Voice of the Silent

Don't hate

2011-08-15T08:07:00.000-07:00

Hate is taxing. It takes energy to hate. Energy that could be better used elsewhere.

More importantly, it consumes. To completely hate something, you must completely identify with it. You have to know it inside and outside (or at least think you do). And when you completely identify with something else/someone else, what becomes of you? You disappear. You get bottled up. You get pushed aside as your hate takes over. Eventually, in your hatred, you become the very thing you hate.

Don't hate.

A quiet type of profiling

2011-05-18T00:21:00.000-07:00

I think it's time to end the discrimination against Malays in the SAF. Discrimination against Malays in the SAF was most likely started due to the situation back when National Service first started. And it was quite a situation. There were the Maria Hertogh riots,the Konfrontasi campaign, the Indonesian bombing of the Macdonald House and Singapore was newly separated from Malaysia. At the government was unsure of where the loyalty of the Malay community was at the time, considering the emphasis on community and religion the Malays have. I'm not saying such emphasis is good or bad,just that this was how it was. Such things just contributed to the security situation, and it was dealt with in a manner we are familiar with, for better or for worse.

Now though, I would argue the situation is very different. I'd say the Malays like it here better than Malaysia generally. Not that there are no problems to be dealt with. There is a certain tacit racial discrimination among employers(disguised as a need to be "bilingual", which over here means able to speak Mandarin. Something all us non-Mandarin speakers must deal with.) and the feeling of being the ignored minority in Singapore(I don't particularly agree, but that's for another post). Malaysia has bumiputera policies, true, but the vigour with which the full range of Sharia law is enforced by the religious crowd rather outweighs the former for Singaporean Malays. It's a major restriction on the lifestyle most of them like to have, especially the younger crowd(which would be our NS crowd). And the increasingly vocal and politically song conservative movement would put a lot of them off.

To be blunt, Malays have it pretty good here. They get to be both Malays and Muslims here, and anyone who knows the Malay community here knows that the majority view the two as inextricably intertwined. Islam is accorded a status above other religions here. Singapore is a secular nation that allows Shariah law to run co-currently with it's regular laws in terms of civil matters. Of course, when it comes to criminal cases, the law of the land takes precedence, which is fair. The point I'm making is that his practically unheard of elsewhere in the world. Verily, some countries have their citizens and their politicians so against the so-called "Islamisization" of their respective countries that they even protest against the usage of Halal food. Never mind that it is the same as Kosher food, which is widely accepted. It is Muslim, and therefore it is wrong! It is an attempt to dominate us! But I digress.

The secular nature of the country allows the non-religious Malay-Muslims to live their lives however they want to, without fearing that the state will bring them back in line to the tenets of the religion a la busting down doors on Valentines day and arresting any Muslim who drinks. Granted, the community here polices itself but that's an entirely different thing. The point is, you can find Malays drinking at bars here, going to clubs and dancing with the opposite sex, holding hands, all with no fear of prosecution.

The injustice that comes from the discrimination practised has a high cost that cannot be underestimated. It can cause loyal Singaporean Malays who were once completely content to feel torn and lost. It is akin to being the odd child out in the family. Not the one that is always quiet cos there is not much to talk about, but the one that gets picked on just for being. Most of the time, such children just keep their head down, feeling sad, lost and in constant pain. But some are likely to turn hostile. Think of the mat community, and how extremism normally breeds. It generally stems from discontent and a feeling of displacement. By excluding Malays from the more important posts in the SAF, one not only creates a sense of not belonging, of being unwanted, that will be passed down from generation to generation, one also creates and tacitly endorses the idea that Malays cannot be trusted to hold positions of responsibility and should only be given the more menial tasks. And ultimately it lays the foundation for a victimised, us-vs-them mentality, which is hardly good for nation building or the Malay community itself. I have known of many people who feel there is no point trying too hard because they feel the system is stacked against them, and this form of thinking is passed on to the children.

Ending this discrimination will change that thinking. And exposing the upper ranks to more Malays as peers and not just as subordinates will also change the thinking of people from the other races, as well as increasing their interaction with people from the Malay community, which are steps towards becoming a truly multi-cultural -and inter-cultural!-nation. And such a change will allow the Malay community to feel wanted, to feel like a part of the country. And when people feel wanted, they put in their all for the country. Truly, we can only benefit from such a move. Anyone who argues there is still danger must then answer why such danger does not exist when it comes to PRs who are serving NS to become citizens, or from the Chinese citizens considering that support for the Communists was strong back in the 1960's, or from Indian citizens(now there's a super marginalised group) when there have been cases of Indians funnelling money to movements like the Tamil Tigers. So instead of a blanket policy based on fear, we should become inclusive and deal with people on an individual level. That's the best way forward, and a very good step in our development as a nation.

The costs of the GRC system.

2011-05-08T00:37:00.000-07:00

A Yahoo article on why GRC systems should be abolished.

For years, with relatively little competition, it was a way to bring POTENTIAL ministers and MPs in to the system, to groom them on the fly and to see how they turn out. This year, with unprecedented competition, it turned into a key issue, an idealogical battleground, as the culmination of the peoples frustrations took form in the shape of Tin Pei Ling. The PAP probably saw good reason in wanting to nurture her, but the choice to bring her in the way they did,to nurture her in parliament as opposed to having her stomp the ground as an aide to one of the MPs or ministers, was the primary source of backlash against the GRC system. People had reached the point where they were less willing to vote for a team because they had one star player if they felt the opposition offered a better choice. That's why SM Goh team barely, BARELY won.

And even before that, the constant redrawing of the GRC boundaries with no clear reason why and seemingly with no good reason had been wearing away at the patience of the electorate for a long time. Dividing Aljunied was the straw that broke the camels back there. And the result of that gamble? The loss of three seasoned politicians, including our foreign minister. Unless a procedure is introduced soon to nominate ministers, as someone from SDA alluded to wanting implement(the name eludes me right now), this is one helluva blow that will take quite some time to recover from. Don't get me wrong, I think the WP team that took Aljunied is of extremely high calibre. That does not mean Singapore politics has not suffered a heavy loss.

And then there is Bishan. One of the most beloved symbols of the fight against autocracy, against the use of carrots and upgrading to win votes, one of the bravest men in Singapore politics, right up there with JB Jeyaretnam as a symbol of Singaporeans willing to fight for what they believe in...lost. While the minister who let a terrorist escape on his watch, who never apologised, who never did the right thing by taking full responsibility for what happened, stayed in.
I will be honest, when I saw the result, and how much that fella's team had won by, I cried. It was a body blow to our democracy, to our voice, to the grand scheme of things in Singapore. In putting people like WKS and VB in wards such as Bishan and Holland-Bukit Timah, we essentially protected out worst in our best areas? And our best? We gambled in the most contentious areas. Those two did not win on their own merits. They won because their areas are in good condition and their electorate is comfortable. Not a direct result of them at all.

Some say the real winner in this is Tin Pei Ling. I disagree. She will probably work hard, she may prove herself. She may not. Whatever. There are plenty of nondescript faces in parliament as it is. Even some of the members of the opposition teams were very nondescript, with at least one team relying on the star power of one member. So even if the opposition had gotten in instead of TPL, it would have been one star, and a few people one cannot be entirely certain off as well.
So no.

One the one hand, we can say the real winner was Singaporean Democracy. Everyone had a chance to vote, and while the media was far from ideal(faaaaaaaaaar from it), there was also much more coverage of the alternative parties and their ideas than there has been in a very very long time. And while there were articles blatantly demonising them, they were still a far cry from the kind of thing we saw in the 90's. People became politically aware, more and more people were politically involved, rallies reached a fever pitch in emotion that has not been seen in I-do-not-know-how-long. Many, many victories, in that regard.

But if the GRC system is not discontinued, if we continue relying on a system of politics that has proven itself to be so flawed as to be DANGEROUS to the political well-being of Singapore, then ultimately, all the small victories matter very little, and there is only one loser in the long run.

Singapore.

Whatever happend to freedom of expression and French liberalism?

2011-04-14T06:22:00.000-07:00

So France has banned the wearing of the burqa. To be precise, the law bans any full face coverings, but it's been known for a long time that it targets wearers of the burqa.

I think it's a ridiculous law.

I'm not pro-wearing the burqa, and I'm well aware that the wearing of the burqa is a personal choice, and not a must have of the religion. The crux of the matter is about personal choice as long as it does not affect the workings of society. If one pursues a career as a teacher in a secular school..., then obviously there would be some issues as to the wearing of it with regards to communications. And in such circumstance, prohibition of a full body covering would be fine. But otherwise, does it really affect communication? I see no real way in which the wearing of the burqa hampers interaction except in cases where a persons face NEEDS to be seen, in which case the prohibition is fair. So they should balance out on that end. Want to drive a car? Face on license must be exposed, be prepared to show your face when necessary for license checks, etc. But otherwise, no big deal.
Not all barriers in communication are physical, some are entirely mental and self-imposed. If someone was not being genuine or open, was purposely distorting how they were, lying, etc, would those not also be barriers? This is without even going into culture and other forms of noise that affect communication. A physical barrier like a burqa is the smallest problem when it comes to general conversations in civil society. Also, having observed quite a few people in such clothing conversing with each other, or other people, the body language is generally quite clear.

This ban is exceedingly general, affecting people in their regular public life. Granted, terrorists could use it as a disguise(there have been such cases), but then again, they could use anything as a disguise and find other ways to do what they need to do. It's not as if the 9/11 crew were wearing burqas when they boarded the planes, took their flight lessons, etc. The 7/7 bombers were also clad in regular clothing, and their bombs were in backpacks. Should we outlaw all backpacks on that basis? Or do we just target people of a certain look and colour when checking backpacks?
The closest official estimate is that two thousand people wear it, in a country of five to six million Muslims. And most estimates say that a large number of those who wear it are converts. And the entire Muslim population makes up only 10% of the French population. So. 2000 out of 6000000 people. That would be 0.15% of the Muslim population. Which means it's 0.015% of the total population, right? Maths is not my strong suit, so if I'm wrong please tell me. The police are hardly going to have to go up to thousands of people wearing them each day. AAnd going back to the above argument about regular garb, if an officer approaches someone who is a suicide bomber, chances are they would be blown up before they could react properly. They are trained to do react in such a way, if they feel they cannot reach the target objective. This ban is therefore akin to Switzerland banning minarets, although they only have four of them. All this talk about security is moot anyway. It was never raised by the French parliament, and the police are not going to be working very hard to enforce it anyway.

This ban is more a reaction to a sign of conservative Muslims, to the growing presence of Islam, than it is about security, or it not fitting in with their views on how women should be treated, as Sarkozy himself said. It's not a Sharia-related thing, it's a populist measure to get votes by an unpopular leader. If anything, this could potentially worsen the situation, as it solidifies the mentality that there is a war being waged on Islam itself. "SEE! THEY SAY PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE FREEDOM TO WORSHIP HOW THEY WANT, THEY SAY PEOPLE SHOULD BE GIVEN FREEDOM TO BE THEMSELVES, BUT SEE WHAT THEY DO?! FREEDOM FOR ALL EXCEPT MUSLIMS! INFIDELS!" I can completely imagine someone saying that. And, sadly, people believing that. Worse possible move ever. Alienate the evolutionists, cause moderates to regress, cause conservatives that were open to change to fall back to the fundamentals and ultimately setting the country up as one of the big enemies of Islam, as the terrorist propaganda would say....yeah. Worse possible move.

Now some will argue that France is a secular country governed by civil law and not Sharia law, so why condone such clothing. Firstly, I want to say that the two are not incompatible. Singapore is a secular country governed by civic law that has its roots in the Bible, like most Western countries. What Sharia law we have for the Muslim population applies more to matters on running of household, setting up of will, marriage(and even on that count, not so much) But you don't see us banning the burqa, although there are quite a number of wearers, and we live in a region with high extremist sentiment. Secondly, and this is more important, when you trumpet how you allow people religious freedoms, and talk about equality and freedom of speech, stepping in and banning people from following their religion in a way they feel comfortable, which harms no one else, is exceedingly hypocritical. You say you dislike it, that it is a sign of oppression or repression and does not fit in with the values of your country, and human dignity. But is what you are doing any different from those who force women to wear it? Not all women wear it because they are forced to, in France and in other parts of the world. There ARE women who are forced too, and I support the provision in the law that punishes those who force women to dress like that. But aren't the women who voluntary wear it being punished and oppressed for the actions of others? Others who aren't even of the same gender as them? Ironic law, is it not?

I'm all for balancing individual rights against the needs of a society. I don't believe it should all be too much one way or another. That's why I don't think abolishing the ISA is a good idea, though how it is used must be regulated, and there must be monitoring of it when used. And I think that while freedom of speech is all well and good, there must be limits to it, at least in line with common sense responsibilities, not like how America does it.
But at the same time, telling people they cannot practice their religion in a manner they feel comfortable, when it does not harm anything or anyone else, is going too far.

One other argument raised against it also is that if the wearing of the burqa is all allowed, then maybe we should all go around wearing masks. See how long society works when that happens. As for that, who knows? Society has a tendency to judge people based on how they look and what colour their skin is, it would level the playing field a lot and teach people to look at the internal as opposed to the external. And if people had to work harder to make their intent and meaning known, and if people had to actually listen for the meaning of the words instead of just taking things at face value, reacting because of how a person may look, etc, well, it may actually lead to a more civil discourse. It's one of the reasons given by those who wear the burqa voluntarily, that they are not treated differently as women based on their looks, when they don such. Not in countries used to it, at least.
As it is, societies are rather dysfunctional without the wearing of the masks and all. How many relatives are wearing something over their head when they kill each other? How many people who've abused kids were wearing something as they hit that person?
Of course, again, we're focusing on physical, actual masks here. Almost everyone has a few masks they wear, at different places, in different situations, with different people. I think those masks are the ones more likely to cause problems then this one.

Democracy is such that you can voice your displeasure at the idea, no problem, but actively shutting down the source of your displeasure(a small one at that) like this is authoritarian territory. For just as how you are entitled to voice your displeasure in a democracy, so are those that displease allowed to do, or wear, whatever they want as long as it does not hurt any one. France would do well to remember that.

I wonder, does this mean people will not be allowed to cover their faces on Halloween too? This law is supposed to ban all full face coverings right?

Home is where the heart is.

2011-03-16T08:45:00.000-07:00

Coveting Singapore's public housing system - USATODAY.com

"People keep asking for housing that is cheaper, faster and better. "

Firstly, how cute of the guy to quote that stupid line. Secondly, we do want cheaper housing because it is insanely expensive. I long ago decided that CPF was not meant to be a retirement fund, but money for my housing. But the way prices are now, I doubt I can ever pay it all off. And should I ever buy on the resale market, the high COV is upfront. So yes, we want cheaper cos otherwise you are going to have a massive homeless situation. And yes we want it faster. It's because of you dumbasses not building when there was a massive influx of people that we don't have enough homes. Which, incidentally is a reason why the prices rose! DUH....if build it faster, you settle a lot of the discontent brewing in the country. Plus, you should have started building pre-emptively, forecasting the population, instead of building re-actively, the complaint and demand would not exist, would it? As for better, well, when we see our mature estates, and how large the flats are, and we see how small the current ones are, well, of course we go, "Say what?" And when you refuse to release the cost of creating the housing, while prices are rising exceedingly fast over a small period of time, you once again had best be prepared to deal with public discontent over the lack of transparency.

Now, don't get me wrong. I think we have a pretty comprehensive public housing system, but I also feel it has rather lost it's way over time. I mean, a public housing facility focusing on building condominium structures? It's definitely part of why things are so expensive. And arguing that the market set the prices is disingenuous, considering they can intervene with the price of food when market prices get out of hand.

I'm not saying we should do things like how they were. I like the idea of Treelodge@Punggol(but why, why, do we use @ in so many signs for so many places? So fucking stupid!), and would love to have more places like that. So I do think that we definitely have to progress, but there should be adjustment of policies over time as well. And stop-gap reactive measures don't count.They should also lower the age limit for singles. That was for the country at a different time, when it was a different place. With the families much smaller then they were before, the support network for singles is gone. Also, there is less of a stigma in a person staying alone at a younger age in the country, and more people want to spread their wings while young. So change it. Bring it down to age 25-27, for smaller units like the 1 and 2 room flats. And if we want to keep building designer housing under public housing, then it should come under a completely separate cost bracket. Public housing should be fully subsidised, as it was before (If it is now, show us the figures. It certainly feels like it is not, and arguments about market forces just reinforce that feeling). If full subsidy is too much, then something can be worked out. People are not unreasonable. But don't push us.

Enough is enough

2011-03-03T07:51:00.001-08:00

There is a 30% increase in the estimated wages of political appointees this year.

Thirty percent.

THIRTY PERCENT!

They already claim wages far beyond the norm for politicians. Our Prime Minister's pay is the equivalent of the top 6 other world leaders salaries combined.

And based on improvements in the private sector, it's time to dish out a huge increment! Remember, they did not claim any bonus over the pass 2 years, when it was a recession. Never mind that neither did many people. Never mind that bonuses are extras, not part of your annual pay, and their assessment of having had a reduced annual pay over the past two years is flawed due to that very simple fact. The money is coming in, and we have another excuse to party!

This increase is coming from the same people who exhort the citizens of Singapore to be "Better, Faster, Cheaper." And our ministers are better then who? Not older politicians, seeing as how they have yet to come up with a policy that can equal some of our foundational policies. Not the opposition, considering they dare not let them into parliament to show how much better they are. And have the media run anti-opposition style articles and shows, casting them as bumbling buffoons and nitwits while exalting the PAP. Faster? They take forever to implement policies, having to spend forever debating them. When something happens, it takes them at least a day to react and comment. The only thing they are fast at, it seems, is proclaiming how awesomely world-class we are(note: World-class is not the same as First-class), and suing people whom they feel have defamed them(ie: Disagreed with them, and did it well). Cheaper? Just look at the link.

The same people who are behind HDB and high rise housing, who go on and on about land scarcity, but live in gigantic mansions. Not terrace homes, not semi-ds, not bungalows, but bloody palatial mansions. The same people who talk racial harmony, but won't get rid of a completely outdated, unnecessary and absolutely discriminatory practice in the military service.

My worse fear is that they truly see no harm in their payscale, and the pay hikes. That they feel it completely acceptable. Then it's not corruption of a normal sort we are dealing with. It's the corruption of the mind from absolute power and control.

They don't know what the ma on the ground is experiencing. How can one be a servant of the public, when one is lording over the public?

They have no idea what the ground is like now, beyond the few people they talk to and the RC people who tell them what they want to hear, or what said RC people FEEL they should say.
They are disconnected with Singaporeans. They need to learn this. We need to show them we are fed up and sick of all this.

Elections are coming.
Enough is enough.

HUAT AH, SPF!

2011-02-17T07:31:00.000-08:00

It is 11.32pm, as I type this. There is a lion dance going on at the void deck. Staying in Changi Village, our void deck is made up of a lot of shops,and on my end, it's all KTV style pubs. You know the type. So, in light of what happened with Thaipusam, as well as based on existing laws, I called the police on them. I'm not normally a police botherer for this kinda thing, but bloody hell, it's damn late ah. It was bad enough when there was a lion dance going on the other day at 8pm, but this is ridiculous. And at the same time, this is - according to my nephew - the 6th lion dance. Making allowance for a miscount, it's still a lot for one day. Oh, and it has been going on for half an hour at this point.

I'd been told before that the police will not respond to such calls. But I held faith that times have changed, especially considering Thaipusam this year. After all, if they chose not to respond, then they have to defend themselves against allegations of racial bias, sooo....they have no choice but to respond. And respond they did. They went the long way to park, instead of right by the road, which is the normal area of parking and would have gotten them to the dance that much sooner. What I mean by the long way is they came down Changi Village Rd, past my block, turned back onto the main road to park in the car park behind my block. Very slowly. Then the two officers eventually walked over to the performance. Again taking the long way by going around the block AWAY from the pub side, when they parked at the staircase from the carpark to my block that was NEAR the pub side. (Inspirational, how they wasted time. Mayhap they were hoping the dance would finish before getting there.) So they finally reach. And approach the lion dance troupe with less authority then teachers with recalcitrant students. And the organiser is identified. They talk to him, taking his details down and all. (I saw all this because I was watching. I was curious about how this would play out.) Then they walk off. And before they reach their car, the dance starts up again.

The dance starts up again.

So....the police came down, talked to them a bit, took their details, and left. Nothing more. No order to stop the noise, despite the fact that it was 11pm, and we have laws prohibiting loud noises/music, etc, in residential areas at night. A law was broken, and all that was done was the taking of names. Then resumption of breaking the law was allowed. I did not realise that the point of the police had changed. Must have happened while I was busy trying to teach kids about racial harmony, respect for other cultures, obeying the rules, that laws exist for a reason and all that jazz.

So I say, HUAT AH SPF! BAIK SIA! DAMN STEADY AH, THE WAY YOU ALL WORK! POWER to the GEDEGA LA MIKE! (Maybe I should scrap the last part, since they crack down on the Indian cultural stuff. Hmm.) In fact, I so appreciated what they did, I let them know on the SPF Facebook page. Here's what I said.

Hey SPF. Just wanna commend you guys on a job well done. Between the effective crackdown on Thaipusam, and the essential closing of one eye to a Lion Dance I reported, which was performing in a residential area at 11pm and, I have to say I am really impressed!"

I think it sums it up.
What am I supposed to teach kids, again? Especially my NPCC kids?

It is 11.50. It finally ended. Almost an hour after it started. Almost an hour during which the law was flagrantly flaunted. Lovely, is it not?

Nooooo! Really? Duhhhhhhhhh

2011-02-09T05:31:00.000-08:00

This is a about an article that came out in The New Paper on the 1st of February this year. I only just saw it today, so forgive the slowness. It's the article entitled wear them for play, not for prayers. It's about how some Catholic churches have imposed a dress code on their parishioners. *Gasp* "How draconian!" I hear some say. Well, before we get into righteous indignation, this is what the dress code is about.
Essentially, it forbids "clothing promoting vices like drugs, alcohol , violence, clothing made of spandex(skin-tight) and translucent(see-through) materials, clothing exposing entire shoulder, chest, back or things, sportswear and flip-flops."
Mein Goit. How dare they forbid all that. What am I going to wear now I cannot wear my Cradle of Filth album art or Porn Star t-shirts? How are people gonna appreciate how hilarious I am now that I cannot show of my Marijuana t-shirts, the one where the M is like the golden arches of McDonalds. No flip flops?! Blasphemy! And what are my poor eyes going to look at, what am I going to have to focus my attention on, if the girls aren't allowed to wear skin tight or revealing clothing? Heaven forbid that I must actually have class and decorum in a place of worship, and pay attention to the mass!
So anyway, the article is talking about how the restrictions were raised on the Jan 16 issue of Catholic News, and how it was brought to TNP's attention by CN Aloysius Goh. Here is what our alert citizen said.
"It...confounds me that the Church of St Anthony can come up with its own rules regarding dress code that forbids certain dressing."
"If the Catholic Church wanted to come up with such rules, it would have done so long ago."
"...at the Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea, posters have been put up to show what it deems as 'inappropriate dressing'. This is fine if it was just a guideline or advisory. But no. Church wardens actively police this advisory and parishioners who do not comply are told off."
"This is where the problem starts. For we have now a 'morality police' in certain parishes. It this what we want?"
This is directly lifted from TNP, separation of paragraphs and all.
Thank you Aloysius, for being ever so vigilant on this infringement of our right to dress however we want in whatever circumstance, regardless of how inappropriate it may be. Soon, we will be able to wear board shorts to a funeral and sit down for a board meeting in gym attire! (Actually, the last part sounds pretty good.) How dare individual churches come up with guidelines that ensure the solemnity of church is kept intact, and that the sacredness of the rites is respected. Hell, people should be allowed to make out in the church, just like in the cinemas. And the gall of actually having the wardens tell people who flaunt the rules off. That is not appropriate behaviour what-so-ever. Jesus did not die on the cross so that people who flaunt the rules of a place could be reprimanded! Why, next thing you know, school rules will be enforced too! And to think they would put up these rules now, by themselves, when the Catholic Church would have done it themselves a long time ago if there really was a need. Never mind that the wearing of such clothing is pretty recent, and the increasing relaxed attitudes of people towards where and when such things even more so. The Catholic Church would sure have foreseen that people would lose common sense at some point about appropriate dressing to church and taken appropriate measures. I mean, if John could foresee the end of the world, and Joan of Arc could hear God, surely the Catholic Church could read fashion trends before they even exist!
So now we have moral police in certain parishes. Outrageous. Who would have imagined that a place of worship, a place dedicated to a religion, would have moral police? I mean, the whole point of being religious and going to church is to be part of a giant social club where I can ogle and pick up girls. How dare they infringe on my freedoms by doing something such as enforcing a purported "code of morality". Astounding! It confounds me! ZOUNDS!

Aloysius Goh, the year has only just begun. But already, you are a strong contender for the Dumbass of the Year award. Congratulations!

Wanna stamp out drunk driving?

2009-01-28T02:09:00.001-08:00

I say we impound the cars of those caught drunk driving. And the amount they have to pay to retreive the car is directly proportional to how drunk they were. Oh, and a minimum waiting period. That should kill drunk driving faster then a drunk driver does a hit and run.

Two greats at one go.

2008-08-11T09:57:00.000-07:00

Literally a day apart, two great talents have passed on, and I very much doubt the world will see their like again.

I speak, of course, of Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes, who passed away over this past Saturday and Sunday, at age 50 and 65 respectively.

Two men who had made their mark on the world in different ways. Two men who entertained countless people, and brought about social awareness and revolution because of their work.

Lets give them a round of applause.

Reconnection

2008-07-28T09:15:00.000-07:00

Its been a daaamn long time, and that was because I've shifted place. So I temporarily suspended net for the move, and since minimum time frame is 2 months, I've only just come back online.

Firstly, Dark Knight. I don't know how Christopher Nolan is going to top it.

Secondly, Clone Wars trailer. *Orgasms*

Thirdly, work is actually going well. It promises to be an interesting job.

And lastly, for today, not only did I learn that we had a Minister in Charge of Population Issues, but I also learnt that its none other then Mr Wong Kan Seng.
We can definitely look forward to babies and more people escaping our shores for other pastures then.

Post Trauma Syndrome

2008-05-27T15:38:00.001-07:00

So there was a round of layoffs, demotions and warning issued yesterday in relation to the Mas Selamat affair for Whitley Road Detention Centre personnel. From the two officers in charge of the man, to the supervisory officer, to the officer related to the installation of security cameras. But the thing that puzzles me most is this. The ISD's command director was relieved of his position, even though he was found innocent of wrong doing, on the basis that he was in charge of the facility, and thus had to bear responsibility for the issue.

Mr Wong said: "He has a statutory function to ensure the smooth functioning of the WRDC. So in terms of institutional responsibility, as far as that role is concerned, I decided that I should find another person to do the job."

Going by this argument, then shouldn't Mr Wong also be relieved of his duties? After all, isn't it the institutional responsibility of the Minister of Home Affairs to ensure the smooth functioning of WRDC as well? Or the swift capture of Mas Selamat? A bit of double standard here, yes? He's just lucky Singaporean's don't go for the drama of other countries, where ministers have been protested out of office by the people and opposition.

I still don't get why Mas Selamat was in civvies at the time. It seems rather unusual for prisoners to be allowed to wear civilian garb simply because it is family day. And I'm not totally convinced by their story of the toilet break. The superintendent of the facility decides a sawn off handle is secure enough for a toilet in a prison compound, even if it is the visiting centre, as opposed to grilles. A bit difficult to swallow, to say the least. And that aside, that he managed to get over two, count em, TWO layers of fencing without being spotted by a guard or anything. I've been pass WRDC, and those are high fences, with lookout towers along them at intervals. Implausible yet.

Got to go off to work now, be back later to talk more with whatever else comes out.

Another one bites the dust

2008-05-26T06:02:00.001-07:00

http://malaysia.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20080521/tap-singapore-blog-c3bb44c.html

I honestly cannot say I'm surprised. Don't think I know whoever this is, but hopefully, the people I've warned about watching what they write will take heed.

Remember, the Net is a public medium, anything you say can and will be used against you.

Body moving, A1 style and the style so soothing

2008-05-24T11:20:00.001-07:00

This guy is so astounding its sick. Or sick, depending on the viewer.

Polar Bears feel the heat

2008-05-15T08:39:00.001-07:00

US lists polar bear as threatened species

I know, I know, it's a US listing. But you have got to love just how contradictory the administration is with regards to themselves. The Interior Department is admitting that the polar bears are now a threatened species due to the melting of the Arctic sea ice, where they reside. But ask them what they plan to do about it, and they talk about "better management of bear habitat on shore and making sure bears aren't threatened by people including hunters". Alas, they say the situation is not the right kind to go down a path of environmental action, for some unfathomable reason - other then the fact that it would mean restricting oil companies that work around the area GASP, heaven forbid.

And so it happened.

2008-04-10T00:26:00.001-07:00

A day after my previous post, what I'd believe is the first nail in the coffin for the Olympics has been hammered in. Seeing all the protesting that has been happening, London says it will be scrapping the torch relay in 2012.

The torch relay. A symbol of peace and unity, a casualty of people protesting in the name of peace, claiming they want unity. Faugh! If that was true, why only now. Tibet has been under Chinese rule for decades. These people are desecrating a timeless symbol for their own purposes, a lot of which is just some way to strike out at China.

A long standing trait of people isn't it. In our zeal to do what we think is the right thing, we wind up harming things. How many among us have fought with parents and loved ones because we think we are right, lashing out and causing hurt, only later to have the spend the time fixing the damage. Its like how we thought it was our right to hunt and eat any animal on the planet as much as we want, and now we face the task of bringing endangered animals back from the brink. Twas a time when the the rich thought it was their right to have slave to wait upon them hand and foot, and all over the world we still deal with the backlash that.

When will we as people, and as a race, learn to think ahead?

Olympia fatalis?

2008-04-07T23:11:00.001-07:00

China has a terrible human rights records. No objection there. And protests against them for a free Tibet is something I support. But what's happening right now, with people protesting the Olympics being held there to the point where said protestors are trying to douse the Olympic torch on its relay, I can't agree with that.

The Olympics. A very ancient sporting ceremony that has become a veritable tradition in the world, where even the bitterest of rivals can, if not put aside their differences, at least compete in a manner much better then say, war.

I'm not a fan of the Olympics. My mother would watch it quite religiously, especially the opening ceremony, but I couldn't really give a damn. But there were alot of people like my mother, for whom the Olympics meant something.

And these protestors, as much as they should be protesting for the freedom of Tibet, are definitely going about this the wrong way. The Olympics was set to be staged in China a long time ago, but the protests for a free Tibet only started recently. Why didn't people protest for a free Tibet back then, when it was first declared? There were people who weren't happy about the Olympics being held in China, true, but no protests as major as what's going on now. God, there was no protest this major when Myanmar was cracking down on its people. Its all politics and attention grabbing tactics, what's being done now. And I hate it. This kind of grandstanding is getting all the wrong attention and giving all the wrong results.

The way they are protesting, what they are doing, may hurt China a bit. But only a bit, not much. The Olympics is already set to take place there. No amount of protesting now is going to really affect China. They'll go thru the appropriate gestures, but just laugh from their place of power, ultimately. No, the ones that are really affected by the protests, by all that is happening, is definitely not the Chinese government. The sportsmen/women. Morale can't be that great among the sportsmen right now. Those that participate run the risk of being viewed as collaborators who implicitly approve of how China is via their participation, by fans, friends and possibly even family. Its bound to affect them in some way, and that just might affect their sporting performance. Then there are the spectators. Regular people for whom the Olympics means something. It could just be to soothe their competitive nature, but there would be those who rejoice in seeing different flags flying together, where there is a general equality for all.
People who watch it for national pride, to support the home team, hoping that somehow their support will help them do well.

And of course, the Olympics itself, is the biggest victim. No doubt there will be more to come after this year. But the sanctity of the Olympics is gone. The protests alone are not the bad part. The twisting of it, using it as political agenda, such as by Hillary Clinton, who proposes boycotting the opening ceremony. Why? Why boycott only the opening ceremony? If you and yours are so serious about boycotting the Olympics, why not pull your team? That would drive home a message to China, a mass pullout by various countries. But it won't happen. For one, unless the athletes are fine with it and an alternate venue exists, then it would be unethical treatment to said athletes. Two, the countries want their people competing, hoping to win something, to wave at their rivals faces. I said it was better then war, but I didn't say countries would enjoy it any less. So people and politicians use this kind of grandstanding, the attacks on the torch, the threat of boycotting the opening, and for what? For the people, its just an outlet they can use to vent frustration, be it at China's treatment of Tibet, or under that pre-text but really just because they need any outlet they can get. For politicians, its just to score brownie points. Plain and simple. And because of acts like that, for reasons as such, the Olympics suffer. There will be more protests from now. There may come a day when a country will attack an enemy during a torch relay or event, when everyone is distracted. And whatever else may happen, the Olympic spirit will never have the same power of pulling people together and healing, as it did before. It has been under attack before, but never has it been so globally raped as this particular time. Should the Olympics ever be held in places that need the kind of light the Olympics shine, the magic it generates, such as Sudan, or Kenya, or Iraq...I shudder to think how the people of the world will rise up, not in support, but in retaliation.

The Olympic games will carry on. But I fear that unless things change before the opening ceremony - be it China somehow giving in or, more likely, protestors wising up - the Olympic spirit will never be the same again.

Egyptian women embrace Curves

2008-04-03T02:22:00.001-07:00

Now this is good. Very good. Gives women a place to relax and be free, to be themselves, without openly rebelling against tradition and society. A subtle form of progress indeed.

Is it, or isn't it?

2008-04-02T09:52:00.001-07:00

Today, me and Dilla were sitting at a bus stop, and there were all these cars stopped, waiting for the light to change. In the middle of the row was this black convertible, a Mazda, no idea what model. It was pumping out the hip hop really loudly, and set the topic of our next discussion. Which was, does a convertible doing that constitute an invasion of privacy?

My take on the matter is that it isn't, Dillas is that it is. She finds it similar to those minahs and bengs on trains who sit around blasting tinny music thru shitty handphone speakers. Something that she knows is a pet peeve of mine, haha. I mean, its one thing to hear the radio playing a song you don't like, its softer and less intrusive and has a generally better quality sound to it. These people on the other hand, will be sitting next to you sometimes, blasting Rhianna or bad trance or something out loud, and then talking even louder to be heard over it. Jesus.

But I begged to differ of course, pointing out that for a convertible with the top down, there isn't much choice but to blast the music if you want to hear it over the wind rushing past. The kind of people that would fit in the above category would be those people who zhng(mod) their car, then wind down the windows and blast shitty music thru shitty speakers again. Not to say convertible guy had great song taste, but he had an ass kicking sound system, I could not deny that. So it can be construed that while a normal car doing that is just being annoyingly attention seeking, we have to understand the convertible owners are in.

So this is the split, and the question I put out now would be....is it, or isnt it?

P.S.

Yayang, was a brilliant time la, today. All that walking poops one though. *grin*

I'm IT again

2008-04-01T00:31:00.001-07:00

Ranga tagged me. And if I don't do this now, I'm never going to hear the end of it.

7 RANDOM FACTS ABOUT ME:
1) I LOVE Star Wars.
2) I'm an aspiring animator.
3) I'm most comfortable sitting around naked while blasting metal and reading a bookk.
4) I aim to take up Parkour/free-running, and start Jackass Singapore.
5) I'm a game nut.
6) I love Battlestar Galactica almost as much as Star Wars. The new one, haven't really seen the old. Would someone buy me a Viper?
7) I like to cook.

7 THINGS THAT SCARE ME:
1) Cockroaches.
2) Flying Cockroaches.
3) Half dead roaches that still crawl even with guts pouring out.
4) Rhianna.
5) George Bush.
6) The idea of paralysis.
7) The death of either my brother or Dilla.

7 RANDOM MUSIC AT THE MOMENT:
1) Tribute
2) Wonderboy
3) St Anger
4) Everything Ends
5) Some Kind of Monster
6) Neon Knights
7) Straight to Video

7 THINGS I SAY THE MOST:
1) What the fuck?
2) What sia?
3) That's fucked up.
4) Hang on, need to pop my knee back in.
5) That reminds me of Star Wars..
6) Need new booooks
7) Need new gaaaames

7 FIRST TIME THINGS I EVER DID:
1) Break my nose
2) Tear my ACL
3) Fire a Rifle
4) Pass my 2.4km run, haha
5) Create an animation
6) Get a diploma
7) Perform live

7 PEOPLE TO DO THIS:
Its an open ended tag. So, whoever wants to, do it whenever.

ZOUNDS!

2008-03-31T23:16:00.001-07:00

Smoking Tortoise found in China!

This just puts Crush from Finding Nemo in a whole new light to me, haha.

Of Freedom of speech and Stupid People.

2008-03-29T10:34:00.001-07:00

I swear that there are people in the Netherlands out to ignite World War 3. Certainly Geert Wilders, member of parliament from the Freedom Party, seems hell bent on it. Way back when, it was the drawings of the prophet. Now, I'm as open to satire on religion as the next reasonable guy. I laugh at Far Side cartoons that depict god as an absent minded fellow with big fiery hair and a love for making snakes because its so easy, no hands, no legs. I giggle endlessly at Sinfest comics, which are a celebration of depravity and take the mickey out of Christianity and Oriental religions.

But when you draw cartoons not poking fun at the character, but instead applying a very strong stereotype and bias to it that is dangerously skewed, especially when it isn't your own religion, or is a religion you really haven't learnt much about at all, well, then you're crossing lines. And then when you make a video about said religion, taking phrases from their religious book out of context and using it to spread your own brand of hate mongering and racial/religious intolerance....well, then we've gone beyond line crossing and into a whole new set of problems.

The best part is, Mr Geert Wilders claims to have no problems with Muslims.

"The film, he said, was directed against radical Islam and what he called the "Islamization of the Netherlands," and was not intended to be directed against Muslims.Wilders said he planned to travel around the Netherlands to talk with the Dutch public - including Muslims - about his ideas expressed in the film."I am not against Muslims. I am against the ideology of the Islam," he said. "I think we in the West need to talk about how we will safeguard our freedom in the face of Muslim immigration and radical Islam."

The film, accompanied by the dramatic music Asa's Death, part of the Peer Gynt Suite by Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg in 1875, is a compilation of Koran verses and old video footage. The Koran verses are primarily sections interpreted as calling on Muslims to attack and destroy enemies of the faith. It also shows the attacks on New York's World Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001, and the London Underground on July 7, 2005, and video footage of Muslim terrorists executing Western hostages. The film suggests that violent passages from the Koran are directly used by Muslims as legitimisation to commit violence and will ultimately endanger Western democratic and liberal values. The film ends by calling on the audience to do everything possible to counter what Wilders calls "the danger of the Islamization of the Netherlands."

Although the film contains many shocking and cruel images, Dutch Islam experts say the film does not contain anti-Islamic provocations.

"The film does not contain pictures that are blasphemous or offensive for Muslims," says Maurits Berger, professor of modern Islam at Leiden University.

About the Koran verses used, Arabic world specialist Hans Jansen, affiliated with the University of Utrecht, said that Wilders used "well-known passages, which most Muslims know."

Wilders, whose opposition Freedom Party holds nine seats in the Dutch Parliament, had said before the film was launched that it would demonstrate why the Koran is a "fascist" book that incites people to violence.

That's pretty much the long and short of it. I haven't viewed it yet, but I will. But points I want to make

1) You can't say you don't have a problem with Muslims if one of the main reasons you made it is because you feel the need to "safeguard your freedom in the face of Muslim immigration"

2) This is the kind of thing that radical Islamists feed on. Fuel for the fire. Doing this just proves the point about how the so called infidel is an uncultured ignorant boob who will strike out at any Muslim because they are. Its almost as if he's trying to incite some sort of reaction to score political brownie points, so that he can strut around saying, SEE! I TOLD YOU!

3) Just because there are more Muslims in your country, it doesn't mean your country is undergoing "Islamization". That's just like how people in the US say that pretty soon, Spanish will be their primary language because of all the Mexicans there now. (It is Spanish they speak right? Not certain, sorry if wrong) To be undergoing "Islamization", you need to start having laws at least a bit similar to Malaysia. I use Malaysia as an example because its most cosmopolitan and relaxed country I can think off. So as long as you still have drug cafes on your streets, there's no real worry, is there?

4) Saying the book a of an established religion is fascist, based on excerpts, is just not right. I could go and do a video now, taking images from Iraq and the US and some other places, and overlay it with quotes from the Bible out of context, and I could show it's fascist as well. Probably could do the same for the Torah.

5) If Western democratic and liberal values means the ability to go up to someone, ridicule their way of life, their beliefs, their god, while expecting no backlash, and frowning upon any attempt of retaliation along the same lines, then something is seriously wrong. Freedom of speech does not mean to be able to say whatever, whenever, and damn the consequences, there should be no consequences. Freedom is rarely so tidy. To have freedom to do something means to have freedom to deal with the consequences of what you do. If you want to have freedom of speech, if you want to say your piece and consequences be damned, fine. Just be ready FOR the consequences, don't say there shouldn't be any. And don't try to weasel your way out of it like the good minister.

In an interview with AFP on Friday, Wilders rejected responsibility for any retaliation against Dutch nationals or interests abroad.

"I hope it doesn't happen but even if it does the people who commit such acts are responsible, not me," he said, pointing to a quiet first night in the Netherlands.

Of course he isn't responsible for the acts directly. But I'd hold him responsible for incitement, willful incitement even, of the acts.

I also find it interesting that all the people testifying that the passages are fine don't seem to be Muslim themselves, but just people who study Islam abstractly.

However, an extremist Czech nationalist party said Friday it had posted "Fitna" with Czech subtitles on its website.

"We think it is important to show this film. For Christian Europe, Islam is a greater danger than Nazism. We are trying to show people what this danger is," National Party spokesman Pavel Sedlacek told AFP.

What. The. Fuck. Sounds like a bunch of Neo-Nazis setting this up as the perfect excuse to reveal themselves and take control. All I'll say to the Christian Europe comment is, remember the Crusades?

Radical Islamists are not exactly good news. I can agree with that. Extremists are worse. True. But same can be said for any religion/cult out there in the world. Lots of terrorists, until recently were Christian/Catholic. Hell, most movies in the 90's had terrorists set as Koreans, Russians, or some other group of white guys. Very rarely was it an Arab, and even rarer was it an extremist. So lets not stereotype by religion simply because that's the group acting up right now. Sometimes the biggest terrorists are your own government, your own people. And if you want to talk about Muslim ideals being a threat to liberalism, just look to Americas bible belt. The tele-evangelists alone are a big threat to liberalism as well. Why not make videos dissing them? Or taking them to high security prisons to be pissed on and treated without basic human dignity? Heck, come to Singapore and harangue all the Christians who go around telling random people to convert as their religion is false and will only take them to hell. They say this even to people whom they know are Catholics. Pisses me off. That's a form of radicalism that threatens the liberal culture. After all, part of the idea of the liberal culture is to be tolerant of things that are different, be it race, religion or just music choice. On another note, Islam was science friendly back when Galileo was excommunicated from the church for his "radical, ungodly ideas." And while the Arabs have very harsh punishments, history remembers the Inquisition.

Freedom of speech does not equate with ability to say anything we want with no consequences. Not even on the web. There are always consequences and repercussions to whatever we say or do. Singapore may be strict in its restrictions on freedom of speech, but this is one of those times when I think its a good thing. At least we make it such that idiots like Wilder cannot thrive. The leader of the Self-Destruct Party is a very rare exception. I'm just worried that as long as people like Wilder keep up their whole "we can say what we want because its free speech and you trying to stop us shows what restrictive fascists you are" attitude, WWIII won't be to far away.

The Great Escape

2008-02-28T17:16:00.001-08:00

JI leader Mas Selamat Kastari escaped from Whitley Road Detention Center at 4.05pm on Wednesday, Singapore time. The Straits Times main article on the front page was all about the "Massive manhunt", as they put it. Detailing where the hunt was, which units were involved, talking about checkpoints, lockdowns, plainclothes policemen all over everywhere browsing CCTV (pickpockets, shoplifters and sneak make out-ers all worried sick upon hearing this), interviews with residents of the area on how they felt, and a brief history on the man since he was first discovered in 2001.

So to me, I found it surprisingly short. It didn't really take up half a page, not from side to side, and most of the space in the article was dominated by a giant graphic, with his picture, timing of escape, mention of not being armed, advisory to call the police if you see him, and two smaller pics of the SOC vehicles and the SOC themselves. And for officers patrolling, as the caption for the picture suggested, an area on the hunt for a really dangerous man, they seem to be lacking any form of firepower.

What intrigues me is why there is nothing on how he escaped. Surely an escape such as this would have left a guard or two nursing a very bruised head at least, right? How would he get out? There is nothing in the paper relating to it, not even a "details were sketch at press time, and DSP/ASP so and so said they were unable to comment as they were still finding out more." Just a complete blank where any such statement should be. And when there's such a blank in a government mouthpiece...it worries me. We are all in this together. The people of this country deserve to know.

On a side note, they had an ad in yesterdays Recruit for prison officers. Coincidence? Conspiracy? The purple hued backside of destiny? I don't know, but I find it rather funny. And I just might apply for it.

Randomness

2008-02-22T16:42:00.001-08:00

Arnold Schwarzeneggar has to be a really big sci-fi/fantasy fan. Look at his resume, says it all.

Castro has retired

2008-02-19T06:29:00.001-08:00

And Bush is already going on about how he wants to help the country experience liberty. If its anything like the liberty in Iraq, well....*raises two fingers*

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080219/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/fidel_castro

Full report above. And while he may have been called a dictator, any man who can keep his country's health and education system above the US ones (which admittedly aren't that great), whilst facing sanctions and having his country demonised by the world police, is a man who deserves respect. If you have the time, search for the speech he made when he was put on trial for revolting against the government of his time.

Beyond Tokenism - Malays,Integration and The SAF

2008-02-15T10:06:00.001-08:00

The name of an interesting article on an online forum. Read and post your thoughts. Mine's there, and I think how I feel is pretty well known any way.

http://theonlinecitizen.com/2007/11/06/beyond-tokenism-malays-integration-and-the-saf/#comment-23962

And the mysteries of the world get deeper.

2008-02-15T04:51:00.001-08:00

New dinosaurs discovered! With 2 new big carnivores! Therapods, I think they were called.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080213193749.htm

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/04/060418174738.htm

http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Dinosaurs-and-Fossils-University-of-Chicago-paleontologist-Paul-Sereno/ss/events/sc/081403dinosfossils/s:/ap/20080214/ap_on_sc/dinosaur_discovery/im:/080214/480/7fb4365d30c645aa968a14f4fb7ba01f/;_ylt=AjX7haSJKfFlD1892X9.jdNxieAA

And an interesting piece on prehistoric bats.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/14/science/earth/14bats.html?ref=science

A personal post. GASP

2008-02-14T05:10:00.001-08:00

I don't like to write much about my personal life. Haven't done it in a while. And I don't like celebrating, to speak, Valentines. Remembering. That's a better word.

But today, I had a special day, with a special girl called Dilla. Who cooked me enough food for 4 people, dhalcha that was so awesome it reminded me of how my mom would cook it, and great chicken. And nice rice too, called bohari, I think.

After that, just a really fun and special day. Lots of laughs and smiles, and sleeping on each other during a terminally long bus-ride. The kind of ride that makes you feel like Rip van Winkle. Not to mention dancing in our seats during another loong bus ride, haha.

Now, thanks to her, the fear I feel when I look towards Valentines is gone (Why that fear, its a long story of horror buried in my past.) Instead, today, I've spent a day remembering Valentines with someone special, and it's given me a memory to cherish.

Thanks Dilla. I love you. Muah. Happy Valentines baby.

Proper Exposure

2008-02-10T08:20:00.001-08:00

This post, I've been meaning to write since New Years, when I saw the Forbes top 100 people list. There was this PR agent, who put to words something I've been feeling for a very long time. It was about celebrities, and how to manage them. In essence, what he said was that exposure isn't always a good thing. Sometimes, too much exposure strips away the mystique, and makes them bland and boring to people, and that there are times when they have to step in and say, no. Don't do this, take a break, you're out there too much.

Our PR people in Singapore really could learn something from that.

It's something I've noticed, whenever someone new and "hot" comes on to the scene, we surround them with a publicity blitz that stretches to the point where we see said star everywhere, and then get sick of them. And so we search out someone new, and it happens all over again.

Fiona Xie is a prime example. When she came on to the scene, she was everywhere, serials, hosting shows, ads for various products, everywhere. Now...a lot quieter. Still going, but not so big. Focus shifted more to like of Felicia Chin and others.

But to me, the greatest tragedy of this overexposure, is Gurmit Singh. We all love Gurmit, we really do. Nobody who saw it can forget Gurmit's world, and we all agree that PCK was a blinder of a series, especially when they still were speaking Singlish. But between hosting Singapore Idol (and just about every event nowadays it seems), Lifeline (don't get me started), that Lost and Found food places, there's just too much of him. And not just too much of him, but too much of him out of his element. He's a comedian. He's great at skits and slapstick. With stand up...not so. Not bad, but not so his thing. But dramas? *ominous silence with crickets*

Are we so short of talents in Mediacorp(not in Singapore. I disagree that Media-cock has all the talent available in Singapore. They don't have me, right? hahaha) that we have to keep using the same people over and over? And in things not suitable for them, no less. Internal auditions might help.

Mediacorp has a seriously big image problem, shows wise. The problem being, most of their shows are thought of as stupid. I'm talking the English shows here, other languages, I cannot judge. Maybe they should drop stupid cheesy sound effects, up budget for production so that its more then what they spend on the really flashy openings and ads, and get more actors. And cast properly, based on talent and specialty as well, not just looks, demographic and demand.

And Gurmit, I'm still a fan. But please, no more lifeline.

P.S.

In regards to that bit about Mediacorp not having enough talent, I'd also like to add that the same applies when it comes to Singapore Idol. The reason given for having stopped it, that there was to little talent left in Singapore after the first two, is bull. Still lots of talent out there. If they want to start attracting people serious about music and stuff, again, they have to improve their rep. A good start would be working on the whole Miss Singapore programs. But that, is for another time.

I'll put my ballot in your slot

2008-01-22T07:06:00.001-08:00

I love MadTV

An economic anchor?

2008-01-22T06:03:00.001-08:00

I was planning on doing something else. But this is a much more urgent post to me (lest I forget what I was gonna type, haha.)

Asian markets tumble on US worries

It worries me that the world, not just Asia, relies on the US to the point that when they US is having market trouble, the whole world trembles in fear. As Wu-Tang life insurance tells us, we have to diversify our bonds. Meaning, we need other economic powers in the world. Or better yet, we need a better economic network. Something that means we won't be running for cover every time Wall Street slips. Why are we so reliant on the US anyway, market wise? I don't know, I'm not financially savvy enough yet, so explanations would be appreciated.

Anyway, as someone who doesn't know anything much about this topic, it just seems to me that there is an over-reliance on the US, for just about everything. I mean...with China supposedly having been an up-and-coming economic powerhouse, shouldn't it be shouldering at least the Asian markets? Someone clue me in here.

An anchor. Although an anchor can be used to hold something steady and supposedly safe, it can also be used to hold back or even pull something down. Sometimes, you've got to know when to cut anchor.

The Big Question

2008-01-12T10:19:00.001-08:00

This question was actually brought up to God. But God felt this was a question more meant for me. This, people, is the process known as delegation. Also known in slang as "arrowing", as was demonstrated quite admirably in Just Follow Law.

The question is; "Is Paris Hilton a celebrity who sold out to the media?"

The answer? To me; "No."

Now don't get me wrong. I'm no fan of the woman, in fact I quite detest her antics, and applaud her grandfather for publicly stating he intends to will away almost all his fortune to charity because of her. I applaud it because one, she really is wasting it and two, because he was smart enough to be public about it. That way, no-one can fake a ,or claim a fake, will.

But she isn't a sell-out. How did she even sell out? First, let me define celebrity here.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

ce·leb·ri·ty /s?'l?br?ti/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[suh-leb-ri-tee] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation

–noun, plural -ties for 1.

1.a famous or well-known person.

2.fame; renown.

[Origin: 1350–1400; ME < L celebritas multitude, fame, festal celebration, equiv. to celebr- (s. of celeber) often repeated, famous + -itas -ity]

—Synonyms 2. distinction, note, eminence, stardom.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)

Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

celebrity

c.1380, "solemn rite or ceremony," from O.Fr. celebrité, from L. celibritatem (nom. celebritas) "multitude, fame," from celeber "frequented, populous." Meaning "condition of being famous" is from 1600; that of "famous person" is from 1849.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

celebrity

noun

1.a widely known person; "he was a baseball celebrity"

2.the state or quality of being widely honored and acclaimed [syn: fame] [ant: infamy]

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary (Beta Version) - Cite This Source - Share This

ce'lebrity [-'le-] noun — plural ce'lebrities

a well-known person

Example: celebrities from the world of entertainment

Essentially, its someone famous, celebrated for a reason, hence the term celebrity. Most people are celebrities for doing something of note and renown. Tom Cruise is a celebrity because he's a pretty decent actor, Scientology and couch jumping not withstanding. Tiger Woods is a celebrity because he's a damn good golfer. Stephen Hawkings is a celebrity because of his work in quantum physics. Paris Hilton is a celebrity for being a bad girl. And who celebrated it? Who were the people that lapped it up and sensationalized it and made her what she is?

Well, consumers and the general populace, I guess, but the main culprit is the MEDIA.

The MEDIA laps it up. For every bad thing she does, she gets more publicity. She has to be the most famous socially accepted porn star to date. Even Jenna Jameson and Tera Patrick aren't as much a household name as her. (By the way, to any government people, I Wiki-ed those names, I've never watched illicit movies, certainly never downloaded any, I swear it, I'm innocent, FUCK YOU PIG! Sorry. I haven't been sleeping much.)

Anyway, yea.

The question; "Is Paris Hilton a celebrity who sold out to the media?"

The answer; "THE MEDIA SOLD OUT TO PARIS HILTON!"

Talking bout the bad things she does, even though giving her publicity, is part and parcel of the tabloid culture we live in. But giving her a reality TV series (which I boycotted most vehemently.)? Constantly having her appear in ads and marketing campaigns (And I don't understand why. I'm prettier then her most times sia, only now and then she not bad looking)? The Media sold out to Paris Hilton. We, the people, sold out to Paris Hilton. We celebrated her bad behavior, made her famous for it, and she just gives us more and more of what we want. And we tsk, act all outraged and shocked, but inside we love it. We want more. It makes us feel better about ourselves, knowing people like this exist and we aren't that bad.

That's why celebrities in general have really outrageous shocking behavior now. In the old days, act even a fifth as bad as how most stars and starlets do, and you'd be out of a job instantly. Now...well. Bad publicity is better then none, isn't it?

Sigh.

Maybe I should release a porn video. Then I'd be famous and have money just for being me. We could call it "On Long John Silvers Plank, ARRRR!"

This is not a seditious post

2008-01-01T06:47:00.000-08:00

Had to get the disclaimer out of the way.

I look around ads in Singapore, whether they recruitment ads, or sales ads, print or video, and I realise they all look the same to me. Not in the sense of being of same design and concept. No, its that pretty much everyone in them is Chinese. Rarely the other races, unless they be Eurasian, or look rather Chinese.

Why ah? Singtel Xmas promo ad 2 years back (didn't see last years ah), a queue of people, long queue, all wanting to see Santa. Pretty much all Chinese. Non of your conventional Malay or Indian looking people. That new Starhub ad on television, with the thief. Only time I see an Indian fella is in the last show, in the background, blurred and out of focus. McDonalds recruitment ad, all Chinese. Well, one of the girls might be Eurasian. There's also that HSBC ad, where just about everyone is Chinese once again, got an Indian news vendor and traffic warden. Thats it. Disgusting.

These are English language print ads, by the way. And the video ads in question are also in English, on Channel 5 or Star World. Cable. Are we to infer from these ads then, that only the Chinese and Eurasians can understand English? Or is the assumption that the other races don't watch Channel 5, cable, or read the English dailies?

And its not just ads really. It's our media industry in general. Look at most of our TV shows, especially the new ones. Nary a darker skinned person to be seen, lest it be for comedic stereotype or fall guy. Now, I do like that when Heartlanders did their terrorist thing, they were all Chinese. Didn't make so much sense, but hey, was nice to see racial sensitivity at work, ahah.

But yeah. Look at Lifeline. Civ Def with not one mat? And I do mean mat, not Malay.

How are our shows ever going to compare to other countries, drama wise at least, if we dont get rid of the sanitary buffing and have a lot more realism, from language to racial diversity to grittiness.

But I digress.

My main beef is how most ads seem to show Singapore as Chinese dominated. Chinese majority, its true. But dominated? Come on lah. Remember that chicken and beef fantastic thing McDonalds was doing? All breakers and rapping and all that jazz? BUT not one malay, even though the Malays were, and still are, at the forefront of embrassing just about everything hip-hop.

Malays and Indians. Many don't really feel like they belong to this country. A lot of problems with loafing, wasting time and life, just being general dregs of society. Why? A multitude of reasons really, but if you don't feel like you belong somewhere, if you feel that there isn't much of a future for you because your skin isn't right, because you don' t speak the language, how likely is it that you are going to be willing to do anything to improve your life. And this isn't just the individual I'm talking about, this is whole sub-groups of society who are feeling marginalised.

I'm not saying that there aren't any portrayals of minority race used in ads here. There are. But they are few, and for the most part, represent classic stereotypes rather then how it is now, or modern stereotypes at least.

Like I said, its rather disgusting. In my opinion la. Is it so hard to find a Malay or Indian thats photogenic? I highly doubt that. I feel that people in charge of making all these ads need to start portraying more of the other races in their ads. Especially those on the English speaking television channels. If the clients are the problem, then push the clients to change. How long are we going to go on making it seem like the main target, nay, the ONLY target audience around, is Chinese. How long will it take for us to start including the Indians. And not the big walrus mustached uncles or fairer skinned JC looking types. I'm talking regular Indian boys, maybe even the semi-anjadis (Can't believe I'm saying that, haha.) Same for Malays. I'd like to see the changes soon. I'd like to see a drama or two on Channel 5 with a majority Malay and Indian cast, if not all. Why not? Don't use the argument that we don't have too cos we have Suria and Vasantham. We have Channel 8 and U, and Channel 5 still has majority Chinese cast shows. And please, big corporations, make your ads reflect reality a bit la. You do have other races buying or subscribing to your products, make em feel appreciated la.

Again, nothing against any race. Just something that I feel we need to change. Our multi-racialism is a point of national pride. So lets show it, not say but hide it.

Breastfeeding?

2007-11-25T06:43:00.001-08:00

Something has been niggling at me for the past week or so.

If a mum is sick when breastfeeding her child, does that mean the child gets sick too? And if not, why?

To all Red Alert and Nikolai Tesla Fans

2007-11-13T09:41:00.000-08:00

This is something so cool as to be pushing credulity.

AND ITS REAL!

If this fella can perfect the idea of wireless transmission of electricity.....well, he'd revolutionise the world, and alot of sci-fi would be on the way to becoming reality.

THE Issue

2007-10-26T02:59:00.001-07:00

So the Section 377A case seems to be closed, with the government at least. In some ways, it ended how was expected, in others, not quite. Such as with MM Lee (I think) saying he is ok with homosexuality, just that although they should be aloud to live their lives, no reason to rub it in the face of the conservative majority, so let the Section be in grey area, etc, etc.

Perhaps real feelings. A more likely scenario is that it is a politically correct answer, but who knows for sure, other then those close to him, eh?

I'm all for it being repealed. No shocker there. But I must admit, some of the MMs words made alot sense, and I'm forced to agree.

*GASP*

The horror, no?

Lemme get that copy of The New paper and quote, wait ah.

Ok. Wasn't MM, was PM that said above (all is clearer now, heh).

'PM Lee said, "They exist, we know where they are. Everybody knows where they are.
They don't have to go underground," PM Lee said. "We don't harass gays. The Government does not act as moral policeman. And we don't proactively enforce 377A on them."
Live and let live, PM Lee said.
"(The gays) live their lives. That's their personal life, it's their space. But the tone of
the overall society...remains conventional, it remains straight, and we want it to remain so.'
Even in the more liberal West, PM Lee pointed, out, homosexuality remains a contentious issue.
"They decriminalised homosexual acts decades ago...and they have gone a long way towards accepting gays in society. But still, the issue is bitterly disputed."
"So in America, there are fierce debates over gay rights and same-sex marriages.
And the conservatives in America are pushing back."

What a mouthful. Or in this case, a handful. Typing and whatnot, geddit? Geddit? No? Shucks.

I have to agree with the reasoning here. Not totally, but enough. This has to be done slowly, quietly, and above all, smartly. Certainly not like in America, where people are parading their gayness, not just because they're extroverted but they're overcompensating. Simply put, there is a difference between being open and being in your face. Its the same difference as peeling an apple with a paring knife, and shredding the whole damn thing. Society as a majority cannot help but be, in fact MUST be, straight. To those who may cry out bigot or two-faced charlatan, think it thru. If society is not as a majority straight, how do we survive? How does pro-creation occur? How would mankind carry on, simply.

That said, I have nothing against the idea of same-sex marriages and I'm definitely pro-equal rights for homosexuals. I would just like to know....why do they want marriage? It's something I don't quite understand. No snideness here, I just want to be enlightened. Lots of straight people who would rather live together then get married, and here the homosexuals are fighting for the right of matrimony. Its intriguing. Anyway, yea. PM has a point. Newtons law states every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Do this slowly, smartly, and minimise the recoil. Push to hard, to fast, and we'll wind up with the issue being way more massive then anyone really is prepared for, in Singapore.

A sexual preference doesn't make you a minority in a country the same way being a race does, by the way. It may make a person the member of a certain community, but if we were to argue that said community is deserving of certain rights...well, then same could be said about many other communities. The S&M crowd, to carry on in the sexual vein first. Look at Denmark, a political party of paedophiles if I'm not mistaken. Or, in a more normal vein, the gamers, the skaters, the mats and minahs. They're communities too, wouldn't they deserve rights then? Racial equality is of course, natural. Non-discrimination on sexual preference is also natural, of course. But...equality of a sexual community as a minority...I dunno. Don't scan. But that's me.

All that said, I'm still for Section 377A being repealed. Does it being repealed absolutely mean we are going to be inundated with requests/protests for more gay rights, such as open civil marriages, etc? Most likely not. Possibly, but not likely. But for me, the main reason is, right now, we have a government willing to live and let live. What goes on behind closed doors stays behind closed doors. But what if, further down the line, we have a government not so benign? One with its own arm of the law, a secret police, its own Gestapo? Who'd be safe behind closed doors when that's what they'd be trained to break? Along with walls, faces, limbs.....

So that is why I think it should be repealed. Also because no-one needs a LAW that discriminates them base on sexual choice. But for me, mainly as a safety measure.

On an unrelated note, as I was typing this, Ballroom Blitz was playing on my com and at the last chorus, my light flickered and turned itself off for a second in time with the beat. Did it again with the opening of Will Smiths' Summertime. I think I need to change it soon, haha.

And as an aside, for some reason, it seems the parliamentary debate on homosexuality seemed to focus more on guys then women. Seems female gays - lesbians - are getting the thumbs up. I don't mind, hurhurhur.

Oh yea. Although Section 377A is big picture, and we should always look at the big picture, we also shouldn't miss out the small things. Small things help build the big picture after all. And something we should really be fighting against are things like the following link

A Youtube clip of a TCS 8 drama.

This shouldn't be allowed. My feelings on the clip are already there, so I'll spare myself and everyone else the double read, haha. Go watch, post what you think. And spread it around. There's another link in related videos that goes by the same name, but with a II at the back. Watch that too. If Mediacorp shows are supposed to be a reflection of what is government approved,then looks like the government wants to use subtle propaganda as its weapon. Subtle as a sledgehammer, but still.
This kind off thing is what we protest and petition against.

2007-10-25T07:48:00.000-07:00

Watch Serj Tankians new video for his first single, Empty Walls. As to what it means, here's a hint. The thing that starts all the action is representative of 9-11. From there, figure it out.

It's quite brilliant.

Wow

2007-10-22T07:32:00.000-07:00

First off:

So Cool.

Last Thurs was quite the success. Pirate(D) got third out of six, medal, cash prize, and an Ipod Shuffle. It'll be interesting to see how we sort it out, haha. But the best part was that people really liked my acting in the video. How much? Well...seems the daughter of Guest of Honor Dr Amy Khor wanted her to vote for us, hahaha. But that's the video overall. Which a lot of people liked anyway, haha. There were quite alot of school kids, and those asked liked Pirate(D). One is planning to be a pirate when he grows up now, hahaha. But yea...how much did they like it? Ok, interviews, photos, photo request by bunch of random school kids, and Jack Neo asking me to join him, that's how much, haha. Mein goit, it still seems way to surreal to have happened. I wonder if those interviews will ever come out anywhere.

My family is rather proud of me. Its a strange feeling, family watching it. Was quite embarrassing. Not because they were unhappy or anything, just felt embarrassing. And now I have to deal with the big star jokes, haha.

Ok, enough bout that. We'll just play it by ear and see how it goes.

I just got done watching one of the most hilarious episodes of Monk. Why so great a claim? Wellllllll....Chi McBride as the Mayor, Alice Cooper in a totally irreverant cameo, and San Francisco full of garbage due to a sanitation worker strike. Says it all, hahaha.

Alright, I'm off, gotta rest now. Ciao all.

2007-10-13T07:47:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, I know it's been a dogs age since I last blogged(or was even online). Am shifting place, so net has already been disconnected. Just a quick update to say that no, I haven't been abducted by the gahmen for their friends-of-PAP mental implantation - read; Brainwashing - program. Yet.

Been working, freelance still, no luck with a full time job, though I'm starting a part-time job. Gonna be a waiter! Haha, yea. But need stable money in, hours are good enough to do portfolio and freelance work still, pay good, so heck, eh?

Screening cum competition for Pirate(D) on 18 Oct at Vivo. Here's hoping we win first. Jack Neo one of the judges though, so possibly very difficult.

Ok, gotta run. As Ah-nold would say, "I'll be back." To which my Dad says, "Don't threaten me."
Goodnight and thank you!
Sean has left the building

What is a terrorist?

2007-08-15T10:59:00.000-07:00

Definition of a terrorist:

ter·ror·ist [ter-er-ist] - noun

1.	a person, usually a member of a group, who uses or advocates terrorism.

2.	a person who terrorizes or frightens others.

3.	(formerly) a member of a political group in Russia aiming at the demoralization of the government by terror.

4.	an agent or partisan of the revolutionary tribunal during the Reign of Terror in France.

–adjective

5.	of, pertaining to, or characteristic of terrorism or terrorists: terrorist tactics.

[Origin: 1785–95; terror + -ist; cf. F terroriste]

(source: Dictionary.com)

WordNet - Cite This Source

terrorist
a radical who employs terror as a political weapon; usually organizes with other terrorists in small cells; often uses religion as a cover for terrorist activities

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary (Beta Version) - Cite This Source
ˈterrorist noun
a person who tries to frighten people or governments into doing what he/she wants by using or threatening violence
Example: The plane was hijacked by terrorists; (also adjective) terrorist activities

These are the factual meanings, as in the dictionary and all. But these days, the word terrorist, the phrase terror attack, are bandied about alot. Car bombing, another terrorist attack. Gunfight, also a terrorist attack. But, there have been bombers before who were labelled as simple civil criminals, not terrorist. The D.C. snipers are remembered as criminals, not as terrorists. The shooting in Columbine was a terrorist activity, by definition, but its treated as a civil crime, instead of a military problem.

Terrorism is about striking fear. But not by random violence. It has to be visible, effective, and a target which was thought untouchable, sacrosanct,invulnerable. As horrible as it was, the World Trade Centre was a master-stroke of terrorism. In one move, they brought about paranoia regarding the security and safety of passenger flights, and also destroyed the biggest symbol of capitalism across the world, in the supposedly most secure bastion of capitalism. And as an added bonus, damaged one of the main centre of security for said bastion. If this giant was not safe, who was? That was the after effect of the attack, and the fear and paranoia it prompted then reigns till today, almost 6 years later.

That is terrorism.

The way most "terrorists" work nowadays is simply brutality and scare tactics. Think of the mafia employing overkill. That's a reason why the military approach isn't working. You either need a stronger police force, with better capability, or be willing to utilise elite military units in black ops. Or both. Also, making the so-called terrorists look like criminals instead of soldiers/freedom fighters (depending on which side you're looking at it) is more likely to rally the support of the natives against them. When your own soldiers die in battle against terrorist ilk, its one thing. They're soldiers, its their job, that's what the people will say. But when police officers die protecting civilians from the terrorists, that's when everything changes. That's when the people will say,"What the hell? Why are we supporting these people, who are killing their own people, when they aren't involved in the conflict at all." They should be saying it now really, with their people constantly being car-bombed and what not. But, generally the people are being taken out by murderers of a different religious sect, etc, so the cycle continues. But the police, make sure they're a mix religion unit, where each squad has representatives of mixed sects. Anyone attacking them will fast find support waning for them. (This bit is more or less focused on Iraq, by the way.)

To me, a real terrorist would not be so random. Heck, these random attacks are generally pawns, disillusioned souls looking for a way to strike back. Could be argued that they are distractions. But to me, a real terrorist would be targeting important stuff. Infrastructure, medical facilities. Striking at the population is one thing. Some can still be saved. Setting of an EMP near a hospital would have a much stronger and larger effect on people.

So...maybe its time we stopped throwing out the word terrorist for everything. Maybe its time to re-look at how we're dealing with the various situations.

And remember; a terrorist doesn't have to be a foreigner or someone of a different religion or someone who looks and dresses funny. He could be the person sitting right next to you in church. Someone you've known all your life and looked up too.

Someone you'd never expect it from.
That's a terrorist.

P.S. : I hate that damn MRT "terrorism awareness" video. That thing is as effective as using metal detector to find a toothpick in a pile of needles. All it does is propagate stereotypes and focus the lens on people who look a certain way. And force all of us to endure the worse narration and acting I've ever seen. Seriously, why does the supposed terrorist look like an ITE student? Must be a gangster then can be terrorist ah? Fuck. Stupidity like that is more likely to destroy us as a nation then a terrorist attack. It shouldn't be allowed.

ARRRRRR!

2007-08-09T05:49:00.000-07:00

Pirate(D), the full version, now be up and running. So get yer lily livered landlubber arses over to watching it, AAARRRRR!

Just having a little fun. grin

2007-08-07T18:15:00.000-07:00

Get Your Sexy Name

Get Your Cyborg Name

Get Your Monster Name

Priorities

2007-08-02T23:31:00.000-07:00

What is the point of running of to a country many many many kilometres away on a false pretence to gain control of it for oil, when you cannot even maintain your own backyard? What is the point of wanting to bring democracy and modernisation to other countries, when you don't look after your own people?

Minneapolis Bridge collapse.

The Bush Administration. Fucking up lives everywhere, even at home.

Remember Barricade in the Transformers Movie? The cop car? To enslave and destroy indeed.

But perhaps I'm being too hard on the Administration. After all, this bridge was pointed out in the 1990's to have problems. It was a case of tax payers do NOT want to pay tax for this, and we don't want to lose the peoples vote. So we'll half ass it.

Sigh

I still don't think I'm being too hard on the Bush Administration though.

Stuff

2007-08-02T22:19:00.000-07:00

One, a good splatter brush for Photoshop enthusiasts and designers.

Two, I been busy with event work for the past few days. Yesterday was prop painting, in fact. And I was covered in paint. I came home thinking to use thinner at home to take my time and leisurely remove what hadn't been taken off at office. And there was none. So a day later and I'm still a partial rainbow with a tattoo of the Jap flag behind my shoulder. What sia!

The job unt is going pretty well. In fact, I already have something I could join up with, if I wanted too. We'll see how that goes la. For now, I'll keep doing events part time and looking around. Pays the bills. Which I'm suddenly swarmed with, haha. Medisave top-up required, insurance premium notification. Man but everything appeared out of nowhere. No better way to say welcome to grown up life then this kinda of thing,really, haha.

Ok, bath time, then gym.

The TAG!

2007-07-29T19:27:00.000-07:00

As Courage the Cowardly Dog says, "The things I do for love!"

Rules of the game:
Each player of this game starts off with five things they like about their bodies. People who get tagged must write in a blog of their own the five things they love about their bodies as well. Start every line with "I love...". I assure you, you might just surprise yourself by how difficult it is to come up with this list.

Please state the rules of this game clearly. At the end you must choose as many people as you'd like to be tagged and list their names. No tagbacks!

1) I love my hair. Why? I have no fucking idea.

2) I love how I can actually look decent when wet. As opposed to dry, when I look indecent. *grin*

3) I love how rubbery my face is.

4) I love how my body tends to be able soak up punishment.

5) I love how lengthened parts of me are. Like my arms and legs. I can reach just about anything and walk over most things.

YOU are tagged:
Jason
Ekta
Zuhairah
Eddie
Shaun

and whoever else may read ah. Which is probably not a lot, but ah well. hahaha.

I do not expect many people to wind up doing this, haha. But WHACK ONLY AH!

Jams! Gigs! GOOD MUSIC!

2007-07-29T18:05:00.000-07:00

First proper jam in aaaaages. Our drummer is just filling in for a gig we're going to do, but he's a real good drummer. Can maintain rhythm, not obsessed with being blazingly fast even if it wrecks the song. Wish we could keep him as drummer. His name is Farik, he has another band on myspace, once I get the name again, I'll post it. Voice seems to be getting better, throat wasn't so raw after. But doing Black Label hurt my throat like it never did before. I could feel vocal cords being pulled sia. We got a gig in a round a month, I've got a scope for my throat 3 days before the gig, and this kind of shit is happening. I'm really worried. So I've asked Rasyid to get his friend to be my backup for the gig, in case anything happens during the procedure that I can't recover from in time. But otherwise good jam. On a side note, if you guys are going to book Tiet jam studio, try and avoid room 1, for those who don't know. Cos its TINY. The guy told me 5 people would be a squeeze in there, but 5 would be sharing oxygen. 4 people is pretty much butt fucking as it is, haha. As Rasyid put it, we thought small, we didn't think it was a toilet.

I'm going to pimp two local bands, cos I was at House of Rock last night for a friends gig, my old poly mate Jason, who's a drummer. He's in the band Withered Tree, and man are they good. Vocalist has got an incredibly good range, the old school rocker type. Can do an Axel no sweat. Very tight band, very good original songs and very entertaining. And no, I'm not doing this because Jason is an old friend, haha. They are that good. The other band is called eWarren, if I'm not wrong. An older band, lead singer looks like your quintessential mat rocker. But they are gooood...did White Snake, Deep Purple and Audioslave. Versatility for you, eh? He's got good stage presence, learnt quite a bit watching him. Sadly, could not stay for all their set as I had to go off. But their friendly, nice people, both bands really. In fact, the eWarren singer let the Withered Tree singer do Knocking On Heavens Door at one point. Whole thing was quite cool. *grin*

Its voting time!

2007-07-26T06:35:00.000-07:00

Vote for our flick!

Its a contest. And I'm whoring for votes. Hahaha. But really, it would be appreciated if whoever sees this would vote for us. To those who do, thanks much! Those that don't, fair enough. *grin*

2007-07-24T17:51:00.000-07:00

Israel is re-writing its history textbooks. This is interesting.

Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting(in black and white!)

2007-07-24T17:30:00.000-07:00

This is one of the reallly old short films done back in the day by Shaun, Eddie and me. We just decided to do a Kung Fu video for the heck of it, so we went to Eddies place, conceptualised, scouted, choreographed and shot the whole thing in a day. Early stuff, so give chance! Hahaha. It was good fun, and good training for what was to come for me. *grin*

Oh, in real life, Eddie would thoroughly kick my ass. WUSHU SEH!

From Sean, with love

2007-07-21T07:50:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm twisting the title of an old Bond movie. Fortunately, there isn't a guy with metal teeth called Jaws trying to bite my head off. Instead, I have a sharp tongued lass with normal teeth(and a very nice smile) who has the same effect.

This one's for you, sweetie.

I'm actually uncertain on how to start. So I'm just gonna kick it, and if I wind up rambling, sorry.

This one is in many ways a thank you. Thank you for having been there for me, through thick and thin. Thank you for being patient with me for all my various shortcomings. Thank you for opening up my eyes to many things. Thanks for making life difficult for me now and then. Keeps things interesting, hahaha. Thank you for treating my family like your own. The result of which is you have my dad willing to cook for you, my brother thinking you're the best girl I've EVER brought home *grin*, my sister inviting you over whenever, my cousins giving you the thumbs up, vidya balan, and my nephew and niece adoring you. Thank you for helping keep things in perspective. Thank you for being supportive of my job hunt. Thank you for listening to my crazy ideas, and letting me drone on and on about Star Wars and Battlestar Galactica. Thank you for helping me be closer with my family. Thank you for helping me find myself. Thank you for keeping me with my friend. Thank you for having such a wicked sense of humor, in all facets of the word. Thank you for being a Pokemon fiend like me.

I'm writing this post because I feel like I don't really express just how much you mean to me very well. I'm supposed to have good English, and although I also have to thank you for improving my communication skills, there is one area I'm still bad at;Ergo, my feelings. Especially those for you.

I think about you almost all the time. Thankfully not all the time, cos if I didn't get a breather, I'd either be stalking you or be drooling non-stop. There was a point when I was meeting you almost everyday, and I loved it. Which everyone knows is not usual for me, because I value my time alone intensely. You've turned me from a person who would run away at the beginning syllable of the 'R' word to willingly talking about Marriage with no worries or doubts or hang-ups. I mean, look at what I'm writing! You have such an effect on me that I'm posting like a sap, hurhur. You are the only girl that I will go all out to pujuk when you merajuk. You're the only person in the world that I feel comfortable enough to be really manja with, without feeling like a damn fool. You are the only person I trust to run any letters or whatnot by for grammatical errors, hahaha.

Yang, when I first met you, I was at a very tough point of my life. Was entering NS, had my busted leg, was not in the best condition physically or mentally. And you helped me through that, you gave me strength and courage to learn to conquer the pain and keep going. When I lost mummy, you were there for me, helping me accept what had happened, making me realise that it was okay that I could function somewhat when only a few days had passed, and you helped do some of the stuff she would. You would wake me for camp, you would remind me of whatever I needed to do, you made sure I had eaten, and always made sure I slept early to get enough rest.

When my leg was operated on, you were there for me the best that you could, even though you were going through health issues of your own. You gave me the drive to work on my leg, to push myself during physio, to do my exercises so that I would heal the best that I could. Because of you, I never gave up, I never said die.

When you came for my brothers wedding, you made the effort to find a dress for that day, instead of wearing casual clothes like a lot of people did.

I have so much to thank you for, and I have to give thanks for having you at all. Thank you for being a good person. Thank you for making me the happiest I have ever been.

In the words of Bon Jovi, thank you for loving me.

The Chronicles Of Seania....NOT!

2007-07-17T20:10:00.000-07:00

Well now...its been a looooong time, and no mistake about it.

I've been pretty busy la, so have to excuse the lack of updates for close to a month now.

So, we'll do this with the highlights that are from off the top of my head.

The first day in my epic disappearance from blogging would be when James, Aaron, Dilla and I went to Ayer Rajah Food Centre at West Coast to let them have some hawker centre style Muslim Food. All they'd been having was Food Junction, poor sods. But with Aaron being somewhat ill, and James not being all the man he made himself out to be, hurhur, it fell on me to polish of a medium stingray, sambal sotong, with the small plate of rice, on top of the satay, and the leftovers of two Nasi Pataya. The black hole stomach had struck again!

Then on Tuesday, Aaron, James and I went to the Bikini Bar at Siloso Beach, the day after the last show. Hung out, chilling and all for awhile on the beach, talking about future plans, and James telling me that if ever I go down there, to look him up and he'd take me to this place that did HUUUGE English breakfasts all the time. Fantastic. Then we went out in the evening, James going off with Fish and her bf, and Aaron heading off with me and Dilla for while, before going on to Holland V to meet Coral, her bf, and this girl he had gotten to know as well.

Then they were off on Wednesday, around 4 in the afternoon, which was kind off sad actually. Me and James were wailing in each others arms as they were leaving the gate. Well, fine, we were doing it for drama, but it was hell funny ah, haha. Aaron has many pics to send me, he mailed me some already in fact. Jason couldn't be there for the send off cos of school, so was just Fish and her boy, Nora, the other Sean and his girl, and me. Yea, sounds about right, haha. Then went to meet Dilla and hang for a bit. Oh, before the boys left, they spilled out all their loose change on the table, which we sorted out, and they had $30+ in coins. Which we loaded on Aarons laptop in neat stacks and took over to the Starbucks counter for the staff to take, hahahaha.

Ok. I can't remember much after this.....but were days when met Scat at Tiong Bahru Park where he was practising guitar work...another time me and Dilla went to see him, the guitarist and another vocalist do an acoustic jam for a beach gig. Dilla wasn't doing that gig cos of a throat infection, poor girl. But all better now!

Then was in another one of Shaun's short vids, called Pirate(D). Which was submitted to Reel Revolutions and won Special Mention. If you can't guess from the title, its a pirate thing. And no prizes if you can guess who was the pirate. Twas a lot of fun though, arrrr. Walking around Citylink, eating in Marina Square, riding the MRT and a bumboat to Ubin, all whilst dressed as a pirate. So awesome.

Um..jammed again, after the longest time. We need more practise, fallen apart a bit. And whatever that throat problem I'm having is, its affected my range somewhat. Very sad. But will just work away at it till I'm better. Now we just need to find a permanent drummer.

Brothers wedding dinner is now over. It was quite gedebab, especially with the whole go the house and demand for the bride thing in the morning. Good stuff. A 6 car motorcade, 5 of which were Volvos, all models except the XC-90, and the last a Lexus(spoiler sia). Tea ceremony was done after, and then rest till the rather posh dinner over at the Oriental, which was not too badly done. But I didn't get much of a chance to eat, as I was running around helping to take care of stuff. But I had the dessert, and I got to eat those crispy buns you dip in chilli crab, so I was satisfied, hurhur.

Uhmmmm....Stuff has been happening that for the life of me I cannot remember. Outings of me and Dilla are on her blog, and written with more flair then I can manage, so I recommend all go there.

Oh, yea. The ad that I did for Judy, the one where I went for the photoshoot? Seems that its being shown over at Raffles City. I'm going down to see soon, but those who see/n it, please, tell me how it is!

And yea, before I forget this. Was in the industrial area in Kranji earlier, and it is seriously an area out of time. Its an old school industrial estate, and it's amazing. You could make a CS map from it la.

Ok, will post more as I remember, with it being meatier and everything. And will try post more regularly toooo.

2007-07-09T19:16:00.000-07:00

*dusting cobwebs*

Oh hello! Didn't see you all there. Yes, yes, I've been away awhile.

BUT NOW I'M BACK! FROM OUTER SPACE! But the chronicling of my exploits will occur later. For now, I got a bone to pick.

Why is it that when someone is done with work and has free time, they are "advised" to find other work to do? What the hell kind of mindset is that? If they work fast, they are asked to slow down. Slow down, asked to work faster. What. The. Hell. Instead of being praised for efficiently, they have to deal either with colleagues who don't want to look bad, or supervisors. And as told to find other work when done with what is assigned, what the hell are supervisors for? If all workers were to go and find work to do, might as well cut out middle management right? And conversely, if said employee keeps going to the supervisors, asking for work to do, that employee is going to be labelled a suck up. No win situation.

Don't get me wrong though. I'm not saying don't look around at all. If there's unfinished work in your assigned work pile, do it. If you can help others, or if they want you to help, go for it. But if you truly are done and everything, why the hell must you go look for work to do? Wayang anyone? If you truly are done, I see no issue with enjoying what little free time arises from that before the next batch of work hits you square in the face. Is it a general working mentality, a global one, this if you got no work go find some work to do? What the fuck if it is. I say praise the efficient worker. And if they have no work, well, let them have some precious rest. I'm not going to blame supervisors, cause they have to work on their level and manage below them.

How about we work, and we find work that is around us, but when there is no immediate work, when we've done all there is to do, we're allowed to rest, instead of having to go out of our way to find something. Sounds fair enough to me.

On another note. This was brought up somewhat tongue in cheek, but I'm bringing this up seriously. If Members of Parliament get a pay hike because they are civil servants, what about the rest of the civil service? Police, Civil Defence, the various peoples slaving away in cubicles filling the vast offices of the differing ministries? Don't they deserve a raise as much as the MPs? What about the Army? And I don't mean the small hundred dollar increment which happened recently. Which was quite fucked up, cos you had recruits getting paid more then service side privates and as much as service side corporals for awhile cos it was not a universal increase. I'm talking a general big increase. Call it an allowance, its merely a pittance. When they going to get some decent cash, when there's a war going on and they're under attack?

AAAAARRRRRRRR!!!! Me treasures mine!

2007-06-18T18:03:00.001-07:00

'What will your obituary say?' at QuizGalaxy.com

Of support and distrust

2007-06-14T18:29:00.000-07:00

Here's just a really random thought. Whichever Arab leader the US supports, they shouldn't come out and say it. They just shouldn't sanction, hurhurhur. And whichever Arab leader supports the US should also keep quiet, just play neutral. Why? Well, any time an either of the two happens, the Arab leader loses support among the people. Lapdog of the US, sell-out of Islam, and other such things are generally ascribed to said leader. So I propose that the US shut up and everything will be fine and dandy

Don't get me wrong. I'm not anti-US or anything. Just don't agree with their leaders way of doing things.

Why do Iraqis distrust US troops and US intentions in Iraq? Asides from the fact its hard to trust people who murder your father and rape your sister, generally speaking, I learnt of another factor yesterday that dates back to the Gulf War. The end of it, to be precise. I got it from this book called Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq
, written by a veteran war reporter. At the end of the Gulf War, when Saddam was driven back, most of his army escaped unscathed. Then, the US incited South Iraq to rebel. And when they did, the US Army didn't do anything to help them. Likely as not, ordered to stay out of it. So there was a huge massacre.

This is a really condensed version, but that is essentially it. Any wonder why there's no real trust?

During the Iraq-Iran 8 year war, the US helped Iraq, trained their troops, etc. Afterwards, they want the very person they built up taken out. Very much like Osama and the mujahideen in Afghanistan. All of this from around the Cold War era.

How that has come back to bite everyone in the ass.

The simple joys

2007-06-13T18:24:00.000-07:00

The autistic boy that Prabu saw on Sunday came down. He got his picture, and he was really happy. Saluting us as he went away. Adorable child. I'm happy he could make it and that he got what he wanted.

As an aside, I abhor the Tampines Mall stage setup.

Happenings

2007-06-11T12:16:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday, I ran into an ooold soccer mate. Now, we used to play soccer with the mats from the areas, and some were ok, some were fucked up. But this fellow, he was sort of the leader, and he was cool. Not as in, "Yo man, I'm the shit" cool, but just a cool fellow. To us, he was Abang Din.

So I was at the pasar malam at Lot 1 after the last show with Dilla and Steve (who are getting on fabulously well *grin*). And we were walking around, talking cock, Steve telling us about this pellet gun he saw, and I saw someone who looked familiar. So I gave it a shot, and it WAS Abang Din. Plus his wife, and his two children. He seems to be doing quite well, playing semi-pro soccer and everything. He asked me down to his match, on 27th June, but I'm not sure if I can make it. It's my brothers' birthday. His two kids were a son and a daughter, and they were very lovely children. Son was really active, had a couple of head injuries. He kept running into the edge of the table, so I figure that was how he got them, haha. And the daughter, she was
such a darling. Very pretty. Although she isn't supposed to be very friendly, I think Abang Din was surprised by just how easily she took to Dilla and me. Dilla carried her all the way, but we both were playing with her. She kept offering me her rattle, haha. She had lovely big eyes, very fair. A potential heartbreaker, that one.

I had the weirdest dream that night, and I blame the roadshow, Heroes and Shaun. That dream was Heroes-esque, but at the very least Sue Richards/The Invisible Woman and Doctor Doom in medieval armour were in it. Also a sniper, and I think I was a vampire. Which is why I blame Shaun.

Yannie came down on Friday, so it was her and Dilla supporting me that night. After which we all sit down talk cock for a long while, before heading back home. I've missed hanging with Yannie. Her fiancee, Oly as we call him, got into a bit of an accident in Malaysia. Express bus driver behind their car was going too fast to slow down when their car slowed, as the car in front of them was braking and moving to the hazard lane. He was in Tan Tock Seng for a days observation, here's hoping he recovers fully soon enough.

Saturday was with Dilla again, between shows. And was a 3 show weekend too. Between 2nd and 3rd show, Dilla, Aaron a.k.a Mr Fantastic and I went to one of those fitness areas nearby and exercised for an hour or so. Which wasn't such a good idea, since after the third show we were so tired we could barely move, haha.

Sunday, Prabu and Pauline came down! That was fun, slacked, had curry puffs and McFlurry with Sprite. Then plugged my Ipod into the mixer and started playing songs, swapping 'pods with James a.k.a The Human Torch. And then we were singing along and miming to the songs by the stage area, haha. Tribute, I Believe In A Thing Called Love, Bat Outta Hell and a few others. Such fun. Got a photo with the kids on stage, Prabu's upside down in it, haha. He love playing with the DS. Once I get a perm job, soon as I can, get a DS for both. And me and Jason a.k.a The Silver Surfer added a new move to the finale of the show that looks FABULOUS. Hurhurhur. After that, pack up for next and final stage, which is at Tampines Mall. The leftover sweet and chocolate prizes were distributed among us. Oh, Riduan and Sebastian came and saw the show too! Hahaha. And Prabu has got a real good heart. He noticed that a kid with autism had come for the show, wanted to take photos with the cast, but him and his mom had arrived too late. So he told me about it to let them know where next show was. Ain't he sweet? It was quite sad ah, the boy was so into meeting us, he even had a Reed Richards postcard. And he was so well-mannered, after his mom explained to him everything, he shook my hand and thanked me. I hope he comes to Tampines Mall. See what I can do about getting the $30 receipt for photos thing waived. I'm proud of Prabu, he's a real good kid.

Monday, went out with Aaron and Ellen to Sentosa. Aaron wanted to try the cable car, and he insisted on paying for it, so we rode in the glass cabin. Went to Mount Faber, took some pictures of the view, then over to Sentosa itself. Once there, we made our way down to Siloso Beach. It was very late by then, cos we only started making our way there at 4. They'd come to my place earlier so that Ellen could grab songs for her Zen and Aaron copied me Heroes and stuff. And I got promoted to official geek then, haha. Although Aaron can't talk much, he was playing with the Episode 3 Jedi Starfighter and the Darth Maul lightsaber, hahaha. So anyway, we went to Bikini Bar, where there's a rather hot waitress working. Nice waist/hip curvature. hey had Asahi Dry, then me and Ellen went into the water, and were flinging sea weed at each other, when everyone at the beach saw a strange weather phenomenon that you just don't see around Singapore. In the distance, we could see a twister. An honest to god tornado. And it was at the edge of this massive cloud front that had been pulled down to the horizon. And the clouds around this front were swirling into it, you could tell by the vortex pattern in the sky. It was this huge ominous black cloud.To be frank, it looked like a damn hurricane was forming. Yea, I know. And may be I'm over-reacting, but that was how I felt, and I'm not exaggerating. My dad thinks it was a water spout, but the spouts are just the twisters according to the following photos.

http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/viewPost3112.aspx
http://singapore.metblogs.com/archives/2007/05/waterspout_spotted_in_singapor.phtml
http://multimedia.asia1.com.sg/gallery/20070525_waterspout/

Aaron has some photos, so when I get those, I'll put em up. I really have no idea, but my opinion is that we missed disaster today. But then again, maybe I'm just giving in to my Indian blood and being a drama mama. *shrug* I hope it comes out in the newspapers. I gotta know what it was. It was around 7pm, by that time, so if anyone knows, tag me and tell me!

So we left after that, and I somehow lost my singlet. So I went home topless. Took a few more photos, and the view of the Singapore skyline from the cable car is magnificent. After which we took a train back to my place (bloody uncomfortable ah. People staring at me like never seen a guy bare chested before.) and they grabbed their stuff and headed home. Aaron had a date with an Indian girl tonight. He says he made the date cos he couldn't have me, so he had to settle for a girl. Hurhurhur. He has a fascination for Indians, that fellow. And my codename is India among the Aussies. Or at least him and James. *roll eyes*

K, today is my 7th month anniversary with Dilla. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY BABY! I want to thank you for being at most of the shows this week. I know we were in your area and you'll say it's no big deal, but not many people would do that. So THANK YOU! *muah* And thank you for everything up to now sweetie. I'd go into detail, but I've been mushy enough already here. So I'll be seeing you in roughly 4 hours, and we is going to have some fun. Love you, I'm off to bed now, g'nite everyone.

Lot, Stock And Barrelful of Iguanas

2007-06-04T18:55:00.000-07:00

So, Saturday night was James, the Aussie Human Torch, birthday. And what splendid fun it was. We all went back after the 2nd performance, some as far as Bedok and Boon Lay. Then, all changed, dressed up, and headed on down to City Hall, and over to Lot, Stock and Barrel. Most of the boys played pool, except for me and Jason. I'm not sure of Jasons reasons, but I know I'd kena owned ah. Then Ellen went and got Bohemian Rhapsody started up, so all the white people in the group(Only four of us, haha) started singing it. What can I say, after the office changing room at Rivervale, it has become our song. *grin* So the boys, plus Ellen and Coral, played pool. Corals boyfriend Greg is quite the pool player. And pretty fucking good looking too. Then from sidelines, Fish, Jason, the other Seans girlfriend all watch. Sebastian, our sound guy, also sat and watch most times, cos James keep kicking his ass. But as it was James birthday, we all know he being given chance ah. Maybe. Hahahaha.

So after a few beers - just the one for me - we went over to Cafe Iguana. Coral, Greg and Aaron took a cab while everyone else crammed into Seans van/mini-thingie. I still dunno what its called. Then me and Jason walked over. And the irony is they take vehicle, they kena swing such a huge fucking round that us two walkers got there just minutes after they sat down. See, walking is more convenient, especially in town. Muahahaha.There we had margaritas. Silent Killers. And played drinking games through 8 jugs of margaritas. Except for Jason, we got pasted. I think I had as much as James sia! But he said I did well for a non-drinker next day, so hey! I probably just was foolish without being tooooo foolish. Hahahahaha.

Got home, talked to Dilla abit. Tried to seduce her, failed miserably. *sigh* But she woke me in the morning at least, haha. After which, called everyone to make sure awake. I said I would as we left ah. Then Uncle Praba comes over with a Subway bagel breakfast. Fucking heaven ah. So went to work with a bit of a hangover, and we put on a damn good show despite it. James turned off my DS mid-game, the bastard. But its funny la, even annoyed it was funny. After that they watch Pirates, I game and sleep. Then a good second show and home.

Supposed to watch pirates with Judy, but she watch already. Note to self: Kill. Now I probably will watch with the kids. It's strange ah, many people think it sucks, but Shaun says I should watch. Speaking of Shaun, his short video Romantic Mystery was aired at Substation last night. Props to the man. There were two good ones, Shaun and a Malay guy from La Salle whose name escapes me right now. But his was called Bob. Very nicely done, simple yet very good. Respect.

Lot 1 this week for shows, 1pm and 7pm, weekends are 1,4 and 7pm. Come on down if you can! And let me know, if got the spend $30 to get on stage thing then I can get you guys on for a photo without all that bullshit ah.

On a lighter note;

You're 60% Irish

You're very Irish, and most likely from Ireland.
(And if you're not, you should be!)

How Irish Are You?

What a day!

2007-06-01T06:54:00.000-07:00

A day of work and hanging out with my Uncle Praba. Now, this is the man who tutored me when I was young, smacking me around with books and everything till I got the right answer, haha. A lot of what I am is attributable to him, especially my passion for reading. He got me the Narnia series, Harry Potter years before it became a big deal in Singapore, the reason I'm so into Rankin, Pratchett, and many others. Which is not to say my dad and brother aren't also responsible for a lot of it, but especially so Uncle Praba.

So anyway. Yesterday, he did a runner from school (He's a teacher see). But, since it holidays, its not as bad as it sounds, haha. So we went down to IMM first, had Long John for lunch, then went looking for an electronic dictionary. Also looked at games because he's developed an interest in machinima. He's really starting to dabble in this kind of thing, just the other time he did stop motion with Lego. Which is cool, I don't mind doing all this with him. And then, he offers to get me a Nintendo DS Lite! How awesome is that! So now I've finally got my DS, hurhurhur. Then went for show, which in the morning was for some reason lacklustre, as admitted by all. All still tired, haha. Uncle recorded it all, it looked fine though. Then we went to the PC show, which was really not worth going to. Nothing new, nothing worth buying, even the girls couldn't make it except for one or two. After which we went over to Subway to eat, and then he wanted eat some more! But cannot la, I was stuffed. And then he went to South Asia at Funan while I went to Peninsula to help Dilla get Charis's birthday present. It's a fun tee, I'll see if I can't get a picture of Charis wearing it. After which, back to IMM, where the second show felt waaay more violent. 120% effort, hahaha. Jason scraped his knee I think, and James somehow got a pin near his crotch. And when I came off stage, a whooole bunch of kiddies grew silent in mid-scream. Evil fun, I know. And then, there was another carried baby on stage, but this one was just extremely interested in me, kept turning and looking till his mom had to angle herself so that he was looking to front.

So in the end, my uncle sent me back, and I lent him Sims 2, cos that game would be closest to what he wants in his maiden attempt to learn machinima. I can't wait to see how it fares la, honestly.

It has begun

2007-05-28T09:47:00.000-07:00

What a weekend.Last week was rehearsals every day, then the shows! Tiring, but fun as can be. And although we -as in the cast- have a theory that we're going to be sick of performing in a few days, I think its more the getting ready and waiting part we'll be sick of.

Our Silver Surfer, Jason, is si peh on ah. Fella is flipping around on the throws big time, to the point where he cut himself and bled on his costume. Respect. But it wasn't too bad, more blood then damage.

We did two venues this weekend, Funan in the day and Rivervale mall at Hougang in the evening. Funan was fun, the whole routine on the big stage, Rivervale(RV) was just a meet and greet. Its a tiny mall, very small stage. But we gained a fan gathering at RV!
On the second night, Sunday night, we were sitting on the stage and eating before the show, in civilian attire la. And quite a few kids recognised the Aussies. Can't expect them to recognise me and Jason la, we were masked. And Doom had a really varied reaction. Kids screamed when I walked on appearance at Funan, a little girl was carried on stage to take a photo by her dad. And I'm in the centre, so she was just in front of me, and she was giving me the horror movie hyperventilating look of fear, big eyes, mouth open, everything. Reaaal cute, and very funny. But at RV, the kids go gaga over Doom. Knelt down to shake hands with the Malay kids who recognised us, as mentioned earlier, and a whole bunch of kids were grabbing at my hands and gloves. Then as we all left out the back, we had to leave people behind to block the path so that the kids wouldn't follow us! Hahahaha. Such stars we are, hahahahaha.

After that second night show, cast went for dinner with the boss and his family, and the two producers, Nora and Sharon. Dinner was in honour of Tony, our choreographer, who has by now left the country. We ate at the No Signboard Restaurant over at Geylang, big ass seafood dinner. Chilli crab, black pepper crab, crayfish, drunken prawns, all that jazz. STUFFED I TELL YOU! STUFFED!

Today was rest day, all Mondays will be off days. The rest of this week will be at IMM at 1pm and 7pm. So if you're in the area and free, COME ON DOWN! I can't see you from stage without my glasses, so don't be shy about coming on stage for a picture. Hahaha.

I'd also like to thank Shaun and Scat for coming to the first shows. Appreciated guys. And Yang, don't feel bad, k? You had things to take care of, and mom wasn't well. I know you'll be there soon as you can, muah.

Ok. I'm going to go crash now, in for a fucking FULL week.

Lady and the vamp

2007-05-23T10:05:00.000-07:00

Comments, all! And yes, I know, not enough facial expression. I'll work on it, I promise, but those damn fangs man! Anyway, comments please. Here are some of the stills.

Run for the hills! Ok la, we only got our few Bukits, but still.

2007-05-23T09:31:00.000-07:00

This is one of the reasons Bush went after Iraq.

And this is amazing folks. I really have no idea what to say to his logic.

Hokay. We all know that Musab Al-Zarqawi is Iraqi. And was also an operative for Al-Qaida. So because he recruited people in the country, not a member of the ruling government, but people in the country, that was another reason as to why it was fair game. Asides from the (alleged) WMDs.

Singapore kena watch out already ah, like that. After all, we had the infamous JI Yishun 7 (correct right? If I'm wrong, let me know). So, this means that eventually, the US is likely to slot us as a target of opportunity. I mean, we are a breeding ground for terrorists in the region, and that makes us a potential long term threat to America.

*snort*

And my left eye is from a pig. Heart of a dog though.
Stupid man. In the most powerful position in the most powerful country in the world. Sigh.
Perhaps stupid man is wrong. But he thinks like a business man. He is behind this particular legislation trying to be passed in Iraq that gives foreign companies major control of Iraqi Oil.

"Dear Avaaz friend,

The Iraqi Parliament has a chance to block the handover of Iraqi oil to multinational companies. Help them resist:

Take Action Now

Amidst rising bloodshed, President Bush has told the Iraqi Parliament they have till the 31st of May to pass a flawed oil law that could give multinational companies unprecedented control of Iraq's oil fields. But some Iraqi leaders are daring to resist - and they need our help.

Two weeks from now, members of the Iraqi Parliament -- including Sunni, Kurdish and Shia leaders -- are planning to read Avaaz's petition of solidarity from the floor of Parliament. They say this statement of global support for Iraqi sovereignty will strengthen the resolve of their colleagues to face down Bush and big oil companies by opposing this law. So sign the petition today--let's make 100,000 voices heard in Iraq's Parliament before they vote:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/iraq_oil_law

Our simple message: we support Iraq's sovereign right to its own oil. Revenue from oil should be distributed fairly to the Iraqi people. And the Iraqi national parliament should decide this without foreign influence.

Oil accounts for 70% of Iraq's national income. The proposed oil law would give multinational companies broad control of those revenues for three decades -- a deal more generous than any in the Middle East. In most countries, oil corporations perform services under contracts with governments. In Iraq, foreign companies would sit on the national council that gives out the contracts.

Here's how the head of the Iraqi Federation of Oil Unions, Hassan Jum'a Awwad, put it:

"Iraq is passing through the most difficult of times, because all and sundry are hounding it and covet a share of its riches. Everyone knows that the oil law does not serve the Iraqi people, and that it serves Bush, his supporters and the foreign companies at their expense."

It's a rare sign of hope to see Iraqis coming together on anything, but this law is bad enough to unite almost everyone. Iraqis are asking for our help. Let's tell them the world supports their right to set their own future. Sign on and help us reach 100,000 voices before they present the petition to the Parliament:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/iraq_oil_law

In peace,

Ricken, Graziela, Paul and the Avaaz Team"

From an email I got from Meeran. You can check the veracity of it yourself, but if true, it proves what I mean. He might make a good business man, but he makes a lousy leader for a country and horrid chief of police state.

Sigh. And I just heard that there were red tides in Athens. If the crazy weather pattern last winter wasn't enough, now we have another event preluding the Apocalypse as described in the Holy Books.

Ho Seh.

I seem to be getting busier....

2007-05-21T18:57:00.000-07:00

First rehearsal was fun last night. The rest of the cast are interesting people, and thankfully I DON'T have to wear the skin tight revealing costume this time. Muahahaha. I can't go into details about what we rehearsed, but if it goes off as planned, it'll be something to see, for sure.

And we had pizza for dinner. 4 pizzas, but 3 diff types. I swear, I was so hungry I could have eaten all, but dowan to be pig la, pai seh leh. Its physically intense sia! But more so for the other four then me. There's no Thing, no costume. So its Johnny, Reed, Sue and The Surfer. And the fella playing Johnny could really fit that role. That one, photo will be up, serious

I know I said same thing about wedding photos, but I haven't gotten em laaaa.

Ok, am off to take photos for poster work. See! Busy sia now!

Swatch Summer Beach Party

2007-05-20T18:31:00.000-07:00

This Saturday, it being the 26th of May, there be a Swatch Summer Beach Party. From 6pm, all the way to late, one for one happy hour from 6-9pm, drinks are 5 bucks each all night

Cheap right?

SO GO GET PARTYING PEOPLE! Contact me for more details

Extreme Dinofish!

2007-05-20T18:28:00.000-07:00

Another coelacanth caught!

News like this always has me believing in the possibility that we simply haven't discovered a marine enclave where lots of dinofish still survive. And how cool would that be sia.

Another loong week

2007-05-17T06:13:00.000-07:00

I am waaasted. Well, not so much now, but it has been a tiring week. Rushed last Thursday and Friday to finish up the first 5 final drafts of Eddies posters. They seem to be coming out rather nice. Also on Thursday, went location recce with Shaun, then met up with Nora for an audition. Going to be acting in a road show. No lines, thankfully, hahaha. I am....VICTOR VON DOOM! Also known as Dr. Doom, mad fella with the metal face and weird accent, or plain old psycho. MUAHAHAHAHAHAH. Which is why I was rushing the posters on Thursday and Friday.

Then Saturday, participated in Shauns shoot. Talent, as usual. It was for a short vid triathlon, conceptualise, shoot and edit in 8 hours. A fun vid, check it out here : http://digital.asiaone.com/dv_entry.html. We're number 21, vote for us if you like it!
A long and messy shoot it was though. White pants are now quite thoroughly grey. But hey, we won 2nd place in the triathlon, so not tooo shabby. 1st place was Hole-y Smokes, go take a look see there.

Sunday, up by 6 and off to the zoo, with Ashraf and Khairul to do events set-up. Bit of a cock up, they had more people then budgeted for, so we got a liiil bit less. But only a little bit, so its survivable. Was going to be a fast event, done by 1, as the guest of honour was arriving at 12. But would you believe our luck, it started raining at 11.30. Fuck man. Me and Ashraf got wet doing crowd control along the outside. Khairul was luckier, internal crowd controller, haha. Anyway...since this was the second of the foreign worker working rights and safety awareness roadshows, the majority of the people there were the Indian foreign workers. I use Indian as an umbrella term here, cos there were all types. And although the crowd wasn't that great, it was already difficult enough to control. Also saw one of the Thai guys from the previous road show there, haha. Our next one, this Sunday, is going to be at Little India. Fuck. I hope the Ministry of Manpower increases the budget for manpower. We're going to need all the help we can get.

I cant remember what happened from Monday till today. Hahahaha. Today, accompanied my uncle to hospital and then to Doc Lily (who has her own range of facial care products now). I love going back to the old places, reminds me of good old times. But everything is changing so fast. Tear downs and build ups. Sigh. Shops closed and people gone. This country has always been on "the progressive road", but the evolution is really picking up right now.

AH YEA! Had dinner with Dilla on Tuesday. And got my the middle of ear rim pierced. Again. Then just now when grandma held my face to pull down to kiss cheek, she put her finger smack on that piercing. YOOOUCH! But was funny, hahaha. Grandma had chicken cooked just the way my mum would. I miss her cooking. My dad cooks Indian food too, but its just not the same. And I miss my mum feeding me by hand. May sound very childish or manja, but I just miss it. Alot.

So wrong

2007-05-09T21:18:00.000-07:00

http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,135222,00.html

This is so wrong. Its as bad as Israeli children writing messages on rockets used to bomb Palestine. This genocidal war will never stop if they teach the children to hate like this, on a sub-concious level, indoctrinated from when they're young.

Iraq, four years on - My take.

2007-05-09T19:46:00.000-07:00

The Dems were hell-bent on pulling troops out of Iraq, ASAP. But that bill - which was aimed at scheduling a pull out timetable and reducing war funding - got vetoed by Bush. Old news, I know, but that led to one of the funniest sayings by that man in recent times. I can't remember the exact words, but it went along the lines of how the bill "substitutes the opinions of politicians for the judgement of our military commanders." Said that in this kind of situation you'd have to listen to the commander, and since he is the commander, he knows best.

I laughed out loud at that point.

But I do agree you can't yank the soldiers out. Not for reasons Bush has stated, although to a degree, yes, broadcasting when your pulling out gives the possibility that insurgents might just sit tight and build up strength till you pull out. The Americans started this, they have a responsibility to stay till the Iraqi troops are self-sufficient. At the same time though, I do believe the foreign troops numbers have to be reduced,to force the Iraqi army to become self-sufficient ASAP. And also to (hopefully) reduce the number of civilian/foreign troop incidents. We've all heard tales of people attacking peacekeeping troops, all the "We're here to help, why they treating us like this?" And only the occasional tale of the troops flying off the handle, such as the Rampage in Haditha. And even then, no maximum penalties, excuses all around. Lost men to an IED, snapped, said they were taking small arms fire, etc. Dont get me wrong, it would be traumatising to lose someone to IED attack. And while I do not doubt the possibility that they took small arms fire exists, I wonder if it wasn't in self-defence after they started their door to door sale of death. When I was watching Bloody Sunday, and saw how the Paras opened on the crowd, shooting people who were running, even a minister who was waving a white hankie while walking slow and upright to help someone gut shot, it drove home a point that has risen many times in the Iraqi occupation but is always discredited as self-defence. There WERE people using small arms fire on the troops, true, but the response was indiscriminate. Soldiers may not be warriors, but they should be better then butchers. And incidents like that, whether reported in Western media or not, would be reported in Middle Eastern media, with a possibly very biased slant. And such reports will fuel the anger of the young, the discontented, and the idealistic with no idea how to properly let out the anger at the injustice of the situation. Which would mean a larger pool of recruits for insurgents and terrorists/freedom fighter groups.

So I say start withdrawing. Limit the foreign troop incidents. As more of the violence comes from their own people, their own race, it'll disillusion many of the idealists. That would leave the angry and discontent, of which little can be done other then for the government to try and improve Iraq generally, to take away what anger and discontent they have. I don't think civil war can be avoided. I think that there's too much anger over sectarian differences and treatments of the sects at different times for there not to be a war. Shi'ites are unhappy at treatment at hands of Sunni's during Saddams time, Sunni's are unhappy at the loss of power and prestige, and the treatment they're getting from the current government. The way I see it, its just going to have to play itself out until the people get tired of fighting and learn that in this day and age, perhaps religious tolerance is best - not just of other religions, but of different branches within own - and everyone learns how to integrate and work together.

But that's just my take.

Thank you, good night!

2007-05-09T08:27:00.000-07:00

http://www.broadcaster.com/clip/17318

Garang. Fierce. And whatever other languages you can say it in.

Busy the past few days. Some graphic work from Eddie, interesting stuff, posters for boardgames, specifically those that have won a prize called the Spiel Des Jahres. Its been intriguing, reading up and all these games. First drafts were given in, and hey! At least they like one of the templates, haha. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, just some changes to make here and there. And I got treated to NYDC, so its allll good. *grin*

And it was enlightening too. We talked about approaches I can talk to improve my modelling, portfolio presentation styles, understanding designs and physics for animations, etc. Very useful stuff, he's being a very helpful guide for me. Also talked about Mediacorp. Seems like my bad feeling bout working there is spot on, practically everyone he knows from our course who worked there has quit, sans one. Many reasons for it, but for me, its simple. I look at the work they produce, and I know I don't want to be part of that. Don't think I can, for that matter. Not whilst being happy, certainly.

Busy week, gotta finish up half the posters by Friday, cos Saturday whole day got stuff, shoot with Shaun, event work with Riduan. Sunday, more event work with Riduan. Busy busy busy, no sleep till Brooklyn, like the Beastie Boys said. As it is, I have only had three hours of sleep so far, so I'm going to crash. Thank you, good night!

Fooooooood

2007-05-07T09:44:00.000-07:00

Well...for starters, it looks like the NTU thing isn't going to fly. But that's okay, it was fruitful. Got around to testing some theories animation wise, and knowledge is never wasted. So that's all good.

Now, on to the bit the title is covering. I have been eaaating, and it feels goooooood. Lemme see...on Sunday, me and Dad went to Mass with Brian, of all people. Imagine me if there was no reason for me to go church. That's Brian. Anyway, so we went to Mass, after which we headed down to Brewerkz for lunch. Had an Extra Indian Pale Ale (kick like a mule sia) and lamb curry. And it was fucking good lamb, tender, melts in your mouth, tastes great. I had more lamb then rice, I'd swear. And the potato that came with the curry was a potato the size of my fist and half again! But the curry was sweetened and tame, not so spicy. A white mans curry. So no beer and curry problems, hahaha.

Then yesterday, after heading down to the showroom to look through the papers for a job, met Dilla at Tiong Bahru Plaza. She needed take passport photo for her office pass, and the only place I could think of near her work place for photos was TBP. So met her for lunch, and the darling brought home cooked food for me again. Rice and chicken curry. But she had herself the BK black pepper burger, partly to fulfil her craving and partly cos she was sick of eating food she had cooked, as she put it, haha. She wouldn't let me pay either. Guilted me into letting her pay. UNFAIR AH! And tomato based sauce spaghetti for dinner. Stuffing, I'd say. Absolutely stuffing.
If keep this up, I can go pass 70kg again! yea! hahaha

an awesome video

2007-05-02T06:59:00.000-07:00

Taboo?

2007-05-01T22:29:00.000-07:00

It seems taboo to be open about emotions you feel these days. It was taboo for the longest time, then became okay, and now seems to be heading back into taboo land. Generally speaking that is. People are expected to be strong all the time, never to bow to pressure, try and keep feelings under control ALL the time. Its sad, that way of looking at it. It forces unrealistic expectations on people around us. And then, when the people who look at things that way start to feel the pressure, start to crack, they either keep it all in till they break, or they run. Because they view emoting as a weakness.

There's a difference between being emo and emoting. Emoting is simply talking about how you feel, letting it out, dealing with it, and moving on the best you can. Granted, it can take things awhile to totally iron out. A bit more then a year on and there are times when I think of my mom, times that remind me of her, and I still cry. But that's fine. I still carry on living. Emoting can even strengthen us, if we learn from the pain, acknowledge the source, and most importantly learn to keep goin. Being emo on the other hand, means we wallow in our emotions, we let it pull us down, trap us in a vicious spin cycle of a washing machine, tumbling round and round and round, till eventually all that spinning creates a whirpool of self hate and despair that sucks us down and ruins us. Which is not to say that being emo means you will wind up all the way down, but it is hard to pull out of.

And even from the ruins a new temple can be built, even from the ashes doth rise a phoenix.

Running from emotions.....now there's an interesting problem. I wouldn't say that's what the weak and the scared do, because generally, the emotions we run from are the most painful ones. The thing is, running from pain is, to me, capable of causing the dangerous delusion of having one think that everything is fine, I'm alright, life is just peachy. And it could be argued that it is, in the short term at least. But long term wise, not dealing with stuff will not only create a huge pile of shit behind and around you, but the smell of it will subtly infiltrate every interaction, everything you do, how you view the world and things that happen to you. The prevailing wind is always against a person. And should the illusion ever break, should the runner ever twist a metaphoric ankle, the backlash would be very bad.

Anyway. I've gotten a little long winded by this point. What I'm trying to say is, we are human, and we have emotions for a reason. And choking it down or running away from it is definitely not the reason. But, I don't think we were meant to be morose and dark all the time either. My take? Its our strength, as people. The ability to cry, to hurt, to feel. Its what makes us human. And from these, it's what can make us strong, as people. And just because we can feel those doesn't mean we shouldn't learn to laugh when in pain, to smile when boiling within. Learning to harness our emotions, will lead to self-awareness, and with self-awareness, strength and serenity within oneself.

So I say, be proud of your emotions. Feel, hurt, love, cry, smile, everything. Just don't stop living
I'm happy for those who can do all this

Dearest Nicole

2007-05-01T22:13:00.000-07:00

I am NOT going to be tagged back bitch! If you're going to break the rules, I'm not going to be party to it. So there. *raspberry*

Weary and sore. And possibly a model. GASP

2007-05-01T07:08:00.000-07:00

My god, it was a long day. Up since 5.30am, out of the house before 7am, over to Lavender to meet Riduan and then off to an area near Golden Mile Complex to do set up and management of the M.O.M. games stall. The whole even is some Thai Embassy thing, so it was all Thai people there. But I think its jointly organised by M.O.M. as a foreign worker awareness event, as this show is part of a series of road shows coming up targeting foreign workers. It was fun, easier then the previous event job I was asked top help out with. We really were just doing the games booth set up and management, instead of general labour. Was simple enough, even though had to stand for close to, let me see, 8 hours? But there was good Thai rock(never realised how good it could be till now), it was fun to see people try the games, and the company was fun. And eye candy too, hahaha. Probably going to be helping out part time for the rest of the road shows. But all that standing and carrying does make a body sore. I got back, I lay down, I'm out for the count. My shoulders were cramped and stiff as hell. But work is work, and money is money, and this isn't bad work really. At least I've got some money. Better then going out when I've got nothing and using other people's money to pay for stuff. Even when Rasyid or Dilla or even Scat insist on paying for drinks and all I don't feel comfortable. Need a full time job, and soon.

I haven't really been eating at home because I haven't got a job, and I don't want to take the groceries when I can't contribute to the house. I mean, between me and my dad, do you have any idea how fast I can go through a loaf of bread? It's my brothers money paying for the stuff, I don't feel comfortable free loading. Not that my family said anything to make me feel that way. In fact, I think my brother and dad have noticed and worked out why I'm not eating much, because for the past week they've been cooking a lot and asking me to eat. And Dilla still insists on packing some of what she cooks at home for me. Hopefully can gain back what weight I've lost.

Oh, and a possible break! Riduans boss, Vivian, seems to have taken an interest in me, work wise. Possibly because I was working harder then Riduans two other friends, who kept disappearing for prolonged smoke breaks. Not that they didn't pull their weight during the lifting and setting up bit, just that they took way too many smoke breaks. Smokers ah, what to do. Anyway, it seems a friend of hers is working at Lucasarts Singapore, and she's going to ask what posts are available. A big WHOOPEE!!!! seems in order, but lets see how it goes first. I won't know anything till 13th May, at the next roadshow.

And as for the possibly model bit, something happened yesterday whilst eating breakfast after setting up. Company provided food and drinks for day ah. Something that had colleagues laughing, had Dilla laughing, and had me blushing. One of the Thai volunteers for one of the booths wanted take a photo of me, then with me. So I wound up taking a picture with my mouth full sia. I'm not certain what to make of this. Other then that everyone who has heard it has been having a good laugh, haha.

Attention World!!!

2007-04-30T10:11:00.000-07:00

What kind of person would cuss my girlfriend out, make her look very bad, omit important facts like how my girl was nice to to said person, and then wish my brother and his wife a happy marriage by name, no less? Last I checked, she wasn't close at all to my family.

So who's the pathetic one here really? Can't you get over it already, that was so many months ago.

Thanks but no thanks for the wish. My brother said he doesn't need it, especially not from someone he never liked anyway. *smile* And a bit hypocritical right, considering you've put me down and caused helluva lot of problems between me and my best friend.

I'd also like to state for the record, that I really love my girlfriend. And she knows me best. She knows I'm a flirt, and she accepts me for who I am. On the flipside, I'm trying my hardest to stop all that. Being with her has made me a better person, in many ways. Admittedly its been a slow, difficult road, but the end result is worth achieving. My life in general is getting better, even relations with my father is improving. In many ways, I owe it to Dilla. And while it took a whole lot of the brown stuff hitting the revolving thing in the sky, I finally realised what a wonderful girl I have, and just how much I love her. I've always loved her, and everyone else has had to live up to her. When things with her weren't the way it used to be for awhile there, I looked for in other girls the qualities that I saw in Dilla, and if I got infatuated with someone, its because I was reminded of how me and Dilla used to be, and are again. And I never dated anyone ever since J and I finally stopped everything just before my passed on. The only thing really happening was me and Dilla going in circles. Two commitment-phobes, what to do, haha? So its funny how I've heard a particular someone made it seem we were dating when we had made it clear we were just friends. Isn't that the very accusation being levelled at Dilla? Irony.

And while I appreciate that we are updated about what is being written about us, all of this is old news, and frankly, I'd rather leave the past where it belongs. Time waits for no man, and its currents are forever moving forward. Constantly going against the flow will just drown a person eventually. So from now on, we'd rather not hear anything more about it.

TAG! You're it!

2007-04-29T09:54:00.000-07:00

Blame Shaun Koh. He did this to me.

Rules of the game:
Each player of this game starts off with ten weird things or habits or little known facts about yourself. People who get tagged must write in a blog of their own ten weird things or habits or little known facts as well as state this rule clearly. At the end you must choose six people to be tagged and list their names. No tagbacks!

1. Everyone knows I pretty much abhor vegetable, but I love brocolli and cauliflower. I can't explain it, but I'll eat them alone even.

2. One Christmas looong ago, it was laate into Boxing Day. Or early, depending on how you look at it. A lot of people had gone back home or to sleep, and my brother was sitting at the dining table with our uncle and some of his other friends. There was a plate of sprouts on the table. So my brother, he dared me to eat one, said he'd give me 5 bucks if I did it. I was...14, 15? So I figured, 5 bucks, I can eat a vegetable for that. I took one bite, and immediately spewed, much to the mirth and merriment of my brother and co.

3.I can look at a guy and think, wow. He's quite hot ah. Or, that fella has nice eyes.

4.I was a child model. *hide face*

5. I'd love to learn to dance, and especially take up ballet.

6. If I use external headphones, I have a tendency to tap them once I put them on.

7. I shave. All 3 main areas.

8. I like listening to Wong Fei Hong.

9. I broke my nose back when I was 14 or 15 while wrestling with my nephew Prabu. We were grappling and his knee swung in from the left and cracked my nose to the right. So I was there with blood running out of my nose, and he starts crying, and I start laughing. And every exhalation dots my brothers T-shirt with blood. And Prabu then looks so scared and can't decide between laughing and crying and does both and it was so cute and hilarious. I went out to the hall still laughing and my family looked at me like I was insane, hahaha.

10. I like to read some girlie novels. Like Shopaholic Series. And I liked Sweet Valley High.

You guys are tagged:

Dilly Padi
Jason the Mad Drummer
Nora the Oral Killa
Nicole de Lancretinous
The Zu keeper
Ek-tart
(It was ASTONISHINGLY hard to find this 6 sia!)

Day with the kids!

2007-04-29T09:43:00.000-07:00

I cannot begin to express just how much I enjoy spending time with my kids. Alright, not MY kids, but I was involved in raising them to the point where they're just like my own, or like I'm their big brother, as opposed to their uncle. Sadly, Pravinya - my youngest cousin- couldn't join us because there were visitors at her place. So was just me, Prabu, Pauline and Ashley(who joined us by the sheerest and luckiest of coincidences). The objective of the day was to get them to look and select some formal wear for future purchase, a shopping reconnoitre as it were. Once I get a job and pay day comes along, am going to buy them clothes. Cost is no issue. Hopefully. Found clothes for Prabu....but not so easy for Pauline. Girls, what do I know bout shopping for them. Ashley, she just wanted pretty much everything she laid her eyes on, haha. Lemme see, she's in K2, that would make her 5. Such a brat, trying to teach her how to pronounce vanilla properly was a way bigger challenge then it should have been. But so adorable still, hahahaha. Otherwise, just a bundle of laughs la, joking and fooling around, walking around looking at people and stuff, going to the Toys'r'Us at Paragon and fooling around...good times, good times. I really want to take them out once I work, because then I can buy them more food then what they had yesterday, and we can watch movies and play at the arcade and more. They're good kids, they all deserve getting treats like that. Except maybe Ashley, might make her brattier. Will have to think bout that. *grin*

A realllly long one

2007-04-26T04:29:00.000-07:00

I'm in the habit of talking about stuff sometime after its happened, which means I wind up blogging bout a bunch of things at a go. Sooooo.... * deep breath*

Last Thursday, was at a chalet with my old QM boys, up till sat morning. Quite fun ah. But sleeping was tough, between wrestling and guys humping guys. Especially that Khaidzir, haha. And poor Dhaz, he bore the brunt of it all the most. But, he's one of the sweetest most good natured guys I know, so he took it all in good humour. And got a bit back too, haha. We stayed up both nights, listening music, playing Winning Eleven on Khai's PS2 (Zamir dominated it ah), snacking and drinking non-stop. No alcohol though. We were too poor for alcohol. Soft drinks, Pringles, and marshmallows sustained us the first night, along with chocolate ice cream. This would be at 4am in the morning when the wrestling and humping started, the bastards, haha.

Second day would be the staples of a barbecue, sausages, chicken, otah and crab sticks later. Also went swimming, and watched people at the cable ski park; which was rather interesting, although nobody attempted the ramps all over the lake. One thing we noted was that peple who do it tend to need a lot of lower ab strength and control for the jump stunts, especially this one that kept being done, where as they sped around the corner, they'd jump into air and swing legs BACK and UP. Intense. Saw an fairly old guy there with his own board and all wearing an interesting knee support/brace. Asked him about it, of course, and it seems he has had the same type of injury and operation as me. And that the brace is good for sports, and available at the world of such things. So very soon now, I must go down and check out the price. Anywho. That evening, me and Khairul, better known as Indie for his love of such music, got into a music contest, where we played 5 songs, taking turns. METAL VS INDIE! Can guess who won la, but I'm not saying Indie is lame or sucks or whatever...just that Metal is better, mwahahahahaha. And as soon as I get around to embedding music here, everyone shall see why. Videos too, I think. But the whole thing was to the horror of Jackson (token chinese boy, hahahaha) and Raffli (law studying, opera loving malay boy. Contradiction or WHAT?!), with Jackson complaining that Chinese rock would sound better. Hahahaha. Later on in the evening, those of us that were left, Farrus and his girlfriend, Khaidzir, Amri, Dhaz, Farihin, Zamir and me, went of to walk around East Coast Park, from chalets to the McDonalds. Originally looking for a Lan shop to play some Dota and CS, but since none, went to play some pool, narrowly avoided a fight with a bunch of mat rapes (is this correct? right term, wrong spelling?), and then jumped hedges on way back. TARHEELS CAN JUMP HIGHER NOW! But still cannot jump far, saad la.

The only complaint I have is that the East Coast Chalet sucks. Pool is under renovation indefinitely, the place itself has only one small bedroom, and its just cramped and dull. Ah well.. The company more then made up for it. Even if a lot of people were no shows for this. It cannae be helped. As a side note, the bag I took the chalet, weighed 10kg. I don't know why, but it did. Field pack sia.

So, on that Saturday we left, I went home, dropped my bag off, and then went out with Dilla to Sim Lim, to check out prices of wireless receivers. THEN I went home and slept. All the way till 11+ the next day, so i skipped church to finish cleaning up my room. Which clutters too easily, but looks the best it has in a while.

Then on Monday, Dilla started working her new job. Finance job, but she always has been good at finance systems. What to do, clever la she. Steve came over in the evening, hang out and game, Dilla came after work, say 6.30. Those two got along quite well, must admit, talking a lot of cock and all. Then she left, and Steve went from Burnout on the 360 to Red Alert 2 on the com. So I watched my comedies, including the first episode of the new season of Grounded For Life. I've missed that show sia, it's fantastic. And Claudia is just so hoooot...*drooool* Steve stayed till bout 3am, gaming and all. Madness, got work all somemore.

Then on Tuesday, met Dilla for lunch, cos she cooks for family before she leaves for work in the morning. And she packed her own lunch, and cooked for me too. Such a sweet girl, she did it cos she knows I'm eating like a meal a day at home for awhile. Don't feel comfortable eating at home when I'm not working, cos the speed a loaf of bread will be consumed at if I ate more is astounding. And that's my brothers money replacing the groceries. Anyway, she cooked rice with chicken, beef and prawns. Yummay. Then I lent her my glasses and walked back home in the light post-rain drizzle. Shiok. I lent her my glasses again yesterday, so I'm blind once more, haha. She'll return it to me later after work on her way home at the train station.

My Uncle Ashok also passed out on Tuesday. He does heavy manual labour at a factory, and seems on Saturday, he really strained himself. But he goes home, is all okay, till Monday, when it comes back again. Then on Tuesday, goes to a polyclinic, gets an MC, and then at home, passes out. And then, doctors find a fracture on his back. Old one some more, but he doesn't remember hurting his back in any way. He got discharged yesterday, back is much better, but his knee is giving him problems. And he didn't tell the doctors this. *sigh* But I can't blame him either ah. He's a little slow mentally, because of a really high fever he had as a kid which gave him meningitis. And then, he also has epilepsy, so the amount of medication he has to take everyday, its not surprising he's quite slow. That he can think as fast as he does generally is a good thing. So I'm probably taking him to a polyclinic soon to get a referral letter to a specialist for the leg, seeing as how he's on MC for quite a while now. Leg la, cannot play, he too old to go through shit I did. Best to play safe.

And on Wed, hung out at Tango's with Shaun and Judy. That was just a barrel of laughs la, fucking hilarious time. A nicknaming and burns fest. We all know what a "wigga" is, to wit, a "white nigga", wannabe, etc. Weeelllllll, Shaun is now a chite, a chinese act white. Judy ALSO can qualify, nyeahahahaha.

I hate Windows Movie Maker. Its the most frustrating, unwieldy piece of shit software I've used for editing. I want Adobe Premier. Later, I will suck cock for it. That's how bad I want it. On the upside, the wedding video is almost done. Very long for a simple editing job, I know, but that's just how much I hate the damn software.

He said "I Do"!

2007-04-18T08:45:00.000-07:00

The big day came and went, and while not with a minimum of fuss, it still went very well. A good turnout, everyone was on time, the main people were all there (thankfully) and nothing cropped up last minute. Unless you count the night before, when my brother had me running looking for streamers or ribbons around Orchard. Which didn't get used in the end. *sob*

Aaaaanyway. While intellectually, you know a wedding is going to be a big day, and its going to be quite emotional, you never figure just how emotional. Or that you're going to be realllly emotional, heh. I gotta admit, it was quite hard to hold back tears when the bride was walking down the aisle. Seeing as how I was best man, I figure I had as good a view as the groom, so I can imagine how my brother felt. Not that my sister-in-law is my type, mind. But yea...and the part where they were exchanging vows, and I could see how happy and choked up my brother was, well, lets just say I'm very glad he's that happy. As Dilla wrote in the guest book, it was worth the wait.

Speaking of whom, I'm very appreciative of Dilla and Steven showing up for the wedding. Those who couldn't, well, what I've heard is that they were busy, and that's fine, that is fine. But I have to give kudos to these two who came, not just for being there, but for effort they put in. Dilla, well, because she got my brother a wedding present, spent alot of cash and time on the clothes (that was a real hunt, haha), and she helped out generally. Providing me transport money and everything so I wouldn't bother my brother, lending me money to go get the ribbons he wanted and so on. THANKS SWEETIE! And Steven, well, I hardly see him these days, but he's always there for me when something comes up. He even got Chong Hsien to drive him around the St. Ignatius area the day before so he'd know how to get there. Sweet, or what.

Glad that Dilla got a formal type dress. When I get all the pictures of the wedding generally, I'll put em up. Some of the people there were so CASUALLY dressed. I mean, a spaghetti strap top and mini to a wedding? Come on la, class up a bit. That kind of thing is barely acceptable for church normally, let alone for a wedding. Shockingly poor judgement. Its like they wore what they think is nice generally without consideration for the formality of the occasion. Tsk. Here's hoping its not so bad at the dinner. I'll have to wear the tuxedo again that night, so its settled for me, haha.

Being best man is a lot of pressure. Since my brother is quite chinese these days though, that means he has "brothers", so there's 4 of us best men. Thankfully, because that's a major load of my shoulders, planning and doing wise. Still, would you believe it, on the night of the wedding rehearsal, Thursday night, I find out I have to do a prayer for the faithful. Irony aside, considering I'm quite faithless religion wise, I had nightmares of the microphone being off when I tried to talk, or that I croaked, etc. Woke up in cold sweat, I swear. Thankfully, it went off without a hitch. Spoke out loud, talked smoothly, didn't trip (except for one point, where there was a printing error and I had to work out what to say on the fly). Phew. Got the whole wedding on tape, with two cameras and everything. I thought the static camera I'd set up to record from the front hadn't recorded anything, that I had forgotten to turn it on cos I couldn't see the red light. And I only realised this near the end of the wedding! Thankfully, the tape was just finished, and there was enough time for me to change and record the rest of the ceremony.

It was tiring ah. Wedding started at 12, was up since 7, my cousins Lavinya and Pravinya came over to get ready at 8.30. Special prep for Pravinya since she was the ring bearer. I always thought the ring bearer was a boy. Hmm. Anyway, yea. Busy till we left, putting ribbons on Brians - best man number 2 - car and everything, got to the church and labelled chairs, decorated books, tie ribbons to the flower girls, two cutest black girls who are extremely hyper. Brother colleague Nick and his wife adopted them from Africa, while he was posted there if I'm not mistaken. Nick is his best man number 3, and number 4 should be Jeya, whom someone asked if he was my brothers dad, hahaha. Anyway, yea, all that, plus recording after the wedding, running around picking up stuff, packing up stuff, etc, so on and so forth. Me, Lavinya and Pravinya got home at 3 and almost immediately went to sleep. Woke up for short durations, but otherwise pretty much slept till the next day. And still had to go church in the morning, dammit!

So yes. My brother Paul is married to my now official jie Chin, who is very sweet and nice. Always putting my familys needs first. They complement each other, and anyone who can make my brother smile as much as she does is automatically on the approved list. So here's to their marriage. Live long and prosper, may the force be with you. Always. Cheers.

Here I am!

2007-04-08T06:17:00.000-07:00

After a brief sabbatical, I be back!

And the first topic on the cards is that my brother is going to be getting married soon. REALLLY soon. This Saturday in fact. I'm very very happy for him. Its about time he had a chance to focus on himself.

Partly my fault why he hasn't been able to before this. Heck, mostly really. He was so busy working to support family and me he never really had time to splurge on himself, enjoy himself, etc. I mean, he stayed in the small guest room while leaving me the bigger room back at the old place, even after my uncle had moved out. And he was always buying me a lot of stuff. Books, games, computer and all. Back when I was in primary 1, he combined money with my uncle to buy me a Sega. I was 6, which means he was only 17.

He gave up a lot for us. I owe him for it all

But even if he hadn't, I'd love him just as much cos he's my brother.

Voice of the Silent

Don't hate

A quiet type of profiling

The costs of the GRC system.

Whatever happend to freedom of expression and French liberalism?

Home is where the heart is.

Enough is enough

HUAT AH, SPF!

Hey SPF. Just wanna commend you guys on a job well done. Between the effective crackdown on Thaipusam, and the essential closing of one eye to a Lion Dance I reported, which was performing in a residential area at 11pm and, I have to say I am really impressed!"

Nooooo! Really? Duhhhhhhhhh

Wanna stamp out drunk driving?

Two greats at one go.

Reconnection

Post Trauma Syndrome

Another one bites the dust

Body moving, A1 style and the style so soothing

Polar Bears feel the heat

And so it happened.

Olympia fatalis?

Egyptian women embrace Curves

Is it, or isn't it?

I'm IT again

Ranga tagged me. And if I don't do this now, I'm never going to hear the end of it.

7 THINGS THAT SCARE ME: 1) Cockroaches. 2) Flying Cockroaches. 3) Half dead roaches that still crawl even with guts pouring out. 4) Rhianna. 5) George Bush. 6) The idea of paralysis. 7) The death of either my brother or Dilla.

7 RANDOM MUSIC AT THE MOMENT: 1) Tribute 2) Wonderboy 3) St Anger 4) Everything Ends 5) Some Kind of Monster 6) Neon Knights 7) Straight to Video

7 THINGS I SAY THE MOST: 1) What the fuck? 2) What sia? 3) That's fucked up. 4) Hang on, need to pop my knee back in. 5) That reminds me of Star Wars.. 6) Need new booooks 7) Need new gaaaames

7 FIRST TIME THINGS I EVER DID: 1) Break my nose 2) Tear my ACL 3) Fire a Rifle 4) Pass my 2.4km run, haha 5) Create an animation 6) Get a diploma 7) Perform live

7 PEOPLE TO DO THIS: Its an open ended tag. So, whoever wants to, do it whenever.

ZOUNDS!

Of Freedom of speech and Stupid People.

The Great Escape

Randomness

Castro has retired

Beyond Tokenism - Malays,Integration and The SAF

And the mysteries of the world get deeper.

A personal post. *GASP*

Proper Exposure

I'll put my ballot in your slot

An economic anchor?

Asian markets tumble on US worries

The Big Question

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

ce·leb·ri·ty /s?'l?br?ti/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[suh-leb-ri-tee] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation

–noun, plural -ties for 1.

1.a famous or well-known person.

2.fame; renown.

[Origin: 1350–1400; ME < L celebritas multitude, fame, festal celebration, equiv. to celebr- (s. of celeber) often repeated, famous + -itas -ity]

—Synonyms 2. distinction, note, eminence, stardom.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)

Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

celebrity

c.1380, "solemn rite or ceremony," from O.Fr. celebrité, from L. celibritatem (nom. celebritas) "multitude, fame," from celeber "frequented, populous." Meaning "condition of being famous" is from 1600; that of "famous person" is from 1849.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper

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