A Tale Of Two Professionals

The blogger’s most learned friend, a retired medical and scientific researcher, Dr. Lim Ju Boo (pic right) frequently mentioned about his  “mysterious” past attendance of an engineering conference where he had no clue how he landed up there and no clue if he understood what was presented there. 

He recalled when he left the hall after the conference ended, he was approached by Ir. Cheong Chee Kwong (CK) whom he had not met before. Cheong thought he too was an engineer but was surprised to find out he was not. They became good friends ever since.

Ir. CK Cheong (pic left) was my former colleague in Angkasa Jurutera Perunding Sdn. Bhd from 1982 till 1986.  He brought me into a group of email buddies sometime in 2009 and that was when and how I got to know Dr. JB Lim who was the most active member of the group regularly sending a lot of messages / articles prolifically written by him.

Today I was informed by CK that it was the 24^th Conference of ASEAN Federation of Engineering Organizations (AFEO) or CAFEO 24 held in Sunway Pyramid Hotel, PJ on 2^nd December, 2006 when he met a “mysterious” participant who was a non-engineer i.e.  Dr. JB Lim.

It is noted that CAFEO 24 with the theme of “Branding of ASEAN Professional Engineering Services & Education for Global Mobility” was attended by the chief representatives from the following national engineering organizations in the 10 ASEAN member countries:

1. Pertubuhan Ukur, Jurutera dan Arkitek Brunei (PUJA)

2. Engineering Institution of Cambodia (EIC)

3. Persatuan Insinyur Indonesia (PII)

4. The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (IEM)

5. Philippines Technological Council (PTC)

6. Engineering Institute of Thailand (EIT)

7. Laos Union of Scientists & Engineers Association (LUSEA)

8. Myanmar Engineering Society (MES)

9. The Institution of Engineers, Singapore (IES)

10. Vietnam Union of Science & Technology Association (VUSTA)

The Conference was chaired by then AFEO Chairman / IEM President Engr. Datuk Prof. Dr. Ow Chee Sheng.

(The above information is provided by courtesy of Ir. CK Cheong)

CK’s own description about his encounter with Dr. Lim is as follows:

“Dr. JB Lim attended the ASEAN Federation of Engineering Organizations’ 24th Conference at Sunway Pyramid Hotel in December, 2006,

During the Conference, he posed a very good question and offered some viewpoints which I admired and respected.  

As soon as the Conference was over, I followed to meet up with him to know more.  And I found out he is a Medical Doctor with such enormous amount of knowledge all round.

He is a fantastic walking encyclopedia.“ 

The blogger posed with Dr. JB Lim at Chap Goh Mei dinner on 05/03/2015

Ir. CK Cheong (left) with Dr. Lim's son Benjamin (standing) and future daughter-in-law at Chap Goh Mei dinner on 05/03/2015

The blogger posed with Dr. JB Lim after attending "Aladdin Musical Comedy" at PJ Live Arts Theatre on 21/11/2015

Feedback from Dr. JB Lim on 28/02/2021 2.29am: 

Hahahaha… Thank you Sifu Ir Lau for exposing this fraud who went incognito as an "engineer" at a high level 24th Conference of ASEAN Federation of Engineering Organizations (AFEO) in December 2006.

Now I find some relief off my chest as I need not hide any more as I am now exposed.

But quite honestly I really do not know how and why I went there? I couldn't have known about the engineering conference on my own.

Someone must have brought or recommended me there. I just really cannot recall.

It may have been through a scientific or technological association where I belong, and probably there was an announcement somewhere through a professional or scientific association where I belong.

I may have then decided to register, pay the conference fee, sit down there quietly to listen to papers being presented as I always do in most of these scientific conferences.

Thus, I may have gone there out of academic interest since engineering is something new to me and is nothing like learning anything new to me as I did when I did postdoctoral courses in evolution from the University of Cambridge in 2018 at the age of 80, then took up another course on astronomy from the University of Oxford, and went back again to Cambridge again to study forensic science in toxicology, all done within a year 25 years after my retirement as a medical researcher.

After all, I am still a scientist though in the medical field but with a strong background in mathematics and physics (I studied physics and mathematics at Aligrah Muslim University). 

Maybe I was already tired of attending too many other types of medical, nutrition and biological conferences in the past, and I wanted to hear something different though not an engineer.

So I do not think I have done anything wrong doing this or have I done any damage to the reputation of members of another profession such as engineering profession?

When I met Ir CK Cheong outside the conference hall, I admitted I was not an engineer, and I think I told him I attended out of academic interest which was fair enough.

Anyway, I cannot remember what question or questions I posed to the paper presenters there that may have impressed them as most colleagues and friends who know me over the years know I am quite curious and talkative person just about to talk on anything in a crowd.

Nevertheless whether or not I am an engineer today it makes no difference, as I am already retired, although if given another chance in life, I would prefer to be an astronomer, an astrophysicist, an astrobiologist, a pilot, a mathematician or a nuclear physicist or a nuclear engineer.

I am more inclined toward physical rather than biological or medical sciences.

After all, I have also studied food technology that includes food engineering and was thrilled to be able to apply some engineering and mathematical background aspects of heat transfer during food processing for my MSc degree.

Jb

The Funny Sides Of Dr JB Lim As A Boy

Note: The blogger wishes to share herewith two light-hearted and humorous stories written by the Great Sifu, Dr. J B Lim, posted in his “What’s Up Ox” chat group in conjunction with Chap Goh Meh or the Spring Lantern Festival, the 15^th Day of CNY yesterday on 26/02/2021.  The first story is about his repairing a radio when he was a boy and the second about his “naughty’ experiences in school. 

This small boy shocked some loose wire behind his sister's old non-functioning radio in the 1950's and the radio started 'singing' all those old Zhou Xuan songs once again.

His sister's friend was so impressed by this small boy "performance" that she predicted this boy will one day become an engineer.

His head swelled up immediately and he started to stand on his head and started somersaulting like cartwheel around the house for several days till his parents got worried and wanted to send him to see doctor about his head.

This boy never grew up to be an engineer as his sister's friend predicted.

So to make up for the loss he now likes to mix up with elite engineers.

He even once attended an engineering conference meant only for engineers. That was where he first met Ir CK Cheong who found out there was a bogus engineer among them inside that conference hall.

When he was in school, his teachers always threw his exercise books along with his other classmates exercise books into the drain outside the classroom after giving him a very big ducks eggs in red. 

Then his teacher shouted at him this: "How in the world you came into this class?" Hahahaha…. 

 

After that he was asked to stand on a chair at he back of the classroom. When the teacher left he would go to the blackboard in front and imitated his teacher like this: "How in the world you came into this class to teach us?" 

But the teacher returned and hid behind the creeks of the classroom doors behind. Then he teacher emerged and send this boy for detention class every Saturday for 3 months and also to write 500 lines this: "I must not imitate my teacher" Hahahaha….  

Those were the days of Zhou Xuan who always sang inside our broken radio and teachers who did not appreciate Zhou Xuan Chinese songs but threw away all our exercise books out of the classroom Hahahaha …. 

I forgot to tell you this. This small boy's teacher not only sent him to detention class every Saturday for 3 months for imitating his teacher and also write 500 lines "I must not imitate my teacher", but he was also asked to write 5,000 lines this: "How in the world I came to this class?" Hahaha....

This small boy name is Jahat Budak (JB) from Minyak Beku to Johor Bahru.

Thanks for reading after Chap Goh Mei.

 

JB

------------------------------------------------

The blogger wishes to add that Dr. JB Lim has actually narrated the same stories about his interesting childhood “engineering experience” and fun-filled schooling life in the following articles: 

1. Dr. JB Lim’s Brief Introduction of Himself to IEM 

https://taionn.blogspot.com/2020/06/dr-jb-lims-brief-introduction-of.html  

2. Dr. JB Lim’s Feedback On His Article Being Published in IEM’s Bulletin

https://taionn.blogspot.com/2020/07/dr-jb-lims-feedback-on-his-article_11.html

A Surprise Email From Dr. Tam Chat Tim

The blogger’s note:

I am pleasantly surprised this morning to have received an email 2 days ago from Dr. Tam Chat Tim, my Civil Engineering Final Year Project supervisor/tutor (1979/80 session) in the University of Singapore (later renamed as the National University of Singapore (NUS) commencing from 1980/81 session).

I have posted a brief account of meeting with Dr. Tam in my blog during a one-day YTL Cement Annual Seminar on April 9, 2015 as follows:

"Meeting Dr. Tam Chat Tim After 36 Years"

https://taionn.blogspot.com/2015/04/meeting-dr-tam-chat-tim-after-36-years.html

I suppose he must be googling and bumped into my above blog post recently and took the trouble to find my email address and write to me.   

To Dr. Tam, I must express my heartiest gratitude to you for writing to me and may I wish you good health, happiness and prosperity in this Year of the Ox and all the coming years.  It's really great to know that you are still attached with the NUS while I have already retired 3 1/2 years ago.  From: Tai Onn

The email from Dr. Tam Chat Tim (pic right) is as follows:

Date: Tue, 23 Feb at 9:43 pm 

Hi Tai Onn

I just found what you wrote about our meeting at YTL seminar in 2015.  You were wondering if I did teach any of the subjects that you took other than being your FYP on setting time.  

 

The topic on concrete material that I taught in later years was not yet introduced into the curriculum.  They were Concrete Technology in Year 3 and an elective Advanced Concrete Technology in Year 4 (CE 5604 for MSc programme).   

 

Currently CE 5604 is still being offered but part of the Year 3 material is now incorporated with mechanics.  As a result, CE 5604 has to cover materials that are no longer in the previously Concrete Technology. Not too many opts for the elective and so with insufficient knowledge on concrete when they work in the construction industry.

 

Hope this message reaches you with my best wishes for the Year of the Ox.

 

CT Tam

The blogger is pleased to share herewith a further reply from Dr. Tam as follows:

Date: Thu, 25 Feb at 3:14 pm

 

Hi Tai Onn

 

So glad to receive your mail as it indicates that my message was sent successfully to you.  

 

I retired in 1996 and since then mainly concentrate on my research interest.  

There are so much to learn from new developments in cement and concrete and to find appropriate application of new materials and technology in the construction industry.

 

The challenges of higher concrete strength and better resistance to potential durability issues with new knowledge is ever increasing with modern demand in infrastructure development.  

 

Structural design with concrete has advanced much faster with large computing capabilities than construction knowhow to catch up with suitable concrete technology to realize such novel designs.  

Structures are becoming taller and foundations deeper.  They pose new challenges for concrete construction.  

 

For sustainable concrete structures, there is the need to have new constructions that can be extended in its design life after initial design life by providing a systems that will enable extending to subsequent life/lives based on current technology.

 

Hope you will forgive an old teacher for “preaching” to the “converted” – a hoppy!

 

Best wishes for a happy and enjoyable life after retirement,

 

CT Tam

Latest update by courtesy of Dr. Tam Chat Tim (谭七甜博士，the 7th child in his family):

Dr. Tam’s current appointment at NUS is Honorary Fellow. He also acts as co-supervisor of Final Year Projects (wow, like what he was to me 42 years ago) and acts as resource person or examiner for PhD candidates.

400 Quintillion Strains and Variants of Covid-19 Virus

By  Dr. Lim Ju Boo 

17/02/2021 @ 8:19 AM

Over this lazy afternoon today I was wondering if scientists have all along got their directions wrong by producing all sort of vaccines, without considering the various ways the sequence of the RNA of SARS-CoV-2 could arrange themselves to give rise to various mutagenic strains and variants which may render all existing vaccines to be useless.          

 

For instance, the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine has now been found to offer limited protection against the mutant South Africa variant of Covid-19 virus based on about 2,000 young people who had the vaccine.

 

I was looking at the various permutations and combinations their sequence could arrange themselves into various sub-sets of genomes and their capability of mutating in appalling ways and numbers we fail to even dream.  

 

I like to share my thoughts on this dilemma mathematically rather than biologically other scientists have been focusing on all this while.   

We know the nucleotides that comprise the RNA of the virus contain a nitrogenous base, a deoxyribose sugar, and a phosphate group which covalently link with other nucleotides to form phosphodiester bonds.

 

Nucleotides are the monomers that make up a nucleic acid, such as DNA or RNA. Nucleic acids are made of long strands of nucleotides. 

 

A nucleic acid sequence is a succession of bases signified by a series of a set of five different letters that indicate the order of nucleotides forming alleles within a DNA.

 

In short its nucleotides may have just three groups, but their individual group arrangements into nucleic acids through combination and permutation can run into millions of billions of codes.

 

The corona viruses of Covid-19 have single-stranded, positive-sense genomes that are the largest of all known RNA viruses. Its nucleotide chain is between 27 – 32 kilo base (Masters, 2006).

 

The genome of this Covid-19 is about 30,000 characters long. In short it has a 5 digit code, all are capable of rearranging the sequence to cause them to mutate into unthinkable numbers.

 

Epidemiologists estimated the genomic mutation rate of SARS-CoV-2 viruses at 33 per year. Scientists use the presence of these mutations in SARS-CoV-2 genomes to assign a lineage or clade to each strain.

 

But I think initially its mutation rate can be extremely slow, but this may be a deadly misjudgment and a lethal mistake we are going to pay pricey if we intend to challenge this virus with a fight using all sorts of vaccines.

 

As far as I can foresee, we are not fighting with a virus, but we are raging a war against an Intelligent Designer who has put this virus here on this planet with an intended purpose.  

 

The Combination and Permutations of Mutations:

 

The number of permutations possible for the SARS-CoV-2 to change the order of their sequence, assuming just a small fraction of 30 nucleotides were taken from its genetic code (the sequence of nucleotides in the ribonucleic acid (RNA) that determines the amino acid sequence of the spike proteins) would be, assuming r = 10 of them were taken at a time. 

 

This would be:

 

n P r = n! / (n – r)! = 30! / (30 – 10)! = 1 x 1014   = 100 trillion

 

However I do not think this would normally be the case, because as far as we know from our knowledge on genetics, cellular and molecular biology, mutation is normally randomly-assigned without considering the order of the arrangement of their sequence.

 

The sequence during mutation most likely is randomized rather than chosen in a specific order. In other words, mutation is normally a random change in its sequence.

 

We would then have to look at this problem in another way if the sequence of their nucleotides is randomly arranged without any concern of order.

 

Put this in another way, we would have to look at how the sequence are combined which is more likely rather than permuted in a fixed arrangement.

 

Such randomly-assigned combinations would give rise to far more numbers of mutations, and subsequent strains and variants rather than through more through prescribed permutations.

 

Mathematically we will then apply a different equation for this biological threat to mankind given as:

 

nCr  = n! / (n – r)! . r!

= 30! / 20! x 10! = 4 x 10 20 = 4 followed by 20 zeros or 400 quintillion

(1 quintillion = 1 followed by 18 zeros)

(30!, 20! or 10! are all factorials. For instance 10! or 10 factorial is equal to 10x 9x 8x 7x 6x 5x 4x 3x 2x 1x = 3628800).

(We assume conservatively when we took only 30 nucleotides of this SARS-Covid 2 genome which may more likely to be the genetic code, or just 0.1 % of the genome, and were rearranged with 10 codes taken at a time.)

          

If we assume this is more likely the  possibility, then there is no vaccine we need to look for any further or any other preventive measure we need to enforce additionally against the capability of this virus to mutate randomly to a tune a 100 quintillion different variants.

 

400 Quintillion Types of Vaccines vs. A 400 Quintillions Mutagenic Variants? 

If this virus uses just 0.1 % of sequence to rearrange themselves to a 400 quintillion different mutagenic combinations would scientists also wish to fight and match them with a 400 quintillion various types of vaccines?  Yes, or No? Just answer my question.

Furthermore, it is projected there will be 8.5 thousand million people on this planet by the year 2030 which is another 9 years time in the Year of the Dog (A dog’s life by then).

 

This means if this virus mutates to its theoretical limit, though it may not be likely through the Grace of God, then each individual on this planet in about 10 years time will need to receive at least 4.7 x 1010, that’s 47,000,000,000 different types of vaccines to cope with the flood of mutations this virus is capable of transforming itself by merely rearranging 0.1 % of its sequence.

My personal feeling towards this predicament it is best we lay down all our biological arms – vaccines, drugs and anything other thing we can think of, and just ask for forgiveness from our Creator for trying to fight with Him as it is already clearly written that a third of the population of the earth would be killed by four angels and the army which they lead (Revelation 9:16-18).

 

This is an unyielding divine decree that must come to pass periodically to cut down overpopulation according to the prescribed laws of Natural Selection for the survival of the fittest and to get rid of the old and infirmed, those with comorbidities, those who are immunologically compromised or those genetically malformed as we can see from the nature of the mortality from this pandemic.

 

If we look at this again, it is not just the horrendously huge numbers of mutant variants this virus is capable if we attempt to challenge them with various types of vaccines, but it is their sheers numbers too that can rain down on this Earth.

 

This we may also need to consider here:

https://scientificlogic.blogspot.com/2021/02/our-vaccines-against-alien-invaders.html

 

Readers may also go into other general articles by Ir. Lau TO blog here:

https://taionn.blogspot.com/search?q=laU+TO

 

For other articles by this author (Lim Ju Boo) are found here:

https://taionn.blogspot.com/search?q=articles+by+Dr+Lim+

 

JB                             

--------------------------

A further remark by Dr. Lim via WhatsApp on 17/02/2021 at 7.53pm:

As I have already explained earlier, this virus is not going to stop mutating into myriads of tens of thousands, or even into tens of thousands of trillions and there is no reason why it should not, all the more when we try to defy it with our vaccines and even natural antibodies.

If only scientists study evolutionary biology other than just virology and immunology and how to make vaccines, they will know why Nature has over 3 billion years of life on Earth helps every organism including prelife viruses to thrive against all environmental, physical and biological odds and challenges through the Law of Natural Selection.

 

Let this be known to every scientist trying to block this virus with their man-made vaccine, the more they try the more aggressive and mutant this virus is going to face us.

 

Don't think we are going to win this very tough biological war implanted here with a intended purpose to wipe out one third of the world population.

 

Seek His wisdom why, not rely on our idiotic scientific knowledge.  I mean it.

 

Jb 

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/virus-variant-in-11-countries-and-may-resist-antibodies-report-2021-2