Google Science Fair 2013

The Google Science Fair is an online science competition open to students ages 13-18 from around the globe. Google is looking for ideas that will change the world. To get started, all you'll need is a Google account. For more information, kindly visit: https://www.googlesciencefair.com/en/2013

Idea

One view on the nature of ideas is that there exist some ideas (called innate ideas) which are so general and abstract, that they could not have arisen as a representation of any object of our perception, but rather were, in some sense, always in the mind before we could learn them. These are distinguished from adventitious ideas which are images or concepts which are accompanied by the judgment that they are caused by some object outside of the mind.

Another view holds that we only discover ideas in the same way that we discover the real world, from personal experiences. The view that humans acquire all or almost all their behavioral traits from nurture (life experiences) is known as tabula rasa ("blank slate"). Most of the confusions in the way of ideas arise at least in part from the use of the term "idea" to cover both the representation percept and the object of conceptual thought. This can be illustrated in terms of the doctrines of innate ideas, "concrete ideas versus abstract ideas", as well as "simple ideas versus complex ideas".

Plato was one of the earliest philosophers to provide a detailed discussion of ideas. He considered the concept of idea in the realm of metaphysics and its implications for epistemology. He asserted that there is a realm of Forms or Ideas, which exist independently of anyone who may have thought of these ideas. Material things are then imperfect and transient reflections or instantiations of the perfect and unchanging ideas. From this it follows that these Ideas are the principal reality (see also idealism). In contrast to the individual objects of sense experience, which undergo constant change and flux, Plato held that ideas are perfect, eternal, and immutable. Consequently, Plato considered that knowledge of material things is not really knowledge; real knowledge can only be had of unchanging ideas.

Let's all make a small difference someway or other...

As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children an untruth. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. However, that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.

Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he did not play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. In addition, Teddy could be unpleasant.

It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers.

At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.

Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners... he is a joy to be around.."

His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."

His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."

Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in class."

By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper That he got from a grocery bag Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume.. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to." After the children left, she cried for at least an hour.

On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children. Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her "teacher's pets.."

A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling* her that she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in life.

Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he had ever had in his whole life.

Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer.... The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.

The story does not end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he had met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit at the wedding in the place that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom.

Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. Moreover, she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.

They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, "Thank you Mrs. Thompson for* believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference."

Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."

(For you that don't know, Teddy Stoddard is the Dr. at Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines that has the Stoddard Cancer Wing.)

Blessed semester ahead, my dear friends. 

Listen! Listen! Listen!

Listen! Listen! Listen! 2+2=5. Would you agree? Something to ponder upon. Happy blessed semester ahead, my dear friends. 

Dance FIlm Series II Dance Film Series is BACK! Kick off with a Pina Documentary!

Dance FIlm Series II focuses on 'dance-y' documentaries with FREE SCREENINGS of 4 documentaries over two Sundays.

Two reasons to catch Rize :

1) It's directed by acclaimed photographer, David LaChappelle famed for his layered hyper-realistic aesthetics that have graced the pages and cover of numerous magazines and books.

2) It's a riveting documentary about the physically astounding Los Angeles worlds of clowning and krumping--both heightened and spectacular styles of hip-hop dance.

Rize takes a look at inner city youth who have created art - and often family - where there was none before. Surrounded by drug addiction, gang, and impoverishment, they have developed a completely unique style of dance. Fierce!

Rize will be screened following Dancing Dreams, a documentary about Pina Bausch

http://www.facebook.com/events/387870297950175/

Dance FIlm Series is joint presentation by MyDance Alliance and Five Arts Centre in an effort to present, expose and get people talking about contemporary dance.

Sunday, 30th September 2012, 16:00 until 17:30

27 & 27A, Lorong Datuk Sulaiman 7, Taman Tun Dr. Ismail , 60000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri - Fakulti Filem & Video ASWARA

Kepada semua warga Fakulti Filem & TV,

Akademi Seni Budaya dan Warisan Kebangsaan, 

Saya hulurkan salam menyambut Hari Raya Aidilfitri. 

Mohon ampun dan maaf andai ada terkasar bahasa dan terlebih kelakuan jangan disimpan di dalam hati.

Halalkan segala apa yang telah diberikan.  

Berhati-hati dan jaga diri ketika pulang kekampung halaman. 

Saya bersyukur dan gembira untuk peluang dan pengalaman ini.

Salam.  

Deepak Menon 

NADIRAH by Alfian Sa'at

Dear friends, 

I recently received this invitation from Jo Kukathas, the Artistic Director of the Instant Cafe Theatre Company. 


My personal views: Another thought provoking Malaysian piece contesting cultural boundaries. I'm a great fan of Jo's works. Grab your tickets now! 

Will Love or Faith Prevail?

PLAY SYNOPSIS:
*************
Nadirah is the popular and articulate Vice-President of her university’s Muslim Society. She convenes inter-faith meetings where students talk about how they should respect one another’s spaces.


Nadirah is also the product of a mixed marriage. Her father is a Malaysian Malay and her mother a Singaporean Chinese who had converted to Islam. One day, Nadirah’s mother tells her that she’s going to re-marry. To a man who’s not Muslim.

Nadirah’s best friend Maznah, believes that everyone has a right to happiness. Her senior, Farouk, however, is outraged and urges her to do ‘the right thing’.

How does Nadirah make peace between various religions in school when she’s having the same problems at home? Can mother and daughter worship different gods? Will love or faith prevail?

Funny, insightful and moving, Alfian Sa’at’s award-winning Nadirah wrestles with the complex issue of religion by grounding it in a story about a quirky family and the ties that bind.

Featuring Patrick Teoh, Neo Swee Lin, Redza Minhat, Farah Rani & Ani Juliana Ibrahim.

Nadirah is a bilingual play, performed in Bahasa Melayu & English. Alternate surtitles will be provided during the play.

PERFORMANCE INFO:
******************
DATE: Nov 1-Nov11
TiME: 8.30pm (Tue-Sun) / 3pm (Sun)
VENUE: Pentas 2, Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre

TICKETING & PROMO:
******************
Opening Week Promo: Nov 1-4 (Thu-Sun) RM48/RM38 (limited, students only)

Normal ticket price: Nov 6-11 (Tue-Sun) RM58/RM38 (limited, students only)

For ticketing, please call KLPAC Boxoffice @ 03-4047 9000 or visit www.klpac.org for more info.The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (klpac)
Jalan Strachan, Sentul Park, off Jalan Ipoh, 51100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

HAA102 Jan-April 2012

Dear fiends from HAA102, 

If an egg is broken due to outside force LIFE ENDS. 

If it breaks from inside LIFE BEGINS. 

Great things always begin from inside....So always believe in yourself. 

Blessed wishes for your examination preparations. 

I hope the experience has been inspiring. 

Sincerely, 

Deepak Menon