A Collection of Profound Thoughts-Inquiries-Observations-Experiences-Ruminations

God be with you till we meet again

2011-03-26T21:54:00.003+08:00

Well, it's time for me to go and serve my Lord and consecrate 2 years of my time to Him. I'll be away from the internet and all other forms of modern day communication.

The only way to contact me is by writing to me. I shall depart on the 28th of March to Provo, Utah for missionary training where my letters can be received for 3 weeks.. till approximately late April.

My address then will be:

Elder Trent Lai

California Oakland/San Francisco Mission

Provo Missionary Training Center

2005 N 900 E

Provo, UT 84604

United States.

If you do write to me, I will definitely write back!

Thereafter, I'll be posted to the area I was called to, in the California Oakland/San Francisco Mission. Why there? I do not exactly know but all I know is that there are people waiting for me to teach them the word of God and it's my responsibility to find them. All letters and parcels (if you do intend to send anything :p) can be sent to this address at:

Elder Trent Lai

California Oakland/San Francisco Mission

4945 Lincoln Way

Oakland CA 94602

United States

Thanks everyone for being there for me before I left and making time to converse with me/wish me all the best/meet up. Deeply appreciate it and I shall be praying for all of you on this island or wherever you are or will be.

God be with you till we meet again.

She sells shishas by the seashore

2011-01-16T21:09:00.004+08:00

Haji lane's teens who comfortably play cards and smoke shishas don't realise the effect of the activity on their lungs. A friend of mine who smokes told me there's less kick in shishas than in cigarettes. Funny how shishas give less of a high feeling and harms the body more - a strange inverse relationship here.

According to BBC, "measuring carbon monoxide in exhaled breath showed a normal non-smoker's level to be three parts CO per million parts of air (ppm) (less than 1% of blood not working properly), a light smoker to have 10-20 ppm (2-4% of blood not working properly), and a heavy smoker 30-40 ppm (5-7%). The study found shisha smokers had 40-70 ppm of CO in their breath - affecting 8-12% of their blood."

So people, clear your misconceptions.

Asobi Seksu

2011-01-10T22:28:00.002+08:00

I can't believe I missed this band last year in November when they performed in Zouk. Dream pop gives that airy fairy floaty feel; not surprising given its genre name.

Turtle power!

2011-01-08T22:58:00.005+08:00

So there I was in my cave scanning through channels and I stumbled upon an exciting encounter between a turtle and tiger shark. The voice in the documentary compared the turtle to tortoises- strong beaks and unretractable heads whereas tortoises had not-as-strong beaks and heads which could withdraw into their shell. The sea turtle was swimming ashore ready to lay her eggs but nearby, laying in wait of prey was a young tiger shark. Tiger sharks have razor sharp teeth capable of penetrating the turtle's shell. As the turtle inevitably drew closer, death seemed nigh.

You probably guessed by now, the turtle survived the attack. How? It struck first, lunging at the tiger shark's gills and bit it really hard. The shark attempted to circle it and assault but the turtle measured its movement, refusing to let its guard down. This sea turtle wasn't simply aggressive, it was amazingly intelligent (like donatello in the picture above). The weakest point of sharks are their eyes and gills. No way, the turtle would go head on so it smartly went for the gills. Eventually, the tiger shark retreated, acknowledging the strength of its opponent. I was highly pleased with the turtle's victory as it's seldom to chance on episodes when the prey manages to overcome the predator.

With some maternity instinct, aggression and astute decision making, the turtle beat the odds. THIS is seriously what i call turtle power.

Longer hair

2011-01-06T18:50:00.004+08:00

In the interview on Inside the Actor's Studio, Johnny Depp cited that he once "stupidly thought that when" his hair is down, he's "hiding" and "invisible". Although I don't share the exact sentiment, growing my hair to its current bowl shape,- the longest I've ever had my hair at- I do understand and somewhat feel that personal sense of security. While I was walking through the streets under the drizzling rain, I realised my hair didn't feel as soaked as it'd normally be. I know this sounds dumb but it's like my hair is this special helmet of protection. It felt as though my hair has become an integral part of my being which I greatly appreciate for its functionality and individuality it gives me. Having my hair at this length, has given me some personal space and probably, identity.

Nah, i'm not going to be emo and grow a long fringe to cover my face and expression. The point, however, is that I believe I can understand the value people place in their hair. I think I can empathise with people who've their long hair cut. It removes away their identity, their personal security- that's why some cry when that happens. Sounds superficial but consider this, superficiality has this special connect to substance and meaning. Why else do we place so much value in inanimate objects and symbols as reminders?

Search engine for more websites you love

2011-01-05T02:20:00.006+08:00

Somehow the internet gets a little monotonous with facebook despite its infinite applications and endless comments one can make. Wanting to have more than my usual scope of websites - facebook, gmail, designboom.com, ted.com, iht.com and probably some soccer news sites, I looked for a search engine to find similar sites to the ones I currently hop around. I came across moreofit.com but discovered that there's a more popular one called similarsitesearch.com. So which is better?

According to comments on hacker news, it appears that moreofit.com has a better user interface than similarsitesearch.com whereas similarsitesearch.com generates more results than moreofit.com. When i tried it out myself, moreofit.com reaped more search results plus, it has this really neat sidebar that allows you to toggle between the level of popularity and similarity of the list of sites you want. So my preference leans towards moreofit.com. Given the popularity of similarsitesearch.com, it seems it has a headstart in connectedness as it has facebook "like" buttons and the whole lineup of social networking sites to link itself with. But because I'm not an active user of these social websites, it doesn't quite boost itself in practicality with me.

Holy cow. I was suspecting that google would either buy these websites up or do something similar and it seems like I'm right. Google chrome has this extension called "Google similar pages" in its beta version and also, it always had the "similar" button in the search results next to the search item. I tried it out and they're fairly accurate but users mention that moreofit.com derives its data from delicious.com (where users manually bookmark their pages according to categories) so that makes it superbly accurate as the preferences of users are more effective than gathering results from common words.

Hence, the verdict - go try moreofit.com

UPDATE:

Eric: You're right. I didn't compare moreofit and similarsearch that much to give a fair comparison. The quality of similarsearch is far superior.

Coco

2011-01-03T02:19:00.004+08:00

I had spent most of my 2nd half of last december in thailand. Beach activities in krabi and thai city life in bangkok. One thing in common was that both places had plenty and plenty of coconuts. When we touched down in bangkok airport, we came across an ingenious dessert- coconut ice cream served on half a coconut husk with its flesh.

The scoop lady would scrape off the flesh on the husk before serving so there's no need to worry about flimsy spoons to do the job. It was really refreshing and coconut at its best. After having one, I had to have another as the portion wasn't that big. I tried to find this dessert in the main land but couldn't, apparently the airport seems to be the only place I know of that sells this dessert.

Although I'm not a coconut fanatic, going to bangkok has allowed me to appreciate this water-filled fruit. I deviced a way to best enjoy it there :D Previously, I used to drink up all the juice before I scratched off the flesh. Having the flesh last gets a bit jelat especially with no fluid left to down it, so thinking about how everyone loves to drink the canned coconut drink with its coconut pulp floating in it, I thought it best to grate the flesh into the drink itself. Using the thin metal spoon, i gently grated against the flesh to get thin pieces of pulp - ones that can be sucked up by the thin straw. Drinking it was coconut heaven. Imagine fresh, cool, sweet liquid with smooth thin slices of flesh sliding down your throat. Yes, that is coconut heaven.

Maybe I'm a bit slow in coming up with this way of drinking the coconut but I'm glad to have made that discovery. At least when I see a drinks menu next time, I won't hesitate to ever order a fresh coconut.

Restart

2010-12-28T02:16:00.003+08:00

It took me 2 hours to redo my blog into this clean look and i must say I am pleased. Don't laugh, you IT-savvy people, at my HTML illiteracy! It's funny how I tried to dabble with the HTML codes only to find the codes I copied down ending up unreadable. Eventually I realised that blogger has this new (pardon me if it's not too new) layout where I can add my banners and extra tools as gadgets easily. Within a few minutes, I got my sidebar in order. Whew.

So I've stayed away from my blog for months and I've thought about the original intent of my website I created back in my JC days. Back then, I started a blog to create a platform to expand my GP skills by discussing and inquiring on all those intellectual topics eg. euthanasia, science & religion etc. But now that I'm past that phase of GP and A level preparation, having done that 2 years ago, it's time to start on a clean slate. Of course, it comes with a new intent for this portal.

The name stays because it broadly covers everything that I'd probably ever type on this site, unless I start to turn this into a blonde journal for the whole world to see WHICH will never happen. So yes, restart. Restart to engage and share of all the discoveries I make from my day to day experiences. I figured that's what blogs are for- not rantings and whinings of personal issues but more of social websites to deseminate valuable experiences to share with others. I greatly appreciate those food and travel blogs eg. ieatishootipost and others I came across in my search for amazing off-the-track travelogues, these are the blogs I hope to emulate. Given my limited social circle, this blog is dedicated especially to my loved ones and friends whom I dearly want to share all my worthwhile experiences with :)

Quest for best dessert joints I

2010-06-06T19:51:00.005+08:00

I'm on a quest for search for the best dessert joint in singapore based on my own terms. It'll have to provide good tasting, yummy desserts that cannot satisfy a craving for more, be generous in its portions (only a plus), decently priced.

Thus far, I've paid a visit to Max Brenner's chocolate bar and i came out not too impressed. I went there for the chocolate but the chocolate drinks and desserts weren't chocolate-y enough. I appreciated the concept, porcelain mugs and steel straws though. The ambience and decor were aptly set up, with bags of cocao on shelves, Max brenner's tale, arty pictures and woody furniture etc. Yet, at the heart of it as I had mentioned, Max Brenner's didn't live up to its name as a chocolate bar.

Tried the hazelnut creme crepe, chocolate granita, chocolate soup, orange smoothie, hot chocolate and marshmallows, mexican spicy hot chocolate and eighties' milkshake.

The drinks got a little je-lat after a while. Perhaps we were rushing through our drinks but I'd think that the drinks were quite sweet. I liked the mexican spicy hot chocolate. It kicked up a little spice in my life and such zest really matched the cocoa taste. No wonder the mesoamerican cultures mixed such an elixir. I'd love to stir up a such a concoction one day. Throw in some cocoa powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and milk in the right proportions and you'd get a really divine mayan xocolatl drink.

Just yesterday, I set out to serangoon gardens with my pals to explore the famed ice3 dessert parlour. It ended off with utter disappointment. The choco-banana mudpie and crepe with ice cream were total disasters. One was ice cream in the shape of a block and the other was crepe with preserved fruits and tasteless blueberry ice cream. When I returned home, I searched up reviews and saw that indeed, it was an island-wide let down. Too bad I had to experience it for myself with a pinch on my wallet.

And so, I continue my quest for the best dessert joints in town.

What do you want to do?

2010-05-30T22:18:00.010+08:00

I don't know.

I really don't know.

Do i really need to know?

Job week had consistently been memorable throughout my 4 main scouting years. Yes, I did earn much each year during those 4 days of going door to door, discovering treasure troves of generous contributors and utilising my strategy of pulling at people's heartstrings. I'm sorry, I didn't intend to brag. I recall going to my favourite hotspot- Lincoln lodge, the condominium right behind United Square in my secondary 4 year. It was a place full of expatriates and warm, friendly people- definitely unforgettable. From the top floor, I descended, ringing each apartment's doorbell. At one particular door, an indian lady opened and immediately, I sold my story on job week. She paused for a moment and cracked her brain on ideas of jobs to give me. Not long after, she gave up and called out to her spouse for any ideas as well. Eventually, she simply invited me in hospitably like an expected visitor.

Not wanting to let me off jobless, she had decided to get me to teach mandarin to her young daughter who was occupied in one corner with her toys. With a glass of coke with ice, we carried a conversation that led to the question on what i wanted to do. At that time, I thought probably investment banking since it seemed like an appropriate choice but then again, i conceded that I still wasn't too sure. Without hesitation, she shared that it was totally alright. She admitted she was 26 before she finally discovered where her passion laid in. Her job then in JP Morgan was where she was concluded her search for a career she was contented with. Not many know their desires until they visit the corporate world long enough. And that would take much time.

Advice may narrow the choices but only experience will decide.

"I am a simple man," revealed the then Chief of Staff-Joint Staff of the Singapore Armed Forces, BG Chan Chun Sing. In the closed door session with OCS cadets, he chronicled his life, how he came to be and accepted his calling. He was offered the SAFOS scholarship after his JC days and accepted it even though he wanted a different career. From there, the rest was history. He had no complains, no qualms about not having the liberty of choice. He is a great example of one who obliged without doubt to an organisation he had no idea of what to expect.

He showed that one can choose to find contentment in any job.

With these 2 tales in mind, I've decided to take my time to discover my passion. And if I don't find it, I will remain contented with my life despite whatever outcomes I face.

Trouble is my friend

2010-05-10T21:45:00.004+08:00

Lenka has the likes of regina spektor. The childish, playful, soothing voice befits such mirthful songs.

Root Beer floats

2010-05-08T15:53:00.002+08:00

About 2 weeks ago, I had dinner with my 2 dear cousins and an acquaintance at Relish in Cluny Court. Responding to a sudden craving for ice cream in a soft drink, I was led to ordering a root beer float. It had cost around 7 dollars for a scoop of vanilla and a slim glass filled with root beer. I looked behind the counter and saw an ice cream freezer with nestle label. Can't expect much I guessed. I wielded the spoon and dug into the soft vanilla ice cream first because I didn't want it to totally melt. Within seconds, an ice cream lover turned a "float" into a mere root beer drink.

But it wasn't just any ordinary drink. It was root beer mixed with some vanilla cream. It was creamy joy to sip the drink bit by bit. I suppose the 7 dollars wasn't all too bad. But when I went down to Marble Slab creamery, I saw a tempting option of trying their root beer float as well. Too bad, I was filled by the eccentric beef burgers of Relish. Anyway, at this moment, I am sitting comfortably tucked in swivel seat in Marble Slab creamery, analysing the creaminess and pleasure of my root beer float. I daresay, IBC rootbeer fails to accentuate the creaminess of the vanilla ice cream. The ice cream is indeed one of the best vanilla ice creams that may possibly exist out there (as shown by its huge ribbon "Best ice cream in America").

The texture of the vanilla is smooth, flavour strong, not too thick and sufficiently creamy to give the desire for more. Its melted form improves the flavour of IBC root beer, however, the excessive gassiness of the bottled drink diminishes the entire package.

So, the verdict is that A&W root beer floats still reign supreme. The nostalgic and creamy A&W root beers are superior to any other root beers I've tried thus far. If we combined A&W root beers with marble slab vanilla ice cream, perhaps we might get the creamiest concoction. We'll try that one day.

A Night with Ono

2010-05-02T18:38:00.004+08:00

1st May 1945

One by one, in groups and in pairs, the seats in the gargantuan theatre filled. People were fiddling with their phones only to realise there was no reception while others, chatted incessantly with much anticipation for the singer who'd take stage. I sat there without much expectation for this lady and spent my moments observing the layout of the entire layout. I haven't quite had the opportunity to step into the esplanade theatre and appreciate it for some time so occupying top the circle was the perfect fit for such a moment. The metal tube-like objects stuck on the ceiling, the multiple doors of entry, the woody and soft feel, the stage set with the grand piano, guitar, cello and drum set all culminate to a feast to one's eyes.

Wait, there's still the feast to the ears. After the celloist, pianist and drummer took their place to a gentle applause, Lisa ono sauntered out to an even louder applause. It's her 3rd time in singapore performing. And she was performing not just for me but also for the japanese and brazilian ambassadors to singapore so she had better put up a good show.

It begun slow, lisa ono warming up her voice for the 1st 2 songs. But 3rd was my favourite- garota de ipanema (girl from ipanema). Play her youtube video and you'd know. It followed with a string of bossa nova standards. I couldn't quite recognise some and singing in portugeuse made me a little bored as i didn't understand the pieces. The first half of the show made me feel a little dissatisfied as it was a tad too anaesthetic. She was a sweetheart to the audience despite her limited vocab as she sounded so earnest and innocent, especially, when she pleaded with everyone not to go home during the break.

After the 20 minute interval, ono entered in a different eye-catching red dress, i suppose it somewhat signified a change in the genre of music in the 2nd half. The songs arranged were fast paced and this time, she got out of her seat next to the grand piano and swayed with her music. I broke out of my semi-conscious state and was absorbed in the contents. Her mellow and mellifluous voice enchanted the crowd. It came out stronger and more solid in the second half. Her rendition of "moon river" was amazing. Plus, i give much credit to the pianist who made the songs jazzy with his instrumental bridges.

So, i wasn't too surprised when she came back for 2 encores. She surmised this acoustic treat with "what a wonderful world". How apt.

The Spirit of Adventure

2010-02-27T01:13:00.021+08:00

Went on random hike from my home to Chinatown and to Bugis last week on friday. And you thought I'd be sick of hiking after all those route marches. Here's the route:

DISCLAIMER: This route is not the exact route taken and is a only an estimation

Ok, I admit it's hard to figure out the route.

-SP is start point.

-The blue route ends at Ann siang (try to make out the words

-2nd half of the day is the yellow route

-I think you can see the s'pore flyer words

-And there the End Point (EP) near city hall mrt

Sister was supposed to train and condition herself for her ultra marathon in the sahara desert but we ended up exploring shops.

Here are 2 interesting signs along balestier road:

Saw the "drop inn" sign on the way home before. clever puns.

Popped into a few shops on the way to Ann siang. Along kandahar street where the famous rich and good cake shop swiss rolls lay, was the house of Ginza chocolate - Blue Ribbon. Tasted the chocolate ice cream as I could ill afford the expensive pieces of chocolate/truffles and I wasn't too impressed. The lady didn't warn that they had mixed in different fruit flavours with the ice cream, a cardinal sin to a chocolate purist like me. Sister and I had a long chat with the owner, examining the variety of chocolates on display and determining whether this shop was worth returning. I guess not.

We moved on through Kampong Glam and pass the one shop where innocent young primary school kids were frequently conned. (don't have a picture but I think you can recall) You might remember a perfume shop with mini perfume bottles at a dollar each. On a school trip to Kampong Glam, long queues of us, halflings eagerly took our turns to choose between the perfumes. I remember the day I brought 2 home, hoping to impress mother, only to be reprimanded for purchasing such "smelly" perfumes. I think the bottle sat cold on my bathroom counter top for ages until I disposed of them years later.

We strolled through the reputable haji lane known to house a cluster of boutique stores(supposedly owned by tai-tais / fledgling designers). It was noon then and most shops opened at ard 1pm so we were a wee bit early to weave through these shops. Came to this tiny street once, and it was alive mostly with teens folded on rolled out carpets smoking sheshars and playing cards.With nothing to check out, we headed straight to my favourite haunt and the best kept secret in town - Shaw towers.

Shaw towers looks as shabby as any other shaw building. In the interior, it isn't any much different. What makes Shaw towers a hidden gem is actually the variety, uniqueness and affordability. The dining areas on the ground level look decent and are pretty packed during lunch hour.The eating joints there serves thai, korean and vegetarian (western) and there's an interesting ice cream parlour to end off your meal. Uncle Tom's Palette boasts a wide array of ice cream from apple pie to sesame and depending on the season eg. CNY, you could get luo han or pineapple tart! A scoop's about $2.50 - almost half the price of Ben & Jerry's. It's definitely better than Island Creamery (if I spelt that correctly) and truly value for money. My only grouse is that the ice-cream can get a bit jelat as there's distinct creamy taste in every flavour that irritates me after a while. If not, it's worth visiting especially for amiable owners who'd be more than willing to allow you to try every single flavour (no kidding!).

On the second level, directly above Ah Yatt Seafood market, you'd often see crowds of indians. Don't be surprised because there's a bollywood cinema there. I haven't patronised it before but i believe it was converted from the former Shaw Prince cinema. Along the aisle of shops, there're magic, dvd, manicure and skin treatment shops. My favourite's (no prizes for guessing) is Xotiq chocolatier (for more info go to my hungrygowhere.com entry) which sells my alltime favourite chocolates. After I restocked on my supply of chocolate, we proceeded to Ann siang - widely acclaimed for its beautifully decorated and arty stores.

I guess I'll write up on Ann Siang another time! Have to leave to India for a month.

Sarcarsm and sincerity

2009-12-23T16:42:00.002+08:00

I find it amusing how people use sarcarsm before giving a sincere response. Shooting a sarcarstic remark actually gives the other person an idea of your typical sarcarstic response and hence, he/she can generally identify how you'd reply sincerely. In some way, sarcarsm elevates the level of sincerity when you're giving genuine responses (when in fact, you don't really mean it altogether).

I think it's a pretty useful communication device especially when you don't feel like giving a frank answer. It's a little deceptive but I think it's a good way of staying away from offending someone ;) (Anyway, I don't really employ this method of communication much, this post is a product of observing other people)

Right.

2009-10-10T17:21:00.002+08:00

As a child, I was raised and taught to abstain from anything or any form/depiction of evil that may eventually induce me to negative conduct. That's not to say that I didn't watch cartoons with villains but, ultimately good trumps all in those animated series. So that wasn't anything that involved moral dilemmas.

As idealism and images of a perfectly-run world of law and order get washed away with time and experience, beliefs in realism form a core of my principles; my eyes now see a world of grey. Religion tries to define what's black and what's white. Ironically, it makes things all the more grey. In attempting to draw a line, the line actually creates a new split and an additional school of thought; generating more confusion, conflict and endless debate.

I've been wondering why we shun the sight of evil when in fact, it grants us the ability to empathise with victims of evil. I don't mean that we should participate in all these acts of horror or allow ourselves to be influenced by them. Is it wrong to see how POWs get tortured? Wrong to witness the brutality of humanity? I say, if we get a grip of ourselves, disallow ourselves from being shaken by these images, we receive that very gift of empathy. We share the pain of these victims, we understand the state of their souls, we grow to care for others.

There may be other means of caring for others without having to undergo the traumatic experience of reliving the victim's story. You can say that you can love the person, love every single person in the whole world and so you'd care for everyone. Love everyone for who they are. But you won't truly know the circumstance of each individual. It's hard to see how you can artificially effect an emotion without having a proper stimulus. Yes, I'm a realist. I believe in opening one's eyes to see events or people who are forgotten in the illusion of utopia.

Chocolate records

2009-09-13T17:59:00.008+08:00

As a self proclaimed chocoholic, I shall heed the advice of others to record my profound chocolate experiences. Each chocolate bears a different story of its origin- the effort placed into nurturing the cocoa beans, the climate, its location, the surrounding plantations, the processes undertaken by the chocolatier etc. And thus, each chocolate reveals a different taste to the senses, indeed, it takes more than just the sense of taste to capture the entire aroma and passion put into making that bar/piece of chocolate.

Let me describe how to taste a tiny cube of chocolate. Break one from the bar and it'll require an ounce of effort to do so. If not, there's probably a lack of cocoa butter- the expensive ingredient used to give chocolate bars their solid state and familiar to the cosmetics industry (used in lipsticks, make-up etc.). I tried Teuscher, a Swiss chocolate brand, and its 66% bar melted much more easily, leaving me to conclude and agree that the chocolate's composition is largely made of Swiss milk. When appreciating chocolate, one goes for the cocoa beans, not the side ingredients. So avoid swiss chocolate if you're a true blue chocoholic.

Upon the first contact with your tastebuds, you won't taste the cocoa. Instead, you taste the scent that the cocoa beans absorbed from their surrounding environment. For instance, cocoa beans grown in Jamaica have a lot of woody trees, so it captures a woody aroma that layers over the cocoa. Chocolate is prone to absorbing the surrounding smells, so avoid exposing the chocolate to the atmosphere to prolonged periods of time. As for me, I placed my secret stash of chocolates into a tupperware and they ended up tasting a little like the tupperware!

Slowly, the cocoa flavour seeps into your system. It could come in many forms. Sour(acidulous) or bitter or mellow or nutty or intense or it could be a combination. Amedei's my favourite as it has a different level of complexity above the other brands, I don't exactly know how to describe it but it isn't overwhelming. It reminds me of how the butler in the Remains of the Day described the countryside in Britain. It isn't full of grandiose or mind blowing but simply elegant, classy while easing gracefully through transitions, revealing another angle of each masterpiece.

After going through the process of appreciating the chocolate, the end note should be clean and palatable for good works of chocolate. Chocolate's the life. It was made for royalty. So be a king/queen/princess/prince and let that cocoa release those endorphins!

Destiny

2009-08-02T19:51:00.008+08:00

I was reading Invisible Cities by Marco Calvino in between lessons one day and sitting right beside me was one of my mates who happened to be reading Kurt Vonnegut novel. We checked each others' books out. Invisible Cities is a piece modern literature text filled with symbols and metaphors. Calvino used imaginery cities to conjure representations of life and its realities. There were certain themes which have managed to stay stuck in my mind. There was one city most sought after and desired. However, the people who seek for this city realise that although it was the city they were finding all their life, it no longer felt the same because the idealism in their youth had vanished. The goals we strive for in our youth are not the ones we wish for when we grow older. As a teenager, I wonder if our goals are for naught due to their ephemeral nature. To stick to a long term goal and reach it, only to realise that it isn't what we want anymore is a sad disappointment. It's tragic.

Invisible Cities details a fictional conversation between Marco Polo and Kublai Khan. Polo, being an emissary was updating the Great Khan on the cities conquered and explored. Khan wondered why Polo didn't go through the usual report of food, troops etc. (because this book is literature!) so Polo would inevitably manage to steer the conversation topic away from that by mentioning something else, one being how the listeners' ears determines what he wants to hear. Yet in doing so, he states a true fact of life. The same story told varies as the people listening choose what they want to hear. Teachers, politicians, army generals and all other kinds of people will never be satisfied until their ears receive what they are contented with.

So enough with Invisible Cities. I laud the book for it's overwhelming variety of imaginery cities that the late author could have possibly conceived while including a thought provoking feature in each one. Admittedly so, I found it hard to understand everything that was brought across. I told my friend exactly that and he replied that you don't need to understand everything. Eventually, we landed on the topic of destiny. He shared how books like the watchmen and vonnegut ones are meaningful as they question critical themes in life. So he went- if we know our final destiny and no matter what we do, we end up at that final point, then what meaning is there to life? Or if I know that I am destined to do something wrong... will that make me a bad person? Did that make Peter the apostle a bad person when he denied Christ 3 times? To this, I let you decide for I still do not know the answer.

Movie Mania

2009-06-28T12:05:00.007+08:00

Ever since I've enlisted into NS, I've watched movie after movie. There were X-Men: Origins of Wolverine, Star Trek, Watchmen, Rachel getting Married, Valkyrie, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Slumdog Millionaire, Lezioni di cioccolato, Bride Wars, Princess Mononoke, Ghost in the Shell, Laputa, Departures (jap movie), the wind blows round, nobody to watch over me etc. After watching all these movies of different genres and studios, i've become pickier with my choice of movies. I've grown tired of hollywood films for their same old storylines- bad guy comes, good guy gets hurt, good guy gets saved (by some external help) and bad guy loses in the end.

So quite recently i've been acquiring (or least trying) a taste for foreign films. In no way am I attempting to promote foreign films as I do admit there have been misses for foreign movies (don't watch the absurd nobody to watch over me (jap movie)). Yet, foreign films come across as avant garde as they offer a different perspective and style to movies. "The wind blows round" (an italian movie I watched during the Italian film festival) introduces culture and how complexities can emerge from the simple farm communal life. It was about a French goat cheese farmer and his family and the trouble they faced in integrating into an Italian village in the pyrenees filled with an ageing population. Discrimination, gossip and even politics in this village stirred up contention in the tiny community. That picture drawn up is somewhat recognisable and reflected in society today although the background differs. Xenophobic Singaporeans and their fear of foreign talent and labour. We find it hard to come to terms with the value of their skills and expertise. And when there is trouble, it's only natural it'd be ascribed to the other people.

I appreciate Studio Ghibli films especially Princess Mononoke, my favourite Hayao Miyazaki animated movie. I like movies which feature characters with pros and cons, characters who are heroes to some and villains to others. Take lady eboshi as an example, a leader to the women in her town and a caretaker of the lepers but hated by the spirits of the forest (and princess mononoke) as she destroys the forest for the town's industry. That's reality. I've observed and learnt in the army that everyone's wants can never be met as people would have conflicting opinions. And would satisfying the majority be the right solution? That's what I like about noteworthy films, they raise those familiar questions of society.

Reality Check

2009-01-09T01:40:00.008+08:00

Haven't updated since november but that doesn't mean my brain has since been rotting. I can safely say that the rotting of my brain will commence once i enlist. I hope it won't be too drastic because i shall do my best to enrich my life with random knowledge. Bought i book on Israel's history as i feel ignorant reading about recent news on the Gaza strip between Israel and the Hamas and not know the historical background. Only read 50 pages out of the 2000 over pages thus far and i've already been astounded by the resilience of the Israelis. These people were discriminated almost everywhere, attacked frequently by the Arabs, were not exactly living on fertile soil (they were tilling the land as farmers in Palestine) and yet, they found solace in recovering their Zion. It wasn't anything much compared to America at that time (and perhaps still isn't). Under the great leadership of a few influential men eg. Theodor Herzl and also from the philantrophy of the masses and the rich ones eg. Edmond De Rothschild, the home for Jews was formed under the British Mandate (I've only read until about the 1920s). I find the Jews to be a very gifted bunch of people as they tend to be highly intelligent, a classic example being Albert Einstein. I was told that the Jews are the main controllers of financial institutions and they own quite a large stake in banks. So as much as these people were dispersed and stateless for more than 2 millenia, it hasn't been to their detriment as they hold power and wealth all around the world. The Jews are just an amazing people.

I haven't been following the news closely but when the headlines flashed out "Indian Software boss quits, admits faking US$1 billion in profits", a thought came to my head. With the Madoff incident and now this, maybe a financial crisis is a blessing in disguise. It allows us to be aware of the threat of corruption from even the seemingly most reputable people or institutions. The system of checks and balances gets oiled when such cases are uncovered. So in future, hopefully no one falls prey to the such corrupt practises as such should be weeded out. These instances also reinforce my belief that it's hard to trust people out there in this world. I'm not being cynical but the world we live in is a dog eat dog world so it can't be helped feeling this way.

It's time to go off to Tekong. My life as a souja boy begins.

Movie to watch

2008-11-27T01:14:00.008+08:00

The Sky Crawlers is brilliant. The style of the movie is altogether queer yet this is its strength. The awkward pauses throughout the film truly bring out the emotions of the characters. I'd prefer to watch this movie over again any time over Spirited Away or Howl's Moving Castle. I like how the plot will keep you on your toes as it hides the huge mystery of what the whole film is about till the very end. So here's a synopsis- simply put, this storyline is of bionicle kildren (children who never become adults) and their struggle in living their life of piloting planes (their designed purposes). The issue isn't with flying their planes to destroy the enemy, rather, it's in discovering that such a life is pretty much purposeless. But the ending though not the typical happily ever after, had this statement to actually find meaning beneath all the inner turmoil of the characters:

“You can change the side of the road that you walk down every day. Even if the road is the same, you can still see new things. Isn't that enough to live for?”

 – Yuichi Kannami

To me, it was a perfect ending for a film so full of silent emotions

Music that's in!

2008-11-25T00:51:00.002+08:00

I can't stop listening to Bossa nova music. The tunes are so relaxing and simple, one can't help putting them on loop. Olivia Ong adds a nice innocent touch to her Bossanova albums but the original artists eg. Joao Gilberto are particularly special in their own way. I can't pinpoint it but somehow the music gives me the feeling that life is so easy to live, care-free and all. That just might be the Brazillian lifestyle- strumming the guitar and singing as time goes by.

Here's Garota de Ipanema (Girl from Ipanema):

Is this learning?

2008-11-11T17:46:00.005+08:00

I shall not be ranting or cursing or swearing SEAB for the killer econs paper. But I do want to question their motives. Many have criticised Singapore's education system as one in which the exam smart excel. And as history has proven, the exam smart are not necessarily the best people for the top jobs in our country. Indeed, Singapore needs thinkers who are flexible, creative in thinking etc. So that should involve a major upheaval in the education system on the basis that it nurtures and develop the young in their learning. However, setting difficult examinations should not be validated by this reason. Students who have devoted endless time into studying- studying what has been taught, do not deserve to be casualties of such a major change. Yes, I am a student and may be biased in my opinion, yet, my stand is agreeable. Because I do laud a revision in the system, the much required change but just not the style in which it is done.

At least allow us to pre-empt the style or the thought process to understand such types of questions. The specimen papers and past year ones pale in comparison in terms of difficulty as compared to this year's paper. The education system has enough rigours and challenges that many struggle. To make the final examination a difficult one... is definitely a finishing blow.

I do hope and pray that tomorrow will prove to be a better day.

Personal webpages

2008-11-02T19:42:00.003+08:00

Blogs. You're staring at one now. A medium to convey messages and this time, my post is imbued with Mena Trott's thoughts in her TED video. She's one of the early pioneers of the blogosphere and did so by starting up Move Apart, the company which has produced online blog portals like Live Journal, Typepad and Vox. As she updated her personal blog regularly, she began to comprehend the intangible benefits of possessing a blog. It opens a window to the world of others to share your pains and joys with strangers who may in fact, alleviate your suffering. This may seem strange because not many desire the attention of unknown beings who prowl the pages of his/her blog (and that includes me). Yet, people find it cathartic to reveal their stories on the internet for others to see. Indeed, it sounds contradictory altogether but the truth is that while bloggers feel uncomfortable with anonymous visitors, they actually have an even deeper desire to share their story. And that in some way, negates that xenophobic feeling. Trott encouraged people to consider blogging as the more personal we make our blog, the more we realise how friendly people and communities are around us. As Teszler (some noble hungarian guy from another TED talk), once said - "people are fundamentally good." In letting others know a part of our lives, we receive the understanding of the the inherent goodness in others. The care that netizens shower you with when they see you in your emo-state or it may be the patience they render after viewing posts of tantrums. I can testify how blogs sharpen my awareness of my peers' emotional condition and it always gives them comfort when others express concern. Those marvellous benefits of the social revolution in the media.

Then you may question, why is this blog so impersonal and so intellectual wannabe? You may even pop this "Why don't you start making your blog even more interesting by typing all about your life?" I established this blog in February and at that point of time, i decided that if i were to creat one, it would be for the sole purpose of improving my general paper skills (and my "A" level paper happens to be tomorrow), no more, no less. Next, as much as Trott spoke truth in her speech, experience has told me enough not to act on her words. She may have some form of motive by encouraging people to blog but i shan't read too much into that. Instead, she chose not to fully address the possible negative repercussions of personal blogs. Often times, people, especially strangers, gather misleading pictures from blog posts. For example, some person could be perfectly level-headed but upon chancing his/her blog you may wonder why that person is so volatile and angsty with all those vulgarities typed out clearly for the world wide web to see. Yes, Trott did speak of her own personal experience, however, i don't think she realised that this problem is highly prevalent in blogging communities. Written words can be deceiving and they become even more dangerous when the rest of the world misinterpret them.

I'm becoming more cautious of online social networking sites as well. Yesterday there was a straits times article in which the reporter delved into the implications of recent facebook murders. Behind all of these incidents, a key lesson to learn is never to hang your dirty linen, even in subtle ways. For instance, I don't believe that one should publicly declare one's relationship status all the time as any changes can lead to unnecessary consequences (not muder i hope). Nonetheless, all of this is subject to one's opinion.

This new age media can be really frightening. So here's a Word of advice: always be clear of what information to censor if not... caveat auctor (author).

(Oh, wish me luck for GP tomorrow!)

The Remains of the Day

2008-10-12T17:21:00.000+08:00

Yes, I've read a novel despite the big As looming ahead. But i do not bear any slightest bit of regret. It has been a long time since i've last read a novel and to read one again is indeed refreshing. While non fiction can amaze you with plain facts and truths, fiction grounds you by sharing of the ordeals each character had to go through. In other words, fiction, with its personal touch, ironically brings one back to reality. Every trait each character displays reminds me of the behaviour of the people in my life. Their dilemmas are surprisingly familiar in spite of the varied contexts. And so the characters' reactions, though not real, provoke thought and scrutiny. How would i have behaved in that instance? Therein lies the beauty of novels, it draws out time for personal introspection on matters we would scarcely reflect on if not for experiences undergone or shared.

Of course, fiction isn't the only source for contemplation. Yet somehow, I find that these stories evoke a stronger emotion in me than in real life examples for reflection. Perhaps biographies or autobiographies don't paint a picture that permits readers to truly read into the person. And thus, maybe that lacks a degree of depth in the heart of matters.

I thoroughly enjoyed Kazuo Ishiguro's The Remains the Day. The novel was paced comfortably, had its scenic landscapes well described, the characters were developed clearly and the story is tragic. Tragic may be a little harsh to some but to me, it is a tragic tale. In living a life of dignity and servitude, the main character of the story, Mr Stevens, sacrificed love and emotion. The action of denying your life of emotion for work, is something i cannot understand. It seems so heartless and inhumane to always deal with other in such a manner. Yet many struggle to find the need to fulfill the emotional aspect of their lives. Is it the rat race we always mention? Maybe it is but i gather that the problem is the common misconception that the work we do will eventually stop on its own. And that is supposed to signal the need to move on to other areas in life. The problem is, time waits for no one. By the time we realise we can't segment life in time frames, we are left to feel saddened by the fact that we can't reverse time. And in that sense, we'll be left to feel as Mr Stevens did. Though he didn't exactly express regret, it was apparent that he was bothered by those major turning points in his life. Those seemingly insignificant moments which led to unexpected consequences.

Thus, as church leaders invariably counsel, live your life to the fullest, Be grateful and find joy in the journey. I find this Harold Hill quote mentioned by President Thomas S Monson rather apt "You pile up enough tomorrows and you'll find out you've collected a lot of empty yesterdays." Yes, now this all means that i need to accelerate for the As!

University application essays

2008-10-05T23:39:00.000+08:00

I was surfing around the internet on US university application processes. When i looked at the essay questions, i was stumped. I have absolutely no clue on how to write a really good essay that will stand out from millions and millions of applications. Thank goodness i have about 1 to 2 years to think through these questions. This calls for much introspection and reflection on my life and past experiences.

Just for show:

Stanford's essay questions
The Common Application’s Essays
Candidates must choose one topic and respond. Responses must be at least 250 words but should not exceed the space provided (approximately one page).

1)Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.

2)Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you.

3)Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence.

4)Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence.

5)A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community, or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.
Topic of your choice.

The Stanford Supplement Short Essays
Candidates must respond to all three questions/topics. Responses must be at least 250 words but should not exceed the space provided in the Supplement.

1)Stanford students are widely known to possess a sense of intellectual vitality. Tell us about an idea or an experience you have had that you find intellectually engaging.

2)Virtually all of Stanford’s undergraduates live on campus. What would you want your freshman year roommate to know about you? Tell us something about you that will help your roommate—and us—know you better.

3)Tell us what makes Stanford a good place for you

I browsed through the list of stanford, harvard and university of chicago essay questions. The University of Chicago is one of the most creative univesities when it comes to the essay questions! Every year, they ask their students to come up with essay questions for applicants and that's what makes the questions so wacky and probably more interesting than other schools'. Take a look at this!
"At present you need to live the question."—Rainer Maria Rilke, translated from the German by Joan M. Burnham.Inspired by Sarah Marikar, a third-year in the College

How do you think you'd attempt this philosophical one? And after looking through all these questions i've come to the conclusion- that what all these schools want are just people who know themselves well. I believe that's a crucial step in making people great. Because it is only when you truly know yourself then you'd know what's best for yourself and society. The problem is, self discovery doesn't come to people that easily and not especially when you're 18 or even 20. And like what i said earlier, that really calls for much reflection and introspection.

The VP debate

2008-10-03T13:59:00.000+08:00

The presidential candidate debate between Mccain and Obama was bland and it lacked some degree of intensity. But the vice presidential debate today was something. To me, Biden won it hands down. Immediately after the live telecast of the debate, journalists and commentators gave their opinion on the debate and some lauded Palin for her ability to stand up against Biden. I don't believe that was the case. She may have raised a level by another notch but it's simply not good enough as a vice president. Her inexperience with US foreign policy issues, the current financial turmoil happening right now in her country makes her inadequate as a vice-president. Everytime she attempted to put a point across, she got shot down. And when the topic shifted to issues she was unfamiliar with, she'd try to revert the debate back to topics within her comfort zone. How can she be a vice president when she's unaware of these issues that will continue to plague her country?

Subsequently, CNN journalists queried people in a focus group discussion. An overwhelming number of people believed that Obama will win this coming election. I was disappointed when i saw that Palin's supporters couldn't come up with valid reasons to why she was the better debater. Some responses came as "she's a momma" or "i just think she was better". Ok, perhaps i'm being mean by openly criticising Palin but I find Mccain's tactic is wrong and not emblematic of a deserving President-to-be. So in the process, i have to critique his strategy(Palin). It's appalling that he chose Palin in hope of winning clinton's supporters but it's failing. A governor who's only aware of her state but oblivious to the world affairs definitely does not have the capabilities to be a Vice President. Especially at this period of time .

I am amused to find i'm more familiar with US political figures than the Singapore political scene.

Batman with throat cancer

2008-09-22T23:58:00.000+08:00

This spoof video is totally hilarious!!

A sabbath visit

2008-09-21T19:09:00.000+08:00

I spent like an hour or so in the hospital on this sabbath day to visit the tan tock seng patients in the C class wards along with my brother. The main purpose was to talk to these physically unwell patients and at least provide a lending ear if need be in any way. On the way to the hospital, my brother emphasised to me that doctors tend to overlook the relationship that needs to be established with a patient. The relationship helps in building the trust that the patient needs to give to the medical servant because it's this very trust that heals the patient. Statistics have shown that 60% (or around there) of the healing is done by the placebo effect and that arrives with the belief, faith and trust. Amazingly true because at the end of the day, faith is what heals everyone.

It's my first time ever so it felt awkward and fears were like zooming in and out of my head- "what if i can't communicate in chinese with the patient?", "how do i even end a conversation with a patient?", how, how ,how? All these are like basic conversation skills except for maybe the chinese part, that's not so basic. I have no clue to medical terms in chinese. And that fear came true, i could hardly speak any chinese words properly and the moment i left the hospital, i told myself - ok, no more chinese barrier, i'm going to brush up on my mandarin as soon as i'm done with my As. That's not the whole point my blog post though.

As my brother and i left the tan tock seng, he asked me what i learned, and i wasn't really able to observe anything really significant apart from the fact that the C class wards are decent and look comfortable enough and also the aforementioned point. When it came to his turn, he told me that one major observation is that people don't really want to talk to you until they are given their fundamental need. And for those patients, they needed to recover badly from their physical ailments. That explained why the people there were reluctant to talk to us, ok maybe you'd have thought that observation was pretty obvious. But i found it profound as this principle can be applied across contexts. Take a loner who likes to hide in a corner (this being his basic need), he will never talk to you if you take away this need. Perhaps that example was a bit off, nonetheless, it's true.

This experience opened my eyes a little to what happens behind the walls that i pass by quite often. Now i realise that it's a lot harder to serve people when you're not a professional cause they just won't trust you. And that's why studying hard is good as that's the way you earn people's trust :).

Success makes it a scapegoat

2008-09-18T17:56:00.000+08:00

I saw this article on someone's blog and being the patriotic guy that I am, I thought it'd be good to share this around.

WESTERN CRITICISM OF SINGAPORE
BY JONATHAN EYAL
STRAITS TIMES EUROPE BUREAU

ANOTHER week, another pinprick. In an article published last week in The Guardian, one of Britain's most influential dailies, Singapore was yet again disparaged as a modern, but authoritarian state.Writer John Kampfner – a distinguished local columnist and the author of the broadside – was not concerned with Singapore as such: He was merely using the Republic as part of a broader attack on the policies of the British government. His contention was that ordinary Singaporeans allegedly gave up their personal freedoms in return for prosperity and that, if Britons are not careful, the same could happen to them.
But Mr Kampfner's article is part of an emerging pattern: Reports from a variety of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and international media sources periodically portray Singapore as a wealthy yet less than attractive state. What accounts for this outpouring of venom about a country which, when all is said and done, remains just a tiny speck on the world map? The answer is rather simple. Singapore is merely a convenient scapegoat for a deeper crisis of confidence which now grips the West. As such, the flow of criticism is likely to continue, and very often the Republic can do little more than just grin and bear it.
To a large extent, success is Singapore's biggest problem. It is hardly the only Asian country to undergo a remarkable economic and political transformation. But it is the only Asian nation whose academics and politicians are completely plugged into the current Western intellectual circuit. So, Singapore's international visibility far outstrips the country's actual size. One explanation for this big footprint may be prosaic: the ability of Singaporeans to think and speak in English. To be sure, other Asian nations have many commentators and academics fluent in foreign tongues. Yet few Asian countries have an education system which so faithfully replicates that of key Westernstates: Singapore's intellectuals not merely speak the language, but know how to fashion their arguments in a digestible way.

More significantly, because their country is so small, globalisation is not merely a choice for Singapore's thinkers, but a way of life. So, unlike academics in many other Asian countries, those in Singapore always extrapolate from their own national experience to that of the wider world. Their message is complex and varied, but ultimately boils down to a few key propositions. The West – Singaporean thinkers frequently assert – is experiencing a relative decline. Western nations no longer enjoy a monopoly on ideas. Their mechanical advice for political and economic development – including various recipes for democracy – are no longer universally relevant. And the Western-dominated international system is no longer tenable.
Of course, some of these arguments have been advanced by Western intellectuals as well. As long ago as 1959, celebrated sociologist Seymour Martin Lipset noted that Western-style democracy only takes root after economic development, and not the other way around. Earlier this decade, Dr Fareed Zakaria, the editor of Newsweek International magazine, criticised the West's obsession with exporting the mechanics of democracy. And most Western academics now accept that the West is in decline. So, why should the "Singapore Model" of development grate so much? Part of the answer is that Singapore's example is still generally misunderstood. A view which often prevails in Western academic circles is that Singapore's leaders had a master plan for development right from the first day of the country's independence, and that this model was, supposedly, designed to be the antithesis of the West. The fact that Singapore's government experimented with many different policies over the years, or that Singapore's government remains "paranoid" – as Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong once candidly put it – about its performance never registers with Western academics.

Western criticism of Singapore usually falls into two categories. One school of thought argues that the Republic still has plenty of problems: look behind the glitzy facade and you'd find many warts. Another school of thought accepts that Singapore is successful, but claims that its example is irrelevant: It is just a small, beautifully-decorated fish bowl which cannot be replicated in a big ocean. But both critical trends converge on one point: Singapore is a laboratory experiment which should have failed but which, for some apparently devious reason, has instead succeeded.Meanwhile, some international NGOs fret about what Singapore means for the development of other nations. Over the past decade, countries as far apart as China, Russia and the Gulf states have explicitly praised the Singapore model as the one they wish to follow. Yet again, the facts are more complex. Few countries are proposing to copy Singapore to the letter: They are merely borrowing specific management techniques and government solutions. Just consider the crop of recent examples. The Punjab police chief in Pakistan copied Singapore's experience in managing road traffic, India's Minister for Women looked at Singapore's practice of controlling the migration of maids, Mauritius applied Singapore's regulations on foreign law firms, and Japan copied the Singapore Exchange model by creating a comprehensive bourse able to handle a variety of securities and derivatives. Meanwhile, South Korea's President Lee Myung Bak has asked his civil servants to study Singapore's experience in rooting out corruption, and Abu Dhabi has launched a civil service college on the Singapore model.In all these cases, far from being anti-Western, the Singapore model actually strengthened Western policy objectives. Indeed, during a recent visit to Singapore, Britain's Foreign Office Minister Kim Howells praised the Republic for its innovative measures in dealing with youth radicalisation.More significantly, no Singaporean politician has suggested that the Singapore model should be exported wholesale. "We certainly do not claim to be a model for exact replication," President S R Nathan told Singapore's civil servants last year. And, in a recent speech to Harvard University students, Foreign Minister George Yeo went further by suggesting that the learning process goes in both directions. "Without the American dream becoming the Asian dream, today's Asia would not be possible," he told them.

But none of these reassurances seem to work: Western NGOs resent Singapore because they see it as an exporter of a model which challenges their cherished assumptions of development, the so-called "Washington consensus" which decrees that "good governance" – by which they mean all the technical trappings of democracy – are a prerequisite for economic prosperity. The reasons why facts are no longer important is that Western policymakers are growing desperate over increasing evidence that, far from being unique, Singapore-like development theories are actually working in an increasing number of states. But, while it may difficult to criticise Russia's or China's development, it is relatively easy to hit at Singapore – a small country which can be criticised with impunity. So, Singapore is a battering ram for broader frustrations: it is merely a risk-free tool for bigger political battles. Many Singaporean intellectuals are trying to move the discussion on to more productive lines. Professor Kishore Mahbubani, the dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, recently published an acclaimed book – New Asian Hemisphere – which sought to debunk many of the prevailing Western myths. And many other Singaporean intellectuals are regular participants at various international academic gatherings. But still, the assault on Singapore looks set to continue.Yet Singaporeans can also derive satisfaction from the current climate. First, they are the subject of international curiosity because theirs is a system which works. And they are being scrutinised precisely because people suspect that the Singapore model does have wider applications. So, this is one instance when criticism may be the sincerest mode of flattery. Regardless of how much it stings.

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

So as clear as it is, the fact here is that we don't conform to western ideals in proving our success and for that, the western media often takes a bite at us. It's plain jealousy and perhaps a fear of their influence wearing down. After I read this article quite some time ago, i made sure that i thought twice about articles which criticised singapore's restriction of "democratic rights" Indeed, we may be hard on political and activists rights, yet we need to question whether these rights are all too necessary especially in the context of good governance here in Singapore. Well, there have been numerous instances whereby the freedom of speech has been derimental to the development of societies. During Prime Minister Lee's national day rally speech, he cited that the advent of the internet and the free speech it brought has given rise to the wild spreading of rumours. South Korea was prey to this effect and what President Lee Myung Bak coined as "infodemics", exaggerated or false chain mails conned the Korean masses into believing they had a gene which made them contract mad cow disease more easily! (I laughed really hard when I heard that) And when the law permits mass assemblies, they will actaulise and demonstrations of thousands people may clog the streets. Not a pretty sight. As much as it sounds exciting/cool, the reason for this is all too insensible and there are no benefits for the nation to stand from these kind of infodemic induced assemblies.

I don't deny the need for people to gather as assemblies though. I deem it only necessary when they are for noble causes, particularly in cases when state/international governance fail to serve their purpose and duties. The multitude of people which gathered and attempted to disrupt the IMF and World bank summits in San francisco and bahrain were vital in sounding alarm bells that these supranational organisations have not lived up to making globalisation work. Only after these protests did it become clearer to the leaders governing these organisations that much has to be done. These protests provided them with an impetus to make a positive change in the manner in which their government functions. Hence, assemblies aren't all too bad when it improves organisations. But I don't think it should be the main course of action. There are more peaceful ways of raising huge issues by sending representatives or like using the internet as a medium of constructive criticism. All these gatherings tend to have a risk of having violence as the air that hangs in these demonstrations can be somewhat riotous. I guess it's a risk the Singapore government is unwilling to take altogether.

(Don't get me wrong. I'm not a pro- PAP Singaporean but I do hold onto some of their ideals, namely that of being pragmatic. Yet, i think creating minds which are pragmatic all the time can overlook certain things that can in fact, lead a creative society which is still pragmatic. I mean, look at the government! Whatever they do tends to be whether it is economically viable or actually benefits the economy at the end of the day. Sometimes it gets a bit too stiff when they forget the long term outcome of what our society turns into. A clear cut case is that of our education system. The rigour and intensity within it transformed students into people who memorise and regurgitate chunks full of information. It's true that we got decent grades out of this study method, however, it creates a generation of people who don't exactly think properly. It's a relief that the government has been acting on this for quite some time but i don't really feel the change as a student. Because when the grades (and futures) are centred on a major exam, it doesn't change the system entirely even if there are lots of application based questions in those papers.) -->(a bit of deviation but more so to clear suspicions of excessively pro PAP behaviour)

Likewise, we need to explore which rights the country actually values and desires. Judging from Singapore's current situation, it is apparent that most locals are satisfied with the economic and social rights set in place in our nation. Political apathy is evidence of this. The mantra from many Singaporeans is that so long as they have financial and social security, all is well. Clearly, the majority of Singaporeans place the second generation rights more than any other. With this in mind, then from the government's perspective, there won't be any sizable loss in rights when first generation rights are taken away. So, although the west likes to criticise us and make us appear pitiable, the bottomline is that Singaporeans don't mind the curbing of such rights.

Nevertheless, the government is slowly evolving the law system which covers our rights. The right to assembly is slowly being restored with the latest laws on demonstrations allowed in the speakers' corner. Sure, it is a small move but it's definitely moving in the direction of a more liberal society. But i have doubts about this because behind this are pragmatic motivations. It's all about becoming a more globalised city and their intention of doing this is to draw foreigners, FDIs or whatever good foreign thing there is. And whenever we see something foreign, we know (or are made to believe) it's about building our economy. These underlying economic reasons at heart make this whole move somewhat superficial. It may just spell that they are implementing this policy as a facade and not because the government truly believes our society needs it as their deserved right. Then again, which government ever thinks this way?

Google's new baby

2008-09-04T12:09:00.000+08:00

I'm no tech geek so i find chrome a little hard to appreciate. It sounds cool and looking at their upgraded features, it seems nifty. Yet, so far, I don't feel any difference. I'm only using it as a feeble means to destroy microsoft's monopoly over internet browsing.

But there's one thing i do appreciate! Google's attempts to humour: (This opens when you enter into their incognito mode; the mode whereby your internet history won't be jotted down)

Going incognito doesn't affect the behavior of other people, servers, or software. Be wary of:

Websites that collect or share information about you
Internet service providers or employers that track the pages you visit
Malicious software that tracks your keystrokes in exchange for free smileys
Surveillance by secret agents
People standing behind you

The people at google sure are having fun.

Local Artistes

2008-09-02T20:47:00.000+08:00

I've been listening to the radio and i so happened to chance upon Olivia ong's fade away on 98.7fm. Catchy and sweet. It's got some nice rhythm. Having listened to Corrinne May, Electrico and Olivia Ong, I realised our Singaporean artistes aren't that bad with English songs. In fact, I do think their tunes can match up to US and UK bands, they just lack the proper marketing and perhaps the fan base.

Maybe I should take a trip down to Timbre on one of these days to patronise our local singers. I heard the music and the atmosphere is good for chilling out, oh i just went to their website. They're having a timbre music fest from 19 to 28th Sep..sure sounds good to me :)

*Do take some time to listen to fade away, i've placed it on my blog to finally replace one summer's day.

One square

2008-08-06T22:57:00.000+08:00

Tis miraculous how a square piece of paper can transform into countless shapes and figures without being torn or cut.

Old habits die hard

2008-07-20T18:02:00.000+08:00

I couldn't let myself forget Brother Peterson's bishopric youth discussion quite some time back. There were a couple of theories and ideas that struck me hard but here's one good one i jotted down. He quoted from Timothy Gallwey's The Inner Game of Tennis-

"Every time you swing your racket a certain way, you increase the probabilities that you will swing that way again. In this way patterns, called grooves, build up which have a predisposition to repeat themselves. Golfers use the same term. It is as if the nervous system were like a record disk. Every time an action is performed, a slight impression is made in the microscopic cells of the brain, just as a leaf blowing over a fine-grained beach of sand will leave its faint trace. When the same action is repeated, the groove is made slightly deeper." - Groove Theory of Habits

To put this lucidly, the author says that "“Habits are statements about the past, and the past is gone.” Interesting. That's why, "don't practise wrong"! Although mistakes build us up to do the right, it takes extra time to remove the groove left by that action. So if we can do it right once, go on and do it right! Of course this doesn't apply to everything as doing everything correctly the first time will just make us turn into stiff robotic beings. We need mistakes sometimes to stray away from convention and add in some spice in our lives by doing things differently. Yeah that's part of being creative... but i'll write about that soon separately. About habits, the way to get rid of one is by replacing it with another. The groove from the old habit cannot be erased but a new one can be carved even deeper to take over it. So in that sense, the "statement about the past" needs something radically different to substitute it in the present. Fascinating.

Rowling's Commencement Address at Harvard

2008-07-07T09:45:00.000+08:00

This is a must watch. Beyond her tales of harry potter and his friends, another side of Rowling is revealed here. Her wit and insights will take your personal takes on life to another dimension.
Here's the 1st part:

2nd part:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nm28K-Dgfxs&feature=related

3rd part:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cElk8cQk2VY&feature=related

My favourite quote in that speech is this-
"Imagination is not only the uniquely human capacity to envision that which is not, and therefore the fount of all invention and innovation. In its arguably most transformative and revelatory capacity, it is the power that enables us to empathise with humans whose experiences we have never shared."
I've never seen imagination that way before I watched this speech. It's a gift and something humans need to cherish. We can't let apathy take this ability away from us for it will only make us inhumane. Such is one of the purposes of Mankind- to empathise and stand as stewards of God in the service of our fellowmen.

Copy Me

2008-07-07T00:56:00.001+08:00

Ok I admit this isn't a post on racial division. After much bugging from kandace, i've decided to continue from my draft on cloning. Hardly anything was written previously and I can understand why. I felt amibivalent towards cloning. To be more precise, human cloning, maybe reproductive cloning as a whole. There's nothing wrong with cloning somatic human cells (normal body cells); the newspapers recently featured a dying skin cancer patient saved by his own cloned cells. This is the first time an patient's immune system was used to combat cancer in its late stages. Immunotherapy, the name of the technique, may eventually prove to be a substitute of standard chemotherapy and radiation in fighting cancer. There might come a day when we can see cancer patients retain their hair despite having gone through cancer therapy. Who knows?

While flipping through my GP notes related to this widely contentious issue, I saw this quote by John Stuart Mill (philosopher and economist)- "It should be forbidden from imposing its religious beliefs on a dissenting minority, even indirectly." So, I've decided that in taking my stance, I shan't use religion as an explicit reason. Religious reasons on human cloning aren't valid in this world nor are they considered rational to others.

From the animal cloning, test results have shown that in simply begetting dolly, "277 eggs were used to create 29 embryos, which only produced three lambs at birth, only one of which lived" (source: wiki). For only one experiment, 29 embryos had to be used to generate an animal clone. Maybe 29 is too small a number but if we change our mindset and look at these animal embryos as human embryo, perspectives may change. Imagine the millions of embryos, human embryos that we could possibly kill if we were to embark on a course of human cloning experiments. But of course, there are advocates of cloning who refute this argument by saying that if we don't try we won't get anything. The potential benefits of cloning will come mainly in the form of organ replacement. No more debate on organ trade HA. Yet, as a pro-life individual, it's hard to see the benefit in sacrificing millions of embryos (think babies though not quite there), in return for saving some patients. It just doesn't weigh.

But there's a flip side to this issue. What about embryos that are aborted? Do we trash them or do we allow scientists to take this as an opportunity? Perhaps it's better to utilise these resources for discovery in this arena of science than to simply discard these unwanted embryos. But if we allow unwanted embryos to be taken in, this can breed another issue somewhat similar to the organ trade debate- this could spring up sellers of embryos or this may even justify abortion as a contribution to science. The Bioethics Advisory Committee in Singapore adopted a
position on the moral status of embryo that deems it unethical to research on an embryo that had reached its 14th day limit from fertilisation. By then, it would have developed a form of "irreversible individuality". This position is shared by many countries. Knowing that women are mostly unaware of their pregnancies till like weeks after, most aborted embryos won't be taken in after all. So this worrying issue is set aside and I wouldn't want to delve or drag into abortion. Shall save that for another day.

There are 2 parts of human cloning to be considered- the process of cloning and the product. The process of cloning, refining and discovering it, as aforementioned, bears too much cost in the form of life. And even if there is a breakthrough at the least cost, there would be much repercussions involved in reproductive cloning.

To think of a replica of you may send shivers down your spine. It would for me. Some responses may come saying- no worries, clones won't have the exact personality as you, since personalities are crafted by experience. It may be a social stigma and might take some time getting used to clones. Actually, my shivers come from imagining the life the clone would lead. Discrimination may ensue. That's highly plausible. It'd feel awful to lead a life that is engineered and to know that your existence is not entirely original. You're made to be a copy of someone. A clone is still human after all and the emotional turmoil he'd have to undergo knowing this would be horrid. My GP class watched "The Island" a few months back. I admit it's an extreme scenario for clones but to exist to provide organs for people is cruel.

Alright, I'm getting tired of this argument already. Somehow I get this feeling that Man will never reach the stage of developing human clones. I think i shall write on creativity next... not racial division haha. Been reading this book called "Weird Ideas That Work", I realised that I unknowingly practise some of the 11 and half practices for promoting, managing and sustaining innovation written in it. So it shall be creativity next time.

Dead Hungry

2008-06-14T01:20:00.000+08:00

Was reading the Straits Times yesterday and I couldn't ignore the huge page of statistics on hunger. It startled me that hunger and malnutrition are the number 1 risk to health worldwide- greater than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined! Ok the following are some of the intriguing stats:
Every 5 Seconds, a child dies because he is hungry

10.9 children under 5 die in developing countries each year. Malnutrition & hunger-related diseases cause 60% of the deaths

684,000 child deaths worldwide can be prevented by giving children vitamin A & zinc
sources: The straits times-> from WFP, WHO, UNICEF

The causes of this pandemic in starvation and malnutrition are poverty, natural disasters, war, agricultural and infrastructural related. Without doubt, poverty is greatest cause of all of this, rendering the victims with no ability and access to food. The sight of the article made me think of Jeffrey Sach's- The end of poverty.

One of the millenium development goals of the UN is to halve poverty in the world by 2015. I can still vividly recall researching evidence for my essay on "How would I solve poverty if I were the President of the World". From the UN site (if I'm not mistaken), projects and progress in the sub-saharan region are behind time and likewise for east asia. The possibility of attaining the goal looks bleak to me at the moment, nevertheless, in this cause optimism is imperative.

It frightens me to know that there are people dying on this planet as I continue to live my life oblivious to their pain and sufferring. As I'm typing this, I just feel this urge to go... stop everything I'm doing with my life and go out there to help these people. But I know it's not possible or maybe inappropriate. The least I can do as a responsible human being would be to share this message with others through my blog here :)

If you notice on the right hand column, there's an advert which flashes "Free Rice; Play and feed a hungry person". Go on right ahead and hone your vocab skills while donating rice to the poor. The sponsors to the website will provide 20 grains of rice to the needy with every correct answer!

AND if you have facebook, join the group "Feed a child with just a click!", there are tons of links to discussions, statistics, facts to do with hunger in this world.

Connecting the world

2008-05-12T01:29:00.000+08:00

I'd really really like to recommend this website to everyone! It's ted.com. This website is full of amazing ideas from leading thinkers in the world in their various professions. Watch it and I guarantee that your horizons will expand when you're exposed to the different advancements in all kinds of fields and disciplines.

Other things worth watching (linked to ted.com) are the short films in pangeaday.org. Just to let you know, pangea day was yesterday morning (singapore time) at approx 3am. It was a day to celebrate film as a medium of connecting the world. The short films (max 5 minutes for each one) really evoke different emotions as they say and there's a huge range of cultures showcased. So you're in for a feast of videos when you go to that website!

(Btw, pangea was the period during the paleozoic and mesozoic age when all the lands of the earth were connected in one piece (a supercontinent they call it), hence, the symbolic meaning behind that day)

Trusting information

2008-05-11T22:23:00.000+08:00

I hope my blog doesn't appear to be decaying or short of ideas/perceptions on life issues. A lot of things run through my mind, only problem is that I don't jot them down. Ironically, that's the precise reason why I wanted this blog. So let me rechannel my thoughts into this outlet.

I was wondering whether globalisation really serves the noble role of enhancing accessbility to knowledge. And when i refer to knowledge, i am saying knowledge that is the truth- pure and unadulterated. The fact is that we know that the information we receive may well be artifices, deceptions and full of lies. Often enough, we observe chain emails landing up in our inboxes and after reading the heartwarming/shocking/inspiring message we automatically click on our address book to forward it to everyone we know. I'm pretty sure we receive emails like "Betty's suffering from leukemia but is too poor to afford it, so if you forward this email, the UN will donate 3 cents to the Save Betty fund", "this 10 year old boy got swallowed by a boa constrictor in taman negara in east Malaysia... so BEWARE!" or you may even have gotten a "National Geographic picture of the year featuring a Great White Shark leaping out of the water to swallow a naval diver climbing up his helicopter ladder." Sounds familiar? My mother believed this and so this made me wonder how many more gullible people there are who would actually continue to circulate these kinds of emails. The internet is a medium that contains invaluable and vast amounts of information, however, the issue we face today is that we do not know how much of it is true. For instance, Wikipedia, a data base of information, is a frequent source of reference worldwide for general knowledge yet mass media departments in tertiary institutions warn their students never to rely on this web base. The reliability of these weblinks are indeed questionable so can you imagine the number of people who are fooled when they read false material over wiki? I was reading this A star star star (very amazing) GP essay and it argued that in order to be a credible piece of information, every other related article will need to agree with it. Yes, this is correct but what was lacking in his stand was taking into account human behaviour. People tend to believe what they read immediately unless they have prior knowledge to refute what is before their eyes. Not many people research on what they had just read by cross referencing to other materials. Not many people doubt everything read on the newspapers and emails.

I believe that the common man absorbs facts and see things as it is. So it is important that in living in this world where information is diluted and twisted in many ways that we have to discern for ourselves what the truth is. While the world progresses through globalisation and the integration of information networks, so does Man have to evolve to craft our thinking to choose to accept which is right and wrong. This is imperative for the world cannot grow without the maturing of all mankind.

A better write-up

2008-04-06T16:09:00.000+08:00

Here's a much more elaborate article on the impact of technological advancements on Sports:

Technology in sport: A boon as well as a curse

Section:	Sports
By:	ROHIT BRIJNATH
Publication:	The Straits Times 01/04/2008

GREATNESS is not found by simply pulling on a reduced-drag, superbly-buoyant swimming costume before a race. It comes instead from the constant wearing of pain.

When asked in retirement what about swimming he ached for, Ian Thorpe replied: "I miss pushing myself to the point where it almost brings you to tears."

Swimsuits don't break records, but they offer at least a technological helping hand.

In recent times, 17 world records have reportedly been broken by swimmers wearing Speedo's LZR Racer suit.

Of course, these athletes were tuned for the trials, and/or driven by the desperation that is unique to Olympic years. Still, the swimsuits probably played a walk-on part in this athletic theatre.

Some of it may merely be psychological, the confidence an athlete draws from believing his equipment is superior. Some of it may be real, though gauging precisely how much a suit benefits the swimmer, or a recurved fibreglass-coated bow assists the archer, is impossible.

Is it 0.02 seconds, is it 2 per cent? Either way it is an advantage.

In the ancient Olympics, athletes competed naked and supposedly pure, but the new world of the fancy-spike-wearing athlete is not some curse.

After all, while records are broken because of the athlete's insane commitment (a runner once insisted he peed blood after training) and unique physiology (Michael Phelps' body shape), science and technology have become our allies in the redefining of athletic limits.

The man with the most advanced cycle will not win Olympic gold, but it is hard to win Olympic gold without an advanced cycle.

How much faster can our species run? More pertinently, is there a finish line beyond which we cannot leap? Perhaps, but part of the reason we haven't hit yet this athletic wall is technology.

The margins by which records are now set have, and will, become smaller. Once timings in athletics were done to a tenth of a second; eventually it will be to a thousandth of a second. And in this hyper-competitive world, every, minuscule, advantage helps.

It is why nations invest in laboratory testing, biomechanics, wind tunnels. It is why corporations manufacture lightweight spikes, fast tracks and pools with sophisticated lane ropes that prevent waves.

It is why athletes study their stride patterns on computers and know to the gram how much to eat. It is an unending search to tune the body; it is man's desperate pursuit of an athletic edge.

But occasionally there is a wailing over technology's intrusion and influence, and a plaintive wishing for a return to the purity of wooden rackets and golf clubs that aren't so forgiving.

Tennis' new rackets, which resemble Thor's Hammer, have leached subtlety from the game and assisted in the volley's extinction (who misses passing shots anymore?).

But heftier rackets have also resulted in accelerated shot-making, bewitching spin and athletes whose ability to be centimetre-accurate while moving and hitting at 150kmh is staggering.

Still, as in golf, as power has come in tennis, variety has slipped away.

But the real curse to technological progress lies in the creation of an unequal playing field.

A flume (a sort of swimming treadmill) is unheard of in many African nations, a bio-mechanics laboratory is an unaffordable luxury in some South-east Asian countries, and computerised diets would be laughed at in numerous South American nations.

Sports' new, unadulterated truth is that a medal, in many disciplines, requires a passionate heart but also a substantial treasure chest.

Despite the evident athleticism of the African athlete, it is startling, and sad, that at the Athens Olympics the entire African continent won 35 medals while Germany alone won 49.

Opportunity (with technology in hand) evidently does not knock in some parts of the world.

But inequality is life's reality, and sport is no different. So the new swimsuit, a marvellous invention (whose fairness though is under dispute), will eventually be available to any swimmer on the planet, yet in a manner of speaking will also be out of reach for many on the planet because it will cost roughly $870.

This swimsuit may help take man further than he has ever gone before, but perhaps it also takes him further away from his less privileged fellow men.

The man or his suit?

2008-03-24T21:42:00.000+08:00

One or two months back, I was reading about the brand new and revolutionary Speedo LZR Racer swimsuit in the Sports Section of the news. Heaps of praises were mounted on the suit for its ability to give a totally new feel while swimming. If I remember correctly, Ian Thorpe claimed that it felt like another layer of skin. Wearing this technologically enhanced suit reduced resistance underwater significantly- up to 55% more than the ordinary suit on the shelf. Of course, there are other key features that I've forgotten but that's not the point. As my eyes scanned through the article, a thought was being processed in my mind. To be precise, it was a concern. A concern on whether "human breakthroughs in physical might and ability" are merely a result of advancements in technology. Have our sportsmen broken world records because of better shoes, suits or other types of sporting devices? Well, my concern turned out to be a revelation. Just today, the Frenchman Alain Bernard broke the 100m freestyle world record while wearing the LZR racer. Controversy erupted over the added capability that the LZR racer gave to swimmers. This was not simply sparked by this one incident but by a series of world records broken within the span of this year.

What are the implications of Man's reliance on technology to boost our physical abilities? In the first place, is it ethical? I believe it is a common concern in the sporting community whether the timings and victories we set and win are indeed from our own abilities. Over the past few years, there have been sports scandals, a famous one would be Justin Gatlin having his Olympic Gold medal and record for his 100m dash stripped of him for doping. Is it understood that drugs such as steroids and testorsterone related ones are unacceptable but then a new question is raised. What about the sporting equipment and attire that we wear? Will it still be fair for all if these instruments are improved for sportsmen?

My personal stand is that all these technologically enhanced equipment are unfair. It is unfair to both the past records as well as to other sportsmen. While it may be true that the athlete had set a new and faster timing, the influence of the equipment on the athlete to break the record is left unnoticed or incorporated into that win. Imagine if an athlete like Michael Johnson is at his peak now with all the latest sporting gear ready on him. Do you think he will transcend his personal records? There is no doubt that he would. A Man deserves to be judged by his true form and no true sportsman should degrade himself by relying on technology to "surpass" his abilities. Now, holders of past records were not on the same playing field as sportsmen are today, so when this variable is not held at a close constant, it is wrong to compare timings with the past. On this premise, new records should be made void or at least, should not replace the past ones.

A thousand four hundred dollar tag is labelled on the LZR and this value limits this gear to a select few. These select few are the rich and powerful. Sports is entering a phase where the rich and famous dominate the scene. Although I do not have statistics to back me up, I foresee a possibility that those with these power suits will continue to reign in their sports while those who nearly have the ability but fail to meet the mark (if only if this suit!), will simply lose out. Alright, this is based on the assumption that these gear can enhance performance drastically.

Albert Einstein once talked about 99.9% perspiration as the bulk of who he was. The other part was inspiration. For sports, hard work is the main driving force of an athlete. But technological factors in infringing into the percentage of hard work towards becoming a strong sportsman. The value of hardwork is diminishing as a substitute is found in better equipment and gear. It may be true, from the primary school textbook story about skill, being the ultimate method of discernment between a good and a bad player. However, this is gradually lost in sports which require immense amounts of brute strength eg. swimming, running etc. Alain Bernard claimed that the secret to smashing the world record was through hard work. It is difficult to trust such claims as we are entering an age where reliance on technology is on the rise.

Yet, I do hope that people play sports for the challenge. The challenge to overcome physical limits by oneself and not by any other device. Lastly, sports, as the olympic slogan goes, is to "celebrate humanity". So let us celebrate humanity by preventing all of this from interfering in our races, competitions and games.

The subject of humanity

2008-03-16T20:04:00.000+08:00

Economics. It is exactly what the title describes it to be. Fellow students, who abhor this subject, may disagree with me for a few reasons. For one, this whole subject is filled with curves and figure and more than half of the content in essays are left to describing the graphs. Personally, I had grievances once i discovered that mathematics was infused into the explanation of economics. I detest it. Why can't we leave words to give us the logical flow in the discussions. Yet, we must remember that mathematics is merely a tool. As much as mathematics does not fully explain physics, the same applies to economics. Mathematics is an imperative as it is universally recognised as concrete truth since no one can fight with statistics. Anyways, if economics was a whole lot of mathematical jargon, it would indeed become a dismal science.

Ceteris paribus- leaving everything else constant. Assumptions renders this subject inapplicable to reality or so critics claim. I could and i did write a full essay on this (not trying to sound big ;)) but I shan't copy and paste it here haha. But Alfred Marshall did explain along these lines that assumptions are precisely what makes economics worthwhile studying. Assumption may break down reality to be so unreal but it helps in identifying variables that influence reality. Economics is an instrument in acquiring the knowledge of how society works. For instance, we know demand and supply. We make use of this economic tool to discern which variables affect the demand and supply and ultimately, the quantity transacted and price of the good. It is not the full knowledge of how society works. Alright, enough of all these rebuttals, let's look at the plus points of economics.

Economics is beautiful. It goes beyond understanding the allocation of resources to feed the unlimited wants of society (the definition of economics). After reading the end of poverty, i received a glimpse of how the understanding of economics of society can give one the ability to have a bigger impact on the lower statras of society. For example, you can be a volunteer and go to Ethiopia to build homes for those in need. But if you don't understand the mechanism of the society, your efforts may just go to waste. The Africans may live in the home but may not know how to maintain it etc. So how does economics understand the society when it is simply based on the economy alone? That question in itself is wrong as economics draws in all factors that affect the living of mankind- whether it be cultural, geographical, technological, all these play a part in moving the economy. Economics covers so so many topics and it interlinks them to have people become aware of their influences on Man's material needs. In knowing economics, we know that the certain efforts like building that home is short-term. Hence, work needs to be set aside towards teaching the people how to build the homes. (This example does not fully illustrate economics in action though) This may be confused with human geography but human geography is essentially grafted into economics like all other subjects since they influence the economy.

I shall end this post on economics. But this does not end the numerous ways in which economics is beneficial to mankind.

Inferiority

2008-02-26T22:16:00.000+08:00

The difference to greatness is in accomplishment. People tend to have similar ideas, desires, wishes but the line which differentiates these people is accomplishment. Imagine all those famous inventors, take the household name- Thomas Edison. This man was responsible for the existence of lightbulbs, the telegram (if i'm not mistaken) and other products of his genius. Now who wouldn't think of the lightbulb? Maybe not the exact lightbulb itself but the thought of having light generated by electricity is highly plausible. Leaders start out with an objective in mind and stick to it through thick and thin. (Sometimes, it may end up as ridiculous as the communist leaders, but still... John Maynard Keynes praised them for their "determination")

I wonder whether there truly is inferiority in failing to keep to your original goals or accomplish them for the matter. This leads to the question - Does failure denote inferiority? Although there is the common saying "failure is the mother of success", there are limits to how many failures the soul can permit. The sight of failure burns guilt and disappointment in some, uplifts some, is brushed aside by some or runs doubts through minds. You chance upon failure sometimes when what you do is just not enough. Once again is inferiority denoted by failure? I do not know the full answer but this i know- failure to recover from failure is the worst kind of failure.

Now another question on my mind is... when is it right to invest? How do you know the marginal benefit outweighs the marginal cost. There are people who receive ideas but who do not set aside the time to implement it. Are making the right measure of opportunity costs? Will you be able to receive your maximum utility by doing this? How do you know that it will reap you the rewards that you deserve from your efforts? All this is so arbitrary!

i guess at the end of the day, we simply have to judge for ourselves. And maybe that's why failure is needed, to shape our judgement and wisdom in making decisions.

A new beginning

2008-02-21T23:30:00.000+08:00

A friend of mine told me that he intended to have his humanities research project based on how large scale events contribute to the growth of Singapore. The word growth was an understatement. What is happening is total evolution, the changing of the whole landscape of this tiny country. The entire scene of Singapore is currently going through a massive upheaval and there is so so so much to expect in the future. 2 years back, we auctioned the two plots of land- sentosa and marina bay in anticipation of two humongous integrated resorts to emerge in a few years' down the road. The IMF and world bank summit in 2006, 117th IOC session in 2005, the grand prix's in town this year. What more can we expect?

The Youth Olympic Games in 2010. The wait for that moment of truth was worth it.

It was held in the padang. Roads were temporarily closed and if you spun around 360 degrees, you would realise that before you stood the old supreme court building flanked on both sides by two skylines (city districts). The varying architecture gave a telling tale of the transformation of this land with the exception of one obstinate victorian styled building sitting there immovable. A series of performances from various schools and local celebrities built up to the real deal- the announcement of the YOG results. This was followed by a video showcasing Singapore's widespread publicity, the tireless efforts of the MCYS and all the events that led to this day struck me hard. At that instant, it shook me and i began to realise the insurmountable effort of the government towards moving Singapore beyond what we currently are. There used to be a saying that Singapore is a disneyland with a death penalty. We are indeed a disneyland but we will never ever come close to the death penalty. With everything that is going to happen, we are definitely far from death. Well, the moment soon arrived. Tension and anxiety sealed our lips for that short instance as the IOC chairman, Jacques Rogge, announced our country's name to host the 2010 Youth Olympic Games.

Everyone immediately erupted into euphoria and 7000 strong crowd roared with pride. A magnificent sight and emotion to behold... even Parliamentary Secretary of the MCYS Teo Ser Luck had difficulty withholding the tears all welled up in his eyes. Few other moments can repeat or capture that spontaneous response. And now we shall continue to count down. But this time, to the event itself. In Singapore. Singapore still has a long way to go. And this simple statement gives hope to every Singaporean.

afresh!

2008-02-09T17:33:00.000+08:00

This is not about me. This blog will not speak or mention my personal life in detail. Of course, through my ruminations and thoughts laid out, you can figure my personality. The world wide web has been an uncanny tool in bringing forth knowledge, thoughts, works, emotions, information and ideas. Ideas especially so. The beliefs of Man are everywhere and though I have often advocated the use of personal journals, online web journals will optimise the spread of ideas. Ideas to share. Ideas to influence. Ideas to make that difference to society (as cliche as that may sound).

I would not call this page an online journal. It is, as the heading explicitly says - a collection of profound thoughts and inquiries. Lately, my mind has been in a mess of many thoughts and so the need to arrange them through this blog. It is disconcerting to know so much and forget much. It's just like a filling a bathtub with a hole. This blog would serve as a chart which maps my growth in thoughts in black and white or in fact, electronically. I admire people who keep to their faiths and beliefs. Philosophers, economists, matyrs, religious figures, many forgotten ones who stand firm in their principles. Resilience and trust. Choosing what you think is right. This is what divides the world. The 20th century was not only a series of battles between the Soviet and Allied bloc. It was a battle of ideas to shape the world economy and modern thinking. Keynes and Hayek fought it out. As I see it (pardon the deviation), Hayek somewhat stood triumphant over Keynes. These people fuel my aspirations to be a frame of ideas, unwavering before challenges.

Yet, on stockmarket charts, there are the dips. I may not always be correct, well substantiated or fallacious. Forgive me if I am errorneous whether it be in my grammar, use of vocabulary or ideas published.

And thus, this entry marks the start of ideas to come.