My Verdict

After 5 listens of the entire album (4 by order, 1 shuffled), I have finally come to a verdict:

This may be the best Radiohead album yet!

I say 'may', because my initial reactions to each individual Radiohead albums have always been grossly different from my final opinion after months and years of listening to them. (While I like most albums by other artists early on and get tired of them eventually, Radiohead almost always causes the opposite. I hated it at first when I listen to the latest released album, then gradually warm up to their new creative direction, and ultimately embraced them as geniuses who's still at the top of their form, constantly exploring new sound and structure).

But this is a first Radiohead album which I consistently like every single songs in the first couple of listen. There is not a single weak track here, but a whole chain of multi-layered, painstakingly crafted songs. To say that I'm blown away is an understatement indeed!

My favourite Radiohead albums have been OK Computer 1st, Kid A 2nd, The Bends 3rd. And now in Rainbows threatened to knock all 3 down 1 spot! Yes I actually (may) liked this more than the legendary poll-topper OK Computer!

Radiohead Day

Seems like I'm not the only one who's going gaga over Radiohead's IN RAINBOWS. The internet community is already calling 10/10/2007 (UK time) Radiohead Day. Music industry reacts with shock with the unusual release of the album: you pick the price! Experts and fans are all analysing the potential impact this move will evolutionize the music industry.


Take a look yourself:

- International Herald Tribune: Radiohead Day arrives as reaction floods in to the band's new download-only album release

- NPR: Radiohead's 'In Rainbows' Sets Its Own Terms

- Wired: Radiohead Hides Several Pots of Gold 'In Rainbows'

- Billboard: Thousands Start Day With Radiohead's 'In Rainbows'

-The Times Online: Music industry reaction to Radiohead's album

- Minnesota Public Radio: The day the music (industry) died?

- PC World: Big Acts Follow Radiohead's Lead: Let Their Music Go Free

- NME: Radiohead: a brief history

- Rolling Stone: Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood on “In Rainbows”: “It’s Fun to Make People Think About What Music is Worth”

- Telegraph: Oasis, Jamiroquai to follow Radiohead

Today... is a GREAT day...

iN rAINBOWS

OMIGOSH OMIGOSH OMIGOSH I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS HAPPENING I'M LISTENING TO RADIOHEAD'S LATEST ALBUM: IN RAINBOWS NOW THIS IS SO FREAKIN' UNBELIEVABLE IT'S SO SURREAL

HELP HELP I'M HYPERVENTILATING HELP HELP

OMG I'M DROWNING IN THE MUSIC NOW THIS IS ONE OF THE MILESTONE IN MY LIFE

NO NO NO WORDS CAN SUFFICIENTLY EXPRESS MY EXCITEMENT NOW SO I'M JUST GONNA SHUT UP AND DROWN MYSELF IN THE MUSIC FOR THE NEXT 10 HOURS

BYE BYE BYE PEOPLE

Humility Where Art Thou

The lack of humility among med students around me is appaling. And I'm not even talking about the kiwi students.

Thom Yorke/ Symmetry/ In Rainbows

This is Thom Yorke, lead singer of Radiohead, my favourite band. That particular drooping left eye-lid he has is due to a surgical complication, when he has a paralysed left eye.

Wondering how he would look like if he never had that 'botched' surgery, I tried cutting the 'normal' half of his face and joined it with an identical flipped image. The results:

I'm fascinated with the results really. I remember some documentary discussing about how symmetrical face is usually judged to be beautiful/handsome by the crowd. Following that logic, I repeat the experiment with the other side of the face.

The results?

...

Here you go:

P.S. The official download for Radiohead's latest album, In Rainbows, will be out on the 10th of October. The price for the download? You decide! No really, you call the price! Have a look yourself!

Doctor's Handwriting

Here is a sample of a doctor's handwriting:





So what do you think it says? Guess!!! No I insist!!!

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

It's 'reassessed'!!!! Lol.

...On 2nd thought...

Maybe it's 'reviewed' instead, as suggested by a doctor from the States (see comments). You know what, I have absolutely no idea! God I'm really concerned about my future handwritings now.

A History of Violence

Probably one of the most under-appreciated and understated gem of a movie in recent years. I've just rewatched the movie since about a year ago, and yet it disturbs me still with its unflinching study of the nature of violence.

Yes, this is a violent movie, as the title explicitly says. But it's unlike any violence I've seen in movies. No gratuitious glorification of violence like what you've seen from The Matrix or (that pretentious outrageously racist) 300, but violence as it is: shocking and horrifying. But it is NOT an anti-violent sermon either, but a disturbing study of the necessity of violence in order to survive.

It makes me realize something. One can debate concerning the issues of morality when one has overcome the basic needs to live; but when it comes to survival, there is no good or evil. Merely the simple fact that the fittest survive.

Great movie to provoke you to think about the nature of violence, and I can almost guarantee you will be haunted by the movie after you've done watching it.

Here's a trailer for those who are curious.

Walking Zombie

General Surgery is almost over. For a moment I almost feel human again, walking in the sunlight, enjoying the view, nothing to worry about. Then I remember that I still have my 21 short case histories + discussion that I need to complete by Monday.

I can't help feeling that I'm fight a losing battle against the all-present apathy that engulfs me for the past couple of months. I don't feel pleasure in anything anymore. One day melts into another, feeling that I'm spending too much time in the hospital but learning too little bcuz I dunno where to start.

Right now, as in NOW, I don't want to have anything to do with Medicine. Honestly. I need a break.

Death Note

My interest in anime has decreased significantly since I last watched Cowboy Bebop, as the quality of recent animes are lamentable. No, I do not mean the technical side, which is more glorious than ever. However, I'm juz not interested in the 'all style, no substance' trend that recent anime has increasingly adopted...

Until I finally found this series... Death Note.

Alright, to be honest, the premise sounds lame at first. A brilliant but eccentric, world-wearied high school student came across a 'Death Note' one day, which he discovered that he can kill anyone he has in mind so long as he writes the name down in the notebook, and picture the person's face in his mind. Experimenting the "Death Note" on 2 criminals, he was at first shocked that it really worked, but soon becomes obsessed with passing his righteous judgement upon the wicked, and crown himself a god of a new world. But the serial of 'killings' of criminals caught the attention of the police & crime investigators worldwide, and soon a mysterious, faceless detective known to the world only as 'L' begins his hunt for the mysterious mass murderer behind all these killings, nicknamed 'Kira'.

Now if you think the plot description sounds shallow, you're DEAD wrong. Even only after watching the 1st 3 episodes of the series, each episode continues to astound me with its depth. The existential themes explored in these episodes are intriguing, and I'm reminded of Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, especially the protagonist Raskolnikov. The cat-&-mouse game between the 2 lead characters are incredible suspenseful (an adjective you'll hardly link to anime), and the lack of gratuitous action sequence & annoying chibli cuteness are incredibly refreshing changes to your everyday anime, to say the least. Coupled this with the high quality animation plus the seductively dark tone of the anime, who in their sane mind could have possibly overlook this gem?

The series seems incredibly promising to me, and you can bet I'll be following it for the next few weeks. If anyone is interested, head on to this link and judge for yourself!

Medical Aplitude Test

Taking the medical aplitude test after Keat's example... Here's my results:

1 emergency med 40

2 dermatology 39

3 med oncology 39

4 orthopaedic surgery 38

5 pediatrics 37

6 obstetrics/gynecology 37

7 psychiatry 37

8 nephrology 37

9 gastroenterology 36

10 allergy & immunology 36

11 aerospace med 35

12 radiology 35

13 nuclear med 35

14 neurosurgery 34

15 general surgery 34

16 plastic surgery 34

17 hematology 34

18 otolaryngology 34

19 endocrinology 33

20 general internal med 33

21 family practice 33

22 preventive med 33

23 urology 33

24 rheumatology 33

25 neurology 33

26 pulmonology 32

27 ophthalmology 32

28 physical med & rehabilitation 32

29 thoracic surgery 31

30 infectious disease 31

31 colon & rectal surgery 31

32 radiation oncology 30

33 cardiology 30

34 anesthesiology 28

35 occupational med 28

36 pathology 28

Well happily emergency medicine is my current favourite specialty, but disappointedly general med & general practice are so low down in the list as I do include them under consideration. I've practically ruled out surgery as one of my future career path, so it's quite annoying to see them so high up (probably bcuz of my tendency for more immediate results seen), and I absolutely hated orthopaedics. Psych is among the top ten which is cool, as I do have some interest in it. No idea bout paeds & O&G, will only have the runs next year.

On a side note, pathology is the lowest in the list... the direct opposite of Keat's list lol

I'm in my general surgery run now... Stuck in a field I have little interest in... Can't wait for this to be over and get started on Psych next lol.