifeforms that would learn our history. I assume myself to be one of them, seeing everything in a different angle.

I see a group of people laughing at random people passing by. I remind myself that they are not there in this particular future, the future where no humans remain. I stroll on.

Electronic paraphernalia and screens flash and flare. Would they still work once humans are gone? I suppose so, since electricity cycle is automated. Probably not for long. I observe the images on the television screen. Bands perform, newsanchors drone on, citizens lament...

WHY DO YOU NEED SOAP?

Im sure all of us had the day where we're in too much of a hurry to shower/bathe properly. Yes, this happened to me recently. So, i was thinking....in a hustle of the morning, why should i shower with soap.

It feels clean at first but on my way to school, i started to feel 'unclean', although i could have sworn that i'd washed my entire body properly, without soap. So i think for a while. If using soap (or not using it) be the main  trigger for uncomfortable feeling of dirtiness, and then i wonder how did the ancients survive without soap.


So, here is the answer.




Let me tell how how does soap work. Soap is made of two chemicals: a fatty acid and a base, that are attached to each other. The fatty acid end is hydrophobic, it latches on to anything else but water, so it sticks to the dirt on your skin. The base end is highly hydrophilic, and when you rinse your body with water, the base end pulls the fatty-acid with it, and all dirt with it, leaving you with clean skin.

TA-DA~!

IMAGINATION

This garfield cartoon strip is really interesting and inspiring as well...try focus on the last panel. An imagination is a powerful tool. It can tint memories of the past, shade perceptions of the present, or paint a future so vivid that it can be entice...or terrify, all depending upon how we conduct ourselves today.

Imagination has a great role and value in each one's life. It is much more than just idle daydreaming. We all use it, whether consciously or unconsciously, in most of our daily affairs. I did "imagine" a lot of things when i got nothing better to do. :) A developed and strong imagination does not make you a daydreamer. On the contrary, it strengthen your creative abilities, and is a great tool for recreating and remodeling your world and life.

So guys. use your imagination to build mental scenes, objects or any events you want...let it run wild instead of suppressing it. :D have a nice day yah!

TRASH THE ASH

I always wonder, why do people smoke? This question strikes my mind when I was sitting at the mamak stall spacing out watching someone lighting his cigarette. It's kind of interesting if you can imagine the lit cigarette acted as a beacon. It gets brighter as you inhale and the light slowly disappears as you stop inhaling, drawing in any people who happened to see or smell it.

I would be lying if I said I never tried a cigarette before, you know...out of curiosity. Well, the story goes like this, there is one time when my friend invited me to take a puff. I did. Then i ran to a nearby stall and drained a total of 2 to 3 cans of 100 plus, drinking so furiously that half of it ran down my chin and onto my shirt. How could he, or anyone, really, make a habit of something so fundamentally unpleasant? Seriously!! So guys, be smart and don't start. Try learning from these interesting and creative anti smoking advertisement, each picture has their own meaning, understand it and you will know that smoking beings only harm to you and the people around you

   

Top 45 Creative Anti-Smoking Advertisements. (2009, May 18). The Design Inspiration. Retrieved June 20, 2012, from http://thedesigninspiration.com/articles/top-45-creative-anti-smoking-advertisements/ 

LIFE OF THE ALLNIGHTER

I found one very interesting picture in Facebook today. This is a life of an “all-nighter” who spent all night rushing assignments/projects. Hmm, don’t you think this is quite true? Where people would procrastinate as much as they can and this is what happened. Frankly, I am the “Allnighter”.

People like me love to do things when there is only a few days left to the submission date. However I find it quite challenging and thrilling doing things at the last minutes, it's like your heart misses a beat. The overwhelming fear of unable to finish your assignments in time pushes you to the limit where your mind reaches a state where It won’t stop thinking. However in the end, when you managed to pass up your assignment its like all of your stress is stripped away from you. J Ahhh...totally reminds me of my last semester.

HMMM, WHY I DIDN'T THINK OF THAT?

Have you ever experienced that your friend/colleague done something that turns out great, instead of being happy for their success, all you can think is, “Why didn’t I think of that before?” Frankly speaking, I once thought of that before, especially when one of my friends managed to think of a better idea than mine.

Jealousy is a common emotion in people. It’s easy to view a friend/colleague’s gain as your loss. So, instead of wasting time beating yourself up, how bout tries to put this energy to work for you. If your friend/colleague can do it, why can’t you? Let their good luck propel you forward, and remind yourself that your goals are achievable too. See them as an example J.

You can also learn from them, pay closer attention to them, it may look like pure luck, but usually more to it than that. Jealousy? Left to itself, is a drain of energy. Next time when you find yourself pulling out your hair, wondering “Why didn’t I think of that before?” Take a few breaths, then think again. J

FACEBOOK ISN'T AWESOME ANYMORE!

Have you ever experienced this? Sit in front of your laptop, scrolling up and down on your Facebook page practically doing nothing, just plainly wasting time. Today I experienced it, not just 1 hour or 2 hours but 5 hours sitting there; scrolling up and down on my page reading my friends' posts and videos and then it inspired me abruptly to write this post.

Facebook is an old website that existed around 2004, I personally got tired of Facebook but still rely on it though. It may not be a cool website anymore but people still used it. Why? Because all of our friends are still there and it becomes our primary source of social currency. We enjoy chatting up with friends, watching some humorous videos, sharing the latest updates of our lives that it becomes a habit for us to continue using it just because we haven't found another sharing website better than Facebook that let us connect all the way and media through which we prefer to share. :)


Facebook, the social network of serial killers!. (2010, August). Epagini. Retrieved from http://www.epagini.com/2010/08/facebook-the-social-network-of-serial-killers/