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too much and too little |
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True Love Waits
Good lord, what have I done? I had the impression I had to contribute at least one article for the Chronicle every week, so I sent a message to A with a few ideas. Apparently, they're doing some panel thing this week and the Chronicle wants a male writer to write against premarital sex. Now, I'm a determined supporter of sex before marriage - I mean I don't see any harm in sexual activity as long as its consensual. This is going to be very difficult for me. How do you write with any flair a viewpoint you do not believe in? I've already done it once with the view about flash mobs, and I thought it turned out like fresh turd. But A is pretty desperate for a writer it seems, and when they turn to me you know they're pretty much scraping the bottom of the barrel. I don't mind helping out, but this topic looks like a real banana skin for me. You see, there are holes all over the anti-premarital sex argument. It is my adamant belief that it is impossible to construct a valid and coherent argument regarding not engaging in premarital sex. Many writers attack the idea of premarital sex by equating it to promiscuity. This is not necessarily true - and very often untrue. When you talk about preventing the spread of sexual diseases you aren't talking about the danger of premarital sex, you're talking about the danger of promiscuity. The only argument I can see here is that marriage encourages monogamous relations, which in turns reduces the chances of catching AIDS, herpes, dandruff and cooties. But why not argue against promiscuity itself? It seems to me there is no inherent difference between sex within marriage and sex before marriage as long as it is largely with a single partner, except the latter is probably a lot more fun. The next line of attack often involves teen pregnancy out of wedlock, but is that not an entirely different question? Most of the people involved in premarital sex aren't teens anyway. I hope. Personally I don't see how I can argue that premarital sex is unethical unless I put forth that sex is sacred, and that marriage as an institution is sacred. Since I am agnostic, there is no god to abitrate what is or is not sinful for me, which is a pity, because religious arguments are the best arguments of all in this particular case. Communitarian arguments? The common good above that of the individual good. But how exactly does premarital sex defy the common good? I can answer that question: it undermines the institution of marriage. But why do we need the institution of marriage? Because it provides the base for good society. "To put the world right in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right." - Confucius But the family unit that was for Confucius the basis for good society is very different from that of the nuclear family of today, which is itself an offshoot of the industrial era. It's 2.13am and I'm out of steam. I guess I just have to bite it and write a cookie-cutter "Oh premarital sex is a vice because it makes boys get warts and girls get babies, and everyone dies!" argument. Plus, geeze, I simply CANNOT imagine the ribbing I am going to be subjected to from my mates if I go through with the story!
Random Dorkiness
So I was walking from Point A to Point B and along comes this hot chick I know. She's walking from Point A to somewhere just before Point B, and I never decline to walk alongside a hot chick. Now she's in a real hurry too. She got waylaid by a professor while walking out of school, who insisted that he give her back her assignment RIGHT THEN. Plus in the earlier lecture another professor ended the class late. Did I mention she was running late? I think I did. Anyway, we reach this lift and we enter. I ask her what level she wants to go. "Level B3 please," she said. We were at B4. I look at the range of buttons. Of course, at this moment, my eyes decide to register B5 as B3 and I hit it. "NOooooO!" she shouts. I panic!!! I flail frantically and hit B6! "NoOoOOo! Whyyyyy are you doing this to meeeeee!!!" Sometimes I do things so stupid I just have to laugh. And before you ask, yes, I did eventually find the correct button, but some parts of my dignity are still missing. Send me a message if you spot them please.
Silent post in memory of Edward Said (perhaps my fav Middle East scholar) four days late
New cellphone!
Ah, a sparkling new Nokia 7250! It's the first time I've got a cellular phone with polyphonic ringtones - I'm excited! Now I need a nifty tune to express my identity, and to annoy strangers in cinemas. I've narrowed it down to these: 1. The Batman Theme 2. The Black Adder Theme I thought of using London Calling by The Clash... but it seemed somewhat inappropriate. Counterculture and frigging ringtones don't mix. I don't want Strummer to start rolling in his grave.
Life is a rollercoaster
1. Wake up 2. Stuff 3. Sleep 4. Dream
Random Nietzsche Aphorism
Only not quite so random.
Nobody wants to read about your homework, dude
All five of my assignments are in nascent stages of development, and are quite likely to become stillborn at the rate I'm going. I've been sitting in front of the computer trying to write a convincing argument that it was the socioeconomic pressures of World War I that created revolutionary Russia, and that it was clearly not a real proletarian uprising in the classic Marxist sense, but nothing. Zilch. This lecturer has been calling me "N-E-L Ho" after one incident where I mindlessly (again) put the blame of being late on the North-east Line. So, N-E-L Ho. Ha ha, cute. Smell the sarcasm. He's a funny guy though, but if he doesn't let up, he may soon find that beneath this childish, playful exterior beats the heart of a ruthless sadistic maniac.
Woohoo, I think
Yay. My internship app got accepted by SPH! Considering that I pretty much: 1. Flunked the written test 2. Had no portfolio 3. Abused the interviewer by being utterly truthful I wonder how the 5 guys who didn't get selected managed that feat. I mean, SPH accepted 12 candidates this year. Hell, I practically broke every rule in the "How to impress your prospective employer" rulebook for the interview! Hmmm, maybe that's why while others got nifty postings like !!... they sent me to !!. Bastards.
The Taiwan Newspaper Experience
This is a draft for CS311 class. The prof's from Taiwan. I will admit it right now: I angled it so that it would fit his prejudices. He used to work for United Daily News, see. I do believe in what I wrote, of course - but in academia, I've found that, without exception, people get better scores when their piece reflects the grader's opinions. Also, the lede is pretty much meaningless unless you're Singaporean. Ho L.Y. CS311 (694 words) Here is something you will very unlikely see: a horde of middle-aged people wearing purple headbands besieging the entrance to NTU. That is, unless the initials NTU refers not to Nanyang Technological University, but the National Taiwan University. I was fortunate to have been part of a large pro-independence demonstration on the second day of my visit of Taipei, and I realized there and then that despite many similarities, Taiwan was very, very different from Singapore. From political demonstrations to loudspeaker blaring hawkers in night markets, a great degree of liveliness and vibrancy exists in Taiwanese society. This is reflected in the state of the news media in Taiwan. However, one reason for the renewed activity in the Taiwanese press was caused by the arrival of a foreigner on scene in May. Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai’s Apple Daily has caused the current leaders (the China Times, the United Daily News and the Liberty Times) to sit up and take notice. The people I talked to during my visit to the China Times and the United Daily News were generally pessimistic about the future of the newspaper business in Taipei. Already facing stiff competition from the cable news networks and a shriveling readership thanks to the Internet, it was clear to them that the nature of newspaper writing had to change. Unlike each other, the Taiwanese dailies now faced a foe that was radically different. It was a foe that relied on sex and gossip and lots of pictures to sell. Its appeal was to the lowest common denominator – and then some. Not much good was said about Apple Daily at the two newspapers. Perhaps there was a tinge of sour grapes. Perhaps even a smattering of xenophobia. However, the level of professional pride was displayed by the reporters I talked to there was surely also a contributor. As reporters, they said, they were here to inform, to educate, and even entertain while they were at it. At the United Daily News a senior reporter said that they aimed towards being the New York Times of Taiwan – not the Apple Daily of Taiwan. This meant authoritative, respectable, high quality reporting, not mindless drudge spooned out for the sake of titillation. In this way, perhaps, this viewed is shared by our own Lianhe Zaobao. Lianhe Zaobao is a good paper, they said respectfully. It is a very orderly paper. Too much of the government’s voice though, was the consensus. One even said he missed the old days, when things were not so “chaotic.” Lianhe Zaobao reminded him of the way the newspapers in Taiwan were like during the days of martial law. If the news industry in Taiwan could evolve from being a government mouthpiece to the free press it is now, surely the news industry in Singapore can too. The transition could be made fairly peaceably, or it could well be forced on us. A reporter running the Taipei city hall beat made the telling comment that people are quite willing to remain politically dormant as long as their material needs are satisfied. But what happens when stomachs are no longer being filled? A free, but socially-responsible, press could well be an important safety valve in these uncertain times. There is no need to create the kind of trashy, invasive and sometimes vindictive press that Taiwanese reporters seem to think Apple Daily exemplifies, but neither should newspapers overly cater to the interests of the powerful for the sake of “public order.” Singapore is ahead of Taipei in several ways. Our roads are more orderly, our transit system is more stable. Yet when it comes to an active public sphere, we pale badly in comparison, and not only in terms of media diversity. The thriving throng of pro-independence demonstrators outside NTU that I witnessed is testament to a population that is willing to actively participate in the socio-political arena. The local media needs to closely monitor the situation in the Taiwanese press, since in many ways the pressures it faces is similar to what Singapore’s media will should the relaxation of state controls over local media continue. There are important lessons to be learnt there.
Life is divided into the horrible and the miserable.
Fun: In a Spanish village, the barber shaves every man who does not shave himself, and only those who do not shave themselves. Does the barber shave himself? Not Fun: To what extent did the socio-economic polarization of the Russian population pave the way to the Bolshevik revolution in Russia? Five assignments in the next two weeks. Examinations in four. Why didn't I start last week?
Friends and charity
Sometimes nothing is quite as pleasurable as sifting through a nice collection of quotations, especially during periods of quiet reflection. Well, I never had the patience for poetry.
Americans kill tiger in zoo
What a bunch of cunts. This is the kind of thing that makes my ass twitch. Let me ask you: would any American community tolerate having soldiers fuck around in its zoos? So why the hell are these assholes fucking around in Baghdad? What is your major malfunction, numbnuts? The best, largest, most well-trained fighting force (possibly...) in the world the US army may be, but fucking third-world at nation-building it is. I'm also angry because I like tigers. One of my favourite books is Life of Pi. And of course, there's Hobbes, everyone's favourite cartoon carnivore. Gawddamn. They better have a good excuse for this. Maybe the tiger was planning to build nukes or hiding several WMDs in its arse or something. So much bullshit is piling up in Iraq I can smell it all the way here. Nobody I know likes the occupation* in the least. But who cares what the rest of the world thinks, eh? *Since any American pullout now will almost certainly result in a fundamentalist take-over, I do support the retention of a substantial military force in Iraq. Doesn't mean I have to like it though.
Photos, happy happy photos
First off, I stole these photographs off someone's blog. Well, I could JUST email her to send me the original sized photographs, but hey, I'm a sneaky bastard. Plus I doubt she wants me to read her blog anyway. You call it voyeurism, I call it journalistic inquisitiveness. Anyway, since I'm so vain, here are more photos of the Taipei trip. I really need to ask the other peeps to give me their photos. Let me warn you, dear reader, that my face and hair have been known to frighten young children.
(LEFT)This shot was taken along the main boulevard of National Taipei University. It was quite nice, but I was disturbed by the complete lack of sheltered walkways.
(LEFT) Leofoo Village is a theme park. In other words it was designed for the pure purpose of parting tourists and children from their money. I had quite a bit of fun there though. I sat on one of them things that let you drop forty feet or so. Good thing I wore an extra set of underpants. Ha! I jest. No, I wore diapers.
(ABOVE) OK, I can't remember the name of this area, but it was a stretch of road that had a lot of bookstores. Really cheap Chinese books. Yay. Considering I'm pretty much illiterate in my mother tongue - much to my shame - it was just two hours wasted. Why did we take a picture with some poor dork in a Listerine costume? I don't know, you tell me. Also, for whatever reason, I always seem to turn up at the far right. I only just realized that. I wonder why?
Sunday Night
A day of toil has left me badgered. The garang guni life ain't for me, but I kind of enjoyed going door-to-door soliciting old newspapers and other miscellaneous stuff for SILRA. Since only around ten people turned up to help it wasn't as successful as it could have been. Five were project members, while three others were from journalism school. I'm beginning to think that journ students are either 1. real social workers or 2. people with too much time on their hands! I was happy to see KY there, she used to help out SILRA. Apparently she worked under a recovered leper, who died a mere three months after she left the company. She wanted to take some photos of us for her photojournalism project. But I'm sure the memory of her ex-boss was what really compelled her to help. She's a good soul. So what went wrong? Several things happened that really negated the efficiency of the project. Firstly, a large portion of the flats we went to were empty. Secondly, the van that was supposed to ship the stuff got involved in a car accident and really delayed us, since we couldn't go around collecting more stuff without leaving someone to watch our loot. We just sat there for over two hours guarding our stash of old newspapers and yellowed clothing. I'm sure we could have doubled what we did get in that time. Thirdly, we started late as many overslept, and some didn't even turn up despite promising KK that they would. In the end, the ten of us managed to raise only $400. Very poor, in my opinion, but who could have anticipated all these events? All I got was a bowl of desert and a hearty round of thanks, but hey, you can't put a price on good karma. There was this old lady who had received the leaflet we gave out (read: spam mail) about what we were going to do today, and prepared a large bunch of old stuff for us. As KK and I carried the stuff she poked her wizened head through the door and did this fist shaking motion and said in Chinese: "That's a very good thing you young men are doing! Keep it up! Don't give up!" And she smiled. I smiled back. Until that door we had gotten some fairly curt replies from grumpy todgers who wouldn't even let us explain our case, and I was getting pretty depressed by the cynicism shown towards our efforts. This old lady made it all worth it. Now I just need to make sure I don't grow into a cynical old asshole when (if?) I age! Also, I choked on laksa in front of D, KK and KY. I tell you, God never intended for chili to end up in the windpipe. I teared like a motherfucker. Never pleasant to look like an idiot in front of women, but you'd think I'd be used to it by now, eh. Note to self: avoid spicy stuff when coughing. Anyway, if anybody has anything they need help with, and could use some midget lovin', feel free to call me. Especially if it's newsworthy. I mean hey, I might as well get something out of it as well eh? Oh and I can always donate my favourite keyboard to help raise funds if need be. Also, I'm now much more appreciative of the work my mom puts in around the house. My room is a freaking pigsty. I should sort it out. Soon. Eh, sometime in the future. Yeah... 
Sunday Morning
Who says journalists aren't socially-minded? I'm off to Sengkang MRT at 9am tomorrow to help out with some sort of garang guni operation. For those who don't know, a garang guni man is a person who goes around collecting, or buying, stuff people no longer need for resale. Anyway, this event is supposed to help raise funds for the Singapore Leprosy Relief Association (SILRA), as they still need $300,000 for their new building. It's more of a publicity drive organized by members of my school as part of their curriculum than an actual fund-raiser, because a day's worth of garung guni-ing ain't gonna amount to jack. (Sidenote: Someone should punch SILRA's webmaster. That is one annoying site!) Why am I going? I reckon, since I don't really have anything to do, I might as well spend my Sunday constructively. Once in a while my conscience acts up and I feel obliged to give something back to society. I wonder if there's a pill for that. Anyway, another reason I'm going is because, well, I need a story to cover for class and I'm interested in these kind of stories - basic, community stories about people trying to make a difference. Plus, I'm sick of only reading about the National Kidney Foundation all the time. This leads me to wonder: What is the role of a journalist in society anyway? Does a journalist have a meaningful role to play in community-building? What precisely does community-building mean? A journalist, according to the tenets of "civic journalism", has a "responsibility not just to report on local issues but, through their coverage, to actively facilitate their debate and resolution". In this case then, a journalist is not merely an observer, but an integral participant in communal affairs. Clearly then, issues arise when a journalist's objectivity is put into question.
Here I am, returning the favour
Dear readers (all three of you), if you have been checking out the comment system on this blog, that is, the little orange link at the end of every post that says "Shout Out", you may have noticed MostlyPeeking. She has a blog herself, and it's great. This blog is colourful and delightfully simple. The anecdotes illustrate, and there is little sign of the sort of overly-sentimental narcissism that seems to sometimes plague the blog world. It's your loss if you don't click on this link! Who ever said that stay-home moms don't lead fascinating lives?
This means I don't need to go work for Women's Weekly
Joy! Apparently Mediacorp publishing has either: 1. a real shortage of manpower or 2. too much money, because the four of us that applied for a position in Today (see link from previous entry) were all accepted. Now I'm just waiting to see if AFP or SPH accepts my application. There's a good chance I might take up the Mediacorp offer, but it all depends on whether a miracle happens and I get the single AFP slot. However, I must admit that I'm fairly happy now because outside of these, and the other "big hitters" like Dow Jones or the Associated Press, the other internship positions available were all shite. If I didn't get accepted at one of my choices, I may end up at some ratty mag. I mean, I really do not want to write for Women's Weekly - especially when they weren't going to give an allowance. Seriously, you can get away with not giving an allowance if you're prestigious, like the New York Times, Washington Post, the Christian Science Monitor or even the Straits Times to some extent. Regardless of what you actually *think* of these papers, you must admit that as a student a byline for one of those would do his career a world of good. But... Women's Weekly? Why would I forgo an allowance for that? Plus, by and large, women's magazines are merely thick wads of advertising, the only difference being that you actually have to pay for that shite. I have no interest in writing advertorials. Unfortunately, since Today is a free tabloid and it does not have a very large circulation, editorial policy regarding advertising isn't as stringent as the Straits Times. I mean, the cover for Today a few days ago was an IPO announcement, for chrissakes! Since no journo with an ounce of self-respect enjoys writing advertisements pretending to be articles, I predict that interns like me will get to write the bulk of those. And that, dear friends, sucketh the nuteth. But at least I will get some money doing it! Anyway, I was talking to my mom about internship allowance, and how S$600 was only enough to cover food, transport and other basic needs, when she mentioned that assembly line workers at her company had to make do with around the same amount of money. Supporting a family with $600 a month is hard. I wonder what they think when they see shiny, happy undergraduate interns getting the same amount they do for maybe half the work they do?
Is this guy serious, or what?
From Today:
Why did they print this letter? Is this guy serious or is he joking? Leekuanyew City? Sure, Senior Minister Lee is great, awesome, blah blah blah, but seriously, there's only so much ball jiggling an old man can tolerate before them grapefruits rupture if you know what I mean and I think you do! Plus, Leekuanyew City sounds retarded. I suggest Harrytown. Call me Harry! Maybe I shouldn't be too critical. This might be the only paper that's willing to take me!
Life on the Internship Front part deux
Alright, out of thirteen people I was part of the four that were shortlisted for Agence France-Presse. For some reason AFP was pretty hotly contested among the members of my Journalism school. I just looked at the list and I was AMAZED - some of the top people in my school were after the berth there. It would be HELLA funny if I got shortlisted and my editors* didn't! The odd thing was, with respect to either working experience, academic results or thickness of portfolio, I can't see myself as being better than any of those that went for the interview with me on the same day. Much worse, actually. I'm talking about people who have done freelancing, people who have gone to Missouri's School of Journalism for god's sake! I may not end up as the chosen one, but it feels good beating out some of my peers in this wretched rat-race. Perhaps I don't suck that much after all. *Yes, my editors at Chronicle are my peers, except for two teachers. Yes, sometimes it's hard taking criticism from people that I feel sometimes do not know what they are talking about, but by and large I've found their criticism to be just.
The Seven Samurai
Alright, other than oversized bipedal robots the Japanese have given the world some pretty nifty things as well. Such as director Akira Kurosawa. I just watched the 1954 film The Seven Samurai on DVD (yeah I watch movies by myself at 1.00am), and I am convinced that this is one of the greatest films ever made. It had a pretty cool cover too, in fact one of my favourites ever: 
Now I HAVE to go get the DVD of The Magnificent Seven. Considering that I watched this after I watched Pulp Fiction (hey, I'm making up for lost time here) and while Pulp Fiction was waaaay cool I must say that in terms of film making art, I still think The Seven Samurai can't be beat. Both are GREAT movies though, just different. I won't bother with a review, since there are so many online. Here's one I particularly liked: Seven Samurai by Jeff Walls
What the Japanese have taught us
Someday, civilization and goodness will be protected by giant anthropomorphic robots!  ... and occasionally they'll go crazy and sodomize school girls.
(Shamelessly stolen from Usenet.)
Happy 80th Birthday, Senior Minister Lee!
You are my favourite semi-benevolent third-world dictator. May you live ten-thousand years! The way you're going, you probably will. In your honour, I shall re-read my copy of God Emperor of Dune.
Why I love the Flaming Lips
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Her name is Yoshimi she's a black belt in karate working for the city she has to discipline her body 'Cause she knows that it's demanding to defeat those evil machines I know she can beat them Oh Yoshimi, they don't believe me but you won't let those robots eat me Yoshimi, they don't believe me but you won't let those robots defeat me Those evil-natured robots they're programmed to destroy us she's gotta be strong to fight them so she's taking lots of vitamins 'Cause she knows that it'd be tragic if those evil robots win I know she can beat them Oh Yoshimi, they don't believe me but you won't let those robots defeat me Yoshimi, they don't believe me but you won't let those robots eat me Yoshimi 'Cause she knows that it'd be tragic if those evil robots win I know she can beat them Oh Yoshimi, they don't believe me but you won't let those robots defeat me Yoshimi, they don't believe me but you won't let those robots defeat me Oh Yoshimi, they don't believe me but you won't let those robots eat me Yoshimi, they don't believe me but you won't let those robots eat me Yoshimi
Nirvana on four wheels
Usually, I do not expect strangers to strike up conversations with the words "Do you believe in the concept of an immortal soul?" This guy did. Naturally, I was taken aback, but since I was in a taxi, with no obvious means of escape, I had to reply. "I've no idea really," I said. And that was the truth. If there's anything I know for certain, it's the fact that I know absolutely nothing for certain. Especially when it comes to transcendent truths and the question whether there are any transcendent truths. "You've not thought about it?" asked the cabby. "Too busy?" "No," I replied. "I've thought about it lots. And the conclusion I've come to is that I really don't know." I wished he would keep his concentration on the road and not on matters of metaphysics. It would be exceptionally ironic to die in a car accident caused by a taxi driver pondering whether there is life-after-death. "There is a soul," he said, as he honked a car that cut into his lane. "And there is only one route to heaven. And that is through the Way. "There is only one Way. There is a Buddha in all of us; we are all like unpolished diamonds. Only with learning can we achieve our true potential. Rich and powerful men, so focused they are on the material world, on things like fame and fortune, never manage to free themselves from the bonds that bind them to this plane. Poor men only have time to toil for their survival of themselves and their families, and they slog until they die. However the truly wise will see the world for what it is and realize that all is illusion. Just so, that's all there is to it. "The members of the five great religions are like blind men clutching at an elephant. They cannot see it for what it is, they can only grasp parts of the whole truth. Jesus is Buddha. Lao Tze is Buddha. All is Buddha. All the wisdom is the same. They are like swimmers in the sea, who, as they were drowning, managed to grab a float. The float saved them, and they think that this float is the greatest thing there is. Thus they reject the ship in favour of the float, thinking the float is redemption." And he kept going on and on and on. I listened. It was very fascinating. He had said nothing new, really, nothing I've not heard before. It was one of those universal doctrines, a spicy concoction of the teachings of several religions. Jesus is Buddha? Buddha is Messiah! All is false! All is shadow! There is only one True Way! Buddhist philosophy, Taoist tenets, Judeo-Christian evangelism all rolled into one friendly package. Any takers?
So, you ask. What does the title of this blog mean?
From Human, All Too Human by Nietzsche:
Great quote from The Nietzsche Channel: My dear friend, what is this our life? A boat that swims in the sea, and all one knows for certain about it is that one day it will capsize. Here we are, two good old boats that have been faithful neighbors, and above all your hand has done its best to keep me from "capsizing"! Let us then continue our voyage—each for the other's sake, for a long time yet, a long time! We should miss each other so much! Tolerably calm seas and good winds and above all sun—what I wish for myself, I wish for you, too, and am sorry that my gratitude can find expression only in such a wish and has no influence at all on wind or weather! —Letter to Franz Overbeck: November 14, 1881
What’s wrong with random silliness?
This is an article I submitted to the Chronicle. It has gone through one edit. I've no idea if it's going to be published or not... and I don't really care. I decided to post it online anyway. Feel free to disagree with me. On August 30, I became part of a flash mob at Merlion Park. That is, if you consider a group of seven people “a mob”. When you consider that flash mob events in other cities get attendances of hundreds, that number is pathetic. A flash mob is group of people who use e-mail and SMS technology to come together and do something silly, and quickly disperse. In this case, we were supposed to emulate the Merlion by spewing water from our mouths or from mineral water bottles. Flash mobs aim to baffle. Call it massive performance art in the cell phone age. Can something like this ever catch on in Singapore? Does this fad, which began in New York in June, have any appeal for the average Singaporean? The size of flash mobs in Singapore so far, ranging from seven in the first ever flash mob at City Link in July to twenty for the latest at Raffles City, where some folks crawled along the ground pretending to be looking for “something precious”, seem to indicate the answer to both questions is “no”. Most people I have talked to would never take part in one. Just another dumb fad, one said. A reflection of boredom of society, said another. A waste of time was the consensus. I must admit that I would not have gone if I was not looking for a story to cover. What does this say about us? Perhaps we have no taste for silliness. Perhaps we are too afraid of looking stupid in public; nobody wants to “lose face”. Perhaps we have become too focused on the bottom line. Perhaps! Or have we become too used to order? After all, despite the planning that goes into making a flash mob, there is something inherently anarchic about flash mobbing. It demonstrates the potential power of modern telecommunications in creating whole new assemblies of people quickly. It is like saying to the powers-that-be: “Hey, we don’t need the state or corporate apparatus to organize something big, and we aren’t going to ask for permission either. We only want to have some fun. What do you intend to do about it?” Hold on, a voice in my head tells me. Singaporeans are not orderly. Have you not seen the madcap rushes during sales or how nobody abides to the markings on MRT stations during rush hour? I concede that, yes, in many instances, Singaporeans do have a rowdy side, when self-interest overrides our basic adherence for order. However, in general, we have not only become accustomed to the straitjacket of modernity; we have come to love our bonds. No alarms and no surprises, please. Now, I am not saying that Singaporeans are boring. People do party – at clubs. People do sing loudly – at karaoke pubs. And so on, as long as everything is in its right place. Our realm of fun has been colonized by the MacDonald’s and Zouks of this world. No talking while dancing on bar tops please, we’re Singaporean! Every so often, every Singaporean ought to come together and, for a brief moment, celebrate irrationality. Power to the people! The power to act stupid in public anyway. And why not? We have time enough for sensibility.
I don't know!
Now I don't get many messages, be it ICQ, AIM, personal e-mail, SMS... whatever. Now, that's fine with me! What I do hate though, is feeling stupid. So today I got multiple messages (shhhhocking) from people asking me about stuff. Stuff that I have NO IDEA about. I've no idea if the article is supposed to be submitted on Tuesday. I've almost finished it anyway so I don't care. I've no idea what the test tomorrow is on; I didn't intend to study for it anyway. Man, was this a pointless entry, or what?
Monty Python - Penis Song
Good evening ladies and gentlemen. Here's a little number I tossed off recently in the Caribbean. Isn't it awfully nice to have a penis, Isn't it frightfully good to have a dong? It's swell to have a stiffy, It's divine to own a dick, From the tiniest little tadger, To the world's biggest prick. So three cheers for you will or John Thomas, Hooray for your one-eyed trouser snake, Your piece of pork, your wife's best friend, Your percy or your cock, You can wrap it up in ribbions, You can slip it in your sock, But don't take it out in public, or they will stick you in the dock, And you won't come back.
Copyright infringement is not theft, yo!
Copyright infringement is theft like vandalism is rape. They may be crimes but they're two different things. PS. Get stuffed, RIAA.
Life on the Internship Front and other stories
Life is hell. I just realized that my next Public Affairs Writing assignment is due Wednesday and I have NO STORY. No story AT ALL. I'm going to write a Taiwan travelogue. That is, if I had BOTHERED to WRITE DOWN the names of all the PEOPLE I TALKED TO. Which I didn't. So I guess it's going to be a viewpoint. Woohoo, submitting a viewpoint for a hard news class. I smell an "F". I feel irrationally exuberant now, is there something wrong with me? Turning to more cheerful matters, I got asked back for a second interview by Agence France-Presse. I might have a good chance at landing that internship job then. Considering that I really screwed up my SPH writing test today I might have no other options. Still, my MediaCorp interview and writing test is on Tuesday. Writing for Today eh? That's not a bad gig, really, Lee Han Shih is a hero of mine. Today is a decent paper - I'd like to write for it. Of course, considering that I can barely get my submissions to the Nanyang Chronicle published I doubt that my byline's about to appear in a national tabloid anytime soon. My editor didn't even bother to reply to the latest one. OK, it was about 3 days late (hey I was in Taiwan, I couldn't read email) but still, a bloody REPLY would have been nice, eh? Friend (yo kok kuang) invited me to go donate blood at Outram at 11.30am tomorrow, but since it's soccer day I declined. I really want to donate blood. I want to feel like I might have saved someone's life, you know? Oh and I'm listening to the album Phantom Power by the Super Furry Animals. It's pretty good. I might write a review sometime. Then again, I might not. I wish the Furries would do another Fuzzy Logic. FUCK I loved that album.
"Mobile phones are the new smoking." - Gruff Rhys
Taipei, in brief
It wasn't the best trip I've ever had. The fact that I was, at best, an acquaintance if not an absolute stranger to practically everyone in the tour itself was not a good start. Needless to say I was pretty quiet for most of the trip, which might be shocking to some who know me. But I must admit I was intensely intimidated by the prospect of trying to communicate, in close quarters, with people I should've known for the past three years, but don't. Still, it could have been worse. I think. I don't have many pictures, sadly. I have exactly ONE photo with me in it on my camera. Of course, I'm the dorky one in the middle. I think this was the second day, we were at Danshui. Of course, I could be wrong. The whole trip was one big haze. Dude called Wee Liang to my right. Dudette to my left is Adeline. Possibly the least shopping oriented femme on the trip. She's cool. 
No other pictures atm. Most of them are absolutely crap, or involve people that aren't me. Since it is a media-focused trip we were lucky to hit the China Daily, Lianhe Daily and Azio headquarters. We also managed to see a demonstration regarding Taiwanese independence outside NTU (the Taiwan NTU) and intercept a media frenzy over the appointment of new judges when we went to the Legislative Yuan. It was quite an eye opener. We also visited a museum and a nice beach.Other than that, it was just shopping, shopping, shopping. As I absolutely detest shopping, it was a definite bummer. Walking around with the women in the group gave me a toothache. THEY STOPPED AT EVERY SINGLE CLOTHING STORE. They went GAGA over everything kawaii. And... looking for some frigging badges to give her was heartburn inducing. Why do I bother? Remind me not to accept requests for gifts next time, esp. from girls who already have boyfriends. Oh and, Taiwanese food ain't all that hot, in my opinion - in Taipei at least. I can't say I really enjoyed that stuff. -- Right now, at this VERY MOMENT, I'm chewing on some betel nuts. That stuff really makes one salivate! It doesn't have much of a kick though, considering how crap it tastes. A strong cup of coffee gives me a stronger tingle. Possibly the box I bought contained weak nuts. Ok, this was a shitty recap. "Travel is the most private of pleasures. There is no greater bore than the travel bore. We do not in the least want to hear what he has seen in Hong-Kong. " --Vita Sackville-West Anyway, I finished the Communist Manifesto while I was in Taipei. That was a fascinating read! Marx was so damn insightful... and so damned wrong.
Goodbye Taiwan
I'm back. Details at seven.
Since it's 3am and I can't sleep
Here's a rant. I've been exploring blogs around, many of which are absolutely fantastically designed. I've looked at the photo galleries; some of them are very good looking people. I've looked at their guestbooks, forums - they have many friends. So explain to me why some of these good looking, talented , loved and presumably middle-class young people are so GODDAMNED sad? What's up with the whining? What's wrong with them? Don't they know they have it good? Don't they know they have it perfect? Don't they know they are shining, glowing gems? So why, oh WHY, oh why are they so pissed off? Now, at least I'm an ugly short fucker with barely enough brain power to support my basic bodily functions. I mean I play Everquest, for god's sake. I've got the right to whine! Beautiful people who kill themselves deserve to be flogged.
"I'M SIGNIFICANT!...screamed the dust speck."
"When I grow up, I'm not going to read the newspaper and I'm not going to follow complex issues and I'm not going to vote. That way I can complain when the government doesn't represent me. Then, when everything goes down the tubes, I can say the system doesn't work and justify my further lack of participation." -Calvin PS. Oh, and by the way Colin Goh, your flippant comment 2 years ago about nobody reading your comic because it's stuck on a page with Calvin and Hobbes reruns has been noted. Yeah, that's because everyone else reads Calvin and Hobbes. Concrete Jungle, Talking Cock, whatever... you will never approach the greatness, both in artwork, wit or wisdom that is Calvin and Hobbes. I had to watch your goddamned Talking Cock: The Movie for a project and I will never get those hours back; those hours I spent watching that horrific piece of shit. And that's in spite of being a Singlish lover.
My favourite ever Heinlein quote
I inadvertently quoted the latter half of this quote today, in Public Affairs Writing class. So I decided to look for it. It's a great quote. A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects. -Lazarus Long, Time Enough For Love I was distinctly unimpressed with the only Heinlein book I've ever bought A Stranger in a Strange Land though. Which reminds me, I've not done any real reading in ages. I'm a bloody neanderthal, only without the lovely chick attracting muscles.
My week in short
Sometimes the system is seriously pathetic. When did random stupidity become menacing to society? I'm talking about flash mobbing. Yes it's dumb and I wouldn't have gone if I didn't have to cover it for my news writing class. Frankly this flash mob trend would have died out on its own without need for policemen. I might post the article I wrote on it on the blog sometime. I'm dithering because I told my sources I wouldn't publish it. Does putting it on a blog NO ONE reads count? Oh and I've got my first ever KILLED article by the Nanyang Chronicle. Glorious day. I shall imbibe a lot of alcohol to smooth over the pyschic scar this will undoubtedly add to my whimpering SOUL! *kicks a table bitterly* At least the editor-in-chief bothered to explain to me why. No, it doesn't feel any better, but that's at least more ammo for self-loathing, woohoo. Woohoo. In other news, I'm flying off to Taiwan in a few days. With a bunch of people I barely know. With any luck I won't return with any new neuroses. God knows I've got enough. Wo
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(RIGHT)This shot was taken in Ximending. It was a shopping paradise and a lot of concerts, Taiwanese celebrity appearances, etc occur here. Since I hate shopping and couldn't give a toss about most celebs, it was pure hell. Note the slippers I'm wearing. My shoes were destroyed when I jumped off the bus. Had to buy a new pair. DEATH BE TO NIKE.
