posted by YourName on Friday, March 28, 2008, 7:52 AM
Last year, a copy of this book on a shelf in Kinokunia at Ngee Ann City caught my eyes.
The moment I flipped over the first page, I knew instantly I would not stop. As the memoir of Dr Death, Dr Jack Kevorkian;s (kɛˈvɔrkiːɛn)renowned nickname, unfolded in the book, the respect I have for this man also intensified.
In the 1990s Dr Kevorkian became one of the most prominent and polarizing figures in the debate over euthanasia by assisting in some 130 suicides and for his outspoken advocacy of the "right to die." The list of trials that he had stood, before he was jailed in Michigan for 8 years, stretches over multiple pages in the book.
The rightfulness of his work aside, it is the act of his determining battle in standing by his belief and braving against the moral codes of society and cilvilisation that have impressed me so much.
My greatest respect for him comes from this - before he carried out every single procedure, he requested all others, including the family of the patient to leave the room. When he had done, he informed the police without fail. He was then ready to shoulder everything and stand for trial in court personally, without the family of patient being charged!This book was published when Dr Kevorkian was still in jail and his health was deteriorating. Part of the intention of the writers was, hoping through this project, to have Jack out of his cell as much as possible. The book details Dr Kevorkian life from his childhood (born on May 26, 1928), educations, Korean war, his own mother's prolonged suffering from cancer and to the journey he had chosen in legalising euthenasia.
I am happy even though I have missed these episodes:
* 1 Jun 2007 -
Jack walks out of jail (pls wait after the commercial)Latest (if your interest has been piqued)
* 12 Mar 2008 - The 79-year old pathologist announced his plans to run for congress in Michigan's 9th Congressional District against long term congressman Joe Knollenberg. More>> * Producer Steve Jones has been talking for years about a movie based on Kevorkian's life. The script is slated to be written by "Breach" writer Adam Mazer. More>>
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
posted by YourName on Monday, March 24, 2008, 3:26 PM
It is not difficult to tell that I am lazy. Lazy in updating this blog. However, ironically, this is simply because I am hardworking!
The moment I was notified of teaching a new module, Circuit Analysis, next semester (April 2008), I started my work immediately - contacted the MC (module coordinator - thanked god he was not on leave) and requested for access to all the teaching materials posted online.
Step 1 done swiftly! I got all that I wanted - notes, labs, tutorials and past year papers.
Step 2, I browsed through the notes. Stunned! It is full of - MATHEMATICS! I knew I should not be but ...I was still, shaken! When was my last acquaintance with Sine and Cosine? And what is that cute little 'e' which always appears with funny 'crown'....? Tracking back in time, it was 1988! Imagine, 20 years ago!
We, professional (very 'gei-kiang'), must face up with whatever our work calls for!
Descended back to Step zero - Mastering Engineering Maths (year 1 and 2) - my utmost mission I set for myself!
Imagine this - a desperate soul scampering around the almost-vacant campus during the vacation, from door-to-door - just to collect mathematical notes.
One day - that was what I took to gather all the maths notes.
Next three weeks - that was all (if I am allowed to be so bold) I took (in between works, weekends,at office, outside tuition centre waiting for kids, at Kopitiam food courts, tennis courts...) to crunch through all (not exactly all, but on all the effective ones) the maths exercises and the first 3 of 8 topics of Circuit Analysis!
Not bad, I thought!
I was able to push myself through and emerged proudly(considering those inevitable moments when I felt like quiting). Now I can derive every single Laplace Transformation from scratch! Still charged with positive energy, I was happy studying the next topic on Circuit Analysis this morning when an email came in - I have been removed from teaching Circuit Analysis!
.... ?
....:(
.... :)
Mixed feelings.... kind of like coexistence of hate and love for something....?
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
For the critter!
