Tuesday, May 30, 2006
My life sucks.
But does it really suck? Perhaps this oft quoted cliche is not a good reflection of reality, but rather the mere ranting of youths who believe that the world is stacked against them, forcing them back into the a small corner where they cannot find the freedom of expression that they crave. Over and over, this blog asks why is it that it is so difficult to break out of the mould, to fight the odds and go our own ways, leaving behind the burden of the past.
But then, this blog believes that the past is not so easily relieved. The trip to Hong Kong is so eye opening in so many ways, but this blog believes the trip to Kennedy Town to meet with a grand-uncle is the most interesting of all the other events put together. Here is a quaint old man, well into his nineties who lived a life of hardship that most will say truly sucked.
Swimming over to Hong Kong from communist China to escape the famine ridden Guangzhou province, he landed in Hong Kong with nothing more than the clothes on his bag and his hands to offer labor. Using all his contacts, he started a provision shop chain and amassed sufficient savings for retirement. This blog was quite shocked when this story was slowly retold, and the heavily accented Cantonese did not help in understanding the story.
But there is one thing that stood out from the tale. He was neither unhappy nor upset that he had to flee the city that he had grown up in. Neither did he blame fate for his tumultuous life. Indeed he was grateful that he was able to reach Hong Kong, grateful for all the help that was given in kind over the years. While he may have been considered somewhat successful this blog gathers that he has not forgotten everyone who helped him. He has left the pass behind once, and he realizes how difficult it is to up and leave.
This brings us back to the beginning. Is over lives really that sucky? Most of us will never understand famine and hardship that will compile us to swim hundred of miles in deep seas, where the penalty of capture is torture and certain death. Perhaps we should keep in mind that most of us are really enjoying a much better standard of living as compared to our parents and in this case our grand-uncles.
12:51 AM
Monday, May 29, 2006
1:14 PM
Sunday, May 28, 2006
Hong Kong is traditionally a mishmash of the Colonial West and the Imperial East. The dichotomy of these differing societies is still evident in this British outpost and China Special Administration Region. From the surreal and lavish housing at The Peak to the long rows of house at Kennedy Town; from the modern MTR system to the quaint electric trams; from the spawning shopping malls at Causeway Bay to the bustling night markets at Mong Kok, Hong Kong is the story of the will of a people who have fought tooth and nail to exist in a place where truly East met West.
Hong Kong gave this blog the impression that it is always changing. However, the change seemed to have stopped midway. Next to old five storey apartment blocks are fifty storey buildings that are thin as chopsticks. Main highways on Hong Kong Island are criss-crossed with tram rails and stations. Roads at Kowloon are permanently close to make way for night markets. Over and over, the feeling seems to be that modernization is taking place only at pockets of city, truly lassiere faire at its best.
However, this somewhat understates the rate at which Hong Kong is really improving its services sector. Indeed, the level of service exceeds that of Singapore, and this blog believes is fast closing the level offered by Japan and US. A very common sight is shop attendants standing at the door, greeting every customer as they enter and exit, complimented by attendants attaching themselves to each customer until something suitable is found. Of course, there are some nonchalant attendants, but this blog will suggest that as a whole, even these black sheep are better than average in Singapore. Indeed, there is a long long way for Singapore to go in terms of service standards.
Here is a city where residents really fend for themselves, quite unlike the morons Singaporeans have become. Houses maybe small and transport maybe expensive but in the centre of the city is the Western Market, a structure that will most likely be torn down in Singapore. The tram system is such a obstruction and planning headache that in the government of Singapore will most likely have it torn down without batting an eyelid. And yet, in Hong Kong, it provides the cheapest transportation service available, at a flat rate of only HK$2.
This blog believes that Octopus card is the most marvelous innovation in Hong Kong. It is truly a cash card cum EZ-link card, which is really no mean feat in a city where 4 different banks issues different notes. While it maybe too naive to suggest that Hong Kong is utopia, clearly Singapore needs to take some cue from Hong Kong and stop believing that Singapore is the first and foremost amongst the Asian Dragons.
For all the wonders that Hong Kong conjures, there is still a element of metropolitan malaise. A very obvious effect of the lassiere faire economy is the smog that covers the whole city. Students of economics will be able to point out that the pollution is at least to some extent an externality that the government has not addressed. The crime rate is also relatively high, with the numerous CCTVs bearing witness to more than their fair share of crimes. Complains about air conditioning unit's condensation dripping on faces and clothes are also rife. These are all really the result of insufficient planning, and precisely the problems that are associated with a lack of regulation.
This blog will not comment on which system of government is really better, but an interesting question will be whether Hong Kong is a better place to live in as compared to Singapore? This blog believes that the answer depends on what you want. Five days of Hong Kong is an eye opener, but five years maybe a ticket to get lung cancer. Singapore may have more regulation but for all its trumpeting about efficiency, Hong Kong still fares better in that respect, with better services to boot.
11:36 PM
Monday, May 22, 2006
Apparently there is a bird flu dance song craze in the Ivory Coast. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4766391.stm.
This leads to the interesting question of what is the future of the song industry, in particular, what songs will our generation be listening to five decades from now. It is not fanciful to suggest that at our age, our parents were listening to the Beatles or the Bee Gees, generally songs that are categorized as oldies today. It is also not far off the mark to assert that most adults do indeed continue to listen this genre of songs and have not switched over as the music industry progressed into the current trend of hip-hop, dance and other forms sounds.
So what will be listening to in five decades? Will still be attracted to Bon Jovi and Green Day? Or some form of rock-metal band like Linkin Park? Or will we be far more adept at listening so the songs that are produced in the future? The answer perhaps lies in question of which direction is the music industry really headed to? Today, the most probable answer to that is nowhere. There seems to be rapidly decreasing pool of musicians that produce the genre of song that appeals to this blog. Which essentially seem to suggest that the peak of the songs that appeal to this blog is already some years old. This will mean that the taste of the blog has stabilized and most likely not change over the years. In short, we will slowly be moving from Perfect 10 to Class 95 and eventually Gold 90.5.
This is in itself not surprising. This blog is quite certain that our parents had no idea which direction the music industry was moving when they were in their twenties and would have made a sub conscious decision to stick to music that is already familiar and not some odd tune that DJ Lewis mixed. But not to worry, there is always the next generation to buy the fill the void that we leave behind.
9:12 PM
This blog has done as requested and changed the wording for several captions. However, this only serves to highlight and underline the nature of people and the characters of individuals.
"eh fuck la i'm sick of all this alien shit! can u stop this nonsense... i usually don't stoop so low as to resort name calling so don't get me started.. fuck go look urself in the mirror before u comment on others! ur blog i kan sian wadevea go rot in hell"
While this blog agrees that there must be a line to be drawn in any circumstance, this blog believes that that line is a grey, thin and very very fine one to thread on. It is difficult to make the case when extreme instances of teasing and some other forms of mockery occurs, however, this blog believes that neither malaise nor harm was intentional in any of the ranting in this blog.
However, the assertion of that no harm was intended will apparently not be sufficient to placate the parties involved and thus this blog will provide a open apology. It serves no purpose what so ever to justify the comments and the captions, and thus this blog will not do so, but will withdraw them instead.
This blog will assume that this is a lesson in human relations and will attempt add a mental note not to repeat the same mistake with the same people. Yet, do note that for all the trumpeting about how you have been wronged by the world, this blog suggests that at times you are far too conceited and far too arrogant. The world is not always at fault when something goes wrong. It is not always someone else's fault, someone else's error, nor someone else's mistakes. Perhaps, some self reflection should be in order on both sides to question why the situation is as such. Perhaps, the answer may lie where the problem started, at oneself. This blog cannot claim to be any less vain, and thus will not content otherwise, you do have to look into the mirror someday as well. More often than not following your own advice is the best route to answer the questions that seem to trouble you. Of course this blog do not dare to suggest that this blog actually understand you much better than you understand yourself, but this blog will assert that you will be a much better person, if not for your inflexiblity and perchant for blaming everything on circumstances.
Going a long and round-a-bout manner to address a relatively straight-forward issue, this article shall end with the apology that it started with. Sorry.
12:28 AM
Sunday, May 21, 2006
This blog is frankly appalled by the dismal performance of the Casio Exlim camera. However, this blog also believes that the problem is not endemic with the camera but rather more circumstanial. At any rate, this blog has a moral obligation to post the photos onto the internet at the request of several parties, so here it is.
An interesting picture of Foo Suan East and Thur Ming.
This is a really disturbing photo of the large quantities of live pawns that were massacred to feed the insatiable wants of human beings.
Must be some form of very informative and sensational information that Kiat Siang is dishing out.
Eng Wee and Yong Kiat, 'nuff said.
Group photo. This is one of the photos that did not come out well. Which is very irritating, considering that it is really the only photo with everyone inside.
Another group photo. Marginally better, afterall its difficult not to improve on the last one.
Tan Yuan Soon and his antics. I didn't take any photos of Yong Kiat with the Drum machine. Should have taken his string of 600+ combos. There are a few spoilt photos that are of really pretty bad condition. Nevertheless this blog will gladly inflict them on you upon request. Shall leave you with a picture of the organizer of the gathering.
1:18 AM
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
This blog asks what do the government and in effect the PAP refer to when they claim that they are trying to help the poor help themselves? In a related issue, is the welfare state really undesirable in a progressive and growing economy?
In a slight digression, this blog was approached by a middle aged man with an Institute of Mental Health appointment card, asking for money to buy some breakfast. The first thought is what is a poor soul with an unstable mind doing in a public place asking the public for help? While the first, and indeed only, reaction was to ignore him and walk a little faster. When the government says that it is trying its best to help the poor are they referring to this same group of people that we see in the streets? While begging may be illegal in Singapore, the causes of poverty are still very much around, and this does not refer to the basker in Orchard Road, there are some truly needy people who are not getting aid, financial or in kind.
Of course there is always the counter argument that providing aid explicitly will encourage more people to join the dole line and serve as a disincentive to work and remain gainfully employed. But do we really want senior citizens, 70-80 years old to continue toiling on, washing dishes at the coffee shops or food courts because they have no children or because their children do not wish to care for them? While there is involuntary unemployment in the economy due to shifts in production schedules, this blog proposes that there is also involuntary employment in the case of these elderly individuals. These are people who have worked entire life in Singapore, helping the country grow into the metropolis today. Is it right to turn our back to them now and say that they got to work because they are able to? This blog believes that that is a heartless and uncompassionate viewpoint.
Action must be taken to improve the situation. And this blog believes that a partial welfare system, at least for the aged, is very important for a peace of mind and body. This system can be pegged to a percentage savings as well as percentage pass taxes paid, which is Singapore refer largely to past wages earned. It can be proportionately inverse, such that the more savings, the less benefits. Of course there are counter arguments asserting that such a system is very open to abuses and promotes a spend thrift culture to lower saving to increase the benefits gained. This blog will however note that this is not a fixed system and will be in place mainly to help the needy without CPF, which is the large proportion of the elderly now. In a decade, the current batch of workers will retire and will be able to tap into a ready and steady source CPF earnings. Governmental aid over and above the CPF will enhance the system.
Of course this is just speculation and does not constitute any form of serious policy changes, but it is clear that the status quo is insufficient to ensure an equitable standard of living for the lower quartile of income earners, particularly the aged and the infirm.
12:10 AM
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
| Your Five Factor Personality Profile |
 Extroversion: You have medium extroversion. You're not the life of the party, but you do show up for the party. Sometimes you are full of energy and open to new social experiences. But you also need to hibernate and enjoy your "down time." Conscientiousness: You have medium conscientiousness. You're generally good at balancing work and play. When you need to buckle down, you can usually get tasks done. But you've been known to goof off when you know you can get away with it. Agreeableness: You have low agreeableness. Your self interest comes first, and others come later, if at all. In general, you feel that people are not to be trusted. And you're skeptical that anyone else really feels differently. Neuroticism: You have high neuroticism. It's easy for you to feel shaken, worried, or depressed. You often worry, and your worries prevent you from living life fully. You tend to be emotionally reactive and moody. Your either flying very high or feeling very low. Openness to experience: Your openness to new experiences is high. In life, you tend to be an early adopter of all new things and ideas. You'll try almost anything interesting, and you're constantly pushing your own limits. A great connoisseir of art and beauty, you can find the positive side of almost anything. |
This conclusively proves that this blog is insane or mad or otherwise mentally instable. What else can high neuroticism mean? Googling reveals that high neuroticism was related to all disorders, except dysthymia... Whatever that means.
9:50 PM
Monday, May 15, 2006
France is deciding whether to ban handphones from classrooms and several Singaporeans seem to believe that all forms of restrictions is good and thus Singapore's MOE should follow suit.
This blog is dismayed by the audacious and very naive notion that banning handphones will prevent the filming of 'Happy Slapping' a form of home-made gotcha, where an unsuspecting victim is attacked and the incident is recorded with the handphone. What will banning of the handphones in class archive? If the aim is to reduce such attacks, the obvious course of actions is not the banning of handphones but the disciplinary control of the students. Education of why such behavior is wrong is much more effective than a blanket ban of handphones.
Of course there are other arguments against handphones in schools, including encouragement of theft, or peer pressure to buy the latest and the best phones, but this must be weighed against the convenience of having a phone and being able to be readily contactable. Students in schools today are social animals in an environment where communication is very important. Handphones facilitates these student to student interactions. Over and above that, handphone also help parents keep track of the whereabout of childrens who have an increasingly flexible schedule.
The most important and this blog asserts is the only period of time when handphone will severely and adversely affect the schooling experiance is during tests and exams. However, there are already provisions to ensure that cheating during exams are minimized. As such this blog asserts that the status quo is more than sufficient in terms of restrictions to handphones in schools.
7:54 PM
Sunday, May 14, 2006
This blog is mostly in reference to Gundam Seed and is probably long overdue, considering the fact that the Gundam Seed series ended on September 27 2003, but this blog believes in the adage that its better late than never.
Clotho Buer: What's the deal with you two anyway?! Why are you fighting so desperately?!
Athrun: I want to ask you the same thing. What do you guys think you're fighting for?!
Clotho Buer: Don't ask me, I don't really know. I hate losing, that's my only reason!
In so many ways, the actions of Clotho Buer and crew reflect the actions and motivation of people. To broaden the perspective of the argument beyond the immediate relationship to the anime series, this can be applied to so many aspects of life and society. Running round and around in an endless rat race of life, so many forget what life is about. We fight tooth and nail for survival, but forget what we are living for.
So what exactly are we living for? The most simplistic and indeed most powerful answer is that we are living to die. Depending on what we achieve in the 70 or so years between birth and death, we may end up in heaven or hell. This is an extremely potent mix of intoxicating notions, that we can determine eternity with present actions. Witness the Jihadist and suicide bombers. Clearly this notion of life is not a very accurate picture to paint.
The utilitarian view is that we should live to enjoy ourselves. Put in a different manner, we will try to maximize our happiness. However, the means with which we are trying to increase the total happiness in society is questionable. According to a BBC survey, the GDP per capita in the UK has increased 3 times since the 50's, while the level of happiness is effectively constant. Does this imply that more money is not necessarily better? Should the aim of the government then be to look into the welfare of her people, as opposed to the senseless and mindless pursuit of more and more wealth? Of course this argument do not apply to the poorest of nations, but in countries like Singapore, which are developed and already enjoying high GDP, will the best progress path be the same as the Industrialized countries? Or is it better to trade slower growth for a better standard of living?
In a parallel sense, Lacus Clyne asks several pertinent but rhetorical questions: Possibly humans can exist without actually having to fight. But, many of us have chosen to fight. For what reason? To protect something? Protect what? Ourselves? The future? If we kill people to protect ourselves and this future then what sort of future is it and what will we have become? There is no future for those who have died. And what of those who did the killing? Is happiness to be found in a future that is grasped with blood stained hands?
This blog cannot provide the answers to most of the questions raised. Is happiness and growth compatible? Is fighting to protect an oxymoron? What are we really doing in this small outpost of a blue planet in a remote part of the Milky Way? Perhaps someday, someone can provide some answers.
As an end-note, this blog found Gundam Seed highly entertaining and interesting although at times improbable with its odd looking humanoid robots. While critics will suggest that there are better shows out there, you can do much worse than Gundam Seed.
1:48 AM
Sunday, May 07, 2006
Well done WP and all other opposition parties. While the absolute figures stays the same, the percentages tell a very different story. Of course the GRCs are never in doubt, but the fact that the incumbents only garnered 55% in Aljunied seem to suggest possibility that given more time and better quality, the opposition may indeed be able to unseat the PAP in the huge GRCs.
That said and done this blog believes that its very true when Chiam said that its not the parties that won, but the people of Singapore. As everyone knows, monopolies causes inefficiencies and thus this will apply in politics as well. By giving a distinctly mixed result, the citizens of Singapore are effectively voicing the view that the PAP cannot operate as a law unto itself. While this is still far from a perfectly competitive environment, it is still very much an improvement from the status quo.
But then the issue of the capability and ability of the opposition is still very much in doubt. This blog cannot envision any of the current opposition parties being able to form a government that is able to govern and help Singapore progress. While the incumbents may be the devil at times, the opposition makes the alternative the deep blue sea. There is still a long way to go in the grooming and development of a credible opposition. It is also very superficial of the opposition to claim that the PAP practices gutter politics, when the PAP has a proven track record, while the opposition has yet to show any muscle in parliament or any concrete policy to improve the lot of the people. A starting point maybe the elaboration of a policy package that is distinctly and dramatically different from the PAP's model. Piece-meal packages that is based on the status quo will not go very much further in aiding the opposition cause.
All in all this is an interesting election, one that this blog suspect did not give the PAP the 'huge' mandate that they were gunning for, while at the same time not conceding anything to the opposition. But far from a lose-lose situation, this blog asserts that the juxtaposition of loses on both sides will spur and motivate both ends of the spectrum for the betterment of Singapore.
(Apparently this blog is able to find some happiness in the gloom surrounding the politics of the nation!)
3:52 AM
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Let us ask an interesting question. Why must we vote?
In the first place you voting do not necessarily mean that the candidate that you choose will be your representative in parliament. There are hundreds of thousands of other voters just like you that all prefer an individual. The aggregate may or may not coincide with your personal choice, so in effect, the power of the vote is power for the masses not the individual. More interesting is the question whether will your vote really count? Even in the closest of elections, witness the Potong Pasir count last time around, will have differences in the hundreds. So how will the result change with or without the your vote?
Of course, there will be detractors who propose that if everyone believes that voting is irrelevant then no one will vote and then the whole affair will be a farce. But the probability of no one voting at all is zero. Just as air molecule have a possibility of having zero velocity, but the root mean square of any sample of air molecule must be much larger than zero, in the same way, the assertion that no one will vote is quite impossible. Even when there is a low voter turnout, it is quite absurd to suggest that a single vote will determine the winner. There will still be a margin and the question of how my vote will affect the margin is the crucial question. Unfortunately, since the margin is more than one, my vote do not seem to matter.
On another note, it will be interesting to add a non-vote in the election, similar to the recent elections in Thailand. To see if the PAP and the opposition can fight off the null choice is interesting. Of course this has happened before, in the '60s and '70s, where the non-vote is tearing up your ballot paper, but a official non-vote is a means of legitimizing the whole affair. The PAP wants a mandate? Then perhaps they should put themselves up against the null vote and see if 'nothing' is better then the status quo. At any rate, it will help to differentiate whether are Singaporeans really contented with the government, where they will vote the PAP; or are Singaporeans disillusioned by the opposition, where the null vote serves as a vote of no-confidence to the PAP while saying that the opposition is not good enough.
(Incidentally, either way, your vote still don't matter, its power for the masses, so if you want your individual rights go support for other political systems.)
10:57 PM
