Potassium Permanganate

2006-08-19T01:07:00.000+08:00

The Iranian issue is interesting, but this blog believes that at least some of the debate is missing the big picture. Let’s review the facts, Iran is a net oil producer with some of the largest reserves of oil in the world, Iran needs nuclear fuel to ramp up its energy sector. Assuming at least some of the nuclear energy is really needed for energy, are we thus facing the situation of Iran running low on oil? Does it therefore strike anyone that the much discussed oil crisis maybe much closer than expected?

There have been assertions flying around for quite some time already that oil from the ground is finite; the crux of the debate is really how long can the black stuff last. On one hand we have the OPEC members who believe that oil can last at least till the next century. Indeed proven oil reserves in OPEC nations do suggest that given current production and consumption, we could probably outlive the supply of oil and let our children deal with the shortage. However, the reality is as always not that straight forward. Most fields are rate and pressure sensitive, which in effect means the more we pump out today, the less we can get out eventually. Which makes proven reserves an inaccurate measure of eventual production. This leaves us with a slippery definition of oil reserves and an erroneous judgment of the amount of time we have before our reliance on oil must shift.

It is true that man will eventually find a method of substituting oil, and current to some countries, going nuclear seems attractive. There is the advert of fuel cells and ionic cells, but the scale of these have been relatively small. It is almost as if no one sees any urgency at all, which is not all that surprising. We have made mistakes in judgment, as individuals and as a collective whole, but this quite different from all the other mistakes that we have been making. After all, first we can foresee the direction of the whole situation and second, we do have some alternatives on the table already. We can and indeed we must stop this slide to implosion, and by the way, if EDB can get a monopoly on the alternatives energy market, this blog asserts Singapore will be in good stead for the next few decades.

2006-08-10T02:50:00.000+08:00

海天寥廓云树苍笼中有我华中
礼门义路时雨春风吾侪托帡幪
猗与华中南方之强我中华之光
雄立狮岛式是炎荒万世其无疆
人生茫茫学海洋洋吾侪当自强
朝乾夕惕日就月将莫负好时光
猗与华中南方之强我中华之光
雄立狮岛式是炎荒万世其无疆
迨予庶士笃实辉光斐然已成章
膂力方刚经营四方前途浩且长
猗与华中南方之强我中华之光
雄立狮岛式是炎荒万世其无疆

2006-08-10T02:15:00.000+08:00

In so many ways the urgency and complexity of the Middle East issue today belies the fact that in essence, the entire situation is caused by a lack of communication between the Israeli and Arab fractions. If not for the severity of the situation, and the potential for escalation into a regional conflict, the whole fiasco seems to be comical. Which country will stand back and allow its troops to be kidnapped on its own soil and not be expected to retaliate. Which country will allow long range rockets to strike its largest cities and not at least attempt to take out the enemy. These are the questions that Lebanon should be asking when they suggest that Israel take the blame for everything.

On the flip side, the Israelis are not doing themselves any favors by attacking areas that are perceived to be civilian areas. Daily reports of children dying do not make for an especially strong case for the continued use of force to control the Hezbollah. It is difficult to claim that every civilian building that is destroy, accidentally or otherwise contain terror suspects, and the stance that the Hezbollah is using human shields simply do not have any evidence to support it.

Over and over we see that the root of the problem is neither the Israeli nor the Lebanese government. Instead, the purported terror groups that are sheltered by Lebanon seem to be causing all the trouble. Just a year ago, the road map seems to be on schedule to a smooth completion, with Israeli unilateral withdrawal from the West Bank, and promises of a crease fire discussed. But the situation has just gone down hill from there. It will be disingenuous to suggest that Israel is not committed to peace, just as it is impossible to suggest that the Arabs are deliberately stomping on Israel’s toes. Quick fixes are always present, simply stop the fighting and let the UN come in. But this blog asserts that the US is not pushing for this is precisely because a quick fix is really just that, a short term solution to a very protracted problem. It will help if both sides are willing to come to the negotiating table, but that possibility seems to be at best remote. Discussions is the key to resolution in this particular instance more than ever, and unfortunately there is no power in the world that can strong arm both sides to do just that. The US will not want to antagonize its long term allies, nor will it want to rock the Arab boat given the shortage of oil today.

There are solutions, but none are easy. So perhaps it will help to come back to diplomacy, in the meantime it will help if the missiles are not fired into Haifa.

2006-07-05T00:23:00.000+08:00

Wonder how many of you read the 'World Cup and Economics' article by Goldman Sachs. While providing some insights into the effects of the World Cup on economy, this blog believes that its most interesting claim is the vice versa, that the level of soccer is correlative to the state of the economy.

However, of interest in this blog is the probabilities given by Goldman Sachs on the winning team. Focusing our attention on the semi-finalists, we have,

Germany 5.5%
France 8.3%
Italy 5.3%
Portugal 5.8%

Which corrects to,

Germany 22.1%
France 33.3%
Italy 21.3%
Portugal 23.2%

As we are ignoring the other nations that failed to qualify. This suggests that France will have a strong chance of qualifying, which is not far off the mark considering that they did face the stern test of Brazil. The relatively similar weightings of the other nations belie the fact that Germany is on home ground and Portugal is a relative new comer at this stage.

Of course, like all probabilities, these figures are affected by uncertainties. This is clearly the case when in the 2002 reports, Brazil was left out in the predictions for teams that will reach the semi finals, only the win the cup. This time, the teams chosen for the final four are Brazil, Germany, England and Italy. Which is really only 50% correct. However, this is a World Cup where historical precedence is still a compelling factor. England lost on penalties, Spain lost to France again, and the Scolari curse is still there.

Thus, in conclusion, perhaps its better to extrapolate the past and hope that it works out for the team that you like. Which is precisely why the match between Germany and Italy is so interesting, either the precedence of Germany not losing at Dortmund or Italy unbeaten run against Germany must go.

2006-07-02T02:19:00.000+08:00

Why is it that youth teams consist of so many players that are born in the same months? Apparently, there is a very interesting answer to this question provided by Steve Levitt (Freakonomics). When the season starts there is a deadline to submission of player names. Apparently coaches are far more inclined to choose player that are say, 12.9 years of age as compared to 12.1 years. This inadvertently results in players born in certain months to be more likely to be chosen.

Here is the interesting bit, the additional amount of time that the players that are choosen has, about 11 or so months, is sufficient for them to be able to play far better than their counterparts who do not have the benefit of time. This leads to the conclusion that football like everything else is 1 part talent, 9 parts hard, tough work. This is a self reinforcing cycle, 11 months give you a headstart, join the youth team, with more specialized training and perhaps in 5, 6 years, you will become Zizou or Ronaldo or Beckham.

Of course this is a horrible simplification of reality, and to some extent trivializes the ability of best players in the world. But we should all take heart that hard work at the start, can lead you on a road that you never hoped to dream about.

Till then, enjoy the World Cup. (This blog is hoping that Germany will win. Screw off Brazil.)

2006-06-25T21:36:00.000+08:00

BroadcastAsia is surprisingly informative, but sadly flat on new ideas. While there was certainly an exchange of information, this blog believes that most of these presentations are in fact rather stale and rehashed, far from the dramatic revolution that it heralded. Poignantly, one of the most prescient observations was that Singapore’s broadcasters are national broadcasters, they are hampered by the legacy of traditional trade, while at the same time burdened by the bottom-line. The juxtaposition of these two characteristics seems to combine the weakness of both a free media industry and a government funded industry.

Singapore media may not be the worst in the world, but it is still a long way from the best. Its Chinese channels of 8 and U simply cannot match up to the programs offered by China and specifically Hong Kong. The shows are increasingly drab and the flagship productions by Jack Neo and crew and becoming literally a very bad joke. The Channel 5 productions do not fare much better either. CNA is supposedly a regional best, but the series of informative programs offered by it belie its ranking. Since this blogger is a Chinese, this blog shall not comment on the Suria and Vasantham Central channels. The latter also airs Arts Central which is relatively interesting, due mainly to the lack of locally produced shows on that channel. Kids Central seems to the only exception (Gundam Seed!).

This unfortunate state of affairs is sadly mirrored in the Singapore movie industry. With little more than Raintree Productions to show for all its efforts, the Media Development Authority (MDA) seems increasingly to be running on an empty tank. While there is loud trumpeting on the millions that are being spent to bring the media industry to the next level, this blog believes that perhaps, the money is actually detrimental to the film in the end. This is due to several reasons, including but not limited to,

First, the money provided is normally not enough to film the entire movie. Thus the efforts of the production crew will include crevassing for funds. Even if we argue that this will not impede the development of the movie, the quality of the show may in fact be negatively affected by the need to use cheaper production methods, which may not produce the most desirable outcome.

Second, the MDA with its grants may crowd out investment from private investors. This is especially important when unproven directors start out with their first productions. Why should private investors want to aide these directors and at the same time compete with the MDA for a slice of a very small pie?

Third, productions are not only about money. Equally important are the creativity and script writing aspects. Given the bounds of government censor and societal paradigms in Singapore, there really is not much space to push the limits.

On the whole it is heartening to see that Singapore broadcasting today is not longer limited by the hardware aspects. If anything at all, the infrastructure is mostly present. The biggest problem is finding a balanced policy of competition and funding that is sustainable and able to reach a wide audience. Unfortunately, these are precisely the problems that are not tackled by BroadcastAsia.

2006-06-23T02:32:00.000+08:00

This blog wonders where has all the opposition parties in Singapore disappeared to. Barely two months has passed since the elections, and apparently all the hype about the opposition working the grounds seems to have vanished.

If for no other reason, everything seems to have gone downhill since the elections in May. Boisterous predictions of the STI climbing another 10% have instead seen the index plummet more than that amount in the opposite direction. The job market is tightening again, as the government attempts to curb inflationary pressures on the economy. And as always, the education system has gone through another round of change.

Where is the opposition? Unless this blog is quite mistaken, Singapore is still a democracy where the powers of the legislature, executive and judiciary still hold. So where are the debates on the present state of the economy? Where are there dialogues on how the education system should be run? Here, clearly the true caliber of the opposition is exposed. Unfortunately the picture is not a pretty one. The opposition has put itself in a tight corner, purposely drawing the battle lines such that the field is narrow and sadly becomes a mockery of the whole idea of an alternative voice in parliament. In fact, the situation has deteriorated to such an extent that the average blogger has more complaints about the government and is far more eloquent than the average opposition member.

We have all heard the reasons for why the PAP cannot be a single party government, just as we have all understood why the strength of a single party is better than a government that is splintered and fractions. But increasingly, the feeling of ineptness on the part of the opposition makes for a convincing argument on why the PAP must continue to rule. It is no longer about choice, because simply, the choice is better the devil and the deep blue sea. This do not make the PAP anymore capable or anymore competent, it just means that by default, Singapore has no alternative to the voice of the PAP. This blog has argued before that the PAP cannot rule as a single party because simply there must be more check and balances, more ideas from different facets of society, more input from the grassroots, but these argumentation are based on the assumption of at least a plausible opposition. This opposition is today non-existent.

A start will be to question. Not on when the lifts will be upgraded or other superficial issue. Ask the real questions, at the right stage at the right time. This blog believes that grooming of the next generation of opposition politicians cannot occur until that happens. And for heaven's sake being a Chinese-ed do not exempt you from speaking good English.

2006-06-19T22:31:00.000+08:00

http://www.youtube.com/results?search=hard+gay+english&search_type=search_videos

An introduction from Weiliat. This blog remembers reading sometime about it in the papers sometime ago. Seriously disturbing and yet highly entertaining. Kudos to the translator, but the fact is that in a nation like Japan, where everything is so prim and proper, any deviance from the norm gains popularity until t becomes the norm. Witness the 'cute' fever that is sweeping the country now.

Anyway, do enjoy the laughter at the expense of gays. They are actors by the way.

2006-06-07T01:30:00.000+08:00

2006-06-05T23:57:00.000+08:00

Myanmar, 'Land of Pagodas', 'The Golden Land', is really a nation torn apart by years of misgovernment by the military junta and is marked by a gradual but steady free-fall into a dismal state of affairs. Again and again, stark reminders of the lack of provision of basic amenities can be witnessed all over the city of Yangon. From colonial buildings that have been destroyed in World War II to the daily power cuts, from the limited portable water to the inadequate water drainage facilities, all showcasing the ineffectiveness of the government and the sad decay of a great nation.

However, this does not translate into a nation that is unhappy. The people may lead a difficult life, having to cope with a rampant inflation with declining wages, and a government that is incompetent and corrupt, but ultimately, they do try to make do and are generally far more cheerful than the average Singaporean. This begets the question of why.

The first and most superficial justification is that these people are poor, uneducated and are unable to pull themselves out of the poverty cycle. In essence, they have grown to accept, and in the process found some happiness in the situation. This blog asserts that this is a far too simplistic generalization. To classify everyone under one category and arguing that they are unable to better their lot is not representative of reality. Quite on the contrary, Myanmar has a people that is yearning to progress, the schools are packed with students, although the government has only allocated two percent of GDP in to education, while relocating universities to the outskirts to deter further education. These people are determined to improve, and in a strange twist, it is the government that is pulling them back, holding the whole nation hostage so it can remain in power.

Perhaps a more plausible argument is that Myanmese, is far more tolerant and generally more joyful because of a mixture of culture, circumstance and religion. In a nation where Buddhism is by far and away the most prominent religion, it seems this nation of fifty million follows the precepts of Buddhism as far as possible. Every morning each household cooks for seventy, not to be eaten, but to donate to monks going door to door begging for alms. Everyone tries to make it a point to attend mediation centers or even being a monk for a week or two. Temples and pagodas scattered all over the nation serves as constant reminders to keep your behavior in check. While it will be difficult to compare with Singapore, and senseless to assert that Singapore is an antithetic society, clearly, the serenity of the place of worship has some calming effect on the body and mind.

While Myanmar maybe one of the least developed countries in the world, it is still the proud builders of the Shwedagon Pagoda. A massive sixty tons of solid gold, it is really quite inconceivable that a nation that does not have enough power for residential use can build such a colossal monument. Perhaps, the will of the Myanmese people is manifested in this Pagoda, and testament to better days ahead.

2006-06-01T22:39:00.000+08:00

This blog wonders what is the potential of the ClustrMap system that is there in the left margin of the blog. A very useful application of the system is to survey how many people from how many countries have access to the internet and thus realize how many people are well-off enough to own computers that havw access to the internet.

A simple manner to conduct this survey is by subscribing a ClustrMap for a popular search engine, say google. Since there is a high probablity for an internet user to use the search engine to find information on the internet, a ClustrMap will thus be able to simply identify the number of people from each region by size of circle.

However, there are numerous limitations to this approach. The first and most important is the limitations of ClustrMap itself. The program may not be able keep track of the large amount of persons streaming into google, leading to a problem of breakdown of the system. Assuming this technical problem can be fixed, there are other intrinsic problems as well. First is there will be under-reporting in non-english speaking countries, especially China and Japan, who have native search engines and will not rely on google. In addition, it is not unforeseeable that severval different persons maybe sharing the same computer, leading to a under-reporting in the number of IPs, and thus number of users.

The most interesting question however, is what is the use of this survey. Will there be any use of such a survey? This perhaps can be seen as an alternative to government census where such census is not available or cannot be trusted. However, it is a very roundabout manner of getting information, considering that as of now the internet is not considered an essential good. Perhaps one day, the census will consist of some sort of electronic survey, such as the one discribed above, which is much cheaper than current surveys.

2006-05-30T00:51:00.000+08:00

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.

2006-05-29T13:14:00.000+08:00

2006-05-28T23:36:00.000+08:00

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.

2006-05-22T21:12:00.000+08:00

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.

2006-05-22T00:28:00.000+08:00

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.

2006-05-21T01:18:00.000+08:00

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.

2006-05-17T00:10:00.000+08:00

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.

2006-05-16T21:50:00.000+08:00

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.

The Five Factor Personality Test

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.

2006-05-15T19:54:00.000+08:00

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.

2006-05-14T01:48:00.000+08:00

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.

2006-05-07T03:52:00.000+08:00

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!)

2006-05-03T22:57:00.000+08:00

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.)

2006-04-30T17:26:00.000+08:00

2006-04-30T16:59:00.000+08:00

This blog observes with interest how prescient Malcolm Gladwell's arguments are. Every so often, people simply follow what someone else is doing because they are too indifferent, ignorant or simply lazy to decide to do what they really want or believe in. Witness the obsession with 'feng shui' and its geomancy counterparts. It seems weird that you need a complete stranger to advise you on how to decorate your house and improve your well-being. But then, at times feng shui provides a peace of mind that we are on the right path and the future is can be better and promises of a better life.

On a separate note, the elections are quickly becoming a farce, nothing less and sadly nothing more. A first world opposition that asks where are the life upgrading once every five years is will not give this blog confidence to vote them instead of the incumbents. Where are the important questions? NKF is becoming a side-show, while discussions about security and foreign policy are practically non-existent. Power for the sake of power is what the opposition is fighting for, not a good motive to fight for office. What are the policies from the opposition? Nulling present policies is a possible choice, but in the end do not prove to be coherent as a policy package and ineffective in the governance of this country. The incessant broadcasts of ugly faces shouting horrible English on muddy fields is more entertainment than serious debate on national issues. On this count, this blog will depart from its usual stand against the PAP and will chide the opposition in its lack of ability.

On a final note, http://www.presidentgeorgebush.blogspot.com/ is a exceedingly funny blog.

2006-04-21T02:57:00.000+08:00

This blog is slightly disturbed by the news coverage of the Tammy incident and the odd case of a JC student jumping to his death. While both are disparate issues and should not be mentioned in the same sentence, the fact is that the media coverage of both incidents are unforgiving and frankly insensitive. Both issues are really personal matter that invited the attention of the media which then exploited and effective blew the whole issue out of proportion.

While it maybe understandable that the newspapers devote some articles to tabloid style articles that pander to the reader interests, to give something as personal as the lost of a phone as much coverage as it received is simply uncouth. Indeed, while there is legal protection for minors, and other legal rights to ensure privacy, apparently Tammy is not entitled to it, as everyone is trying to get a view of her private affairs on the internet. There can be no justification for the revealing of all the lucid details in the papers. For no fault of hers, she will now have to live with this scar for the rest of her life, not withstanding the negative effects on her studies, and beyond that her career.

The case of the JC student who committed suicide is also an unfortunate circumstance that filled a full half page, with a title that is completely derogatory and insulting. Perhaps a question that the editors should ask is how will be parents and family feel? The lost a precious son and followed by a full spread in the newspapers. Perhaps more importance than anything else, the media must realize that its bottomline is neither profits, nor printing what people want to read. It should be about what people should read. Perhaps it will be a better policy to treat such cases with more respect.

2006-04-18T00:29:00.000+08:00

The topic of the election and whether the opposition is capable or otherwise is here to haunt Singapore again. While this blog has posted several articles on the political system of Singapore (or rather the lack of one), this particular post will attempt to critique opposition in Singapore, analyzing the need for one and the ineffectiveness of the opposition.

Is there is a need for oppositions in Singapore? In a governmental context, the use of an opposition is for a check and balance in the governance of a country. Just as a clockwise and an anti-clockwise moment can bring about equilibrium in a dynamic motion, thus a ruling party and an opposition can aide in bringing a country to its equilibrium. Take the various policies that the ruling party has produced. It reeks of a tendency to pander to the big employing firms, at the expense of the workers and citizens. How many countries can claim to be able to reduce the wages of the entire nation without so much as a protest or demonstration? Well this in itself may not be totally detrimental; the question is how far the ruling party will squeeze the lemon. And to ask the question, we need an opposition in the parliament. Because while we can write into the forum pages and we can go to the Speakers Corner, such questions simply will not be answered effectively unless asked at the right places at the right time.

The justification for an opposition not however, entail that the ruling party will automatically adjust for a opposition candidates to enter into parliament. In this weird pseudo democracy that we live in, there are people who are fortunate enough to live their whole lives without needing to be responsible for the next government and the leadership of the nation. The number of walkovers is simply astounding and the whole idea of elections warped and deformed. On one hand the ruling party wants creative, entrepreneurial Singaporeans, but on the other, we have no right to speak up and when we do, we are told that we cannot for the good of the nation. This is all tinged with a lot of double talk and sadly, there is nothing we can do about it.

Proactive or otherwise, its not that everyone is satisfied. We have just learnt to live with what we have. In a nation that is supposed to have a low inflation level, the cost of education is raising very quickly. How will a University Cultural Centre that have of no apparent educational value help in teaching the next batch of undergraduates? On the same note, how will advertising improve the education standards of the university? The deadweight lost of such project will eventually be borne by a graduating population that will enter the workforce in debt and work for half a decade before being able to pay of the debt. And this is but a same minority of the population. In a nation that is trying to move towards high-end services and technology, Singapore is still strangely trying to retrain experienced middle age workers to clean hotel rooms and sweep the floor. Where is the technological advances that is supposed to allow us to work from home and make a million a year?

Such questions remain unanswered. There maybe an answer, but the real reason why there is no reply is the fact that there is no opposition to ask such questions. But then maybe that is still not the real issue. If we need to have housing quotas and GRCs to ensure that we are cohesive as a nation, then maybe its really asking too much for the people to form even one opposition party that can ask these questions.

2006-04-10T23:47:00.000+08:00

In this month of Qing Ming, let use reflect on this fundamental question. 'Why should we remember the dead and departed members of our family, friends and loved ones?' As far as this blog is informed, there is no other complex mammal that has this practice of funerals and remembrance years after the death of a relative. Of course this blog will not suggest nor insinuate that such a practice is incorrect or otherwise unimportant. Quite on the contrary, this blog believes that such practices are not only of the utmost importance and respect and reveres these practice, but for a different reason relative to what is normally argued.

A common notion about the dead is that by remembering them it helps to relieve their suffering, by giving them a great funeral, it ensure eternal bliss. This is of course plausible, but in reality, much of such practices are not for the dead but for the living. The son who see that his father is buried in a grand tomb that is taken care of year after year hope that his son will reciprocate and follow in his footsteps. It relieves some of the sadness and guilt that will inevitably pile up over the long years of life.

This blog however asserts that a more important aspect of remembering the depart is to enforce a form of 'soft' check on society. This is basically the same result why we must be filial to our parents, respect our teachers, and serve the community. It gives us a reason to live and do good. Because then we will do our parents, teachers and communities proud. In the same way, remembering our ancestors will push us to do good, acting as a check to prevent the fabric of society from falling apart. As compared to the 'hard' check of the judicial system, this blog asserts that the soft check has as much influence on the society as the police and the courts of law. Albeit this is a difficult link to make since it is not easily measured, and cannot be practically tested, however, it seems logical to assume that such a check exist, since it is not possible for the law enforcement agencies to be present all the time at all the places when there is possible crime.

In sum, this blog applauds the wisdom of the elders. While Qing Ming may put the souls of the departed at ease, of far more importance is the lifes of the living that will be changed by this simple ritual.

2006-04-09T01:00:00.000+08:00

It really seems surreal, the feeling of closure, of ending another chapter of my life, just like that. Of course this blog is reflecting on the fact that next Tuesday is ORD. When many will celebrate, some will feel lost, one thing that many will not feel is indifference. But then this blog seems to be an exception. Nothing has changed, or has it? Two year in the order of things is but a drop in an ocean, a fiftieth of your life if u live to a hundred, roughly the time that one will spend in a JC. After all the hate, the anger, the sadness, the doubts, the tears, the blood, the sweat, what has changed?

It will be greatly disingenuous if this blog were to suggest that the years spent at a camp in a remote corner of a remote island at a remote part of the world is completely useless and valueless. However, the fact is that it is difficult to find the patriotism and the motivation to forgo precious weekends to walk around in camp, or to believe that we are protecting the nation by carrying overweight handphones around. Of course, these are experiences that are really once in a life-time, but some will argue that these are also experiences that we can do without.

Whatever the conclusion on the whether NS is really beneficial, it is always important to remember to keep the whole argument in perspective. The whole issue is not a matter of choice nor decision on our part. It was with alot of intimidation and strong arming that we are all serving NS, and we are all leaving, just like that, with out so much as a blip in the general order of things. Thus, indifferance is the eventual feeling that this blog feels. Which is sad, considering the enormous amount of money that is spent on the defense budget.

2006-03-28T04:46:00.000+08:00

Its seems interesting that the PAP these days needs to have the old guard go around 'helping' to dish out the freebies. While this blog has not made much effort to follow every story coming out of the rumor mill, it seems absurd that the PAP will want to try to win an opposition sit and then remove the whip on the guy who wins. The question therefore becomes has the election become such a farce that the government or the PAP (there really is no difference anymore) must play up the small single sit constituencies so as to downplay the lack of competition in the other 95% of Singapore.

Of course the argument can be made that the PAP has a birth-right to a absolute majority in the government, given the exponential and nearly continuous growth of the pass 4 decades or so. Indeed, it is difficult envisioning the oppposition even remotely mimicking this track record, far less surpass it. However, we have come to a cross-road where the linear extrapolation of pass successes will not ensure steady growth in the future. The government is seemingly increasingly indecisive and unsure about its policies. From foreign trade (Shin-Corp), to media industry (Channel i), to education (just ask any secondary school kid), the common link is the failure of the government to live up to its expectations. The Singapore government is increasingly looking short on ideas to push the nation into the 21st century.

While her next generation ministers are vying to fill up the bastions left behind by the retreating old guards, its not surprising to see at least some mistakes in public policy. But this cannot be forgiven nor forgotten, and not least when committed by this arrogant party that believes a member of itself can be a check and balance against all the odd, the illogical and the impactical policies that go through parliament.

But do this blog expect to see any promise in this General Election? Sadly no. Until we learn the names of the opposition MPs, this government is here to stay and rule over the stupid people of Singapore.

2006-02-20T00:20:00.000+08:00

http://kevan.org/johari?name=Hydrochloric

do visit if u all are free or something. if not its perfectly fine as well.

2006-02-19T23:35:00.000+08:00

Just watched the Arts Central show Samsara. In a nutshell its about a Tibetan monk (Tashi) who cannot decide if its better to remain at a monastery practicing Buddhism in a vacuum or to leave and live the world as it is. Of course he leaves in the end, falls in love, have a child and only to realize that he wants to return to the monastery, and thus life comes a full circle, except he now has to leave behind his wife and children.

This blog believes that the most telling aspect of the show is not the Buddhism part, but rather the application of Buddhism to reality. It always seems easy to forget about the complexities of life when discussing religion. Tashi's reason for leaving is that he cannot possibly know how to how to practice the Buddhism if he do not know what is on the ther side of the wall, ie how to live and enjoy life. Afterall, you need to have something to renouce in the first place.

But towards the end, the question changed in tone and form into whether is it better to satisfy one's infinite desires under the guise of attempting to understand the world as compared to conquering and mastering just one of them? Truth is i think i will never know. The show itself side-steps this question with another question, 'How do you ensure that a drop of water never run dry?' (That is the exact translation.) The answer is deceptively simple, 'Throw it into the sea.' In a very Buddhist way of speaking that is true, detachment is always encouraged, however, that is in the vacuum of ideology. The point of the movie in the end is that religion is one thing that cannot be followed blindly and without application to life. While it maybe all well and fine to say that if I do this and this, I will get that and that - we must still realize that religion is nothing if we do not keep in touch with reality and the vice visa is never true.

2006-02-04T23:25:00.000+08:00

Remember always that you are just a visitor here, a traveler passing through. your stay is but short and the moment of your departure unknown.

None can live without toil and a craft that provides your needs is a blessing indeed. But if you toil without rest, fatigue and wearness will overtake you, and you will denied the joy that comes from labour's end.

Speak quietly and kindly and be not forward with either opinions or advice. If you talk much, this will make you deaf to what others say, and you should know that there are few so wise that they cannot learn from others.

Be near when help is needed, but far when praise and thanks are being offered.
Take small account of might, wealth and fame, for they soon pass and are forgotten. Instead, nurture love within you and and strive to be a friend to all. Truly, compassion is a balm for many wounds.

Treasure silence when you find it, and while being mindful of your duties, set time aside, to be alone with yourself.

Cast off pretense and self-deception and see yourself as you really are.

Despite all appearances, no one is really evil. They are led astray by ignorance. If you ponder this truth always you will offer more light, rather then blame and condemnation.

You, no less than all beings have Buddha Nature within. Your essential Mind is pure. Therefore, when defilements cause you to stumble and fall, let not remose nor dark foreboding cast you down. Be of good cheer and with this understanding, summon strength and walk on.

Faith is like a lamp and wisdom makes the flame burn bright. Carry this lamp always and in good time the darkness will yield and you will abide in the Light.

2006-01-14T19:05:00.000+08:00

Realized i have not really blogged about the trip to China. Maybe next time.

2006-01-14T00:15:00.000+08:00

This blog wonders what do the rest of Singapore think about the whole 'Super" phenomena that is currently sweeping the island. It is this blog's opinion that the whole idea of a get famous and rich quick scheme is one of extreme foolishness and sadly one that is a reflection of Singaporean society today.

In a society which is obsessed with records and being the best in everything under the sun, the 'Super' culture seems to encapsulate this obsession and promises a fast-track to success. Of course nothing is that simple. A typical competition will involve at least a thousand contestants, who will be judged, ridiculed, applauded, and in the end dropped from the running. In a typical show, of the initial thousand perhaps only 20 will reach the final stage and get proper attention from the camera. Of this only one will win. One in a thousand, literally. And the saddest thing is so many believe that they can be the one, that they can do it.

While it can be argued that it is after only entertainment and should be seen only as that, a distraction from reality, for the thousands who take part in each competition it is very real indeed. Indeed, its reality by the masses for the masses, and when it come to the crunch, the biggest losers are the contestants who think they can throw everything down and have a shot and stardom and fall straight back down to earth. The blow to their confidence is immense and may affect their lives consciously or subconsciously. Singapore simply cannot afford for this to happen, to have 999 people doubt their capabilities every time there is a competition.

the fact of the matter is we need a system that is far more forgiving and far less competitive in nature. The dog eat dog world maybe reality at work but we do not need to emphasize it and put it on the tube for everyone to gloat about it. Unfortunately the sponsors and Mediacorp think its a very good profit making scheme and thus expect more Supers this coming season.

2006-01-13T23:40:00.000+08:00

$1,000,000,000 for the poor this year. This sounds may like a very sound government and fiscal policy on the surface. It generates good-will in the people, seeing that the government is making an attempt to better the lot of the poor, while at the same time re-distributing wealth and thus closing the rich-poor gap. At the same time since the marginal propensity to spend for lower income groups is higher, this will lead to greater spending on the part of the people, pushing the economy towards full employment, while a 20% of that amount will automatically be placed into Medisave, thus contributing to savings.

A perfect policy? Perhaps so, but only on a very superficial level. The main problem in Singapore today is no longer the very poor. Although their plight is a cause for concern, their size have been reduced considerably since the 1960-70s. The main problem today is a lack of jobs for the young professionals. Fresh out of university, many of today's graduates find it increasingly hard to find job, and of those that are employed, they are employed on a contractual basis that is open to review every 5-10 years. When this is meant to encourage efficiency, it pushes the limits of employees, hindering investments such as property and cars that will take commits up to 20 years to honor their debt. This is a problem that is very real and has not met with any response as yet from the government. When a generation is unable to be gainfully employed at the junior management level, it will mean that a bottleneck will form and no capable senior management to take over when the current generation retires.

Any simplistic answer to this problem is simply incorrect. The numerous replacement of the syllabus is testament to that. Without a radical shift away from the examination system of assessment, piecemeal renaming of courses and 10% allocation of project work is simply not enough. On the other hand, it is difficult for the MOE to teach creativity and life-skills to students. So its a tight-rope to walk between teaching the fundamentals and educating the students on the skills required. And education is not the only problem. Work-place environment, pay schemes, working hours, have all led to an increasingly competitive environment. To keep expecting more from the citizens is simply not the answer, neither is the constant reminder to work even harder to 'catch up' with the neighbors.

Of course this policy maybe a foundation for further improvement in the Singaporean society to motivate it work harder. However, the question is no longer whether Singaporeans are working hard, but rather how much harder can they work.

2006-01-11T14:07:00.000+08:00

This blog follow with interest the odd case of Korean scientist and his elaborate hoax. While this will undoubtedly affect the genetic research scene for a couple of years, Hwang Woo Suk's case do have a couple of lesson on the checks and balance that are currently the norm and what is lacking in them.

First, it is important to note that the scam is neither recent nor was the amount involved small by any rate. That no external auditing was called in until nearly 2 year into scam and even then its by a whistle-blower within the team is a real cause for concern. In a research area with as much implication in terms of ethics and in the field of medicine, that he can get away with as much as he did for as long as he did not only underlines the problems intrinsic with the governing bodies, it also highlights how a scientist word is taken without checking for the facts.

While there is no doubt Hwang will be dealt with justly, the problem will be the damage done to the genetic research. Of course it can be argued that the research is not severely hampered in the long run and that building on the experience this incident have given the industry, the probability of a recurrence is very much reduced. However, the damage is still done. In a field that is so close to our hearts (both figuratively and literally), it is of utmost importance that we trust the procedure and the technology. While this blog do not suggest that people will refuse treatment on account of this fraud, however, suspicions will still arise and may hamper future procedures.

In the end, this will all pass and there will be future advances with more checks in place to ensure that it based on facts and not a figment of imagination. However, from now till then, its another spanner in the works for research on embryos.

2006-01-08T01:03:00.000+08:00

A New Year, another 365 days have gone by and another 101 days to ORD. Long? Perhaps, but the worst is over (supposedly) and there should not be much to do(hopefully). I guess i should take a stock-take of all the nonsense this year and make a couple of resolutions for the next! So here...

Things Achieved in 2005

Jan
Walked with the CDOs
Did 100HRS servicing for the Broncos
Went for Bronco course

Feb
SOC!
Called Armour safety hotline
Walked with GFAC in 42 SAR ATEC

March
CDO ATEC in ROC

April
Officially took over PA

May-July
Crazy guard duty
Crazy PA

August
Went and Failed Bike Course
Amber Manning

September
Organized AHM

October
Packing for Wallaby
Commander CoC

November
Wallaby

December
SLACK!!

Now for the resolutions...

1) Pass LSE Exams
2) Do well in NUS, hopefully can keep USP
3) Learn driving if time permits
4) Get into some shape (except round)
5) Be cheerful, more often than now

Simple goals, lofty targets.
Wishing everyone and everything Good Luck in this 2006.

2005-11-29T03:50:00.000+08:00

Wallaby was better than expected. I guess what's most unexpected about it is the learning experience that it provided us(or rather me). Most of the signallers will beg to differ on the point that 3 weeks in a dusty(it turned a green tank brown), hot(nearly 35 in the day), cold(10 on certain nights, with the occasional hailstorm) and remote(3 hour drive from the nearest town) place is worth the while. But well, how often will u see a Armored Battle Group fighting and closing on a target with support from both the air elements(F-16) and artillery(Primus)? Well, I guess Yossarian's quote from Catch-22 can thus be rephrased 'Its bad, but it could be a whole lot worse!'

This is a by-the-way note. Notice how many seem to complain that time seem to pass so slowly in army, while at the end of it they say that time flies? Or something to the effect of its boring while you are at it, but you will find it rewarding at the end? My hypothesis on this is because when u are serving you are really not doing anything of value for the brain to absorb and pick up. Wasting your life away in some remote bunk in some remote camp in some remote part of this remote island, you learn nothing of value and produce nothing of interest. Thus time past slowly. However, on looking back, there is no 'bookmark' so to speak. The brain thinks of these 2 years and all of it is a blur of nothing-ness, no need knowledge, little new skills. So there a theory for a day.

2005-11-01T01:23:00.000+08:00

adopt your own virtual pet!

2005-11-01T01:04:00.000+08:00

9V-SMA (cn 24061/717) (Del 3/89) ex/N5573B., ANOTHER FIRST FOR SQ- Chartered into Rockhampton QLD for "Military Exercise Operation Wallaby 2000" from late October 2000 to Mid December 2000. "9V-SMA was the very "FIRST" Heavy ever to land @ Rockhampton" as the main runway 15/33 has been extended.

2005-11-01T00:19:00.000+08:00

Just read a couple of pretty interesting books these couple of months since the last update. These includes:

1) Freakonomics
2) Armchair Economist
3) Tipping Point

The first 2 books are really about the application of a very recent school of economic thought, the rational expectionist, to everyday behavior, both on a mirco and macro scale. The Armchair Economist is especially vehement about the truth behind rational expectionism. For example, he asserts that a fresh air or low crime in a certain neighborhood do not make the lives of residents any better as the residents are paying for such premiums. Any change in crime will automatically and very rapidly lead to a change in price of rent. This is not an unreasonable line of logic, indeed all schools of economic thought point in the same direction. The question is how fast will the price change to reflect real changes in environment. I personally believe that with greater information accessibility via the internet and a more transparent press, the general direction is towards faster clearing of the markets, but not at the speed approaching that which the rational expectionist are proposing.

Freakonomics takes a less extreme view and indeed is not really economics at all, merely the applications of some economic theory to everyday life. Dealing with a myriad of issues from how the money supply is altered when you decide to throw a $10 bill into the river, to how cost and benefit analyst can be used to choose a name for your child. A kind of Bohemian approach to economist that serves to demystify and popularize the subject which to find answers today for yesterday's problems.

The last book, Tipping Point is abit of an oddity. Highly popular and I would assume, widely read, it offers a different view to how ideas are spread and takes root in society. While the trends seems to be plausible, Malcolm Galdwell's arguments do not seem to when put together. With a supposed 3-prong approach to how ideas are spread like epidemics, he never really get to the point of how the 3 approaches works in real life, always repeating the same paragraph, almost word for word each time. Repetition do not make an argument, resulting a promising proposal and an unsatisfying conclusion.

2005-09-26T00:04:00.000+08:00

Cat's In The Cradle

My child arrived just the other day,
He came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch and bills to pay,
He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talking 'for I knew it, and as he grew
He said "I'm gonna be like you, dad, you know I'm gonna be like you"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
"When you comin' home dad?" "I don't know when,

But we'll get together then, You know we'll have a good time then"

My son turned ten just the other day
He said "Thanks for the ball dad, come on let's play
Can you teach me to throw"
I said "Not today I got a lot to do" He said "That's OK"
He walked away but his smile never dimmed,
It said I'm gonna be like him, yeah,
You know I'm gonna be like him

Well he came from college just the other day
So much like a man I just had to say
"Son I'm proud of you can you sit for a while?"
He shook his head and he said with a smile,
"What I'd really like dad is to borrow the car keys,
See you later can I have them please?"

I've long since retired, my son's moved away
I called him up just the other day
I said "I'd like to see you if you don't mind"
He said "I'd love to dad if I could find the time,
You see the my new job's a hassle and the kids have the flu
But it's sure nice talkin' to you dad
It's sure nice talkin' to you"
And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me,
He'd grown up just like me
My boy was just like me

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
"When you comin' home son?" "I don't know when,
But we'll get together then, Dad,
We're gonna have a good time then"

~Harry Chapin

This song is quite a good reflection of the problems faced by Singapore in making sense of the future. This blog will term this general problem as the Precedence Factor. Again and again, the government is faced with the problem of why Singaporeans are not creative? Why Singaporeans do not want to venture into business? Why Singaporeans do not have enough fun in this city-state? There are a myriad of factors involved, but this blog asserts that one of the factors that has been overlooked is the Precedence Factor. My dad did this, he was successful, so I will do the same thing.

This is not an unreasonable point of view, that most children look up to their parents as role models. However, as the Singapore government can attest, the old ways of doing things are no longer viable. Getting good grades at the JC to get into NUS will not ensure that a decade down the road you can have a job and a career. Company loyalty in the past is now replaced by retrenchment and short contract jobs. So the question is how can the government convince the people not to allow the Precedence Factor to affect this generation of citizen?

This is not a trivial by any account, on one level its appears to be a solely economic decision, but on another, it will affect the core of the family. The family will no longer provide a role model for the child and with that much of the foundations of the basis of the role of families in Singapore. To compound the problem, there is the paternalistic instincts of the government to content with. Witness the recent dengue outbreak, with all the ministers out in full force doing the job of pest busters. If the government has no trust that Singaporeans can pour away 50ml of water from pails, what more can be said about the future of Singapore.

Thus the conclusion is that Singapore must choose the path that no one want to take. First, the government must be less of a participant in the state affairs as opposed to a coordinator. Its has to learn to let go of the power it now has on every citizen. Parents, on the other hand must learn to do the same with their children. It is difficult to take apart everything, but ultimately that is requires to reinvent the economy.

2005-09-17T22:57:00.000+08:00

Even This Shall Pass Away

Once in Persia reigned a King
Who upon his signet ring
Graved a maxim true and wise,
Which, if held before the eyes,
Gave him counsel at a glance,
Fit for every change and chance.
Solemn words, and these are they:
"Even this shall pass away."

Trains of camels through the sand
Brought his gems from Samarcand;
Fleets of galleys through the seas
Brought him pearls to match with these.
But he counted not his gain
Treasures of the mine or main;
"What is wealth?" the king would say;
"Even this shall pass away."

In the revels of his court
At the zenith of the sport,
When the palms of all his guests
Burned with clapping at his jests;
He amid his figs and wine,
Cried: "Oh loving friends of mine!"
"Pleasure comes but not to stay;"
"Even this shall pass away."

Fighting on a furious field,
Once a javelin pierced his shield;
Soldiers with a loud lament
Bore him bleeding to his tent;
Groaning from his tortured side,
"Pain is hard to bear," he cried,
"But with patience, day by day,
Even this shall pass away."

Towering in the public square,
Twenty cubits in the air,
Rose his statue, carved in stone,
Then, the king, disguised, unknown,
Stood before his sculptured name
Musing meekly, "What is fame?
Fame is but a slow decay
Even this shall pass away."

Struck with palsy, sere and old,
Waiting at the gates of gold,
Said he with his dying breath;
"Life is done, but what is death?"
Then, in answer to the King,
Fell a sunbeam on his ring,
Showing by a heavenly ray,
"Even this shall pass away."

--- Theodore Tilton

2005-09-09T22:59:00.000+08:00

'Money is the Root of all Evil'

Had a pretty interesting and heated discussion on this topic with some camp people, so this blog will represent some of the arguments brought up.

The question of whether money is the root of evil is cannot be easily resolved on the literal level. Money, taken literally is basically a yardstick to measure the value of an object. Which is why we pay thousands for a computer and perhaps only a dollars for a packet of soil, ie, we value the computer more than a packet of soil. Thus, to argue on this literal level that money is the root of all evil is like saying an hour is bad or a kilometer is good. This makes no sense because money is only a measurement of value, it is the interpretation that is more important.

So given that on a literal level no meaningful argument can be made, what can money represent? It can be argued that money is the representation of human greed, afterall, human greed mostly involve material comforts that can be directly correlated to money, since money is a representation of value. Thus the initial question is now rephrased - Is human greed the root of all evil. In order to show that human greed is the root of all evil, it is necessary to proof that human greed is both an intrinsic property of human behavior and as a result a root cause of evil.

Again on the surface, it seem very plausible that human greed is intrinsic to human behavior. How else can u explain the proliferation of crime on all levels of society, from robbery in the slums to white collar crimes in the board-rooms of Enron. However this fails to take into account inter-related complexities in several respects. First, such cases are the exception rather than the norm. For every robbery committed, there are thousands of other people who try to eke out a decent living. For every crony board of directors, there are hundreds of others who are honest. Of course, the debate can continue in this fashion, but the trend is that the wrong doers are generally a lot less than the do gooders.

Why is this so? While it can easily be assumed that this trend is due to human nature, this assumption is in fact inadequate. Humans are creatures of incentives (or disincentives). In the case of crime, the law reach of Law (or the believe of it), is usually sufficient to deter crime. Indeed, in countries with a lax system of justice, its crime rates are generally higher than a country with a sound system of law and order. A country with a high GDP per capita is also more likely to have a low crime rate as there is no incentive to break the law when there is lawful employment available. Thus it is difficult to give a general trait for the behavior of humans, given the myriad of factors involved, but it can be argued that people will response to incentives.

Does this response to incentives therefore constitute greed and thus lead to evil? I think the answer is no. Because just as a sack of money on the table is an incentive to steal it, the security guard with the big shotgun is a disincentives to going near the money. Incentives works in both ways and thus actually holds in check the forces of greed that man has. And upon closer examination, one will reach pretty much the same conclusions about the nature of evil. Just like the two faced god Janus, the evil of the nuclear bomb is now one of the leading alternative fuels, while the good of vaccines is now part of a very evil bio-chemical warfare policy.

Thus to say that money is the root of all evil is far too simplistic a statement. Humans may not be the personification of saints but they are surely not the devil's advocate either.

2005-09-04T01:01:00.000+08:00

As the effects of Katrina is gradually revealed to the world, this blog is watching the plight of New Orleans and the Gulf States with a mixture of sad mourning and a vengeful smirk. While this is the second tragedy on USA soil in 4 years, not counting all the minor ones in between, this blog believes the irony is not loss on many of the environmentalists that USA had vehemently refused to rectify the Kyoto Protocol.

While it remains to be seen whether Katrina is just another freak of nature or is it due to some form weather imbalance due ultimately to the increase in greenhouse gases, this blog asserts that it is becoming increasingly obvious that the weather is gradually changing. The 7 highest temperature on record occurred within the last decade, with temperatures rising faster still. The Arctic and Antarctic glacial sheets have decreased in size and there is the problem of the ozone hole. Quoting Kofi Annan in a different context, 'If I was a doctor doing a diagnosis of the world, I would be very worried'.

And yet here we have the world's sole super-power artificially lower the price of oil on her own soil, pushing the price below what is the market rate, encouraging demand for oil, and polluting more air per capita than any other nation on earth. If this continues, the capacity of the earth to absorb the damage cause by the pollution and destruction maybe irreversibly damaged. Already, there are reports that oil supply is running dry and headway to alternative sources are slow and at time even causing more damage than oil itself (eg nuclear energy). Perhaps we should open our eyes to the fact that our lifestyle now is not sustainable and must end, whether we are prepared or not to accept that fact.

Katrina is a wake up call, and just as we will remember the dead, we must remember to save the living as well.

2005-08-28T15:57:00.000+08:00

27th of August 2005, a date to forget in the pages of history of Singapore. In this pseudo-democracy, the idea of election is that eligibility to stand for election, is determined by a small council of secretive and secluded persons, that is hidden from public view. That the President's office is of such prestige and standing is all the more regrettable.

While this blog has no reason to question the findings of the Presidential committee, the question lies in the fact that in a population of 4 million, less that 30 people collected forms for eligibility, of these less than 10 submitted and only 1 was selected. Are Singaporeans really so apathetic? Or is it the fact that we all lack the charisma and integrity? My contention is that well the general population is partially to blame, the intrinsic system of selection also plays a large part in deterring many from standing in an election. The general mentality being 'Don't rock the boat'.

This has lead to a situation whereby the president is selected from a small pool and without the mandate of the people, as there was no electoral process in the first place. While it can be argued that this is all an exercise in futility, since the post of President is only largely symbolic, the counter argument is much more persuasive. That precisely because it is such a symbolic role, the election will also be a symbol that the people will rally behind the Head of State in time of crisis because they elected him into power and thus are responsible for their decision. Till that day comes, Singapore will still be largely a rich but politically immature society.

2005-08-07T00:46:00.000+08:00

The government in Singapore needs to change, and not for the usually rehashed ideas that deals with poor governance of one sort or the other. From the onset, let us not fool ourselves into underestimating the capabilities of the PAP and its contributions to Singapore. However, in an ever changing socio-political landscape, it is increasingly difficult to have a pseudo-single partied government that is tasked to run an increasingly complex society of four million. To add to the problems, this government has shown to be coming short of ideas of late, stuck in a quagmire between paradigms of the past and the challenges of the future.

A good government, above all else requires check and balances. In the Singaporean system of politics, this is in the form of the executive (parliament), legislative (cabinet) and the judiciary. However, since the PAP is the party that runs all the systems, I guess insofar as Singapore is concerned, the government, inculding both the parliament and the cabinet, and the PAP will be used to mean the same thing and interchangeably.

Up till now, the PAP has been able to manage the country fairly well. However, in the recent year since the economic downturn of 1998, there has been more and more evidence of the PAP running out of ideas to due with changes in Singapore both internally and externally. Policies to attract investment in the biochemical field has been less successful than expected, while social policies that attempt to make life in Singapore supposedly more relaxed and attractive have only led to more people going overseas. While not all of these can be attributed solely to the PAP, it is clear that as a government, it cannot absolve itself of all responsibilities by pushing all the blame to the citizens.

Sticking with a single partied government at this point in time is neither desirable nor effective. As a party, decisions are made at the top and passed to the bottom. As a result, the country is run by the parliament, which is run by the PAP, which is effectively run by a few head at the top. Although there are claims that 'new-blood' is being injected into the party, in fact, the newer member will be indoctrinated by the senior members to some extent, which inevitably lead to attempts to solve 21st century problems with 1965 approaches (witness the 'have-more-children program').

Enter the concept of another party to act as a credible counter-weight to the PAP. With such a policy, to allow another party to form, perhaps more concepts can be properly debated in parliament, leading to more solutions as opposed to bickering. Of course when discussing a multi-party system, it is easy to argue that this is the present situation. However, this do not take into account the fact that the PAP represents virtually the whole of Singapore. It is the prerogative of the people to ensure that this is not the case. By opposition, this should mean a constructive disapproval of plainly impractical and downright stupid policies and some attempts at pushing through alternative policies. Thus current opposition is obvious inadequate to serve this function.

So perhaps it will be best, during this week to look forward and see if you can do your part for Singapore and voice out your views, not for want of power or otherwise, but for the betterment of the country.

2005-07-31T00:46:00.000+08:00

Caught the NDP'-05 today, everything that you will expect from a event organized at a national level by a Singaporean organizing committee - a deadly efficient and completely impersonal attitude toward the general public.

Anyhow, enough of the parade. Do not want to be a spoiler for those who want to see it on the actual day and at the same time bore the rest who aren't interested in the first place.

Okay since this is the month of August, so if any of you people out there have any articles that you all want to share about Singapore just mail me at c2h7cooh@hotmail.com com and I will post it k?

2005-07-24T00:43:00.000+08:00

Was sitting on the MRT to find Wilbur today to have dinner at the Japanese restaurant at Amara Hotel today. With a second bomb blast in London making headlines yesterday and Egypt's 7 suicide bombing making the news today, I expected empty trains and bus. Indeed there was fewer people than expected on a Saturday night. However, Orchard Road and the transportation system in Singapore is still nothing short of crowded. Far from terrifying people into a panicked frenzy, the bomb blast just reinforces the view that our lives must go on, as it is, without disruption from terrorist.

Its interesting to note that the London under attack now is the same London that 3 generations ago again held out against a determined Luftwaffe air strike, and 2 generations ago was the front line in the Cold War. Just as Churchill had nuthing to offer but blood, sweat and tears, Blair now has the task of rallying the people behind a concerted effort to repel the terror from Britain's shores.

While many have feared that the network of camera on its Underground and its main streets will amount to a Owellian nightmare, few are complaining now when the same cameras produced the images of the initial suspects linked to the bombings. Its is tight-roped that every democractic nation needs to walk, to balance national security while trying to ensure the freedom of her people. But the last thing that Britain needs to do is to back away in the face of terror and cower to them. The symbollic importance of killing a suspect in the subway is far more important the actual death of one suspected terrorist. It give the clear and distinct message that such acts will not be tolerated and allowed to continue.

And what better country to carry through such drastic measures than Singapore? From the banning of chewing to death sentances for drug offenders, Singapore has shown herself to be harder than nails and tougher than the iron-lady's handbag. Thus i think next time you get on the train, just rest easy.

2005-07-16T23:50:00.000+08:00

Thanks to NKF, the state of charity in Singapore is in dire straits indeed. However, the whole issue reveals just as much about the average Singaporean as it does about T T Durai and gang. Two things, first, we are a very money minded bunch, and second, we rally aren't as helpful as what seems to be the case.

The Money

We are a nation that was really built upon the economy and trade. Without the physical movement of good through our ports, our 'nation' will still be a sleepy fishing village that can rival almost rural water-front society. No wonder that money is so important. We cannot stand the thought of wasting it on ourselves, less to say somebody trying to waste for. Enter the NKF and its band of sdooH niboR (Robin Hoods). Using public sympathy, and the sad plight of patients,a massive $262 million was amassed to be used as reserves for first class flights and gold plated taps. Provocative reporting led to a public outrage, which in effect was just saying that if I do not travel first class, why should you? While it is difficult to make a case for the NKF board, its is equally difficult to argue that we should all stop donations to the NKF, which up to yesterday was the charity par excellence of Singapore.

The Help

Over and above the money, I think what is pretty much interesting to note is that money is not always the most important factor in charity. Over and above that, it is always important to keep in mind that action speaks louder than words and much more than fifty dollar bills. Actions in terms of visiting old folks, or doctors providing care to patients for free or at least a discounted rate, are all part of charity. Thus while we are so involved in the money, perhaps we should try to take a step back and look at where we want to go as a society. Just putting a $5 donation every month in hope of helping some poor soul is akin to feeding a tiger bamboo shoots, an outcome that we should all try to avoid.

The Aftermath

In the end its all psychological. Just as NKF used the dead and dying trick on so many of its shows to get you to call its hot-line, the irksome face of its board members are now have the exact reverse effect on donations. And its not only NKF. Practically every charitable organization, related or otherwise to the NKF will suffer from suspicions of its true motives and intentions. Whether true or unfounded is of secondary importance. More than anything else, NKF betrayed the trust of the people. This should be main the main bone of contention, no that it had spent our money or hoarded it for its own ends.

2005-07-09T23:46:00.000+08:00

You know about the Darwin theory of evolution? Well I think that as long as its applied to us, as a species, it inadequately explains our behaviour and our interaction with the environment. His idea of a dog-eat-dog society, where the fittest survives and all else are banished to extinction captured the imagination of many (although its interesting to note that most of these are terms not invented by the man himself).

Human beings on the other hand are somewhat of a quagmire in this large jigsaw puzzle. On one hand we are part of the environment and thus should be subjected like all other creatures, however our mastery over it is completely unprecedented in the 4 billion years or so of life on Earth. From controlling the temperature via the use of air-cons and heaters, to entertainment via the TV, to the extraction of billions of barrels of crude oil to fuel plants to supply the electricity for the air-cons, heaters and TV, all goes to show that our interaction with the environment is no longer one of balance.

In many movies, its contented that aliens are superior humanoid creatures. However, if life on earth is any indicator, evolution will stop when an intelligent creature evolves on a planet, ie humans. There is simply no need to evolve after that, since we will be able to control the environment to our whim and fancy. There will be no need to grow fur in the harshest winter, no need to evolve poison sting to deter predators or catch prey, since they will not cause our extinction. Quite on the contrary, the only organism that can kill us is ourselves (notice the wars, global warming and such).

Thus as a sole specie that has mastery of the planet, we are shown to be surprisingly irresponsible for it. Our supposed super-power the USA do not wish to reduce its green house emissions so that it can produce more cars to pollute the air. Rogue states and terrorist are trying to create nuclear weapons to ensure a nuclear fallout and in the depths of the Pacific lie the debris of the Cold War that can blow the Earth up ten times over. If only we were more well evolved in the guilt department as we are in the intelligence. What the world needs now is not another economic boom, not another agreement in the G8 to curb world population, not another miracle drug. We need all of that of course, but what we need most is the realisation that we are the final products of evolution, that we are ulitmately responsible for the preservation of life on Earth. We have a right to be arrogant, but it must be tampered, and quickly so.

2005-07-05T21:00:00.000+08:00

Its amazing how we are affected sub-consciously by stuff that we think so little about. Take for example gravity, a force that affects our everyday lives, abiet one that we take for granted. However did you ever notice how we are always climbing up the social ladder and going down the drains? How heaven is up above us but hell below?

Paradigms

Its interesting to note that gravity not only gives us a sense of up and down but also an aspiration to fight and overcome it. From the humble kites at East Coast park on a windy day, to the Boeing 747s to the rockets to the moon, its all a symbol of man's unwillingness to accept that gravity, and indeed any other force can pin us down. This has led us to expend large amounts of resource as a means to this end. In a single Apollo flight alone, enough power is converted to heat to warm a small city for a night. Thus this 'at any cost' response to gravity may not be the wisest decision.

Rationality

In the zest to conquer the skies and soar with the birds, i guess its somewhat easy to lose sight of things. Over the last decade, despite large scale-back in the arena of space exploration and aviation research, the total amount of money in this area still outstrips research into deep-sea phenomena. This is highly disturbing as the sea is the main source of ozone and oxygen and absorbs, by some estimates, 60-70% of the carbon dioxide in the world. A complex system of ocean currents keep the poles warmer and the equator cooler than what it should be. And yet given all this, we know more about the moon than we knoe about our seas.

Just stop the ego trip here. While its possoble to argue that a rock may smash into us, it is far more likely that we kill off our planet long before that eventuality. Lets get back down to Earth and perhaps examine wat we should, putting our money where its really useful.

2005-06-26T00:46:00.000+08:00

To have an objective in life for the sole purpose of achieving the objective is akin to an infant in a baby-cot trying to reach for the mobile. While many of the objectives in life is set to give one a direction in life, if the objective is in itself impractical and serves no purpose, then why go through all the trouble to set it in the first place?

Why indeed? When u set objectives u set it in the context of today, which is changing even as u are trying to reach out and appreciate the situation. Thus odjectives will have no bearing on the outcome of the situation, plan as u might with the objective in mind and reality will have a mind of its own, toying with u, playing with ur intention, messing up ur painstaking planning. The irony of it all. Objective serves the sole purpose of reminding u of the pain of failure, the fatigue of running a marathon and realizing that all that awaits u is a vast barren land, strtching towards the horizon.

But yet everyday more and more resources are spend to set more and more objectives, more money to be made this year, more and more things to buy, ever more to do and so on. With so much different things to do, it can be argued that perhaps a certain objective will help to pin us in reality and guide us in what we are doing. However, quite on the contary, all that happens its we are forced to work harder than we can if the objectives is set too high or slack off if its too low. There is no such thing as a 'correct-level' objective, for the simple reason that the workplace is more and more dynamic and u will be limited by factors u cannot control.

Thus stop disturbing that mobile and grow up! Forget about the objectives. Throw them into bin, and just do ur best in the situation u are in. Remove the red lights from the highway, and speed off pass the speed camera.

2005-06-19T02:23:00.000+08:00

Watched hitchhiker's guide n Tuesday, so its another movie review, at least a pseudo one.. Haha...

The Good

Okay a brief summary of the book and through that a summary of the movie. This is basically one of the completely irrelevant books of the 20th century. Part satire, part science fiction, Douglas Adams(the author in case u are wondering) wanted us to believe that the world is created by mice, that we are all in living in a experiment and will soon be destroyed by a Vogon constructor fleet(notice that its not a destructor fleet). Given the weird context of the book its not surprising that the movie is also quite quirky, and different. At least the parts that are adapted directly from the book have this original feeling to it.

The Bad

'So long and thanks for all the fish, So sad that it should come to this' was the opening to the movie, a pleasant surprise, until they decided to play it ala Mary Poppins over and over, so that it lasted something like 5 mins. A very bad way to start a movie whose target audience are teenagers. Instead of a completely fun movie or a tongue-in-cheek comedy, what u really get is a mish-mash of so many different scenes from the book and no clear line and link between them. To try to super-impose Mary Poppin's saccharine theme onto the movie is the second last nail in the coffin for this interpretation of the book.

And The Ugly

To see if a sence is redundant in the any movie, try to remove it and check to see if the movie still makes sense. In the case of this movie, the whole trillian-dent-beeblebox love affair was just a case in point, and its precisely so bad because it screws up the movie for those who want to see the book in moving colour. So now, those that did not read the book will not understand the movie and those that read the book will not like it.

While i agree that its really difficult to make a blockbuster out of a bestseller, i guess this one could be abit better. Something like 2.5 funny scenes in a 'humour' genre movie simply isn't good enough.

2005-06-12T02:02:00.001+08:00

'Many Muslims look back at the century after the revelations to the Prophet Mohammed as a golden age. Its memory is strongest among the Arabs. What happened then-the spread of Islam from the Arabian Peninsula throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and even into Europe within less than a century-seemed, and seems, miraculous. Nostalgia for Islam's past glory remains a powerful force. ' this is from the 911 commission report, was just wondering bout its implications...

i guess all of us, not only muslims are in a sense 'nostalgic' about something or other that we have achieved in the past. like what the Times said bout the winner of the top 100 personalities last year but dropped this year 'We will not know when we have peaked.' it maybe getting straight As at jc, or marriage at 30, or becoming a CEO at 45, but we will not be able to have the benefit of hindsight and look at where we achieved our potential and gradually declined to our deaths.

thus given that we cannot see into the future, it is quite easy to see why we look back at past achievements for solace, as a form of 'iook i have done it before, i can do it again'. but this is by no means a solution to our present problems. while it may not nessecary lead to the fanatism witnessed in some individuals, it will at least cause to lull pourself into inactivity. i guess for quite sometime i was a case in point. in jc i keep thinking that chinese high was a great school, if only nj was lyk that... then in NS, nj is by comparison not so bad anymore and start wishing for 2 more yrs of life in nj.

while the past is good to remember, it is not to be lived in. if u, indeed i, was to live in it, it will be not only a dull, but redundant live. yupz... sums up my week quite nicely i guess... till next time, cheer up.

2005-06-12T01:47:00.000+08:00

You are Cocaine (aka: coke, crack, snow, 151...).
You are the second most commonly used drug in
the world. You are very witty, talented, perky
person if you can just have the right
opportunity to show to everybody how unique you
are, when you are in a good mood you can reach
a very high point of happiness. You are
classified as class (A and B) illegal drugs.

What kind of Drugs are you? and how that reflect your personality?
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cute rite... btw, a pretty nice game i am playing now is Druglord 2 from www.geekhideouts.com, not sure is 'nice' is the right word.. haha..

2005-06-06T15:27:00.000+08:00

quite an interesting... went to wash cars to help out with zhilin's yunnan CIP trip, interesting because, first, its not my CIP, and second, its more CIP than i can rightfully say i have done in my life. while i did help to sort out some books in a way-off community library b4, this is of a completely different ball-game...

was quite fun actually, with zhilin, chenghui, lingrui and shitian... then there are the other army ppl from zhilin's camp, so yah... its quite fun, if u cut out the odd looks that some of the drivers were giving us. anyhowz left early to eat with my parents. yupz... sums up my day haha...

found a pretty good website as well.. haha..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/

Don't Panic!

haha.. cya then..

2005-06-05T01:57:00.000+08:00

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The Implicit Association Test

2005-05-31T00:12:00.000+08:00

just caught madagascar... a wonderful movie with some really good laughs, the main characters were good mix and i guess a typical combination of charismatic, adventure seeking, motherly and well, the downright 'chao keng', if u get wat i mean... and not to forget the ever hilarious penguins and with a heartful dose of raving lemurs to get a great show...

'You didn't see anything... Right?'

plot wise, i think the movie is really more interesting than wat it seems, superficially the plot can be taken to be the coming of age of Marty (after all, 10 yrs old is the typical age of the show's target audience) realizing that the world is not only the small confines of a cage, but yet ignorant of the harsh realities of the wild. this in itself is not a bad start, and it develops through out the movie, from Alex realizing that must his friend as part of his diet to on a lesser degree Melman realizing that he must survive without medical support. and in the interest of a happy-ever-after ending, both realizes that there are alternatives to their problems. on a far more interesting note, is the comparision between the wild and the cage. is the zoo not good for the animals? many assume that the lack of space and the lack of live prey is unnatural and not benefitial to the animal. but in the movie, interestingly, the opposite is true... the animals ended up liking the cage more than the wild. i guess this is because the cage acts as a house to the animal, where feeding, shelter and rest all occurs within a small area. this lead to a sense of familarity that is not possible in the wild. in the same way, a child cannot wait to gain independance, until of course he is independent.

'Don't give me excuses! Give me results!'

haha... ok then i guess i have to 'move it move it' already... actually come to think bout it the only qualms bout the movie is the fact that its kinda short, so do try to catch it on a weekday afternoon or something when its not too expensive, or rather when its a little cheaper...

haha... will try to write/type some proper entries next time, 2 movies in a row is a little excessive!

2005-05-29T02:48:00.000+08:00

caught star wars last week... pretty good i guess, at least in terms of the action scenes. the storyline though is pretty lacking and the script is almost crappy at some of the important parts of the show. acting wise i guessthere is also much to be desired, anakin (Hayden Christensen) seem to be quite detached from his role and at the start obi-wan was simply a joke at the start of the movie, just dun understand how can lucas do that to such a respected jedi master...

besides the fancy dress party, i guess we (zhilin & i) agree that there are certain morals behind the story. first is the murky greying between the good and the bad. this duality seems to be the theme of the movie anyway. how can u reject the power to save someone u love while proclaiming that u are saving lives? and yet to save that one person u must kill so many others? such dilemmas are quite 'unresolvable'...

'train urself to release wat u hold dear, u must'

another interesting fact bout the movie is the treatment of politics in the galaxy... the chancellor changed the republic to a empire without so much as any resistance from the senate, although he did attack the jedi temple. but the point is such a switch will not affect the vast majority of the people in the galaxy. indeed towards the end we see that tatooine is still a peaceful laid-back planet. making comparisons with the world today, perhap the push to democratize the world will not affect the life of many. it is only on paper that such actions that place with no change or improvement to the lives of the man in the street, leading to wide-spread apathy , and allowing dictators to reign... and so the vicious circle continues...

'This is how Liberty dies - with thunderous applause'

so i guess there are issues that are highlighted in the movie, although its almost seems lyk a coincidence that its there at all... haha... okie then shall end here... cya...