The Most Notable Places on Earth

Email from Chellah Padmanathan

Have you ever wondered what the most dangerous city in the world is? Perhaps you’re curious where on Earth there’s the most amount of rain, or which city is the smartest city on earth? This list will give you the answers these questions, and more. The most dangerous city in the world   San Pedro Sula, Honduras – A hub for illegal drugs and arms trafficking, San Pedro Sula also experiences more than 3 murders every day. The hottest place in the world   Death Valley National Park, U.S.A. - The highest recorded temperature, was taken on July 10, 1913, and it reached 134°f (56°c). The coldest place in the world   Antarctica – In August 2010, the lowest recorded temperature was recorded in the East Antarctic Plateau. The record temperature was -135.8°f (-93°c). The most populated city in the world   Shanghai, China – With a population of over 24 million residents. The least populated city in the world   Vatican City – With a population of 842 residents, Vatican City also boasts the title of smallest state in the world. The wealthiest city in the world   Tokyo, Japan – The city of Tokyo has the highest GDP ($1,520 billion) of any other city in the world. The poorest city in the world   Kinshasa, D.R.C. – The Democratic Republic of Congo is the poorest state in the world, and its capital, Kinshasa, is the poorest city. It has a GDP of $55 billion, and most of its residents live on less than $1 a day. The highest place in the world   Nepal – Mount Everest stands at 29,029 ft (8.84km), and is the highest mountain in the world. The lowest place in the world (on land)   Dead Sea, Israel / Jordan – Located at -1,401 ft (-427m) below sea-level, it is also the lowest lake in the world. The lowest place in the world (underwater)   Mariana Trench, Pacific Ocean – In a depth of 35,797 ft (10.91km) below sea level, it is known as “Challenger Deep”, and has been visited by only 3 humans so far. (More people have visited the moon) The most photographed place in the world   Guggenheim Museum, New York, U.S.A. – By running an algorithm that scanned through the internet’s immense collection of photos, the Guggenheim was found to be the most photographed place on earth. The wettest place in the world   Mawsynram, India – This region in the Indian subcontinent enjoys an average of 467.35 inches (1187cm) of rain per year. (In 1985, it had an amazing 1000 inches, or 25.4 meters of rain!) The driest place in the world   Atacama Desert, South America – It may be hard to believe, but the Atacama Desert gets about 4 inches (10cm) of rain every 1000 years. (Yes, 1000 years!) The sunniest place in the world   Yuma, Arizona, U.S.A. – Yuma 90% clear and sunny skies every year, with an average of 11 hours of sunshine per day. The most expensive city in the world   Singapore – In 2014, Singapore dethroned Tokyo and earned the title “world’s most expensive city”. An American travelling to Singapore will be shocked to see that the prices of cars are 4-6 times more expensive than in the U.S.   The least expensive city in the world   Mumbai, India – A stark contrast to Singapore, Mumbai is 2014’s cheapest city. On average, a person would need to spend 4 times as much in Singapore , compared to Mumbai. The Oldest city in the world (still exists)   Damascus, Syria - While there are many older cities that no longer stand, the city of Damascus has evidence of civilization going back 11,000 years, and is the oldest city that still stands. The newest country in the world   South Sudan – Following a bloody genocide, the southern part of Sudan, which consists mainly of Christians, split from the northern part (Muslim majority) in 2011, making it the youngest country in the world. The most visited city in the world   London, England – London sees 18.69 million international visitors every year, making it the most visited city in the world. The most popular country in the world   Germany – In an international survey performed by the BBC, Germany got a 59% positive rating, making it the most popular country in the world. The country that drinks the most coffee in the world   Sweden – If you thought it would be the U.S.A. then you’d be wrong. The average Swede consumes 388mg of coffee per day. The country that drinks the most alcohol in the world   Belarus – On average, every person above the age of 15 drinks 4.62 gallons (17 liters) per year, earning Belarus this dubious title. The most bicycle-friendly city in the world   Groningen, Netherlands – Around 50% of the population of Groningen commutes on bicycles every day, making it the city with the most bicycles per capita. The most energy efficient city in the world   Reykjavik, Iceland – All of the energy in the capital of Iceland comes from geothermal power plants and hydropower. The city aims to be completely free of fossil-fuel by 2050. The most emotional country in the world   Philippines – In a poll spanning 3 years (2009-2011), residents of the Philippines were found to give the most emotional replies to simple questions. The least emotional country in the world   Singapore - The same study found that the people of Singapore are the least likely to give an emotional response to the same questions. The country with the highest longevity in the world   Monaco – The World Health Organization (WHO) found that the average life expectancy in Monaco is 87.2 years. The country with the lowest longevity in the world   Sierra Leone – Sadly, with an average life expectancy of 47 years, Sierra Leone is the country with the shortest life expectancy in 2014. The most stressed-out country in the world   Nigeria – When considering the low GDP, income inequality, murder rates, political corruption and unemployment rate, it’s easy to see why Nigerians are the most stressed people on earth. The most relaxed country in the world   Norway – The exact opposite of Nigeria, Norway enjoys the most security, equality, earning power and education levels in the world. The country with the highest IQ in the world   Honk Kong – The average IQ score in Hong Kong is 107 points. The country with the lowest IQ in the world   Equatorial Guinea – The average IQ score in Equatorial Guinea is 59 points. The city with the best internet connectivity in the world   Seoul, South Korea – South Korea has been enjoying some of the most advanced technology when it comes to internet connectivity, and with 10,000 government-sponsored free Wi-Fi spots in the city, it easily earns its title.   The most cat dog friendly country in the world   The United States of America – Americans love their pets. With a population of 76.4 million cats and 61.1 million dogs, the numbers speak for themselves.

CoMSAA Newsletter, May 2015.

Colombo Medical School Alumni Association

Faculty of Medicine
University of Colombo
Sri Lanka

comsaa2011@gmail.com

www.comsaa.org

Attachments area

Preview attachment Newsletter _May 2015.pdf

Newsletter _May 2015.pdf

Burung kaka tua - A popular Malaysian song.

Please click on each of the web-links below with your speakers on :-

hera purwanto 4 months ago

This song from Maluku Indonesia..some Indonesian stay at Malaysia so this song became Malaysia song...

This song was popular in the Ceylon of the early 1960s. We have a very vibrant Malay population and they carried the flag.

Burung Kakak Tua - Adik-adik Suria

https://youtu.be/ijmVnXaa8fA

Burung Kakak Tua dan Canon In D

https://youtu.be/Dyyq4umsDkg

Burung Kakak Tua

https://youtu.be/qfP_R738AI4

Burung Kakatua, Topi Saya Bundar (Cover) by Hanin Dhiya feat. Ace

https://youtu.be/JJc__FWhJIk

Prayag - Malaysian Folk Song-Burung Kakak Tua

https://youtu.be/AhB0uI8nPgo

Burung Kakak tua

Cuckatoo, Oh Cuckatoo

Children's Song

(Malay)

Children's Song

(English)

Burung kakak tua
Hinggap di jendela
Nenek sudah tua
Giginya tinggal dua

Lechum Lechum Lechum 
Mu la la
Lechum Lechum Lechum 
Mu la la
Lechum Lechum Lechum
Mu la la
Burung Kakak Tua.

Cuckatoo, oh Cuckatoo,
Perching by itself,
Grandma has turned so grey*,
Has only two teeth left.

Lechum Lechum Lechum 
Mu la la
Lechum Lechum Lechum 
Mu la la
Lechum Lechum Lechum
Mu la la
Cuckatoo, oh cuckatoo.

How cancer tricks the lymphatic system into spreading tumours

http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/VG1BZf-LImM/150511090108.htm

Nurses cut stress 40 percent with relaxation steps at work

http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/EkTsjN11EkI/150511091557.htm

Australian aboriginal music.

Please click on each of the web-links below with your speakers on :-

Australian aborigines -- Australian aboriginal music -- Australia

https://youtu.be/V1pDPuetPdg

Australian Aboriginal Music: Song with Didgeridoo

https://youtu.be/dFGvNxBqYFI

Australian Aboriginal Music

General

The traditional music of indigenous Australians holds a lot of meaning to their culture. Music is used throughout an aboriginal's life to teach what must be known about their culture, about their place in it, and about its place in the world of nature and supernature. As a very young child, the aboriginal is encouraged to dance and sing about everyday tasks. At puberty, s/he learns the first karma songs - about totemic plants and animals of his/her clan and the history and mythology of the group - which belong to his/her lineage and have specific melodic formulas and modes that distinguish them from other group's songs. Embedded in a purely oral tradition, the music is learnt by imitation and passed on without reference to any written notations. In the bachelor's camp, the young man learns more light-hearted songs which are the basic entertainment media for the band. When he marries and enters further into group responsibilities, however, it is the karma songs that are the central part of his education and his source of strength in times of trouble. His maturity can be measured in the esoteric knowledge he has acquired through song, and as an old man, he knows that his honour is based partly on his mastery of the secret sacred songs of the band.

To the Australian aboriginal, music is understood naturally and is an integral part of life. In the west, by contrast, music tends to be separated from life. For example, a Western music student must learn to "understand" a composed piece of music, like a Beethoven symphony or one of Bach's works. This involves dissecting the music into elements of individual study - form, rhythm, harmony, melody and orchestration. The westerner can come to understand aboriginal music also, if s/he is willing to learn its language and laws ans listen to it in terms of itself. It cannot be compared to a Beethoven symphony because it has nothing to do with it. Both, however, can be enjoyed once one knows what to listen for in each.

Traditional Instruments

In constructing their instruments, Aboriginal Australians use the resources at hand. Most of their instruments fall into the idiophone class, where instruments consist of two separate parts which are stuck together to give a percussive sound. Throughout Australia, this kind of instrument takes many different forms. Of the membraphones, or skinned drum types, there is only one example. There are no chordophones, or string instruments; however in the aerophone, or wind instrument class, one example provides an outstanding exhibition of musical ingenuity.

Category	Instrument	Details
Idiophones	Sticks	Each singer holds a pair of wooden sticks, one in each hand, and provides a percussive rhythm. One, long and slightly flattened stick is generally grasped in the middle and held flat. The other, more rounded and held towards the end, is brought sharply and cleanly on to the first. The paired sticks can vary considerably in shape.
	Boomerang clapsticks	These provide a similar function as the sticks. At times they may be shaken so as to provide a continuous rattle.
	Handclapping	Handclapping and slapping various parts of the body are used by singers of both sexes, sometimes as a substitute for a pair of sticks.
	Set of percussion sticks	Sometimes referred to "gongs", the set of three or four variously-lengthed wooden sticks hit with a stick are used only in Yabaduruwa ceremonies.
	Percussion tube	A percussion tube, the "hollow log drum" is used with the Ubar ceremonies. Other percussie idiophones include a stick beaten on a shield, a stick beaten on another stick lying on the ground, and the women's bark bundle hit on the ground.
	Rasp	The Kimberley Tabi songs are accompanied by a rasp. A notched stick, or the side of a spear thrower is scraped by a second, smaller stick.
	Rattle	Island style songs from Cape York are accompanied by bunches of seed pods held in the hand.
Membranophone	Skin drum	A single-headed hour glass shaped drum, whose head is made from lizard or goanna skin, or on at least one occaision the rubber from a tyre inner tube, is heard from Cape York, with both traditional song types and island dance. The open end is sometimes shaped like the mouth of a crocodile.
Aerophones	Didjeridu	The didjeridu is usually formed when a branch of a tree, naturally hollow, is further hollowed out by nesting termites. Aboriginal Australians cut these branches to a suitable length (approx. 1.5 metres), hollowing out both ends a little more and sometimes smoothing the mouthpiece with gum. Blown with vibrating lips, the didjeridu gives a fundamental note with a rich and complex harmonic series. Constant air pressure is maintained by simultaneously blowing out through the mouth and breathing in through the nose, using the cheeks as a reservoir. Considerable stamina is required for this technique and a good didjeridu player is considered capable of sustaining fast energetic rhythmic patterns throughout a given song. A skilled player is highly respected and may travel with a professional songman to enhance trade meetings or other interband meetings. The function of the didjeridu is to provide a constant drone on a deep note, somewhere between D flat and G below the bass clef. This drone is not a simple held note, but is broken up into a great variety of rythmic patterns and accents by the skilful use of the tongue and cheeks. Nor is it constant in timbre, for many different tone colours are achieved by altering the shape of the mouth cavity and the position of the tongue and by shutting off various parts of the anatomy which act as resonating chambers for the human voice. It is not, however, in the manipulation of the droned fundamental, nor in the slight rise and fall of pitch used to accent a rhythm, that the great skill of a didjeridu player lies, but in his use of two entirely different notes, which are alternated in rapid succession to form complex and fascinating cross-rhythms. These two notes are not haphazardly chosen, but invariably are pitched a major tenth apart, the upper note being the first overtone. The physical explanation for this overtone being a tenth above the fundamental has not, so far, been found; but probably lies in the fact that the tube is slightly and irregularly conical. One would expect either the octave (for a conical pipe) or a twelfth (for a cylindrical pipe) to result, but the actual interval is never less than a tenth nor more than an eleventh.

Researched and written by Hans W. Telford