SMUt

well... not exactly. i was on my way to the Singapore Arts Museum when i went past one of the SMU buildings. and i must say, the SMU buildings are impressive. the architecture has the whole modern, snazzy feel to it that is so congruent with the image that the uni is trying to build up.

however, on one of the buildings, there were some stickers that i suppose were trying to advertise SMU to the rest of the world. now those were atrocious. they look like something that you might see on Kids Central. i think whoever came up with those ought to be shot.

talking about smut... i realise that i do have some very innocent friends. or at least one. whom i didn't think was that innocent. guess you really can't judge a book by its cover. in any case, i have taken it upon myself, whether my friend wants it or not, to give this friend of mine a... reading list... and perhaps some... audiovisual aids... i might throw in some websites... you know... in this day and age of ICT...

Ugly Carrot

so Ms Chee Siok Chin has asked the High Court to declare the GE null and void. one of her reasons is because using upgrading as a tool to win votes is unconstitutional. of course we konw that that is true. we all know that using taxpayers' money for partisan purposes is unconstitutional. but, elections aside, i wonder whether there is a case for class action suit against the PAP for misuse of public funds.

further, the HDB, which supposedly manages the flats and decides which estates are upgraded, are supposed to be, as all other Public Services are, beyond fear and favour, i.e. while they serve the government of they day, they are supposed to serve the nation's interest, rather than be a tool of any political party. however, in using upgrading to buy votes, PAP has made HDB into a tool of the party. where then is the much vaunted impartiality of the public/civil service? is that not trampling one of the great principles of governance that our nation prides itself on?

next, PAP's use of upgrading effectively shows that they are only interested in their own victory, not the welfare of Singaporeans. because if they are, then they would decide which estates to upgrade based on a transparent set of guidelines that would not include whether that estate voted for them nor who the MP of the estate is. because regardless of whether the people in that estate voted for PAP, they are still Singaporeans and the government has a duty to take care of those people. and if the HDB and any public service is to be truly beyond fear and favour, then they have to be seem as being non-partisan, with fair and reasonable guidelines that dictate their decisions, guidelines which are known to all and seen to be fair and strictly non-partisan to the reasonable Singaporean on the street. speifically for upgrading, it won't be too difficult to come up with such a set of guidelines.

also, the PAP's use of upgrading is trite. is that the best that they can do? if they think that that will win Singaporeans over, then they have underestimated us. i am sure we care a lot more than whether our estates get upgraded. i'm sure we are more concerned about whether the candidate will further our national interests, contribute to discussion that will bring our country forward, bring up ideas that will help the nation meet the challenges of the future. so perhaps the reason why the PAP is using upgrading as a tool to win votes is because they cannot think of better ways to win votes. if that is the case, then perhaps they do not deserve our vote.

having said that, i don't think SDP presented any convincing case to win votes either. they sound too airy fairy, full of hot air but having no concrete substance whatsoever. i think that they give the opposition a bad name. the WP on the other hand. i think they have the right moves. if they keep up the momentum, they should be able to get the foothold in parliament that would allow them to truly give Singaporeans a choice, a voice. so for people who support the opposition, i say that the best bet is to give up on the SDP and perhaps even the SDA. rally behind WP.

anyways. i digress. what i wanted to say is that there is not a snowflake's chance in hell that the High Court would declare the GE null and void. however, if anyone really wants to do anything about it, perhaps some Singaporeans should file a class action suit against the PAP for misuse of public funds. i am no lawyer. i don't know whether there's indeed a case for it. any lawyers like to comment?

Do Your Thing!

ahave you ever wanted to do something that you know is good for the community you are in? have you been dying to show the world you cool moves? have you been desperately looking for ways to let the world know more about the things that you are deeply passionate about?

i'm sure a lot of us would have. but most of us might not have the resources to do all these things.

and can you believe it? now the Gahmen is throwing away free money for you to do all these. and more. yes, that's right, if you are between 15 and 35, and can gather a group of people (group meaning more than 1) to do something, anything that falls within the category of showcasing youth talent, helping the community that you have always wanted to do so much for, changing mindsets, etc, the Gahmen is willing to give you up to $3000 for your troubles.

so people, what are you still waiting for? go out there and DO YOUR THING!


For more information, check out www.shine.youth.sg

KIT

tutorial mate reminded me last night/this morning that tmr would be the last tutorial that we'll be having together in NIE. it would therefore probably be the last time we seeing one another. it would probably be the last time that i will be seeing a lot, if not all of my, tutorial mates (from all the different tutorials) from NIE.

and of course, there'll be loads of talk about keeping in touch. but we know that that probably wouldn't happen. there used to be a time when i actually did believe in all that keeping in touch stuff. but now... considering that we at NIE did not really get very close in the first place, and that after this, we'll be starting a almost life-less lifestyle, and people get busy with married life, children, etc, i don't think that keeping in touch is really that viable an option anymore.

further, i've not been good with keeping in touch with people in the first place. there are very few people whom i've successfully kept in touch with. and these are people whom i have been really close to.

i think what makes it difficult is that we are all getting busy with our own lives that it is hard to find common time to get together. and as the days turn into months, months into years, our lives diverge so much that there is little to talk about and our conversations are prosaic questions about work and trite reminiscing of the 'good old days'. and gradually, it becomes difficult to call the other person, because one almost feels as if calling the other person, asking him/her out is intruding into his/her otherwise perfect life, that this erstwhile friend would have a million and one better things to do than entertain someone who is at best a resurrected phantom of the past.

Da Code

the release of the Da Vinci Code whipped up a storm by reviving and (perhaps) even magnifying the controvesies of the book by the same title, leading to protests, demonstrations, demands to boycott and even ban the film.

i think the people who are orchestrating and taking part in all these 'violent' reactions are really making a mountain out of a molehill. no. wrong. they are just plain stupid.

the reason why these people are reacting as such is, as i understand, because they feel that the story is sacriligious, heretical, blasphemous and undermines the Christian faith. however, such reactions as what those people have just demonstrate how insecure they are with their own faith, that they are worried that what some story/movie say about their faith would shake their faith, then this faith of theirs is pretty tenuous to begin with. if what the book/movie is portraying is truly false, then bring up counter-evidence, trust in people's better judgement to see the things portrayed in the book as nothing but fiction and/or blatant lies.

further, the protests, demonstrations, call to ban the movie reeks of hypocrisy. remember the Danish cartoons and how the West was all defending the Danish cartoonist's freedom of speech and condemning the Muslims who were protesting? by the same yardstick, should we not be condemning those who are now protesting and places where the film is banned as being violating the right to freedom of expression? where are all the stalwarts of the freedom of expression? why are they so profoundly silent?

hypocrisy and over-reactions aside. what exactly is the big deal? CNA had a whole series of documentaries about some of the things raised in the book. i only saw one, which basically came up with tonnes of evidences to discredit various things which Dan Brown claimed to be fact, such as: the Priory of Sion, that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene, that Jesus had a bloodline, which might exist in the modern day. which is fine and well... but i don't think the book is about all these.

the book's main contentious point is that Jesus was a mortal man. one who is filled with wisdom and love, who has great teachings, but a mortal man nonetheless rather than the son of God and definitely not divine. this leads on to the other controversial point that the reason why Christianity is what it is today is due to largely political developments. i.e. Christianity both being a tool in the political struggles as well as being rife with political infighting.

but so what? what does that all mean? what if Jesus was indeed only human? does it make the Jesus' message any less relevant, any less applicable? if the answer to that is yes, then i think that there really wasn't much of a message there anyway.

but i don't think that's the case. i think that strip away all the talk of divinity, the message is still as relevant and applicable (i mean you can't go too far wrong with things like be nice to people, be kind, compassionate, have faith in life, don't be greedy, work hard, etc etc.)

which brings me to my one of my pet peeves about Christianity (and for that matter, any institutionalised religion). that while it started out with the intention to save our souls, lead us to leading a good life, it has, through the corruption of human folly, it is now about power, control, prestige, how big the institution is. i know that this isn't being fair to a lot of the truly devout (Christians or any members of any other institutionalised religion) who really understand the function behind the form of the religion and spread their religion in a quiet composed manner (as opposed to shoving it down your throat or up your ass...).

which got me thinking about religion. i do believe in some form of the divine (though not of a God-figure per se, defintely not the Christian notion of a God), and i do see the value of rituatls. but i can't stand it when people claim that the only path to salvation is through their religious institution. can't they see that beyond the superficial level, the underlying message is the same?

of course my ex-gf just went ballistic when i shared my views (that i've shared here) with her. which led us down a slippery path that eventually brought about the demise of the relationship. of course it didn't help that she refuse admit any form of historical evidence that is even slightly uncomplimentary to Catholicism (unless it's something as blatant as the Inquisition, she's not stupid...). so she refuses to even consider the possibility that Catholicism develop as Constantine's cunning political move, that the New Testament as we know it is compiled and translated specifically to entrench the power of certain groups of people. but me, being me, just wouldn't let it go. and kept questioning and questioning. thing is... again, i felt that all these does not make the message of the religion any less valid or applicable. it just undermines the institution. which made me question whether she believed more in the institution or in the true spirit of the religion (of course, at that point of time, i've not read Small Gods yet, so didn't articulate it as such). and that kind of killed the relationship.

of course there were other factors. which i won't go into, cos it's just not my nature to talk about these things, not so openly as to do it on my blog anyways. yes... i'm an ogre. or an onion, whichever you prefer. i have layers. most of which i am not comfortable with most people knowing. which... well... some people tell me is a problem. is it? perhaps. i don't know. it is late. i need sleep. but i'm hungry. now writing just based on stream of consiousness. whatever comes to mind, i write down. looks like nothing but a whole bunch of random rantings. but rantings can be good. perhaps the rantings would reveal, subconsciously, something about me. but of course, then the sentence structure won't be that good la. perhaps it reveals that my thinking isn't really that lucid right now. ah heck. food. then sleep. sure going to get fat(ter) that way one.

The Odd One Out

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."

now one wonders... God is omnipotent right? so He can just whip up sons left, right and center with naught but a thought right? so what's the big deal?

"ooops, now they've gone and done it. cruxified my son.... oh well... never mind, here's another one!" snaps finger, son pops out of thin air.

besides, aren't we all supposed to be God's children? why the favourtism then? clearly God has never watched Supernanny... else He would know that such favourtism is the surest way to encourage the rest of His children to misbehave.

Stupid Times...

apparently, the general elections in Singapore is the great political leveller, where the PM being brought down to the same level as political newbies from WP and the Foreign Minister has to convince the Ah Pek and the Ah soh's to give him their votes.

it is the only way which 'aggregate the voice of the voiceless and remind policymakers never to be trapped into mistaking the din of the vocal minority for the roar of the populace.'

so says Chua Mui Hoong.

her piece seems to imply that since the PAP has once again managed to convince the people to back them and the policies that they have. it therefore seems to connote that since the people have voted for the PAP, the people implicitly agrees with what the PAP is doing and the PAP thus can continue doing what they have been doing.

and so up goes the transport fees, forget about being engaged in the policy making process (the Gahmen will take care of all the policy making, thank you very much) and just shut up and let us do what we want. and if you want to say something, wait till the next election and, if you are lucky, you might be able to vote.

what i really couldn't stand about the article was the way she made the PM out to be oh-so-humble, who, instead of jumping up and down like what the old PAP might have done for the audacity of a group of twentysomethings to challenge the PM with 22 years of experience in politics, thanks the WP for ginving the voters a choice in Ang Mo Kio.

that's not the worst though. the worst is how she is wax lyrical about George Yeo. according to her, George is "well respected internationally, is a personable, urbane diplomat and a master negotiator". then she goes on to say that George's victory is sweet. now if George is indeed so fwah as she made him out to be, then i'd say he did a shit job having only won 56.1% to a team of relative newbies.

i'd say that overall, the elections proved that there is a swelling tide of people who are indeed discontented with the way things are going. increasingly, people want to see changes in the way things are done. more people are asking tough questions, pressing for thorough answers. and if anything, the PAP should learn that they should not wait till elections to give the people a voice, and listen to what the people are saying. otherwise the next thing they hear from the people might be a loud, resounding:

"Shut up la, fuckface, SIAM LA!"

Look who's talking...

remember how some PAP candidates called Steve Chia of the SDA a quitter during the election campaigning? it arose cos Steve Chia said that he would quit politics should he lost the elections. and well... lost he did and indeed, he has announced that he is probably going to take a break from politics for a while.

is he a quitter?

probably. but let's remember that he wasn't just fighting against a single candidate. he was fighting against the collective might of the PAP. it must have been a daunting, soul-sapping, energy-draining, emotionally-challenging task. i am sure no one would respect Steve Chia any less if the task leaves him in deep despair and desolation.

so yes. Steve Chia's a quitter. but so what? he gave a damn good fight. against all odds, he gave a damn good fight. give them man a beer, give that man a Tiger, give that man the respect of having given it his all and done extremely well given the odds that are stacked against him.

now on the other hand, you have Sitoh and Eric Low. both of whom have said that they are most probably going to give up fighting in Potong Pasir and Hougang respectively. and so has most of their grassroots volunteers, including Ah Chua, who's going to stop giving free food. this despite the fact that they have the entire arsenal of the PAP big guns backing them (most notably in the form of SM Goh).

so Sitoh and Eric Low are, by the PAP's same standards, quitters too. and i would say that they have even less reasons to be quitters. if anything, they should fight on, continue working hard to improve the lives of the people. only then can they show that the PAP is truly, as Ms Irene Ng puts it, working for the good of the people and not just concerned with party politics.

or perhaps Sitoh and Eric Low are quitting because someone up in PAP are punishing them for losing and are having them replaced?

Is pressure self-inflicted?

according to a certain Ms Josephine Tay (15/05/06 ST "A lot of pressure is self-inflicted"), it is. according to her, life is not more complicated now, but it is just that people are. according to her, we feel great pressure because keep comparing ourselves with others and see what other people have. according to her, she felt pressurised over college rejections, over S-papers, over love life falling apart, despite people telling her that she does not have to worry about those. she sugggests that the panacea to all these problems is simply, "love, love and more love!" and that what really 'does it for her is time out to be still with my Bible and The Fight For Joy by John Piper" and if that doesn't work, "a nice massage at the spa and some calming lemongrass-chamomile tea by the Singapore River" and that would 'do the trick.'

what a bloody ditz! i'm sure she's one of those who think that everyone can study overseas if they wanted to (incidentally, she's an undergrad at LSE).

and how bloody condescending can she be! her letter makes light of the very real struggles of people whose options are not between studying locally or overseas but about being able to be equipped with the necessary skills, knowledge, certificates in order to be employable in the new economy. and to these people, the pressures of fighting to become employable are very real. then there are those who are in low-income families, or families whose breadwinners are at risk of losing their jobs. for these people, the pressures that they face arise from the struggle to lead a dignified life as a human being and are caused very much due to externalities much beyond their control. these are the people who would definitely not have the luxury of a nice massage at the spa and might not have ever heard of chamomile (maybe teh-alia).

having said that, while the pressures that most people face might be caused by external sources, that is not to say that these people are powerless. the strength to deal with them, i believe mostly comes from the the person him/herself, which a lot of our youths do have. but have to be guided so that they can tap on this strength. and these pressures would serve to make a person even stronger.

of course, it helps to seek solace and strength in the spiritual (i.e. depending on your religious inclinations the Bible, various Sutras, etc), comforting stories, friends and family (love definitely helps...). but that does not deny the fact that for most people, the pressure that they face arise from real problems of survival.

someone should remove the rose tinted glasses from Miss Tay, wake her up from her la-la land, burst her sugar-coated bubble.

Gomez-Gate

finally. closure on the James Gomez issue. it was stupid on 2 counts.

firstly, it was stupid that James Gomez let loose on the ED staff the way he did. of course, bringing it up during their campaigning only served to make it worse.

but that was not half as stupid as what the PAP did. coming down like a tonne of bricks on James Gomez probably cost PAP a good number of votes. it completely undid the image that PAP is more consultative, more approachable that is in touch with the people. if anything, it made PAP seem like a big bully. now big bullies aren't very approachable now are they? and the only times bullies touch the people around them is to hurt them.

if anything, the PAP leadership should learn from Khaw Boon Wan. being more placid would serve to tamper the image of arrogance that PAP currently has.

well... in any case, it is good that the matter has come to an end. WP would do well to not give PAP even the slightest whiff of dirty linen to grab hold of, continue to work the ground, groom its new and young members (such as Glenda Han and Chia Ti Lik). if they suceed in doing that, then i'm sure that they will do better in the next GE. which i hope i'll get to vote. grr... darn stupid opposition, come and challenge the PAP in the west.

"Go West... where the skies are blue..."

Idle Idol

Singapore Idol's coming up again. i wonder why people still bother. i wonder whether anyone actually still idolise Taufik and Sylvester. and i don't remember them having done much recently. i suppose it's no wonder that "Idol" rhymes with "Idle".

it kind of reminds me of "Money for Nothing" by Dire Straits. which kind of makes me wonder why it is that some of us have to slog so hard. i guess life just ain't fair. then again, of course it ain't fair. of the many million sperms, you are that one sperm that made it to the egg. so in a way, we are all champions the moment we were born.

on that happy note, i think i shall call it a night before i invoke the dark gods of lameness and flood this blog with any more crow-conjuring statements/jokes.

Down the hatch

was in a cab on my way to City Hall yesterday. as the cab entered the tunnel of CTE, the electronic sign informed all drivers that there was "Jam in tunnel".

thought that came to mind: "I wonder whether there's peanut butter and bread too... If so, then it would be great, cos then drivers won't get hungry..."

speaking about tunnels... today's my last day of practicum... finally, the light at the end of the tunnel... alas... that light might be an oncoming train...

What's in a name...

can you imagine if someone were to run a smear campaign against the PAP?

it would be called a PAP Smear campaign.

perhaps that would help win over the female voters....

that was bordering on a sexist statement.

lethargic. don't feel like doing what i should be doing... i.e. work...

The beginning is the end is the beginning

a journey ends before it actually ends, just as it begins before it actually begins. with anticipation.

of course, Yoda would argue against anticipation. he, as in the advice he gave Luke, says that one should keep one's mind in the here and now. but it is not always that easy.

and now that i am coming close to the end of my practicum, i have already started thinking about closure. of course, there are administrative tasks to complete, including getting my practicum file ready (which i really dread doing... not least because my things are all over the place...).

but that, to me, is secondary. what is more important is about closing the loop on the relationships that i've formed with some of my students.

of all my students, i would miss my debaters the most. not least because i don't think that i've had the time to set up a stable system going such that they can continue without me.

and then there are those who, in the short time that i've been there, honoured me enough to open up and pour their hearts out to me.

the word "educate" comes from the Latin words which means "to lead out of". what have i lead out of my students? i'm not sure how much i've achieved in terms of teaching my students. but i hope that nonetheless, i've left something in their lives. or at least some of their lives.

and in that way, this practicum has educated me much. for this practicum has brought out of me a sense of realism and greatly humbled me.

and with the end of this practicum, a new chapter is about to begin. or perhaps it has already begun. with the anticipation of its beginning.