Saturday, April 10, 2010

The Last Lecture - Randy Pausch

I really like to read inspiriting stories.

I could like to share with you this book I'm currently reading, "The Last Lecture".



It was about a university professor, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, knew that he was going to die in a few months. He was thinking about what he can leave for his children and people around him when he was gone. So he came out with a lecture, apparently the last lecture, to share with people about his experience and to inspire people to live.

Just so happen one of my friend posted a link about the lecture video on FB. I'm impressed to see him giving the 'last lecture'. It's almost exactly the same as describe in the book.

I like one of the quote he said, "Never, ever underestimate the importance of having Fun. I'm dying soon and I'm choosing to have fun, today, tomorrow and every other day I have left."

If you are lazy to read the book, you can watch 'the last lecture' at this website
http://www.thelastlecture.com/aboutbk.htm

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Cryptic Rock Star

I haven't been blogging for a long time. Sorry about that. I guess I shall blog something at least once a month.

Today shall blog on a little seastar I saw on my last trip to Pulau Semakau.


Cryptic Rock Star (Cryptasterina sp.)
Though it has been sighted many times on Semakau, I never seen it once(or maybe i have, but i didn't realise it. Ha.). Cryptic Rock Star is the common name. It belongs to the phylum of Echinodermata and family of Asternidae. Its species is hard to differentiate just by visual looking. It usually grow up to 3 to 4 cm long. Their arms are not long, almost like pentagon shape. Its colour make it difficult to spot as it camouflages very well among rocks and sands. Its favourite living habitat is under rock (and this is how i found them). It feeds on algae and small animals found on the surface of the rock. Seastars usually fertilize externally by releasing eggs and sperms into the water and produce swimming, bilaterally symmetrical larva. However it seems different for Cryptasterina hystera(read up more).


References:
http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/echinodermata/asteroidea/cryptasterina.htm
http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/sci/A0861002.html