No, it’s not the latest installation of the “Do You Like Horny Bunnies?” game series. I’m talking about Watership Down here.

Now, when you look at the book cover, you’d be turned off by the depictions of bunny rabbits. You, a future doctor who battles everyday with the likes of differential diagnostics and the choosing of the right dosage of the right antibiotics, are not about to read a book with bunny rabbits on its cover! Yeah, I wasn’t expecting to like it too, though my reason was I am ghey enough already.

But thanks to Donnie Darko, I gritted my teeth and, with as much manliness as I could muster, ventured to the Lapine world of charismatic Hazel and Fiver and the mystical El-ahrairah.

Watership Down was the first novel written by Richard Adams and moves to-and-fro between the genres of Children, Classic, Epic and Fantasy. It has been compared to Homer’s Oddysey and Virgil’s Aeneid. It won awards and was placed number 42 of the greatest book of all time by the British public. It didn’t do so well in the States but it is one of my maxims to look to the Brits for comments on all things literary and the Americans for movies.

Watership Down begins with Fiver’s unsettling visions of doom. Jesus rightly said that “A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house” and such happened to poor old Fiver. He was not believed by the Chief Rabbit and therefore left his warren with his brother, Hazel, Bigwig the Warrior Rabbit, Dandelion the storyteller and but a few other bucks.

From there on, the focus was shifted to Hazel and his natural leadership. After many hardship, the rabbits finally settled down at Watership Down. But it was not the time for our courageous bunnies to rest yet. New problems arose. Together, the band of rabbits went on to search for does for mating, battle fascist rabbits, rescue does-in-distress from evil farmer and his dogs, and strike alliances with the unlikeliest of creatures. What more can you want from a novel?

The book itself revolves around themes one do not find in children books these days: exile, survival, political responsibility, the never-ending struggle between tyranny and freedom, reason and emotion. Therefore, the book is intellectually engaging enough for adults to enjoy but still filled with adventure and heroism and, of course, cute little bunnies that are attractive to the younger generation.

2 criterias are needed :

1. R I > R II > R III
2. R I > 15mm
3. R I + S III >25mm
4. R avL > 11mm
5. R avF > 20mm
6. Корнельский критерий R avL + S v3 > 28mm (male) , >20mm(female)
7. R v6 > R v5
8. R v5 or R v6 > R v4
9. R v5 or R v6 > 26mm
10. S v1 or S v2 > 20mm
11. Индекс соколова-лайена = R v5 or R v6 + S v1 > 35mm

Remember , 1 large box on the ECG is 10mm.

Try out some examples here , here and here

14th November 2008 – During the past День Отличники, vice pro-rector Spasov announced that the summer practical program for foreign students will be reestablished. Mind you all, the word used was ‘восстановить’, meaning that the program was there some time ago but was canceled due to some unknown reasons.

He said that this is to react on the recommendations given by Malaysian delegation which just visited Volgograd not long ago. For those who was there during the meeting, one of the doctor himself mentioned about this summer practical programe which was supposed to be implemented all the time in order to help students to cope with the neccessary and basic clinical skills.

Mr. Spasov jokingly said that students of the clinical years will be sent to rural areas of Volgograd so that they have plenty of chance to see and do something during the trainings.

For your information, other universities in Russia had more or less implemented this extra program. Take Nizhny Novgorod State Med Uni for example, the students need to pay some 500usd for a limited amount of extra practical classes which are carried out during the evening. Due to the expensive cost, it became a selective program and the opportunity is only opened to those who wants to be trained.

Future announcement will be given by VSMU’s admin during December (hopefully).

What do you think? Take part in our poll here (right side middle of the homepage) and give us some comments!

Let me be honest with you.

The first thing I did after watching the film Wanted was imitating the gun-swinging action thing. It was such a fun movie, much like how I feel all testosterone-y after watching 300 [I wanted to shout THIS IS SPARTA! and kick people into pits and whatnot] and how August Rush made me vow to listen to the music of nature. [Which I forgot after half a day]

Admittedly, the storyline leaves a lot to be desired for and the logic is ridiculous. But there’s Angelina Jolie, weh: the woman who certified I’m not gay and created my interest in hot, sizzling Latinas. But again, I must repeat, it’s a fun movie!

Imagine my surprise when I learnt that it came from a graphic novel! There are a few movies that could even be on the same par with the original literature, [LotR, 2004 adaptation of the Count of Monte Cristo] let alone be better than the book itself. So, simple deduction: movie = good, comic = better.

Wanted the movie is very, very loosely based on the graphic novel itself. I guess, the gist is the same but everything was totally different. For example, in the movie, it’s a group of assassins; in the graphic novel – supervillains; movie – focus on training itself, graphic novel – revenge. On to the review:

Wesley Gibson was a loser. His girlfriend was unfaithful, his boss constantly berated him for nothing and he was a massive hypochondriac. All that changed with the assassination of the father he never knew. You see, Wesley’s father was the Killer, a super criminal whose superpower was to end life. In executing his will, the Killer’s supervillain friends gave Wesley the chance to be trained in their ways, to escape his mundane and insignificant life. Well, with the words “Sex. Money. Super-powers. Costumes. You know you want it!” on the cover of the first issue, there’s little doubt on Wesley’s choice.

Rising in rank rapidly in a world without superheroes and ruled by supervillains, Wesley Gibson has only one mission: to find his father’s killer. Was it Mr. Rictus, the head of the Australian crime family? His father betrayed the perpetually pissed walking corpse and maybe Mr. Rictus wanted a payback. Or was it his boss The Professor, the man with a level 9 intelligence? The Professor might have wanted to protect his own spot as the head of the Americas. It couldn’t be Fox, his father’s one-time lover, now, could it? But all the evidences point towards her.

Mark Millar’s writing was hailed as “the Watchmen for supervillains” by the UK Sunday Times. I do think that it’s an exaggeration but not by much. The whole series was rife with philosophies of egocentricism, witty comedy and foul words. The 6-issue long series was drawn by J. G. Jones. Not my favourite artist but his artwork suits the story naturally.

A word of warning, though: This comic is filled with strong language, sexual references, gore and a very negative outlook on life. It is definitely not suited for children and people, who don’t wish to be exposed to these elements. Enjoy!

It is official now, Football Manager 2009 and Football Manager Handheld 2009 will be released on 14th November 2008.

Fans across the globe are lining up in anticipation of this highly popular simulated football management game. Some die-hard fans have even resorted to pre-ordering the title in an attempt to be the first to experience the new version of the game. Are you one of them?

As usual in all new games, there are many new and improved features in Football Manager 2009. The following features have been confirmed while others will be announced later:

• Widescreen support
• Improved training options
• Female manager mode
• Improved media and press conferences effects
• Enhanced assistant manager role and feedback
• TV View
• 3D Match Engine

Don’t get too excited now, these new features will keep you busy for a while before you get bored of them. In particular, there are already feedbacks surfacing on the internet regarding FM09′s demo version, saying that the new media and press conferences simulation gets a little irritating after a few days. As for the 3D Match Engine, it is new and there is still room for improvement. Some demo testers reported that the 3D Match view does not really reflect one’s tactical configurations and its 3D graphical display is still immature.

We are sure that many fans will rush to buy FM09 regardless of the shortcomings. Hopefully the screen shots above will help you make your decision. We shall try our best to get a copy and do a comprehensive review on Football Manager 2009.

“Happy Managing”

What do you think about the new features in Football Manager 2009? Will you get yourself a copy?

Another picture that could help you remember something from your studies. Friends who finished their dermatology cycle are welcome to tackle this question. Those that didn’t finish the cycle are also welcome to take part.

The kid is normal during examination. Do not have any kind of distress. Auscultation and percussions yeild normal results. Other examinations on other cutaneous parts of the body are unremarkable except for this lesion on his right hand. Before this, he was treated with topical antibiotic and antihistamines but is of minimal improvements. After one week, a repeat visit to the physician and further questioning revealed that they had been staying in multiple hotels during the vacation 1 week ago. The parents deny knowing any similar lesion on relatives and thsoe in contact with him.

Lesion on the right hand. Try your best to guess what is it.

Questions:

1. What’s the diagnosis?

2. What’s the treatment?

Answer will be announced on coming friday.

Anybody interested in purchasing this 5.1 Creative Speakers plus 7.1 sound blaster sound card could leave a comment here and we will help you to contact the seller.

These items are in good condition, and is up for the price of 3000 rubs (both of them).

What a football league season we have had! Even the neutrals will agree that there has never been a season as exciting as this with the champions only decided on the final game of the season. In the end, the dark-horse of the league, ‘Tongkat Sakti’ was crowned champions of Volga, but the results weren’t the only highlight of the season. From cheers to jeers, the spirit of “Gila bola’ has united different teams from different courses and backgrounds together in one common cause. Now we bring you, the La Liga Volga All-stars compiled from the expertise of the different managers of the league.

Best Manager – Latish
Many observers had them overlooked over the season. But Latish has brought in new faces into the team and propelled them from the once beating-boys to top of league, with a record-breaking run of 7 straight wins in the league.

GK – Dave
Replacing Izat and Prem before him, Dave has considerable boots and gloves to fill. He managed to edge out Azim (Volgopharm), the current Volga team GK, for the award with 5 clean-sheets to his name. When the manager took the risk of converting him from a defender to a GK, many doubted his appointment. But the
decision paid off in the form of multiple saves that kept his team in the game in many occasions. A calming presence and authority between the posts.

LB – Tank
When Latish brought in a defender of his stature, everyone knew to expect something from him. Tank, probably one of the all time great defender made the LB position his own with tough, yet well-timed tackles and even bothering defense with his long-shots from outside of the box. His abilities will definitely
alert scouts from the Volga team.

CB – Sibol
Having the experience of playing in the Volga team last year indeed propelled Sibol into greater heights. He made his mark in the league with solid defending and authority in the box. People may underestimate him due to his height, but he has made up for his shortcomings with fast reflexes and reliable ball control. Hailed as the best ‘ball-clearer’ in the league. Stand out from the rest and named in this years All-Star.

RB – Vicky
It is a little surprising, that all the defenders in the All-stars are below 170cm. But all of them made it up with their stable composure and stability in the box. Vicky may be one of the most underrated player in the league but he is the ever-present leading man for Naga and he marshaled the defense that held off wave after wave of attacks from opposing teams. An injury-scare in the beginning of the season almost destroyed his season but he stood strong and fully deserved to be in the All-stars.

DM – Ganesh
He is probably one of the most important player in his team. Having the experience of playing in the Volga team indeed helped him mature and take authority in his game. Wearing the armband for the team, he bossed the midfield and created chances for his attackers to roam forward. One of his best virtues is his
ability to calm his players down in messy situations and dictate play when it matters. A true leader on the pitch.

LM – Gerard
True class! Voted as the Player of the Season for his heroics of helping his team win their first league title. He is the only player who has won 3 league titles with 3 different teams. Probably the most accomplished player in the league, with his thunderous shots, dangerous runs into the box and classic goals like the goal against Naga where he skips through 4 players and fired a shot to the top corner of the goal leaving the keeper helpless. He is on the verge of being a Volga legend.

AMC – Khairul Afham
Awarded the “Golden boot” this season with a total of 8 goals in 7 games. His eye for goal is complemented with his natural ability to trouble defenders with his ball control and runs around the box. Helping his team to third in the league is just a mere accomplishment for his ability. Indeed an up-coming star that can only go from strength to strength through the years.

RM – Thomas
Hailed as the one of the best dribbler in the league and could read the game very well. His ability to open up plays and supply strikers with opportunities separate him from the other contenders. Singled-out as the best player in the team by his own boss, Aaron further establishes his credentials as this year’s All-stars.

ST – Mustafa
Considered by many as the best all-out striker in league. With 8 goals to his name and scoring in 6 out of 7 games is truly an act not everyone can achieve. His tenacity and daring runs troubled defenders and his ability to score from ‘half-chances’ when it may seem impossible separates him from other greatstrikers in the league. His wonder goal against Kim in the final game of the season, separated the 2 teams after the whistle which resulted in them being top of the league.

P.S. Please do not nominate your favorite player for each position here, you can do that in the Team of The Season post, instead do comment about the reviews of each player’s performances and abilities as highlighted here.

Let me be honest with you. Before I heard this album, I only know Panic at the Disco as a conversational piece. You know when people say, “Eh, You heard the new Panic at the Disco song? Damn cool la!” And you go, “Yes meh?” or “Ya ya ya!” when you actually heard the PatD for the first time. Then, when those people argue why it’s cool, you take mental notes so that it would seem that you know about the song when you talk to other people.

So, I experimented this album by pulling off the network. Let’s talk music: the style is an obvious rip-off of / tribute to the Beatles, particularly circa Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band: the psychadelic lyrics, the baroque-ness of the horns and trumpets, the album opening. Hell, take Nine in the Afternoon video: Sgt Pepper’s costume, scenes from Help! and the band playing in the ice cream theme thing was because of a typo, actually. They were supposed to be playing in a desert – which, with the animal masks, would definitely be a copy of The Beatles’ I am the Walrus video – but somebody mistyped it into dessert. See:

What I usually do with bands that I just start to like is scour the internet for their previous albums. PatD has really changed since it was Panic! at the Disco instead. A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out is good-God-that’s-Emo, while Pretty. Odd. is anything but. The band was labeled as an Emo band and decidedly hated it. It shows. They’re obviously trying to stay away from the genre as far as possible. Every song in the latter have an upbeat sound and theme, maybe with the exception of “Northern Downpour” but even that gave a feel good vibe.

It seems they went mature, the cliche of all punk bands that started with Blink 182′s the Cure route and going on to My Chemical Romance’s Queen influence.

Gone were the days when the titles of their songs were “London Beckoned Songs About Money Written by Machines” and “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” and “Build God, then We Talk”. Instead, they’re now “That Green Gentleman”, “Folkin’ Around” and “Pas de Cheval”. A loss, I think because the former way was so funny.

Lyrics. Lord Almighty, Ryan Ross seems to pull a Lennon on “I am the Walrus” and “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” and then decided that’s not psychadelic enough, so supplemented his acid trip with drags of MILF weed. Let me just turn on the shuffle on my Winamp and show a nonsensical lyric of the song. The Piano Knows Something I Don’t Know. Even the title is confusing. Onto a piece of the song:

“I wont cut my beard, I wont change my hair.
It grows like fancy flowers but it grows nowhere.
My hair, my hair.

If I could build my house just like the Trojan horse,
I’d put a statue of myself upon the shelf. Of course,
Of course, of course…”

Trying to make sense of these two opening stanzas almost made me pull my hair in frustration. I might not be deep enough to understand the hidden meaning, though. So, please, enlighten me if you do. Indeed, Pas de Cheval is the only song that makes sense to me.

Rereading my review, I must say it sounds like I hate the album. That couldn’t be further from the truth! Originality comes hard for artists these days. You have to give credit to these kids for standing out in the crowd. That’s why I favor the ‘tribute to’ instead of ‘rip-off of’ the Beatles.

The album’s are the only contemporary songs I listen to. The beat and theme are enjoyable, the silliness of the lyrics is really fun to sing-along to, the collaboration of the vocals of Urie and Ross in some of the songs work extremely well. But most importantly it made me nostalgic of the Beatles.

Overall, I give the album a B+ – losing points through the trying too hard.

Track listing:

1. “We’re So Starving” – 1:21
2. “Nine in the Afternoon” – 3:11
3. “She’s a Handsome Woman” – 3:12
4. “Do You Know What I’m Seeing?” – 4:14
5. “That Green Gentleman [Things Have Change]” – 3:15
6. “I Have Friends in Holy Spaces” – 1:56
7. “Northern Downpour” – 4:07
8. “When the Day Met the Night” – 4:53
9. “Pas de Cheval” - 2:39
10. “The Piano Knows Something I Don’t Know” – 3:43
11. “Behind the Sea” – 3:33
12. “Folkin’ Around” – 1:55
13. “She Had the World” – 3:47
14. “From a Mountain in the Middle of the Cabins” – 3:02
15. “Mad as Rabbits” – 3:43

Band Members:

Brendon Urie – Lead Vocals, Guitar, Keyboard
Ryan Ross – Vocals, Guitar, Keyboard
Jon Walker – Bass
Spencer Smith – Drums, Percussion

La Liga Volga Autumn 2008 has just recently ended on Sunday, Nov 2nd, 2008. No football season will be complete without fitting tributes and reviews of the performances and results. Hence, The Volgograd Times is proud to bring you our inaugural football league Team of The Season Review.

Team of The Season is also usually known as dream team. A survey has been carried out among managers and captains of all the teams. They are supposed to nominate the best player (from all teams) for each position on the field and behold, the following list is the result of the nominations.

Team of The Season

GK – Dave (Tongkat Sakti)

LB – Tank (Tongkat Sakti)

CB – Sibol (Volgopharm)

RB – Vicky (Nagasaki)

MC/DM – Ganesh (Tongkat Sakti)

LM – Gerald (Tongkat Sakti)

RM – Thomas (Kim)

AMC/FC – Khairul Afham (Volgopharm)

FC – Mustafa (Tongkat Sakti)

Special Accolades

• Best Player: Gerald (Tongkat Sakti)
• Best Manager: Latish (Tongkat Sakti)
• Best Goal: Gerald (vs Nagasaki)
• Most Promising Player: Vinod (Nagasaki)
• Worst Blunder: Kelvin’s open goal miss (vs Tongkat Sakti)
• Crowd-Favorite Player: Douglas (Tongkat Sakti)
• ‘Kangkang’ RM0.50 Master: Firdaus (Nagasaki)

Well that just about sums it up… La Liga Volga Autumn 2008 Team of The Season Review to follow shortly after.

What are your personal nominations for each position and special accolades?