Word.

Remember this?

Here's something more recent. Management of Financial Institutions has never been so hip.

sup dawg

was just revising for the midsemester shiznit
gotta a question fo ya.

in the practice question set 1, q 6
how do we get that the specific provision is $5000?
is it that the lvr of loan b is 85% and we are supposed to know that there is an 80% cut off or something? therefore there is a 5% uninsured part that we need to make a specific provision for?

your help is much appreciated my brotha from another mutha

In other news, the midsemester exam and assignment deadline season is over at last! This has been a very long week and one I'd prefer not to relive. It could have been worse - many were in a much stickier situation, so I should count myself lucky.

Since my last post, the weather has gotten warmer and lovelier, the days are getting longer, I've fully recovered, the bulk of my work is done and the holidays start in two days!

Could it possibly get any better?

Actually, it can. I'm heading to Gold Coast the week after next for beaches, parties and unigames, our league team made the finals, 20 more days till Alex gets back (I'd take the glass half full tack and put an 'only' before the '20') and everything else in general is going quite satisfactorily.

Balancing it up on the other end of the scale, however, is a malfuctioning phone, a bunged knee, an increased occurence of muscle tightness and a really sore lower back. Efforts are now underway to discover the cause of the latter two. So far, I've dismissed the possibility of a poor diet, bad posture and prolonged hunching over laptop as causes.

The mystery continues.

I wish...

Once again, in the sinking clarity of 20/20 hindsight, I wish I'd started studying microeconomics earlier. Skimming the pages this afternoon to ready myself for the formidable task of catching up on 10 weeks worth of material, I had a brief panic attack.

Thankfully, as with these things, once I dug into the math, the equations took on some meaning, and the only thing left to lament is the lack of time to get them down pat. I was relieved to find that the exam isn't a hurdle, which means I've got at least 33/40 marks from earlier assessments and require at least 30/100 marks on the exam to pass the subject. With the work I covered today and yesterday, that may just be within reach.

You know it's bad when you start thinking about not failing the paper. That aside, I'm really enjoying the study. I'm going through it at a more hurried pace than I would have liked, but my feelings of animosity toward the lecturer and the subject have somewhat evaporated. This is a really interesting subject, once you understand the math. Why, I...I actually like microeconomics.

Since my brain is saturated with economics right now, I might as well share a few entertaining tidbits. One of the topics we're studying is uncertainty. In economics, uncertainty that can be quantified is called risk. But for all intents and purposes, both terms are used interchangeably.

Generally, when we think about reducing/avoiding risk or uncertainty, we usually associate it with the desire to achieve a more positive expected outcome. In economics, however, reducing/avoiding risk is strictly about reducing/avoiding uncertainty, in other words, increasing the certainty of an outcome.

This inevitably becomes a hotbed for cheeky conclusions. For instance, consider two skydivers. One has a parachute, one doesn't. They both jump. Who is taking on more risk?

At first glance, jumping off a plane without a parachute seems like risky behaviour. But in fact, the skydiver with the parachute is taking on more risk. There is a chance his parachute will work, there is a chance it might not. Conversely, the skydiver without the parachute has eliminated all risk - without a parachute, he will die with certainty. :)

Another case: I want to open a restaurant and I know that while operating, there will be a fire risk. What should I do to reduce/eliminate this risk?

a. Don't open a restaurant
b. Buy fire insurance
c. Install fire extinguishers
d. Burn the restaurant to the ground

They all count!

All right, wrapping things up, I'll leave you with a snippet from my econs textbook.

The Tappet brothers (the hosts of National Public Radio's Car Talk) offers a risk-free investment. Their Capital Depreciation Fund guarantees a 50% return. You send them $100 and they send you back $50.

Sigh. I want the exams to be over. Now.

But it makes it so shiny!

So I logged on to the Online Tutor service last night to see if anyone had asked questions that could be helpful for my Business Finance assignment. I should have known better.

Question:
Can I bind and laminate my assignment? If my assignment is bound and laminated, do I bind the Scan Sheet along with my answers to Section B as well? Or do I submit it separately?

Answer:
NEVER LAMINATE YOUR ASSIGNMENT! We are not going to hang it up on the wall for posterity, but we do need to mark it. Laminating it makes it difficult to mark. You should hand in the Pearson scan sheet seperately from part b of the assignment. There will be a seperate box to hand in the Pearson scan sheet from the other part of your assignment. Do not bind your assignment just staple all of part b together with the declaration on the front cover.

You tell him, Online Tutor!

Where do these people come from? Nevermind that there already were clear instructions on the coversheet of the assignment detailing exactly how you are to hand in your assignment. Oh Online Tutor, I feel your pain!

Before I sign off to do another assignment, I feel the need to mention again just how much I love ultimate frisbee at Melbourne Uni and everyone in it.

---

Well, laminating it does mean I can produce that cool fwop fwop wobble fwop sound...

Help! My Finance textbook has a sense of humour!

Here are some 'gems'.

"Volatility is measured as the standard deviation of annual returns. This last sentence is an example of the sort of statistical jargon that is designed to ensure that quantitative analysts keep their jobs."

"Recall that securities are priced on the basis of the actual number of days in the year in Australia (and many other cricket-playing countries), whereas in the United States, for instance, securities are priced as though there were 360 days in a year. Note that conventions are not necesarily correct chronologically or mathematically, and cricket, while providing an answer for most of life's problems, probably has little to do with the 365-day convention."

"Annuities have a long history. One interesting early annuity was the tontine. Paticipants in a tontine would receive lifetime annual payments in exchange for each making a single payment. As participants died, their payments were redistributed to increase the payments to the surviving participants. The incentive to hasten the demise of other participants was unfortunately, only too evident in some family-based tontines."

"Every transaction eventually has to be settled, whether through cash, through electronic systems or by a visit by Joey Soprano. The payments system has evolved to implement a more orderly process of payments than that envisaged by Mr. Soprano."

"Borrowers come from Mars, while lenders come from Venus."

"The flow of funds from surplus to deficit units is vital to growth an economic development. Money kept under a Scrooge's mattress just produces an uncomfortable night's sleep."

Yeah.

BBC | Deadly Sars virus found in tears

The deadly Sars virus has been found in tears, it has been announced.

Months of searching has finally paid off, when doctors in Singapore at last discovered the Sars virus hiding behind a cabinet in one of the local hospitals. After much coaxing from the relevant authorities, the Sars virus emerged from its makeshift sanctuary, sobbing most passionately.

"All I want is to be loved," it wailed, when interviewed by a BBC reporter. "People just don't understand that."

Dr. Tan Ah Choo at Singapore's National University advises the public to not be fooled by these 'crocodile tears' and has labelled this incident "a shameless and manipulative attempt to prey on the kindness and heart of Singaporeans."

Mrs. Deadly Sars virus, away on holiday in Hong Kong, was unavailable for comment.

sleep schleep schmeep

Ngh. I can't sleep again. This time it's most likely my fault; I succumbed to a cup of coffee at 9pm. But the sleepless nights have been a trend of late. What's curious is the reason why I can't sleep. The moment my head hits the pillow, I start thinking about ultimate frisbee. Or more precisely, thinking about playing, and *wanting* to play oh-so-badly. It's like the adrenalin rush that keeps me up the night before a track and field event, except now, it's UF. After about 10 minutes of heart-pounding restlessness, I start to go delirious and fantasise about a world populated with clones of myself or wildly complicated frisbee-throwing mechanisms. Then, I think about throwing practice (because now there's someone or something to throw to) - 20 backhands, 20 forehands, 20 inside-outs, 20 outside-ins, and there I am, throwing to my heart's content.

Only, it comes nowhere close to the real thing and I'm left feeling unsatisfied, uneasy and more awake than ever. So yes, it's not pretty. The problem is simple: I'm not getting enough ultimate.

(Someone's inevitably going to do a Freudian analysis on this and insist that everytime I say 'ultimate frisbee', I actually mean to say 'sex'. I just know it.)

The remedy however, is much less simple. I don't wish to inflict potentially mind-numbing throwing practice with an incompetent player (i.e. me) on anyone, but I can't throw alone. Why must life be so hard?? This is why we all need siblings, nay, access to siblings. Because I have siblings and they sure aren't helping much being 4000 miles away.

Moving on, I'm now into week 2 of Sem 2. It is all going swimmingly, I daresay. I'm developing a very healthy interest in macroeconomics and geopolitical events, which surprises me mildly, but is really good to see. While I do a lot of reading, I worry about the effectiveness of my ability to retain even 30% of what I read. Imagine soaking a sponge to saturation, then lifting it up and having the water all drain out again. That's my brain. I fear my mind has gotten lazy; give it the barest inkling of having to retain and process a thought and it zones out immediately.

Ah, there we go. 3am. Blogging has always been a great time-killer. Thanks for listening, says she to the void. =) Goodnight.

easter break!

In today's Introductory Microeconomics (henceforth known as IM) lecture, on the topic of inefficiency, my lecturer gave us this example.

In 2001, Australia's second largest insurance company, HIH Insurance collapsed, racking up over $5 billion in losses and making its mark as Australia's biggest corporate collapse yet. John Howard then ordered a Royal Commission inquiry into the matter.

--------------------------------
HIH Royal Commission. Day 131.

Wayne Martin - QC
Raymond Reginald Williams - former CEO of HIH Insurance

Martin: "Could you tell us please if, on your frequent first-class trips to London, you booked the seat next to you for your briefcase?"

Williams: "I don't recall specifically. But that may have been the case, on some occasions."

Martin: "That your briefcase was also travelling first class?"

Williams: "That may have been the case."

Martin: "Did you express the view to Qantas that this briefcase should be eligible for frequent flier points?"

Williams: "I can't recall that."

Martin: "And were you subsequently informed that said briefcase would not be eligible for such points on the grounds that it was not, in fact, a person?"

Williams: "That may have been the airline's position on that issue."

Martin: "Was that briefcase, from that point on, booked under the name of Casey Williams?"

Williams: "Casey Reginald Williams."
-------------------------------

Also, another interesting tidbit about correcting negative externalities (i.e. taking into account the cost or the negative spillover effects from actions of certain economic agents, for those who don't do Econs). Some airports charge airlines noise tax as one of the ways to account for noise pollution during takeoffs and landings. I never thought of that! Though I should've, considering they've managed to monetize environmental pollution by way of pollution credits.

In other news, the Easter holidays start today and goes on for the next ten. With luck and willpower, this time will be spent finishing assignments and catching up on work I've gotten behind in, and less on procrastinating.

Speaking of which, I stumbled across a nifty quote the other day. You may or may not have heard it.

"I used to be an amateur crastinator, but I've recently joined the pro ranks."

I am also, quite scarily, getting addicted to coffee. I've never been much (or anything even) of a coffee drinker, but for the last few days, I haven't been able to get by without a takeaway after uni. I'm not sure when or how it started, but coffee, which for years I thought tasted bad, suddenly started tasting good.

Very good.

*shudder*

Big Ad

I keep meaning to post this link. I'm not sure if it's showing in Malaysia, but it's been around some time here. I love it. It was made apparently using 300 actors and about 20000 computer generated men.

See the Carlton Draught Big Ad!

Hope everyone has broadband. =)

My Lesson in Political Correctness

Yesterday, I was hunted down by the Political Correctness Association (PCA). Apparently, my unwitting use of the word ‘overweight’ in the previous post had touched a nerve with certain members of society who are now seeking compensation for the mental anguish that my post has caused them.

After a long and serious consideration (and a well-timed visit by a gun-toting, cigar-smoking representative of the PCA) I began to see the error of my ways. In an attempt to atone for the Terrible Sins I have committed against my fellow readers through my thoughtlessness, I thought I should leave you with a transcript of my conversation with the PCA rep, as a lesson for us all.

Remember kids, prevention is better than cure.

[transcript]

*doorbell rings*

Me: *eyes stranger warily* Uh. Hi.

PCA Rep: WHAT DO YOU MEAN OVERWEIGHT? HUH?! HUH?! ARE YOU SAYING OVERWEIGHT PEOPLE DON’T HAVE A RIGHT TO DATE?!?!!11!

Me: *wipes flecks of spit from face* Uh. I was merely describing the fictional character Bridget Jones, and after some deliberation, decided to use the adjective ‘overweight’ which was quite appropriate seeing as how the movie producers were trying to sell the same idea by making her insecure and obsessed with losing those extra pounds and even keeping a diary on her fitness progress. Should not the movie producers be accused of trying to sell the idea that overweight = undesirable = the need to lose weight? I was merely a victim of subversive Hollywood propaganda.

PCA Rep: Then why did you use Zellweger? Why couldn’t you just have said Bridget Jones??? ARE YOU SAYING YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ZELLWEGER???!

Me: I think Zellweger is gorgeous. But not when movie producers decide Bridget Jones must be pudgy and make Zellweger put on extra pounds just for the shoot. If that was the message I conveyed I certainly didn’t mean it.

PCA Rep: *getting uneasy* You want to fight is it?! You also said “…she gets a girl now on top of that.” What do you mean by this huh? Do you know how offensive it is?? ARE YOU SAYING HOMOSEXUALS DON’T HAVE A RIGHT TO DATE??!

Me: *eyes the bulge of a loaded gun underneath Armani suit tentatively* Uh. No. You’re absolutely right. I am a big supporter of gay rights and have many queer friends. I also fly a rainbow flag every Monday morning to show my support to the homosexual cause. Please forgive my slip of tongue.

PCA Rep: *sniffs arrogantly* I’ll have you know you could be arrested for all this. Look! *imitates in squeaky mocking voice* Oooh look at me I dissolved into a big romantic-comedy-puddle! What are you implying? Are you stereotyping puddles?? ARE YOU SAYING YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH PUDDLES?!?!

Me: Uhh…

PCA Rep: HA. Just as I thought! And, and, look at this! “I can’t decide which I like better. They’re both meltingly good-looking, British-accented, suave, charming, sweet and smouldering.” Does that mean every other guy who doesn’t fit that description is undesirable??? ARE YOU SAYING THESE MEN DON’T HAVE A RIGHT TO BE LIKED??!

Me: I…uh…

PCA Rep: And what about Season 8 of Friends huh?? And Brad Pitt? Do you have a problem with Brad Pitt??? Or sitcoms?? Why should Brad Pitt stay out of sitcoms??? ARE YOU SAYING YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH SITCOMS??!?!

Me: …

PCA Rep: I’ll let you off the hook this time. But don’t pull anything funny. I’ll be watching you, ya hear that? I’ll be watching you. *slams door shut and puts a bullet through for good measure*

[/transcript]

And as I watched the PCA rep pull away in his black limo through the still smoking bullet-hole he put through my front door, I vowed in complete and utter penitence never to repeat the same mistake again.

That night, I slept a reformed man.

What now?

The end of exams are so overrated. It's ironic how during the exams you find a hundred and one pressing things other than study to do, and when you're finally free, you wander about restlessly wondering what to do, even considering switching on your laptop to try break your high score in beginner minesweeper which is only a high score because it was the only score.

*pities pathetic state of self*

Truly, for the whole of Thursday, after a fantastic lunch at Gwen's (assam laksa and pulut hitam! Oh...flavours of home!!), brudder and I were caught in exactly that dreary, tiresome limbo.

In the end, I attempted to console myself with the lights of my miserable, piteous existence - Hugh Grant, Colin Firth and Brad Pitt. Can you believe that Zellweger woman?! *murderously* That overweight pout. As if two hot, hot guys weren't enough in the first movie, she gets a girl now on top of all that. Is she THAT desirable? I think not!

So there I was, breaking my heart over Hugh Grant and Colin Firth. *dissolves into big romantic-comedy-puddle* ...I can't decide which one I like better. They're both meltingly good-looking, British-accented, suave, charming, sweet and smouldering. If anyone wants to make me a very happy person on Dec 18, may I suggest giving me a whole collection of movies they've been in, life-size posters and a compilation of the best pictures/photos of them.

See? I'm being realistic. I didn't ask for them in person.

Sadly, there was too little of them and too much of that woman. After the movie, I began looking for stuff to do again, and decided to plunge into Season 8 of Friends (observe how desperate I'm getting at this point). Why season 8? C'mon, all together now - Brad Pitt. Though admittedly, he should stay out of sitcoms and in the movies where he belongs.

It was only 10-ish when I finished some episodes of Friends. I was almost at my wits end already, and if brudder wasn't there to be bored to bits with me, I would have just slithered down my chair, sat under the desk, stare cross-eyed into space and wibble.

I need professional help.

um gesh dee bork, bork!

Recently, when I was on the net surfing through the history and development of 1337speak (for no particular reason), I stumbled across Google h4x0r which is none other than Google in 1337speak! Needless to say, I was most entertained.

Yesterday, on one of my surfing sprees again, I ventured into Google's Language Tools page, a place I've been to a coupla times but never quite paid sufficient attention to. Curiosity and too much free time (which really should be spent doing my holiday homework and studying for my Chem test) led me to see if Google h4x0r was really listed as a 'language'. And so it was! And along with it, I unearthed even MORE novelty Google interfaces. It was absolutely hilarious.

There was Google igpay atinlay - Google in Pig Latin! The window title read, "ooglegay imageyay earchsay"...it took a while to stop laughing and recognize it as Google Image Search.

Then there was Google Elmer Fudd. You'll probably remember Elmer Fudd from the Bugs Bunny cartoons as the infantile hunter fixated on driving bullets through Bugs Bunny, and as PK puts it perfectly, that "wascly wabbit" guy. "Google Diwectowy," Elmer says, "De web owganized by topic into categowies." ^^

Finally there's Google Bork, bork, bork!...I hadn't any idea what Bork, bork, bork! was, but a quick search on urbandictionary.com defined it as an exclamation commonly used by muppet swedes. Like The Swedish Chef from The Muppet Show. "Google Imege-a Seerch - Zee must cumprehenseefe-a imege-a seerch oon zee veb." And for some reason, just about every sentence, especially in the Google-a Gruoops, ended with a "Um gesh dee bork, bork!"

I had a gala time clicking on all the links from the Google main to see how they looked in their various 'languages'. Heh heh heh. Looks like this is how I've been spending my holidays. *blush blush* Carpe diem, indeed. But it was really entertaining and funny. Google was cooler than I thought! Yay Google!!

Okaylah, to make up for this waste of time, I will now be studying twice as much Chem today. So, thas' all folks. Um gesh dee bork, bork!

the many names of darkwinter

Gone were the days where I'd hear my own name, pure and unviolated, when people addressed me. Western tongues just simply weren't made for Chinese names. Especially the typical Malaysian three syllable one, with your surname first and name the last two syllables. Another concept which they couldn't really grasp. If I don't write my name Hui-Ying Ang, there'd be speculations about whether my surname was Ying, or whether I would like to be called Ying or Hui, or Ying Ang. To make it easier, I've taken to introducing myself, saying my entire name, and asking the other party to choose the combination they can pronounce. Here are some of the names I respond to. =)

1. Hui - This is used mostly by Connie, Rachael and Aditi, people I'm closer to. They'd say it in the kind of way people do when you get to know a person until the point where you're comfortable enough to shorten their name to one syllable. Oh and, Mr. Downie, my Physics teacher. He said once during class, how he just cannot imagine anyone with a name like mine, and had to call me Hui if he wants me to respond. I mightn't recognize any other attempts otherwise. The "Who? Me?" kinda thing.
2. Ying - One of the easily pronouncable variations, used mostly because it's easier to say than Hui.
3. Huey - One or two people call me this. Just a friendly nickname. It's pronounced 'hew-eeee'. ^^
4. Hiu - It's a mutilated version of Hui, only used by the school photographer Mr. Hankin, who just can't say it right. And I can't be bothered correcting him. I don't talk to him enough to make it worthwhile.
5. Hui Ying - I do hear it reasonably often, only sometimes people tend to stumble and fumble over the transition from the 'i' sound to the 'y' sound. But that happens back home as well, where usually it ends up sounding like Hwing.
6. Ang Hui - On the class attendance sheet. I nearly died when I saw that. "Ang HUI?" I cried incredulously. It still hasn't changed.
7. Ying Ang - On some sports lists and things.
8. Hiu Ying - Same problem with Mr. Hankin + ying. A fellow athlete, Cathreen calls me that.

Fortunately, there are some versions that have never been repeated.

1. Hoo Eengh Aenj - My Chem teacher, Mrs. Greenhill's first attempt at my name.

Yep. That's the story. And as expected, Ang is Aeng, not Ung, like it ideally should be. But that's okay, it's understandable that they'd say it that way. Anyway, time for homework now. Thought this post might amuse you.

Over and out, yours truly Down Under.

camera, lights, action

I have recently rediscovered the joys and sheer convenience of jotting down little inky notes on the back of my hand. Unfortunately, at the rate I'm going, I wouldn't be surprised if I end up with a permanent blue G1 ink patch on my skin. Oh well. It's the new fad, I'll say. Aesthetic value.

Strange y'know, after staying in the boarding house and getting used to what ever little privileges you have, a treat I would have thought insignificant before seems so much more an event now. Like the Boarders' Parents Association's gifts to the BH. Proceeds from the money they raised at their stall during Sports Day. We got a foosball table, a treadmill AND a DVD player! The foosball table, especially, was a big hit. Thankfully they've moved it out of the foyer and vicinity of my room. Try doing work with four (or more!!) wildly shrieking girls and the repeated sounds of rock-hard plastic foosballs clonking about on plasticky wood. A bit the annoying.

Oohoo. Did I tell you guys about the 'promotional video' they made of us girls from M'sia, China, HK, and Singapore? I think I mentioned before but not in detail. So what happened was, that day lunchtime, we got seated into our respective countries' tables, with gaps in between the seating (of which reason will soon be revealed.) Turns out those places were for the three blonde haired girls who moved from table to table after each 'the girls from your country happily eating their wholesome lunch while mingling with foreign cultures so come to PLC!' scene. I didn't even realize they started filming at our table, and sad to say, it was one of the better lunches (sweet chilli chicken in tortilla wrap) and I was hungry, so I ate kinda gelojoh. Only when he moved away then I realized filming was over. *groan* I must have looked like such an ass.

After that was over (and mind you, I didn't even have time to finish off my last bites) they shuffled us off to film the 'bedroom' scene. For some strange reason, when Mrs. Fearn-Wannan asked me if I could do the Bedroom Scene, wild and unwholesome thoughts were running through my head, and I was like glancing around desperately, thinking oh god and mustering an "Uh.." in the end. Man, it just didn't sound right! For some stranger reason, she took that as a yes. So there I was, having to grudgingly change out of my winter uniform (which is so inconvenient it's not funny) and pull on some casual clothes. Then all representatives from each country filed to someone else's room to film the same scene over and over, with just the faces in each take different. Save the blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl we had to pretend to talk to while cudding cutesy soft toys and exuding a body language that screams 'the girls from your country happily sitting in their rooms cuddling their favourite soft toys and mingling with foreign cultures so come to PLC!!' As the filming guy said, "Be happy, smile and giggle a lot." Or something to that effect. They decided not to record voices this time. Charlene was telling me how they made her do the bedroom scene last year and there was talking involved. According to her aunt who watched the video, Charlene said:

"Goodnight!"

And I quite literally laughed the BH down. Fortunately, I was spared having to act all chatty and happy and huggy with a soft toy. I was the one who sat at the study table paying rapt attention to the laptop in front of me, engrossed in my work, an occasional pattering of the keyboard, a little furrow of the eyebrows, in an attitude that says 'the girls from your country are hard at work in an institution that makes giving the best education your daughter can possibly have its top priority so come to PLC!!" [insert thumbs-up sign and cheesy grin]

But at the end of the day, it's a private school that wants to go international, and it plays all the marketing strategies it can do. It wasn't so bad, the day of filming. Gave me an insight (as if I didn't have one already) behind the scenes of making a promo vid, or any other film for that matter, even documentaries. There's always an agenda. Everything so made up, so...created. Media bestows such a power of manipulation to a person or party. And those people back home watching the video, none the wiser.