text:
November 09, 2012, 12:05 pm -- /EPR NETWORK/ -- The AV Preeminent® is a significant rating accomplishment - a testament to the fact that a lawyer's peers rank him at the highest level of professional excellence. An extremely dedicated attorney, Bernard Walsh, was admitted into the Florida Bar Association in 1978 and has been actively serving the Florida justice system for 34 years.
Mr. Walsh obtained this AV Preeminent® rating by garnering the praise of his peers in an objective review by other bar members and judges. Reviewers rated Mr. Walsh on a number of factors including ethical standards and legal ability in the personal injury and wrongful death areas of practice.
Now a partner with the Florida personal injury law firm Shapiro Goldman Babboni & Walsh; Mr. Walsh has demonstrated his leadership in the Florida legal community by founding the Manasota Trial Lawyers Board, an organization of Southwest Florida's prominent trial lawyers and by his years of service and successes in representing injured clients.
During the review process Mr. Walsh received praise from many Bar members. One such Attorney had this to say about Bernie Walsh, "I have known Mr. Walsh for many years and have defended cases brought by him. He is an excellent lawyer who cares deeply about his clients." That reviewer rated Mr. Walsh 5 out of 5.
Another bar member remarked, "Definitely the "go to guy" for any questions regarding the practice of personal injury." Comments like "I have known Mr. Walsh for many years and have defended cases brought by him. He is an excellent lawyer who cares deeply about his clients," illustrated his worthiness to receive the rating of AV Preeminent®.
Attorney Bernard Walsh had this to say about his recognition by the AV Preeminent® rating "I am deeply honored by the comments of my fellow attorneys. It's wonderful to have the years of hard work recognized. Receiving this honor helps my clients better understand the level of dedication and expertise we offer for their behalf."
About Injury Lawyer Bernard F. Walsh
Mr. Walsh, an AV Preeminent® rate attorney has been listed in Avvo, an attorney
rating site, as Superb. Mr. Walsh is listed in Top Lawyers of America, National
Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, and inducted into The Southern Trial Lawyers
Association. He has also won the largest playground recovery, one of the top three
motorcycle recoveries, and the second largest daycare center recovery in the State
of Florida. He is also a member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. The
Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum is a group of attorneys who have achieved
career case successes that include multi-million dollar recoveries, settlements
and/or verdicts. Mr. Walsh is currently a partner at the Florida law firm of Shapiro
Goldman Babboni & Walsh where he represents injured clients all over Florida from
his office in Bradenton. Mr Walsh stays active in the Florida legal community in
many ways including founding of the Manasota Trial Lawyers Board and as an Florida
Justice Association board member.
more at: http://www.getmejustice.com/
About Martindale Hubbell
The Martindale Directory was first published in 1868 by James B. Martindale, a
lawyer and businessman. Its purpose was "to furnish to lawyers, bankers, wholesale
merchants, manufacturers, real estate agents, and all others…the address of one
reliable law firm, one reliable bank, and one reliable real estate office in every
city in the United States..." Today Martindale-Hubbell ratings provides reviews of
lawyers and law firms for consumers and professionals. Martindale.com contains the
profiles of over one million lawyers and firms globally.
Contact Details: Shapiro Goldman Babboni & Walsh
5291 Office Park Boulevard, Bradenton FL, 34203,


text:
Cheap NFL Jerseys
Nevertheless, moncler chanel handbags it s neatly cleaving the press and buyers into two halves: the Pitti able, moncler and those who have no Pitti. At best, you can gain 1% annually with a savings account if you want safety and control. The fact that more and more Americans were buying their clothing rather than making it also helped the garment industry and by the end of the 1860s most Americans were buying their clothing rather than making it themselves. Undaunted, fashion Liam is organizing a fundraiser on his own and then he ll shave his head, fashion says Jennine.. Though Chloe hates Adam, fashion she says she loves Chelsea, Bernard Scott Jersey but doesn t realize that she s hurting from her own loss as well. Fashion shoes ranging from heels to sandals can cause more than just a night of discomfort, they can cause such sever foot problems as hammer toes, Plantar Fasciitis, Chinese NFL Jerseys and ingrown toenails. Marino s genius is to give each its own clear identity, creating stores that are cool and contemporary but also subtly envelop you in the brand s heritage. Therefore we are also going to destroy the roof top to match the subsequent levels. Harper captivating "vogue s" editor in cheer, anna wintour. Linings should usually be made from cellulose fibres like Bemberg silk which combines the carefree ease and breathability of cotton with the soft, luxurious feeling of silk.. He carried Zimbabwe in both innings and was the difference between the teams Ted Ginn Jersey in this test. Both ready to wear and haute couture collections are presented on international catwalks.. Girls, sometimes when you look in the mirror you might think your fat, but just to tell you, you re actually not fat. The signs are all there from contaminated rivers to more people dying before 60!. If we can see socks when you are standing, they are too short and sometimes referred to as, "high waters." For style reasons, some women s jeans are cut at Capri length. Immunosuppressants these drugs, like azathioprine or cyclophosphamide, are used for serious cases of rheumatoid arthritis when other medications have failed. They are making the ramp abuzz with their new style, sexy designs and what not. "You have to kill off your darlings," he says, "because once you find something you love it s wrong to keep working with that. While many women do not want to cut their own hair to such lengths, a Rihanna full lace wig allows women to achieve the look.. Braces were required to avoid embarrassment, not as a fashion accessory. Last week when we were using it the steering suddenly locked up in a semi straight position, the steering cylinder was leaking so we assumed it had locked up in some fashion so we removed it had it rebuilt and replaced
Cheap NFL Jerseys
There are specific fabrics that have to be used. Designed by Ottawa University MBA graduate Nora Zabarah Pucci, moncler chanel handbags the label moved in a slightly new direction for the neophyte designer: influenced by vines, moncler flowers and "naked winter trees," she incorporated seduction through the use of her own computer generated and manufactured embroidery on nude lined dresses and separates that gave the distinct impression of body tattoos. Higher premiums also apply in case of health issues. "You can say beauty is on the inside but I ve never met a woman who is free from the sense of what she looks like. "Women have such a strong relationship with hair. John Horton s two drop goal s proved vital following tries from John Carleton and Nick Preston.1972 France 37 England 12England endured a day to forget in Colombes as they suffered a record loss to Les Bleus. This patent leather shoe is popular among children today when dressing up for special occasions. Incidentally, fashion the only comments I ever get from other women, fashion are from people who wish that they had the guts to wear what I wear. The budget for each episode Ryan Kerrigan Jersey is less than 2, fashion000. A spectacular fashion show will be held in Buttevant GAA hall on Saturday, October 1. Notable past contestant include Heidi Klum, Giselle Bundchen, Isabeli Fontana, Frederique van der Wal, Alessandra Ambrosio, Roy Miller Jersey Linda Evangelista, Ana Beatriz Barros, Tatjana Patitz, and others (see below list).. Our contemporary version uses rich leather to enhance frequent wear points, ensuring years of rugged outdoor wear. Jeremy Langmead, Mr. She may be at the Logies but nothing can budge her. Each piece should be shown on a model or dress form and should include front, side, back and up close views. Most people find speaking easier than writing. To be honest, most of my "plus sized" friends do minf the word (they realize that the other alternative would be "fat" for a lo of Jabaal Sheard Jersey people). When she was 11, her worst fear came true.. And so we come to the Cheryl vs. Despite 50 Cent s success, Columbia Records let him go after he was shot 9 times on May 24, 2000. You ve got to pay the price, even if it s too cold," she said.The 33 year old actress wore green suede shoes with spiked stiletto heels despite the slushy conditions."They re kind of fabulous. After graduation, I want to go to Milan to study fashion marketing, she says.. You have been exercising for a while now, you go to the gym or you run or you go for long walks. Since this designer dressed Richard Gere in American Gigolo as far back as 1979, he has long demonstrated an understanding of the power of the relationship between fashion and film

subset: commoncrawl


text:
May 30
When Seeking Ways to Enhance User Account Access, CentraState Healthcare Systems Automated the Process
Healthcare providers, in particular, must prove that their organization and operational standards establish the proper quality and safety measures to meet strict regulation, reform and privacy requirements. However, even with "proper" protocols in place, most healthcare organizations often are unable to prove whether they have properly managed secure and protected information.
Improper user account management can lead to breeches of security, fines, penalties, lack of trust from the community and failed audits. Hospitals and healthcare providers need to take the necessary measures to ensure sensitive information is not available to employees without proper access rights. For instance, former employees and contractors who are still able to access and use a former employer's e-mail network because their user account has not been deactivated immediately upon their departure present a definite security risk.


text:
If you thought about selling your house this year, now more than ever may be the time to do it! The inventory of homes for sale is well below historic norms and buyer demand is skyrocketing. We were still in high school when we learned the concept of supply and demand: the best time to sell something is when supply of that item is low and demand for that item is high. That defines today's real estate market.
Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at the National Association of Realtors, recently commented:
"Buyer interest is solid, but there is just not enough supply to satisfy demand. Prospective buyers are being sidelined by both limited choices and home prices that are climbing too fast."
Yun goes on to say:
"Current demand levels indicate sales should be stronger, but it's clear some would-be buyers are having to delay or postpone their home search because low supply is leading to worsening affordability conditions."
In this type of market, a seller may hold a major negotiating advantage when it comes to price and other aspects of the real estate transaction, including the inspection, appraisal and financing contingencies.
Bottom Line
As a potential seller, you are in the driver's seat right now. It might be time to hit the gas. Call Peglar Real Estate Group TODAY! 870-425-4300.


text:
Indexing Venture Capital
Index Construction
About Our Data
Sand Hill FAQ
Vintage Year Indexes
Sand Hill Papers
About Us
Sand Hill Econometrics now provides for VentureSource estimated values for rounds of funding for private companies for which VentureSource has no value, and also estimated values for acquired venture-funded companies for which VentureSource has no value.
These estimates are generated with data such as how much money the company raised in a round, how much it has raised in its history, how much time has elapsed since its first round of funding and its most recent round of funding, industry, the level of the stock market, and more. Estimates are corrected for reporting bias by comparing the values shared with other uncensored sources. These individual estimates are available to VentureSource subscribers.
Sand Hill Econometrics uses known values plus these estimated values to compile the Sand Hill Index, an index of value for venture capital that is the analog of stock market indexes such as the Dow Jones Total Stock Market Index (formerly the Wilshire 5000). The index is constructed to be value-weighted, continuously invested, and free of survivor bias. There are sub-indexes for the major subsectors of venture capital, including software, hardware, biotech, retail, "other", and cleantech. (Cleantech is not, like the others, a proper subset, but includes companies from the other industry groups.)
© 20032014 Sand Hill Econometrics Incorporated.All Rights Reserved.
Illustrations are from historic stock certificates.
Please read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.


text:
Brian May Says a 'Bohemian Rhapsody' Sequel 'Would Be Difficult'
Brian May is throwing cold water on the idea of a Bohemian Rhapsody sequel.
"We don't really think there's another movie there. That's the long and the short of it," the guitarist declared during an interview with Rolling Stone. "I think we should look somewhere else. There are other ideas that we had, but I don't think a sequel will happen. But we have looked at it pretty seriously."
Released in 2018, Bohemian Rhapsody earned more than $900 million and took home four Academy Awards. May had previously hinted that there "might be a sequel," but now the rocker seems resigned to keeping it as a stand-alone film.
Rumors about a second Queen biopic have been circulating for more than a year. At least one idea would have started where the last film ended - continuing the story of Queen and Freddie Mercury from the moment they stepped off the Live Aid stage. Separately, star Rami Malek suggested he'd like to see a deeper inspection of the romantic relationship between Mercury and his longtime partner, Jim Hutton. Other ideas batted around include a film focused on Mercury's childhood and the singer's battle with HIV/AIDS.
"I don't think that would be an uplifting thing to do," May remarked regarding a film centered on Mercury's final days. "I'm not saying it's impossible, because there is a great story there, but we don't feel that's the story we want to tell at the moment."
Still, even as he downplayed the likelihood of a sequel, May wouldn't entirely shut the door on the idea: "We've talked. Basically we think not, at the moment. Things could change, I suppose, but I think it would be difficult."
May and drummer Roger Taylor had been poised for a busy 2020. Their Queen + Adam Lambert project - which finds the band reviving their songs alongside the former American Idol singer - had been scheduled to tour across the globe, but those plans have been put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The group recently released a revised version of its classic "We Are the Champions" titled "You Are the Champions" in dedication to healthcare workers worldwide.


text:
Apache HTTP Server Version 2.4
Description: | FastCGI support module for
mod_proxy |
Status: | Extension |
Module Identifier: | proxy_fcgi_module |
Source File: | mod_proxy_fcgi.c |
Compatibility: | Available in version 2.3 and later |
This module requires the service of mod_proxy
. It provides support for the
FastCGI protocol.
Thus, in order to get the ability of handling the FastCGI
protocol, mod_proxy
have to be present in the server.
Unlike mod_fcgid
and mod_fastcgi,
has no provision for starting the
application process; fcgistarter
is provided
(on some platforms) for that purpose. Alternatively, external launching
or process management may be available in the FastCGI application
framework in use.
Do not enable proxying until you have secured your server. Open proxy servers are dangerous both to your network and to the Internet at large.
This module provides no directives.
Remember, in order to make the following examples work, you have to
enable mod_proxy
and mod_proxy_fcgi
ProxyPass /myapp/ fcgi://localhost:4000/
This application should be able to handle multiple concurrent
connections. mod_proxy
enables connection reuse by
default, so after a request has been completed the connection will be
held open by that httpd child process and won't be reused until that
httpd process routes another request to the application. If the
FastCGI application is unable to handle enough concurrent connections
from httpd, requests can block waiting for the application to close
an existing connection. One way to resolve this is to disable connection
reuse on the ProxyPass
directive, as shown in
the following example:
ProxyPass /myapp/ fcgi://localhost:4000/ disablereuse=on
The balanced gateway needs mod_proxy_balancer
at least one load balancer algorithm module, such as
, in addition to the proxy
modules listed above. mod_lbmethod_byrequests
is the
default, and will be used for this example configuration.
ProxyPass /myapp/ balancer://myappcluster/ <Proxy balancer://myappcluster/> BalancerMember fcgi://localhost:4000 BalancerMember fcgi://localhost:4001 </Proxy>
In addition to the configuration directives that control the
behaviour of mod_proxy
, there are a number of
environment variables that control the FCGI protocol
will neither create
nor export the PATH_INFO environment variable. This allows
the backend FCGI server to correctly determine SCRIPT_NAME
and Script-URI and be compliant with RFC 3875 section 3.3.
If instead you need mod_proxy_fcgi
to generate
a "best guess" for PATH_INFO, set this env-var.
This is a workaround for a bug in some FCGI implementations.


text:
This might be one of the happiest moments captured on camera!
Watch Grandma's priceless reaction to her Mother's Day present. Clearly, she just met her best friend for life!
What a lucky woman and a very lucky Shar Pei who will obviously be loved and cherished! Dogs certainly are gifts to us all.
Share this sweet moment with your friends!
Stay for one more story, be sure to check out these Top Trending Stories below:
Story: Man's About To Return Shelter Dog When He Reads Previous Owner's Note
A man had finally settled into his new town, but something still felt missing from his life. He thought getting a companion in the form of a shelter dog might help. So he did just that. He went to the shelter where a black Lab named Reggie needed a home. But they didn't hit it off right away.
The man gave it two weeks (the amount of time the shelter said it may take for the dog to adjust to his new home), but it just wasn't working out. Maybe it was the fact he was also trying to adjust to a new situation. Maybe they were too much alike. But then the man started going through Reggie's stuff, and that's when he was reminded of a letter the previous owner had left with the dog. That's what would end up changing their lives dramatically.
What an amazingly beautiful story. It's all going to work out for Tank and his new owner. 🙂
You've read this far… you need to watch this short BEAUTIFUL video clip.. It will touch your HEART! Enjoy!
[h/t Tickld]
Reverse Sneezing In Dogs – What to do…
Does this sound familiar? Your dog suddenly starts making loud snorting sounds—over and over again, in quick succession.
Do you start wondering, did they swallow something they shouldn't have? Can they breathe?!
Chances are, you're experiencing the infamous "reverse sneeze."
Veterinarians often see dogs whose owners rushed them in for an emergency appointment after finding them standing with their elbows apart, head pulled back, and eyes bulging as they snort or gasp repeatedly.
Yet for the vast majority of these dogs, a vet visit was unnecessary.
Reverse sneezing looks and sounds scary the first time you encounter it. However, it's a fairly common and harmless respiratory event for dogs.
Read on to learn how to identify reverse sneezing, what causes it, and how to tell the difference between a harmless reverse sneeze and something else.
What is reverse sneezing?
A reverse sneeze is pretty much what it sounds like: a sneeze that happens in reverse! The above video is a good example of what it looks and sounds like.
In a regular sneeze, air is rapidly pushed out through the nose. In a reverse sneeze, air is rapidly, and noisily, pulled in through the nose.
It occurs in spasms lasting anywhere from a few seconds up to a minute and sounds like snorting, snuffling, and even gagging. See the above video for an example.
Because of the sounds their dogs make while reverse sneezing, many people mistakenly think their dog is choking. However, a reverse sneeze is almost as normal and harmless as a regular sneeze.
What causes reverse sneezing?
There's no single cause for a reverse sneeze. Like regular sneezing, it's often triggered by an irritation or inflammation in the nose, throat, or sinuses.
It often occurs when dogs wake up from a nap, or after eating, when their breathing pattern may have rapidly changed. It's also caused by irritants in the airway—anything from dust to an inhaled hair!
Some dogs experience more frequent reverse sneezing in springtime when the air is full of pollen and other allergens.
Others reverse sneeze more in the winter, when sudden temperature changes between outdoors and indoors cause the nasal passages to contract.
Another common cause of reverse sneezing is pressure on the throat and neck. A too-tight collar, or straining against the leash, can irritate the throat and lead to a reverse sneeze. That's just one more reason to consider a harness for your dog.
Finally, some dogs reverse sneeze after exercise, or when they're overexcited. This is particularly common among brachycephalic, or short-nosed, breeds like pugs and bulldogs.
When they get worked up, they may inhale their elongated soft palates into the throat, triggering an episode of reverse sneezing.
How to end a reverse sneezing episode
Reverse sneezing is super-common, and it won't hurt your dog. However, some dogs become anxious during a reverse sneezing episode, and a lengthy episode may be uncomfortable.
You can help your dog recover from a reverse sneezing episode by remaining calm yourself. If you get anxious, your dog's anxiety will increase, too. So, stay calm, and show your dog there's nothing to panic about.
If your dog is experiencing a particularly long episode of reverse sneezing, you may be able to ease or end the episode by:
- Gently massaging your dog's throat
- Briefly covering their nostrils, which will cause them to swallow and potentially stop sneezing
- Depressing their tongue with your hand to help open airways
- Some vets suggest gently blowing in your dog's face
In the vast majority of cases, there's no need to intervene. Reverse sneezing doesn't last long, and your dog will be perfectly normal after it stops.
When you should go to the vet
As mentioned, reverse sneezing rarely requires veterinary treatment. As soon as the sneezing episode stops, the situation is resolved. However, if episodes increase in frequency or duration, you should call the vet just in case.
You should also seek treatment if your dog's reverse sneezing is accompanied by other respiratory symptoms or if they have any unusual discharge from their nose.
Occasionally, chronic reverse sneezing can be a symptom of more serious issues. These include nasal mites, foreign objects in the airway, respiratory infections, and tracheal collapse.
If you're concerned about the intensity of your dog's reverse sneezing, take a video to show the vet. They'll be able to determine potential causes.
Most dogs experience episodes of reverse sneezing at some point in their lives. For the vast majority of dogs, it's a common, temporary, harmless reaction with no lasting aftereffects.
Of course, it still sounds unsettling to our human ears! But now that you know what reverse sneezing is, you'll be less likely to make an unnecessary vet visit.
Watch more:
More stories:
Girlfriend Gives Partner An Ultimatum, Demands Either The Dog Goes Or She Goes
Science Discovers That Dogs Can Sense 'Bad People'


text:
"Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself."- John Dewey.
From the job market to tertiary education, from UPSR to A-Levels, Education in Malaysia focuses on bringing you the latest news and analysis on our nation's best bet on the future.
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Postgrad Scholarships Only to Top Universities
Even the universities which undergraduates are being set to are also being reviewed, although the Minister did highlight that the rule will be more strictly enforced for postgraduates programmes.
As far as I'm concerned, this is an excellent move, if implemented accordingly. The next thing which is necessary, to encourage transparency and some form of consistency, is for the Ministry to announce the Universities which are pre-approved for specific postgraduate programmes.
A good mechanism which will take away "arbitrary" decisions by the often bungling Ministry officials, is to rely on certain set international benchmarks. For example, these top universities can be defined as universities which are recognised as the Top 50 in either the Times Higher Education Supplement (THES) or the Shanghai JiaoTung University global university rankings table. These tables are not perfect, but they will certainly be a lot more objective than any list compiled by the local officials.
I can imagine however, the level of resistance to this policy which may come from vested interest parties, particularly those local academics who are unable to secure places in these instutions. The backlash may happen if the new ruling results in severely dampening the government's efforts to increase the number of PhD holders in the local universities.
I, and I'm certain my blog partner, Kian Ming, will implore Datuk Mustapa to stick to his guns and avoid pursuing a short-term and detrimental policy of increasing the quantity of PhD academics at the expense of quality.
18 comments:
Dear Tony,
I am not fully agreed with this idea. Top universities may not necessarily have prestigious schools. Some of the Ph.D program offered in US do not make it to the THES top 200 list, but the programs offered are accredited by the professional body - 12/03/2006 09:36:00 pm
You can send our top post graduates to the most advanced universities, by the time they come back they will be overcomed by our 'academic climate' thriving in our local universities that thrives on mediocrity
just a waste of money! If you dont believe ask Ah Piau or learnt from history - 12/03/2006 09:46:00 pm
- Kian Ming said...
I think that the intentions of this policy are well-founded. You certainly don't want our hard earned tax-payers money to be spent on sending a student to the University of the Channel Isles in the UK or the University of South Beach, Miami in the US (both made up names). Where I'd worry is in the implementation of such as scheme. The knowledge of our administrators in terms of which universities are good as which are not, leaves much to be desired.
For example, this Bernama article (http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=233920) discusses the same issue but describes the selection of universities as "Ivy League". Those familiar with the US education system will know that the "Ivy league" is actually a sports league comprising of the following schools (Brown, Cornell, Columbia, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, Yale and UPenn). No doubt these are all excellent schools but MIT, Stanford and Duke are all top 10 schools which are not in the Ivies.
There are also many excellent state schools in the US such as U of Michigan, UNC-Chapel Hill and University of Wisconsin-Madison but are not presitigous or well-known in Malaysia or anywhere outside the US. (with the exception of Michael Jordan fans)
I would argue very strongly for the Ministry to implement different criteria for undergrad and post-grad scholarships.
The undergrad list should be a little easier to come up with compared to the postgrad list. Like Tony said in the post, we could use school rankings but instead of using the THES or the Shanghai Jiatong world list of universities, I would recommend the use of rankings within each of these countries (where available). THES publishes such a ranking system for UK schools and the US News and World report also publishes such as ranking for US schools. Instead of saying that one can only apply to top 10 schools in the UK or US, I would say that the MOHE should use some sort of % criteria to reflect the fact that the US has more good universities (in absolute terms) compared to the UK. So, something like top 20 in the UK or top 50 in the US would be acceptable.
For postgrad courses, I would also suggest the use of domestic rankings but in the fields of study in which the student plans to go into. For example, one might restrict the list to the top 30 schools in the biomedical engineering field or the top 30 schools in economics. For countries where no such data is available, MOHE should compile a list based on the consensus views of experts in the field.
For both the undergrad and postgrad scholarships, there should be some sort of appeals system set up such that those who want to apply to schools outside these lists can present their arguments for their choice. It's harder to justify this at the undergrad level (since you can study economics from world class professors in many good universities) but it's more probable at the postgrad level. There might be a certain department in a school that is not so prestigious overall but which has an excellent research program in a specific area of interest that coincides with that student's. Or there might be a certain professor which the student wants to work with in a particular university that is not that highly ranked.
Finally, while I think we shouldn't compromise on standards, I'm not sure if Tok Pa fully realizes how hard it is to get into a top 10 school in the US or the UK especially at the post grad level. I applied to top schools such as Harvard, Yale and Princeton but probably lost out to American applicants who understood the application process better. The acceptance rate for applications at the postgrad level for most programs in top schools is something like 5%.
If Tok Pa really understood this, he would allow for some leeway so that sponsored Malaysian students can get into PhD programs in good schools (such as Manchester in the UK or UNC-Chapel Hill in the US) but not necessarily 'prestigious' in the same way that most Malaysians think about US or UK universities. Not everyone can get into a Cambridge or Oxford or Harvard or Yale. Not even among the British or American citizens. - 12/03/2006 11:53:00 pm
These are all very good comments, Kian Ming. I agree that the best post-grad schools have to be determined field by field, maybe even sub-field by sub-field, as there are some otherwise not-so-great universities that are top-notch in niche areas.
One question I would like to raise, which struck me when I met some of Singapore's A-star scholars, is whether it is necessary to have post-grad scholarships in all fields, especially science- and technology-related fields.
The reason I ask this is because, as many Malaysians may not know, getting into a top science or engineering programme in the US generally means 100% sponsorship plus a stipend from your university (or rather your research advisor) for the duration of the course. In other words, it's like a job. In the social sciences and humanities, funding is a little harder to come by. E.g. a history Ph.D. typically takes 7-10 years but funding is only guaranteed for five, and only at the very top institutions. Also, generally speaking, it is much more difficult to get into an arts Ph.D. programme than a science one.
All this is to say that I assume that we would like more people to go overseas and be trained in S&E related fields (as opposed to Russian history or musicology, though 'some of my very best friends are Slavicists...' :-P ), and post-grad funding is generally quite good in those fields, so why offer scholarships? Shouldn't we rather spend more effort (a) raising awareness about the opportunities, and (b) helping/preparing our undergrads better to apply for post-grad studies abroad? (OK, one answer is that we can't bond people if we don't give them scholarships, but are we shooting ourselves in the foot by not giving people leeway to do postodocs etc. before coming back? I've seen this happen with students from some other countries...)
In line with one of Kian Ming's comments, one 'problem' with this approach perhaps is that I'm not sure what the perception is abroad of the undergrad training at our universities, even the older ones. My guess is that UM, UKM etc. are not on the radar screen.
I did undergrad here and am now in a postgrad programme and I certainly felt that applying the second time around was *very* much easier because my undergrad institution was a known quantity to the graduate schools I was applying to. When I was applying for undergrad, I felt that I had a lot of explaining to do. (Where on earth is SMJK Ayer Tawar - we've never had students from there before. Why does it have a 50% dropout rate - does that mean you're a lousy student even though you're always close to the top of your form? etc.) And the on the SMJK Ayer Tawar side, there were issues associated with teachers not being familiar with the applications process. (You really need reference letters? Yes, they are really important. Umm...OK, OK, can...how to write ah?) At college, I realised that people from certain schools in Singapore, the UWCs etc. did not have similar issues with their application.
Similarly, students from National Taiwan University, Technion, IIT etc. may have an advantage over equally bright students from UM, USM etc. at the moment because those places are known quantities to Harvard, Stanford etc. and the people there are familiar with the application process. We should think a bit about how to remedy this. It will also be for our own good as in the process we may figure out ways to improve the undergrad education at our public universities. - 12/04/2006 12:28:00 am
Oops, the last comment was by me. I accidentally entered the word verification instead. Charis.
- 12/04/2006 12:29:00 am
I believe that this topic necessitates a clear demarcation of fields of study...While art-based students may benefit from an intellectually-competent environment in those Ivy leagues schools, the same cannot be said for science-based students... An MIT or Caltech science graduate returning as an academic in a local university will find him/herself stifled by the lack of technical as well as pertinent human resources (i.e. competent peers). In Caltech of MIT, students are exposed to a myriad of up-to-date, hi-tech, multi-disiplinary courses such as bioengineering, nanotechnology, tissue engineering etc whereas in Malaysia, the focus will always be on agricultural products and their derivatives...(i.e. palm oil). Therefore, it is a rather superfluous notion to send science-based students to those schools in the first place...These graduates would rather work as a high-paying researcher in developed countries than plying their trades as a low-paying academic in local universities..
These are just my two cents, anyway... - 12/04/2006 10:40:00 am
Tok Pa mentioned that the scholarships will only be awarded to students gaining admittance to an Ivy League. I highly doubt that he knows the meaning of Ivy League, I just assume that he thinks the phrase includes all the top universities in the world.
Anyway, back to the topic. I agree that this is a good policy if implemented and should apply to the JPA scholarships for undergraduate studies as well. Many JPA scholars who are SPM high achievers end up to be average students in pre-u while many other students with slightly flawed SPM results end up to be the ones who receive offers from the world's top universities.
Speaking of my own experience, I graduated with straight As for my SPM but with 2 A2s. I applied for 8 or 7 scholarships but was rejected by all. I persevered and eventually I was offered a place for Engineering by Cambridge. I repeated the dreaded scholarship application process once more but was not even called up for interviews. I followed up with them on my application but was told that my application was unsuccessful. I didn't attend Cambridge eventually.
I also have friends who are JPA scholars with offers from Cambridge but have to appeal numerous times to JPA as their scholarships are initially for Australia or NZ. One is successful in her appeal but JPA only agrees to sponsor her last two years of tuition fees. Her family has to pay for her boarding expenses and the tuition fee for the other two years. Another person that I know (he is a regular commentator in this blog) graduated from Cornell and had an offer from Stanford for his masters but failed to get any sponsorship from JPA. JPA reasoned with him that his GPA was below the required level by JPA. He didn't attend as well. Sad but true.. - 12/04/2006 11:24:00 am
- Golf Afflicted said...
I'm certain that if Tok Pa did indeed mention "Ivy League" as reported in Bernama, he would've meant Ivy-League "equivalents", rather than just the few Ivies.
In this case, it'll be silly to nitpick, and he deserves the benefit of the doubt for the above. - 12/04/2006 12:12:00 pm
Dear Ah Piau,
University Malaya will still keep on harping doing biodiversity when all the other universities in the west are closing down their zoology and botany courses. - 12/04/2006 05:42:00 pm
- Chen Chow said...
Actually, this policy of going to top universities have been done for some time, although the implementation is often not perfect. During my time, JPA only allowed students to enter the top 10 universities in US for undergrad based on each major (according to Gourman Report). While the report is not a very good benchmark, it is a benchmark.
Then from this year onwards, JPA's US program is based on transfer program, i.e. students would spend 2 years in US only, except for students who are able to get into the following 18 universities:- Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Cornell, Columbia, Dartmouth, Pennsylvania, Brown, Berkeley, Caltech, Carnegie Mellon, John Hopkins, MIT, Michigan, Northwestern, Rice, Stanford, and Washington (Seattle). These students would get to spend 4 years in US.
While the list of top universities by JPA is debatable, it is still a good step forward in ensuring that our taxpayers' money is utilized. Students who get into these top universities would spend 4 years there, whereas the rest would spend 2 years in US. - 12/04/2006 05:48:00 pm
Our officials do not "bungle" when they make these types of decisions. They make the decisions in a studied manner. Problem is, they studied the wrong issues. Either they are consciously forwarding their own agenda, or just do not have the intellectual ability to do a proper evaluation between institutions whose standards are too far advanced beyond these officials' intellectual horizon. An example of the first point is that I would not expect them to follow the THES or any other report that puts our universities so low on the list, simply because to do that would mean the recognition of the veracity of those reports, and that would in turn mean acknowledging that our universities have indeed hit rock bottom. We are all still in denial, aren't we?
The bigger issue seems to miss our ministers again. The pre-occupation with graduate qualities and now post-graduate qualities are quick fixes proposed to turn the public gaze away from the fundamental and critical flaw in our education system, that is, the primary level education standards, the need to cultivate thinking in education and not just rote.
A student trained in rote-learning can never do well at graduate or post-graduate levels, short of just meaninglessly securing that piece of paper.
I suppose someone will tell me that I am talking about the wrong ministry, but this fact of having 2 separate ministries for education continues to puzzle me. It seems the 2 ministries are so disjointed that the head and the tail do not know what each needs or what the other is doing. So, instead of our government focussing all its scarce resources to right the years of wrong primary education policy that forms the bedrock for the entire nation, we spent time and money on quick fixes and dwell on issues like the ones in this post. We end up with the situation of the tail wagging the dog. - 12/04/2006 07:14:00 pm
- Kian Ming said...
I'd like to highlight a point which Charis brought up and which I failed to take into account in my earlier post. Applicants who are successful in getting into a PhD program in a top university in the US are usually fully funded by the university. If these applicants are fully funded by the university, why would they want to take up the Malaysian government scholarship, especially if it is only for 3 to 3 1/2 years (while it takes upwards of 5 years to finish a PhD in the US)?
I think that Tok Pa is probably unaware of this. He might have studied his Masters in Boston University but he was sponsored by the Malaysian government and didn't have to think about applying for a PhD program to a top university. - 12/04/2006 10:02:00 pm
I graduated from a top 10 university in the UK, which is also listed in the THES top 200. But I now work in a UK university which is not in the THES top 200. Since moving, my personal experience has been positive. I am supervising quite a large number of Ph.D. students at the moment. In the UK, Ph.Ds from any university is treated equally due to the way the Ph.D. is examined, i.e. by an external examiner (who chair's the session) and internal faculty. The ultimate decision on the award is left to the external examiner. Do correct me if I'm wrong but I have been told that in the US and Canada the thesis defence is conducted by internal faculty members.
I've frequently found it difficult to obtain Malaysian Ph.D. students because the Malaysian government has for a long time only allowed sponsored students to attend selected universities, due to a misguided understanding of the situation. Somehow or rather my publication track record and the track record of my group do not count. - 12/05/2006 08:50:00 am
I think the criteria shows that the authorities have different priorities.
First, the sponsorship goes mainly to government officials and university lecturers.
The idea is for a higher percentage of local university lecturers to have phds.
Since the they cannot judge which is good and which is not good, the blanket top 50 seems to be a reasonable guard against mediocrity.
That is the least they could do. It is definately better than nothing at all.
One further step is perhaps to pay those who come from a higher ranking university more or to give them an easier access to grants. - 12/05/2006 02:01:00 pm
If we want to compare which universities are better, or between USA and British universities, the more proper guideline is number of nobel prize winners over a country population.
In this case Britain has a higher ratio of nobel prize winners ratio, indicating the high quality research
True to the mark Britain does not have that much money, research equiptments in the labs, but they use more quality brain! - 12/06/2006 09:57:00 am
I won't argue with using the Nobel Prize as a metric of high quality brains etc., but take a look at:
and look especially at the 'last fifteen years' statistics.
Cheers. - 12/07/2006 02:13:00 am
- coleong said...
It's no doubt that the quality of the university/school is important in determining the candidate for the postgrad scholarship. At the same time, the quality of the candidate is equally important as well. We certainly don't want to spend hundred thousand ringgit to send someone to Cambridge/Harvard and ended up with nothing because of the student fail to achieve the standard set by those universities.
On a separate note, if I'm not mistaken, a similar scholarship scheme had been in place for quite some times (in 1990s) in the public universities. Only different is that, the overseas scholarship is managed by the individual university and the candidate is normally bonded to serve the university after graduated. This scheme was later frozen because of the economy down turn. Certainly, I'm glad that the government has revived this oversea scholarship to our excellent student to pursue their dreams. Of course this will not end all the issues we have in regard to the quality of the education in Malaysia, but I think it's a good step forward. - 12/08/2006 08:48:00 am
- eljay said...
I am surprise to come across this column when i am searching for scholarships.
I had actually received an offer from the university of cambridge for the course of LLM. However,i have yet to receive any scholarships from any bodies.
I had applied to JPA for the post grad scholarship but i was informed that i am supposed to make the application within one year after i finished my undergraduate studies. ( I was previously a JPA scholar for my first degree.)
However, I am wondering whether there are any alternative channels for post grad scholarship application from JPA for those who was offered a place in an ivy league univeresity.
Pursuant to the statement made to the media by government officers that scholarships will be offered to those being offered a place in an ivy league university, I am wondering the extent of sincerity and authenticity of the statement made. Was it a mere smokescreen to appease public's dissent over the selection criteria for JPA overseas scholarship? - 6/13/2008 08:34:00 pm