Geek Blog

Maher on O'Reilly

2006-10-01T22:41:00.000+08:00

I haven't blogged about Christianity in a long while.

Bit of background. Maher is a man who believes that religion is for psychos. He believes that organized religion is a joke and that we're crazy idiots who go to church. He believes that organized religion is a "neurological disorder" and that it is "insanity by consensus". Oh, and he dated a porn actress once. But that's just a tidbit.

O'Reilly is an extremely right-wing conservative. Who has a reputation for being harsh and overbearing. And in an absolutely infamous clip, cutting a man's mike on his TV show who's dad had died in 9/11. Whether, that clip was taken out of context, again I don't know. I'm just a ignorant Singaporean bystander. He however has one of the highest rated shows on television. Whether that is a good or bad thing, I will refrain from judgment.

Maher says,
"Jesus Christ as a philosopher was wonderful. There's no greater role model in my view than Jesus Christ. It's just a shame that most of the people who call themselves Christians are nothing like him"

Now, I don't understand anything else about the video. I have no idea what else they mentioned after that line, and to tell the truth, my mind pretty much turned off after that. The point of me putting up the video was just to highlight something that I learnt two years ago but never wrote down.

Of course O'Reilly went mad at the thought that he, a Christian was accused of being nothing like Jesus Christ. And two years ago, someone said the roughly the same thing here. And I went absolutely crazy inside as well. But on further thinking and discussing with someone older and more respected, I realized that Maher is right. Well wrong. He conceded that most of them were not behaving like Jesus Christ. I think its the most "successful" of Christians who will be the first to tell you that they are flawed and in need of something greater to help them. The "pick and choose" Christians that they mentioned? It's those that would declare that they are the perfect Christians.

That Jesus Christ was a great man with great ideals. "Christianity has wonderful ideas, its just the Christians that are screwed up." It was pride that made O'Reilly so defensive, and it was pride that made me so defensive too. I agree. Jesus was a perfect man who walked the earth and none of us can claim to have matched his standards. I know I haven't. I don't know anyone who has. I'm not even close. What would you say if somebody shouted at you that you were a lousy Christian?

And what happens then?

Maybe we should start calling ourselves "Christ-likes".
Unless of course Christianity actually already means that.

S2006

2006-09-21T22:07:00.000+08:00

It just occurred to me, and I really want to know, what we got from S2006. Did we really get anything from spending so much money on the IMF/WB delegates? Instead, what we got, was a snub from the head of the World Bank/IMF saying that we had gone back on our agreements 3 years ago. Seriously, you know our reputation for abysmal civil rights records and almost Bush-like disregard for the Declaration of Human Rights. Did you seriously think that we'd loosen up? You knew that we're a royal pain in the ass when it comes to things like that, so why choose us as a venue? And to top it off, you turn 180 later and then bite us in the ass. We really don't need that! If you wanted your NGOs to protest and throw eggs in your meetings, hold your meetings in Malaysia! We don't even have chickens here! We import them. Of course we have to thank you for that - but don't let it get to your head.

I mean come on, we have enough problems as it is. Like this guy:

Before any of the extremist-liberals start bashing me for being a pro-PAP supporter, let me stop you right now. I am a pro-PAP supporter. Heck, I wanted to join the YPAP last year. So if you want to constrain your views of Singapore to pro-liberal bias, go ahead, stop reading.

I think Dr. Chee has wonderful ideals for Singapore - but I disrespect and disown his actions as representative of any democracy movement in Singapore. He chose a time when the world was watching Singapore and painted one damn lousy picture of us. Deliberately. I don't know about you, but when guests are invited and the world is watching, I stop fighting with my family members and say "hello auntie, hello uncle". 4 million watt smiles if necessary. Doesn't mean i like it, but I do it. Because its my family name, my household's name, my parent's name and my name on the line. Instead, he publicly sought to tarnish the "reputation" and the office of the prime minister. I would re-watch the speech on Google Video to get you the exact words, but I don't think my ears can tahan the bad recording/hissing noise. When they're not there, its another matter. But keep the family problems within the family, don't broadcast it. Didn't your mother tell you not to wash your dirty boxers in public? You embarrass me.

I really want to know what we got from S2006. Because if it was to promote us as a MICE hub, then I think we failed. Spectacularly.

Look at that. 6 police officers around one woman who looks like Elizabeth Choy after WWII. Except the former was fighting for her life and her dignity and the other is fighting for I really am not sure what. It may be democracy, but please don't put up a public spectacle like that. The best part is, the police and the government are helping her to put up a spectacle. No one really supports Chee. Really. S/He lost horribly in the last election. Everyone knows he doesn't really represent Singapore. If he had marched on Parliament with 6 people in tow, he'd have looked like a fool. And they should have let him. Instead, Chee got precisely what he wanted, the critical mass at his rallies. But they were formed by the men in blue in what can only be described as overkill and that got the attention of the media.

And a lot of media.

And when someone who doesn't represent the true interest of Singaporeans makes it to the front page of the Financial Times as the face of democracy for Singapore.

I don't know where to put my face.

And this is the paper that the rich men will read when they want to do business here. Precisely the audience we're trying so desperately to get for our improvement and our development. I am for democracy in Singapore. It says so in the pledge. "... to build a democratic society". But both did it wrong. Very wrong.

"Enormous damage has been done and a lot of that damage is done to Singapore and self-inflicted. This could have been an opportunity for them to showcase to the world their development process." - Wolfowitz.

Self-inflicted is right. By both parties. One in over-stickiness to the law. One in over-zealotry.
Both without thinking through what their actions could have done for Singapore.

When will we learn that there is nothing wrong/nothing unpatriotic with talking and debating about issues? When will we learn that the right way to tackle democracy is not by putting on a timed spectacle to draw attention, but rather to think and talk it out like rational men?

We are a young society. Giving too many rights at one go, is probably not a good idea. We'd be seriously overwhelmed. You mean I can hang out with more than 5 friends at a time?!?! But like teenagers, our parents will eventually let us free soon enough. We're a young nation. Give it time.

This post is not a rant because I am angry with the PAP government for their seemingly over-repressive action. This post is not a tirade at the actions of a man who has no interest in the development of Singapore but rather the furtherance of party politics disguised in the name of Democracy. I hate partisan politics. I mentioned myself as pro-PAP earlier because I believe that they can run the government. Show me another party like the PAP in terms of sheer political skill and foresight in the development of our economy and clean government and I will gladly jump on board. I make these statements not because I am for one party and against another.

I make these statements because I'm a Singaporean.

Photocredits from YawningBread and Affiliates.

Strike 3

2006-09-20T12:29:00.000+08:00

Seriously, I know you guys are crazy, but really?
Our national newspaper printing gossip and secondary school rumors/jokes.
This is really ridiculous. Do you do any journalism? Seriously?

4 million smiles and 20 000 school girls who are "allegedly easy with the opposite sex".
Next thing you know they'll be advertising the rate per night of a social escort in Singapore. Oh wait, they've already done that.

Finally, our national papers decides to play some semblance of 4th Estate.
Against each other. Brilliant.

Do they ever get to strike out?

IMF @ Suntec

2006-09-16T21:29:00.000+08:00

You know that studying is not going well when you end up blogging more than you end up studying. Regardless, today was supposed to be studying at supposedly tombstone quiet Suntec City - which it kind of was actually considering that we sat in BK for 7 hours and the staff didn't say anything and that the music blaring was considerably louder than the chatter of the policemen/delegates.

Honestly, I think the number of policemen at Suntec are more than the actual number of people who are there for the conference and other random shoppers.

I figured that there's a reason why you buy expensive handphone cameras. To take stupid pictures of shirts in shop windows. Ridiculous.

What can be worse than 4 million smiles welcoming you to Singapore? One creepy Samsui woman welcoming you with her toothless smile and bad grammar.

Speaking of which. This is ridiculous. This is price-discrimination! Gosh, Econs concepts coming in, Pat Leong would be so proud. Come on, the least you could do is give promotions for EVERYONE! What nonsense is this.

Of course, aside from creepy Samsui women and shopping, Singapore is known for its festivals! The super hard to pronounce and describe bian-nal-eh, eh, no. bye-en-nial. Oh forget it. Bad pronunciation and things that are impossible to describe is what Singapore classifies as art anyway. As-Pla-Nut anyone?

Finally, the place where I was studying for the whole day. We felt really secure there because there were all these policemen walking in to claim their free meal vouchers from BK and seeing that there were more men in blue than there were actual consumers. I felt really really safe.

But then when I wondered why they were there so many times in a matter of hours. I kept seeing the same officers over and over and they were coming in over and over before I could even clear one page of notes! Then again, maybe that's because I was slow. Nevertheless, in a moment of epiphany, I realized why they were there.

They were there to protect the Mushroom Swiss.

Don't believe me? It's the only thing on the menu that has anything foreign on it okay!
It says, Mushroom Swiss!

Jon Stewart

2006-09-15T20:15:00.000+08:00

If you thought Jon Stewart was funny, you should take a look at this.

Music Updates

2006-09-15T12:15:00.000+08:00

While I have been listening to Snow Patrol, Apple has remarkably updated their iTunes interface to a splendifurously more gorgeous interface but one that consumes infinitely more RAM as well.

One major grise that I am having is that while the newer 5G iPods are able to support gapless playback - think Hillsong's Mighty To Save without the constant break when changing songs. The nanos are not compatible with such a "technology". Something in my opinion should have been implemented right from the start. And don't get me started on you poor 4G users. Oh, and I wouldn't recommend updating to iTunes 7 just yet. There are a couple of hundred bugs around. But just to tempt you:

Pretty Eh? By the way, Apple didn't design that shiny new interface. What they actually did, was find what an independent developer had designed on the net. Paid him for his troubles and incorporated it as their own. Hence there are a few bugs with that thing.

Meanwhile, Microsoft has released their Zune.

Well, not their Zune. More like Toshiba's Zune that they plastered their name upon.
But it does look pretty gorgeous. If Apple disappoints me on this one, and if the Zune appears to be a success, maybe i'll look forward to getting it free when Singnet gives away another promotion. (:

By the way, those of you who download music using stuff like Limewire, Kazza, and other apps that have a sharing folder. Please move your music out of the folder after you're done with the file. Take a look at this Elektra vs Barker. I know it makes sense, and most of you should be doing that anyway. But if you're not, please do.

Singapore Media Part II

2006-09-13T14:41:00.000+08:00

ST (Fill in your own acronyms for ST) Sept 12. H5.

I know I said I wouldn't post till after exams, but this is really killing me.
Sorry for the bad scanning, I figured it wouldn't matter. The headline is ridiculous enough.

"Agency managers said that escorts are not obliged to offer sexual services, but added that what happens privately between women and the clients is a private matter.

Prostitution is not illegal in Singapore but soliciting can be punished with a $1000 fine, and a maximum $2000 fine and six months jail for subsequent offenses."

"While large international meetings are such as this one are good for business, these agencies say that demand for their escorts peaks when foreign navies are in town."

Shh. Don't say it too loud. We know that there are US Navy ships here. As if its not bad enough that the terrorists are filming Yishun MRT station, now we know how to get into their pants? Keep it down!

By the way, overnight rates are $1000. Just FYI.
Unless you're a US Navy officer, I'm sure they have frequent ~~flyer~~ miles.
Remember prostitution is legal. Do they pay corporate tax?

UPDATE: QUICK PART THREE.

Singapore bans 28 from country during IMF/World Bank meetings
Civil groups consider boycott of IMF/World Bank meetings

From the second article:

"But a police statement has said that these 28 have not in fact been banned - if they decide to come to Singapore, police will assess their suitability to enter, based on a set of security criteria."

compare to the first article:

"For now, the Police are trying to contact these individuals through the World Bank or their embassies in Singapore so that they do not end up making an abortive trip."

So are they banned or not? Will they please make up their mind? I am so confused.
At this rate, will I be allowed to wear my pink boxers on Sunday? Or will that be subject to security criteria as well?

September 11

2006-09-11T00:00:00.000+08:00

Pardon the randomness and the streams of consciousness of this post.
Its 12 in the morning.

Seems not too long ago that Sept 11 happened and I was in bed asleep and oblivious to what was happening. I remember I had school the next day. The papers that morning had black and a full page photo of the towers collapsing. Like Marcus reminded me today, that was a long time ago. And I was thinking to myself today, look where we've come from then. A post 911 world has meant so much - and its disturbing to see what 5 years can do, and on a lighter side, how old I feel. Gee. Khaki shorts. Rofl.

By the way, I love the new spell-check/dictionary feature in Firefox 2.0 that I am testing now. Look out for it by the end of the year. I realized that I have not made a "geek" post here for a long time. Come to think of it, I haven't blogged in a long time.

Anyway, new things to look out for. Vista is scheduled to be out there by January 31st. Corporate release by December. Firefox 2.0 should be coming out in Oct/Nov. OS X 10.5 coming out at the start of next year. If you need a free virus scan, Windows Live Safety is online, and its pretty decent. There's a war between HD-DVD and Blu-Ray. RIAA starts suing more grandmothers. uTorrent has proved to be a fascinating piece of C++ Code. And perhaps most important to me: Windows Live Messenger has been released. If you're still using MSN 7.5, PLEASE change. WLM is stable now, and its decent.

There, I've summarized the coming developments for the next few months, if not years. I would post screen shots of Vista and WLM but I just can't be bothered right about now.

Oh, and I ran a virtualization of XP in VMware - and I just purchased my first DRM protected audio file, and figured a way to break the protection in 3 hours. Not too shabby. (:

i realise i sound like Andrea talking about fashion

By the way, I realised that my cbox is a source of pain for IE users. I haven't used IE in such a long time that I didn't realise that it was a problem. Will probably look for a replacement for the cbox soon. Seeing that 50% of the blog hits are from IE, I'm worried. You're getting ads and potentially trojans! Please jump to Firefox! (shameless push)

Ironic that the prelim season starts on Sept 11 - I guess the MOE has a sense of irony.
Its supposed to worry me that I have not touched Econs at all. However, I guess I am too far gone to even worry about it. Shakespeare and Hitler interest me so much more.

Here's to my next post - after the prelims are over.

Wheelock Place

2006-09-06T17:47:00.000+08:00

I love this photo. These are the silly things you try to do while studying.
Take interesting photos using your cellphone.

By the way, I stumbled upon irony of ironies today.

Shows that there is room for both Microsoft and Apple after all.

YouTubing

2006-08-30T18:41:00.000+08:00

Support Their Troops

If you think the SAF spends alot of money on advertising, consider this.
Its got to be the simplest video ever, yet, wow.

I'm against the Iraq war, (I was for it at first and then against it again. Yes Marvin, I am a flip-flopper.)
but I am for the bravery of such men and women.
This has got to be the first YouTube video that's made me tear.
Except for the Vader one, but that was for other reasons. (:

Saturday Morning

2006-08-26T10:40:00.000+08:00

There's a thing about waking up at 9 in the morning, thinking that its going to be a productive day and the first thing you smell is the whiff of dog poo outside your door.

And before breakfast,
you find yourself
washing
cleaning
and cuttting the hair from your dog's ass.

Oh cleaning it from sh*t i might add.
The things that we can do to destress. (:

Saturday Morning.

Hitler and Beloved

2006-08-21T01:29:00.000+08:00

Studying does seem to be trying to get me to do it.
However, I seem to have amazing powers of resisiting.
Sigh, if only such powers of control existed in other parts of my life. (:

Since today was the National Day Rally,
I have dug up Disney's version of National Education. Enjoy.

Der Fuhrer's Face (1943)

I highly recommend this one.
Even if you don't watch anything else on YouTube for the next 2 months, this is one to watch. Hey, it won an Academy Award! And has anyone realised that when Donald is naked, he's always wearing a towel. But the duck NEVER wears pants?

Education for Death (1943)

This one is disturbing, but nonetheless - interesting. The way that Nazi Germany disallowed certain names reminds me of this article regarding Malaysia. But of course I don't mean to draw unnecessary and unjustified comments. (:

Commando Duck (1943)

This is racist, and funny as hell. Haha. Like somebody said, all we need now is Donald versus Osama and we've won the war on Terror.

Everybody Hurts
The Corrs

When the day is long and the night, the night is yours alone
When you think you've had enough of this life, hang on
Don't let yourself go, cause everybody cries
And everybody hurts, sometimes

Sometimes, sometimes everything is wrong
It's time to sing along.
When your day is night, hold on, hold on
If you feel like letting go hold on
If you're sure you've had too much of this life, hang on

Cause everybody hurts
Sometimes take comfort in your friends
Everybody hurts

Don't blow your hand
Oh, no, don't blow your hand
If you feel like you're alone
No, no, no, you're not alone
If you're on your own in this life, and the days and nights are long
When you're sure you've had too much of this life to hang on.

Cause everybody hurts sometimes
Everybody cries
Sometimes everybody hurts, sometimes
Everybody hurts sometimes
So, hold on, hold on
Hold on, hold on
Hold on, hold on
Hold on, hold on
Cause no you're not alone

Beloved

2006-08-19T00:06:00.000+08:00

It's good, you know,
when you got a woman who's a friend of your mind.

- Sixo

Cockroaches and Nights

2006-08-11T10:40:00.000+08:00

- Photo Credit Today Newspaper

Say hello to Ivy Kong. She's a $1000 richer because of her pet cockroach that won a race and beat other cockroaches in the Great Cockroach Derby. Aside from the obvious stupidity of having cockroaches race one another, and the fact that it was held at a hotel so fancy that I have never even stepped inside before. You know how they say that owners look like their pets? Bingo.

I like this shot. Considering that I took it with my 6280, I am rather please with how it turned out. This is the nice sight that I see every day as I walk back. Interesting eh? Oh, that little speck on the left of the lamp post, thats the moon. (: It was HUGE that night.

Hard Candy (M18)

2006-08-09T20:15:00.000+08:00

An aboslutely gripping and thought provoking movie.
I promise you after you leave the cineplex, this is one movie you will be talking about.
Warning, spoilers ahead. If you intend to watch it, I suggest you don't continue.

Patrick Wilson (Phantom of the Opera) plays Jeff Kohlver.
A pedophile (hey Sherry! I adopted your spelling of it!) who photographs young girls.
He meets Hayley Stark (Ellen Page - X3) a mature 14 year old whom he lulls to his house and has obviously evil intentions with.

Of course if this was just a film about a pedophile, there would really be no reason to publish it would there? (: She drugs his screwdriver and then ties him up. What follows is 2 hours of pure psychological terror. If there's anything that has a longer effect on you than shock-horror films, then it'd be films such as this one.

The film is rarely physical. Relying heavily instead on an amazingly written dialogue (Brian Nelson) and amazing direction (David Slade). The film is deliberately color saturated, which brings about a surreal and haunting image of the house and the environment. The whole film is focused (literally) on the characters and their facial expressions. Forcing you to examine each of the characters without distraction from the already simplistic and zen-like background. In fact, every frame of the film is beautiful from a photographic point of view.

But most of all, the script delves into the psyche of just one character - Jeff. The fabulous acting and the fact that we never get into the psyche of Hayley adds to the moral fight within ourselves whether her torture of Jeff is justified or not. Once in awhile, we are treated to shots with Jeff alone, fighting with himself and we sense his agony and that raises a million and one questions to his guilt and whether his punishment is justified.

But the film takes a truly moral standpoint right in the last 20mins. The symbolism of Jeff's collapse as he stabs the portrait of another girl that he's photographed. Or him screaming at Hayley asking who she is and she replies,

I am every little girl you've ever watched, touched, hurt, screwed, killed.

After that, the movie makes perfect sense. Somehow, to me, we realize what a complete crook the man is and how he deserves what's been delivered to him for the past 2 hours - much as we wonder why we put ourselves through that torture in the first place. Yes, the movie is that powerful and we are placed in such a position that for most guys - would make certain things shrivel and go right back up.

A statement against child pornography (or any pornography for that matter) and glances occasionally to other important and provocative issues.

Was I born a vindictive little bitch, or did society make me that way?

It's almost mocking and painfully thought-provoking.
It is a definite and absolute must see.

National Day

2006-08-05T01:57:00.000+08:00

Seen on the decorations surrounding stadiums area in preparation for National Day. By the way, FOP Entry at the Youth Blog. Anyway, its really heartening to know that the money and the time that the MOE invests in our young in our Civics lessons are really put to good use. Of course, to prove that worth, there's always the time-tested and most difficult CME question of all to answer. This will almost guarantee the moral education of our students.

Qn 50. 5 marks.
You see a banana peel on the floor. What do you do?

A) Walk Past - MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS LAH
B) Step on it. Gahmen say must try new experiences and different perspectives.
C) Tell the Gahmen that got people litter ORHOR
D) Call your maid to come pick it up - on her off day.

Happy National Day.

JonOng

2006-08-03T16:38:00.000+08:00

This guy is simply amazing. I would give the world to shoot photos like him.
Of course, a model like that boy would just be as good. (:
Check out his Livejournal or his Flickr Stream.
Thanks to Nat for the link.

Der Untergang

2006-08-01T19:54:00.000+08:00

Simply one of the best WWII and Hitler movies that I have ever seen. If you thought Schlinder's List was amazing, you havent seen anything yet. This is a German film on the last days of the 3rd Reich - from Hitler's bunker. Most movies have portrayed the Nazi regime as a one dimensional and purely evil one. Making us forget that Hitler, was in fact, a human. A man like you and me. It refrains from judging the man or the Reich, but presents us with the bare facts.

In the claustrophobic environment of the Fuhrerbunker, we see the last 20days of the Third Reich with stunning performances by a mostly German cast. As someone on IMDB said, who better to tell us about the 3rd Reich then the Germans themselves?

Perhaps, what is most startling about this movis is the sheer historical accuracy. You would expect an overly demonized view of Hitler - seeing the German shame when it comes to Hitler. Or perhaps an excuse for Hitler. This however, just isnt the case. Based on a book by Hitler's Secretary Traudl Junge, it gives a really human and intimate view of one of the craziest men to dominate the world. The performances themselves are amazing. The thought of a mother (Magda Goebbels) slipping cyanide pills into her children's mouths and then breaking the pills with their jaws without emotion, is simply chilling and something you will never forget. Multiply that by 2 hours and 30 mins and you've got the magic that is Der Untergang.

Also, to those who enjoying mindless dissing of Israel about the current war in Lebanon, I invite you take a read of this Washington Post Article. I think we'll more than realize the gravity of the situation rather than poking stupid fun at it.

You Said

2006-07-28T03:03:00.000+08:00

You Said
By Your Side
Hillsong Church

You said, Ask and you will receive
Whatever you need
You said, Pray and I'll hear from heaven
And I'll heal your land

You said Your glory will fill the earth
Like water the sea
You said, Lift up your eyes
The harvest is here, the kingdom is near

You said, Ask and I'll give the nations to you
O Lord, that's the cry of my heart
Distant shores and the islands will see
Your light, as it rises on us

O Lord, I ask for the nations

Communion Sunday

2006-07-26T12:20:00.000+08:00

Sadly, I don't even own this camera.
Not that I'm very wonderful with it anyway.

Warning: Bending like that is bad for your back.

These photos are licensed under a CC Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License or are wholly owned copyrights of Pentecost Methodist Church YMPACT. Click on the Creative Commons Logo for more information on appropriate use.

Beauty And The Beast II

2006-07-20T19:18:00.000+08:00

Random Photos

2006-07-14T17:53:00.000+08:00

Walking Back

2006-07-13T15:40:00.000+08:00

I still say that this is an impossibly long road to walk back every day.
And its not the distance, its the heat. Gah.

World Cup II

2006-07-12T15:43:00.000+08:00

But I categorically did not call him a terrorist. I'm not cultured and I don't even know what an Islamic terrorist is. - Materazzi.

Yeah right.
Come up with a better excuse man.

At The Cross

2006-07-11T01:02:00.000+08:00

At The Cross - Hillsong Church
Mighty To Save

Oh Lord You've searched me,
You know my ways.
Even when I fail You,
I know You love me.

Your holy presence surrounding me.
In every season, I know you love me.
I know you love me.

At the cross I bow my knee,
where Your blood was shed for me.
There’s no greater love than this.
You have overcome the grave and Your glory fills the highest place.
What can separate me now?

You go before me, you shield my way.
Your hand upholds me, I know you love me.

For You tore the veil, and You made a way,
When You said that it is done.

And when the earth fades and falls from my eyes,
and You stand before me, I know You love me.

I know You love me.

Rain

2006-07-09T20:00:00.000+08:00

Well done.
Nothing like Kenny G on a rainy day.

One More Moment

2006-07-07T22:44:00.000+08:00

One More Moment - Ronin

Don't take too long to say
I love you to the ones you love
Cause time has a habit of slipping away

And out on the clear blue sky
When lightning strikes on a sunny day
Just take me in and keep me from the rain

And the words that seem so hard to say
Come out when you've gone away
Just stay a little while and hear me say

That I want you here tonight
And I need you by my side
For just one more moment
For just one more moment with you

Turn away to say goodbye
With each and every word that passes by
Like a distant memory

And time keeps slipping away
And time will turn to grey
And time will be the one who holds you down

And the words that seem so hard to say
Come out when you've gone away
Just stay a little while and hear me say

That I want you here tonight
And I need you by my side
For just one more moment
For just one more moment

That I want you here tonight
And I need you by my side
For just one more moment
For just one more moment with you

Sometimes time will treat you bad
Before you even know what's wrong
And in the end it hits you hard
Please tell me you'll be strong

Sometimes time will treat you bad
Before you even know what's wrong
And in the end it hits you hard
Please tell me you'll be strong

Dear Jesus

2006-07-02T17:22:00.000+08:00

Dear Jesus,

I am sorry for what happened today.
I promise you, and with 6billion people holding me accountable,
that I will never do that again.

I will do my best to follow you and keep to your commandments.
Not just because you tell me to,
or for fear of your wrath, but because I love You and I need your love so much.
More than anything else in the world.

Father forgive me, I beg you.

Your Prodigal Son,
Bertrand.

Brazil-France

2006-07-02T08:21:00.000+08:00

Whadd'ya know.
History does repeat itself.

Looks like i'm going to repeat my feat of being owned by VJ teachers 3times in a row then.

Blogged with Flock

Dear Bill

2006-06-28T13:32:00.000+08:00

Dear Bill.

I hear that you're stepping down from Microsoft very soon and that you intend to give all your money away to little children. I think that's amazing. I am your greatest fan. Its a pity that the world loves to victimise you and that they put photos like this online for the world to see.

I for one am putting this up so that the world may see, well, you.

If you and Melinda would like to donate money to the Save-Bertrand-from-failing-CTs foundation, please send your generous gift to my trusty teacher who will be my beneficiary. Please dont put any form of identification that would trace the money back to me. Its a crime in Singapore to offer a bribe to a public servant (cue missing history/econs knowledge now).

I hear you and Warren Buffet are teaming up now. Perhaps you could ask him to chip in with you. I find it amazing irony that the world's second richest man (net worth: US$44 billion is giving US$37 billion of it away to you). Who needs all that money anyway right? Oh and talking about irony, thats perfect for my lit paper tommorow. Thanks for the practise Bill.

Which reminds me, could you tell me why my computer wouldnt start yesterday and started making all kinds of funny noises now? I see burn marks on the metal casing. Is my PC on fire? Am I safe?

Blogged with Flock

Australia.

2006-06-27T02:19:00.000+08:00

I usually leave world cup commentary to Ashish or Andrea. They are the experts. My job is to repost funny videos of soccer that Nat sends me. I'm not going to talk about the game, but WHY OH WHY! The Aussies were painfully inexperienced but they could have won. What a SHAME to give it away with THIS: A most unflattering end.

EIGHT painful seconds from time.
If they had taken it into extra time, my money would have been on Australia.

I swear someone paid him to do something as stupid as this.

Look at his face. Poor Man.

World Cup

2006-06-21T23:51:00.000+08:00

Towers of Light

2006-06-21T16:26:00.000+08:00

C9L3

2006-06-15T21:50:00.000+08:00

(No I didn't take this photo. I stole it from the CMPB website.)

And today was my medical. I swear I'd rather have spent 6hours studying than sitting in that same room doing absolutely nothing.

Anyway, the last bits of the medical checkup was interesting. They were the only bits that mattered anyway.

"pull down your shorts and cough"

And the dear placement tests. If not for memories of Ms Tang screaming physics formulas into my head I'm sure that I'd fail that little section.

Interestingly enough, they asked me if would ever want to fly a plane, and for some silly reason i said "yes". And yes, I also said that I'd love to go out long distances to sea in a small sea-worthy boat. I smacked myself after I left the room.

Oh well, with a PES rating of C9L3, I wont have to worry about nonsense like that.
Clerkdom here I come!

6280

2006-06-06T20:45:00.000+08:00

I like the photo quality of my new phone. Much better in outdoor than I expected. Indoor is a different story though. Oh well.

I really have to start studying man. It amazes me how long I can stare at a piece of paper and not move and not read it. Gosh.

I think i fractured my wrist again.

Humans were created in his "likeness", not as "mini-me's". :-) If you took the time to read the Bible, you would understand that God did not guarantee that life on Earth would be a big block party with lemonade and bounce houses. Life is full of challenges, God simply asks that we give him our burdens and our love. In return he will bring us back to the Kingdom when our time has come. Humans had the opportunity in the Garden of Eden to avoid sin, but we chose to endulge(sic) in the forbidden fruit and thus were evicted, if you will. Our choice, not his. He gave us free will and we chose to become what we are. So yes, he "created" evil, but was willing to protect us from it provided we abide by his rules. Humans being humans chose to be ignoramuses, something we're really good at. -2ManyMovies

Amazing how you can find something quite inspiring on IMDB.

by the way Richie, you're right. Its pre-cooked green bean soup.

Hmm

2006-06-02T10:20:00.000+08:00

I wonder if anyone can tell me what this is.

Moving On

2006-05-31T12:14:00.000+08:00

I finally got on my bike for the first time in a month.
Probably because it was flat for the past month as well.
Taking it to the shop to change the tube was an interesting experience - I got cheated by a dollar. Because of Maths and the fact that I couldnt quite count what I was getting cheated by quickly enough. Gah.

When the boss tried to explain to me in Chinese why he was charging me $1 more than I should be charged, I just nodded along. Because I don't understand Chinese.

Then when he started ranting to the worker (who was fixing my bike) in Malay what a @#@$%#$ I was, and that I deserved to get cheated and lectured I understood everything. Sweet ironies of life. I whispered to the guy that I knew what the chinese boss was saying, and the malay guy started laughing. Oh well, the malay dude was a pretty nice guy, and he taught me some interesting things, so paying that $1 wasnt that bad I guess.

I wish I could speak Chinese. Haha.

I think I'll cycle to the beach today.
I need to take my mind off you.

Separation

2006-05-28T13:00:00.000+08:00

Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation.

-Kahlil Gibran

my lips still bleed for you.
i need you.

Love, Me

2006-05-26T18:51:00.000+08:00

I read a note my grandma wrote back in nineteen twenty-three.
Grandpa kept it in his coat, and he showed it once to me. He said,
"Boy, you might not understand, but a long, long time ago,
Grandma's daddy didn't like me none, but I loved your Grandma so."

We had this crazy plan to meet and run away together.
Get married in the first town we came to, and live forever.
But nailed to the tree where we were supposed to meet, instead
I found this letter, and this is what it said:

If you get there before I do, don't give up on me.
I'll meet you when my chores are through;
I don't know how long I'll be.
But I'm not gonna let you down, darling wait and see.
And between now and then, till I see you again,
I'll be loving you. Love, me.

I read those words just hours before my Grandma passed away,
In the doorway of a church where me and Grandpa stopped to pray.
I know I'd never seen him cry in all my fifteen years;
But as he said these words to her, his eyes filled up with tears.

If you get there before I do, don't give up on me.
I'll meet you when my chores are through;
I don't know how long I'll be.
But I'm not gonna let you down, darling wait and see.
And between now and then, till I see you again,
I'll be loving you. Love, me.
Between now and then, till I see you again,
I'll be loving you. Love, me.

Victoria

2006-05-26T10:08:00.000+08:00

It feels good to be a Victorian today.

The best bit was, when I went to school to loan a VS flag, I was carrying the flag and standing outside the school with the whole world looking at a boy carrying a flag that was taller than him. It feels really good to be a Victorian today.

Must go get pictures of the flag.

On another note, the computer was getting sluggish after all that software i was installing, so i decided to reformat. Took two episodes of CSI to backup my enitre music collection and then to reinstall it. Not bad, pretty fast. The beta2 for IE7 looks extremely good I have to add. Messenger Live is quite interesting although there is nothing really new about it, but its much more stable than the previous MSN that i reviewed. Office 12 is a HUGE makeover, but its highly unstable and therefore not a very good download. I love what they've done with Word and Outlook. Although Outlook lags, thats why i uninstalled it.

Oh well, I have a "new" computer, and no screenshots of all that software.
Flag photos now. (:

She Believes In Me

2006-05-18T02:00:00.000+08:00

And she believes in me, Ill never know just what she sees in me
I told her someday if she was my girl, I could change the world
With my little songs, I was wrong
But she has faith in me, and so I go on trying faithfully
And who knows maybe on some special night, if my song is right
I will find a way, find a way...

While reading Beloved at 2 in the morning, something flies in through the window. After resisting the urge to get the Mortein, I take the other thing in reach, the camera.

I've named it Beloved.

"all day and all night she sat there,
her head resting on the trunk in a position abandoned enough to
crack the brim in her straw hat."

More Than

2006-05-15T22:15:00.000+08:00

More than He wants us to follow him, He wants us to have a relationship with him. More than blind obedience, He wants conversation. He’ll even get down on the mat and wrestle with us if that’s what we need. God made us for Himself and none of us will rest until we are one with Him. That is where we belong, and pretty much whatever it takes to get there is worth it.

Fairytales

2006-05-11T13:39:00.000+08:00

So the fairytale ends,
perhaps it was never meant to be.

I don't know much anymore.
Except this.

I still love you.

I love everything about you
everything you are
You'd catch a falling star if I asked you
And I couldn't live a single day without you
I hold you in my arms, and once again, I know
that I'm the only one for you.
-Darlene Zschech

Desperado - The Eagles

2006-04-30T12:59:00.000+08:00

If I didn't get the chance to tell you,
I was afraid I never would.

I've finally tasted what eternity will feel like.
Thank You for everything.
I'll never let You go.

and you too.

The Roof

2006-04-30T12:00:00.000+08:00

I love the sky in this one.
Have to go get more shots this Sunday.
Work work work.

Photo Library

2006-04-29T19:10:00.000+08:00

Interesting things that I dig up when browsing through my photos.
I love this photo.

Elections

2006-04-28T21:18:00.000+08:00

I love this photo. I was reading this in the canteen and when I saw it, I suddenly burst out laughing. I love politics in Singapore, and I love the mass media. It's these little things that make them brilliant.

-hence ends the politics post-
Political blogging isn't allowed. Remember?

Song Post

2006-04-25T21:03:00.000+08:00

Total Songs
6167

Space taken
26.36 GB

Sort By Artiste
First: Andrea Bocelli
Last: Yellowcard

Sort by Song Title
First: A Bell Will Ring - Oasis
Not counting numbers: '39 - Queen (Fabulous Song)
Last: Your Grace Is Enough - Chris Tomlin

Sort by Time
First: Untitled - Oasis (0:39)
Last: Better Man - Oasis (38:02)

Sort by Album
First: Queen - A Night At the Opera
Not counting numbers: (What's The Story) Morning Glory - Oasis
Last: X&Y - Coldplay

Top 5 Albums with the most tracks
1. Live in Wembley '86 - Queen (38)
2. Live Killers - Queen (25)
3. Goo Goo Dolls - Live in Buffalo (20)
4. South Park - Bigger Longer, Uncut (20)
5. Nat King Cole - Greatest Hits (20)

Top 5 Artistes with the most tracks
1. Queen (464)
2. U2 (346)
3. Hillsong (339)
3. Oasis (154)
4. Goo Goo Dolls (99)

Top Ten Most Played Songs
1. Better Days - Goo Goo Dolls (130)
2. Black Balloon - Goo Goo Dolls (120)
3. Stop Crying Your Heart Out - Oasis (110)
4. In Loving Memory - Alterbridge (83)
5. Twenty Four - Switchfoot (62)
6. Waiting For The World To Fall - JoC (61)
7. Wonderwall - Oasis (57)
8. Everything In Its Time - Corrinne May (55)
9. Slide - Goo Goo Dolls (55)
10. Time Of Your Life - Greenday (51)

Ten Recently Played Songs

(I just played through Goo Goo Dolls - Let Love In)

10 Recently Added
1. Lifesong - Casting Crowns (Album)
2. Let Love In - Goo Goo Dolls (Album)
3. Queen - Stone Cold Classics (Album)
4. Evanesence - Anywhere But Home (Album)
5. Queen - Live At Wembley '86 (Album)
6. Queen - A Night At The Opera (Album)
7. Cat Power - The Covers Record (Album)
8. Kevin Kern - Imagination's Light (Album) - Whenever I listen to this album, I think of death.
9. Train - Drops of Jupiter (Album)
10. Ray Charles - Genius Loves Company

Find "sex," how many songs show up?
2 Items

Sexed Up - Robbie Williams
Sexy Sadie - The Beatles

Find "death," how many songs show up?
13 Items

some of them are...
Death Day - Alien Ant Farm
In the Death Cell - Queen
Death on Two Legs - Queen
Death could not hold Him - Don Moen

Find "love," how many songs show up?
448 Items

i am not going to type them all out.

my favourite so far, has to be Love Of My Life - Queen.
altho i think its too depressing to be a love song.

i realise what people say about my song collection is true.
It's super emo.

Friends 502

2006-04-24T17:55:00.000+08:00

Monica to Rachel:

"Rachel, do you know how painful it is, to tell someone you love them and not have them say it back?"

Love Of My Life

2006-04-21T01:22:00.000+08:00

Love of my life,
You've hurt me,
You broken my heart,
Now you leave me

Love of my life can't you see,
Bring it back bring it back,
Don't take it away from me,
Because you don't know what it means to me

Love of my life don't leave me,
You've stolen my love you now desert me,

Love of my life can't you see,
Bring it back bring it back,
Don't take it away from me,
Because you don't know what it means to me

You will remember when this is blown over,
And everything's all by the way,
When I grow older,
I will be there at your side,
To remind how I still love you
I still love you
I still love you

Hurry back hurry back,
Don't take it away from me,
Because you don't know what it means to me

Why My Vote Matters

2006-04-20T14:11:00.000+08:00

I think its a brilliant forum, bit long though.

Amy

2006-04-18T12:38:00.000+08:00

Walking into school at 630 in the morning, and seeing this out of the corner of your eye. And then you turn around and see Amy in all her glory.

Reminds me of every Sunday morning actually.

Curtain Calls

2006-04-16T23:31:00.000+08:00

I think this fits my mood perfectly.
Oh thats my curtain in case anyone is interested. (:

to the people who have been asking me things on my tb,
please email me at bertrand.tan@gmail.com.
If its not in my inbox, i WILL forget.
As it is, I already forget everything and anything.

I don't check my blog 24/7 but i DO check my email every 3 minutes.
Or at least Outlook does, so be nice and email me.
Thanks.

Bohemia

2006-04-16T21:35:00.000+08:00

But now I've gone and thrown it all away
Mama, didn't mean to make you cry
If I'm not back again this time tomorrow
carry on, carry on as if nothing really matters

Too late, my time has come
Sends shivers down my spine, body's aching all the time
Goodbye, ev'rybody, I've got to go
Gotta leave you all behind and face the truth
Mama, I don't want to die
I sometimes wish I'd never been born at all
carry on, carry on as if nothing really matters

i'm sorry.

Nothing really matters, Anyone can see
Nothing really matters
Nothing really matters to me.

Malaysia Boleh!

2006-04-12T16:49:00.000+08:00

Malaysia abandons proposed new bridge to Singapore

I am laughing so hard, Mahatir can hear me.

Gospel Of Judas

2006-04-10T20:34:00.000+08:00

Somehow, even typing this out leaves a sense of distate in the mouth. This is what years and years of inculcation of good christian teaching has done to us. That it is distasteful that we would associate the word "gospel" and the word "Judas". Because surely as we know it, nothing could be more far apart. "Gospel" means good news for people who don't know.

Anyway, I don't understand the whole furore over the discovery of the Gospel of Judas. Or for that matter the Da Vinci Code, but I'll leave that for another day. I just read the Gospel of Judas and I found it to be extremely interesting to say the least. The Priests back in 180AD had declared it heretical. Maybe then it was, but now with about half of it missing because of the horrible state that it was kept in, apparently, the only bone to pick would be the fact that Jesus asked Iscariot to betray him.

And I keep asking myself, does it matter? Does all the dogma about whodunnit really matter? Does it really make a difference if Judas sold Jesus out, and Judas was told to sell Jesus out? Does that change the fact that Jesus bore 892730298328 strokes of the rotan that even the ISD would find too terrible to use? Does it change the fact that he had 4 nails in his body when in comparison, i staple myself with a stapler (and this has happened before) and i yelp like a drowning dog?

It doesn't change it one bit.

2006-04-07T18:02:00.000+08:00

I didn't know they had a war memorial at SGH.
I was pleasantly mortified when i saw that as I was leaving today.

After some photoshopping, I can actually read what was written.
I took the photo in a rush cos I didnt want to appear like some sua ku idiot standing in front of the memorial with my handphone camera. Next time, I will bring a real camera, then I wont be so sua ku anymore. =]

iDarno.Com

2006-04-02T22:46:00.000+08:00

Website Banner

I think Ber will love this.

Looking Thru The Archives

2006-03-31T21:41:00.000+08:00

the plant dies.

I Am A Gadget Slut

2006-03-31T18:27:00.000+08:00

taken from mrbrown.com
As long as they meet my needs, doesn't really matter where they come from.

AS MOST people will tell you, I love my gadgets and toys. It is so bad that when I tell my wife I am in the vicinity of Sim Lim Square, her immediate response is: "Don't buy anything ah!"

But those evil technology companies, they always tempt me with their latest offerings by introducing more and more features (like a new colour). How does a simple man like me resist?

One of my overseas readers, "Whitebait", even called me an "A-grade gear slut" and meant it as a compliment. He said because of my shameless posting of photographs of my latest acquisitions on my blog, he can justify spending money on things like "a pure metal, germ-free pop shield with adjustable gooseneck". I pointed this out to my wife, and told her I was helping to provide a valuable service for technology enthusiasts around the world, but she just said: "Don't buy anything ah!"

I tell you, it is not my fault. We Singaporeans have all grown up expecting upgrading in all areas of our lives. Better grades, better jobs, better lifts — these are the things that warm the heart of a true Singaporean. So, can anyone blame me for wanting to upgrade my gadgets, too?

Perhaps one day, they will build a gadget that will do everything for me. I can imagine a product — let's call it The Zeus Tech 3000 — that becomes my do-it-all (or bao ka liao in Hokkien), device. That way, I need never buy another gadget again, because the Zeus 3000 will always meet my needs. The Zeus Tech 3000 can play music, videos, and make coffee. And those are just the basic features.

Once every few years, the Zeus Tech company will announce the newest models, even if the older ones have been doing a good job. This is important for the sake of self-renewal. If it does not offer newer, younger and better models, people might buy another brand. Its 99-per-cent market share did not just materialise overnight and the company knows it cannot just depend on past victories or old track records (who listens to records these days, right?) to keep its existing customers.

And when Zeus Tech introduces its latest models — preferably three at a time, so that people don't get confused — it goes all out. Blitz the newspapers, TV and radio with photos and a list of features.

And even if the models only come in one colour, white, the company points out that actually, each model is different, yet the same. In the past, the older Zeus Tech series was famous for its uniform quality. The music player of the older Zeus Tech 1000 series, for instance, only had one dial for volume control. But people now want variety and more voices. So the company now offers an equaliser function that can give your music a Rock voice, Classical Voice, or Jazz voice, too.

Tech support from the Zeus Tech company is excellent. Nothing is allowed to fail. Repairs are dealt with promptly and swiftly.

People really liked that about the company. In fact, they got so used to the efficiency of the tech support that they took it for granted. Nobody cared about the Gadget Wars anymore because, hey, the Zeus Tech series always worked. In fact, the customers felt little love for the product because it was so much a part of their lives, so they stopped giving feedback to the company.

But that got Zeus Tech worried. Because if the customers did not feel strongly about the product or technology itself, how could the company make them feel excited about its next line of products? This was also affecting R&D because people just stopped telling Zeus Tech what they wanted from the product — they assumed Zeus Tech would be able to decide for them what features they wanted in upcoming versions.

Some did try to give their feedback to the company in the past, but there was a feeling that Zeus Tech was not listening. The 2000 series, for instance, had a few features which some people said were bugs in the system — the music player kept playing only one kind of music — but the dissenting customers were told that those were not bugs, those were features. In fact, the company told them, well, the 2000 model was designed to play the kind of music it thinks is best and healthiest for the customer.

So, now, some users are starting to look at the new models from the other smaller brands. Some of these smaller brands have had the same old models, playing the same old songs, though they had their loyal following. But the smarter companies, like Hammer and Circle Systems, started to offer models that were newer and had many similar qualities found in Zeus Tech's series.

The users seem quite impressed with the Hammer Systems alternative offerings. Its devices are a little rough around the edges and the tech support is understaffed. But some customers like the company's enthusiasm and willingness to listen, and also the fact that it's the underdog.

Occasionally, the smaller tech companies complain that Zeus Tech monopolises all the best parts for its devices, like cornering the market on semiconductors and chips. But this does not stop the smaller firms from trying to find alternative sources of good parts for their models, although it is hard, since Zeus Tech pays good money for its parts.

Zeus Tech also has a tendency of enforcing its patents and copyrights aggressively in the courts. Some smaller tech companies even get sued for badmouthing Zeus Tech's products without basis.

But in my fantasy technology world, Zeus Tech knows how to play the game and how to adapt to survive. But then, so do the smaller companies, it seems.

And perhaps, that is the way how things get better for everyone. Maybe there is no such thing as a gadget that can do it all for me. I don't mind which company I get my gadgets from, as long as the gadgets meet my needs.

I just like to see them all trying harder for me. After all, I am an A-grade gear slut.

mr brown is the accidental author of a popular website that has been documenting the dysfunctional side of Singapore life since 1997. After writing this column, he went to Sim Lim Square again. Really.

My Mac

2006-03-25T10:51:00.000+08:00

The Screen that started it all. Mac OSX. Pardon the horrible and messy desktop. I took the shots just before i was going to do some tweaking to the system, so it had alot of things on it. Its clean now. I assure you. (:

Safari. Camino is better though. With the small problem that Safari has an RSS reader. Even Firefox doesnt have that yet. (IE not counted, not released yet.)

iTunes on a Mac. Looks radically different from the one that I'm very used to already. If you look carefully, you can see MSN peeking out. (: and MSN looks gorgeous compared to MSN 7.5 OR MSN 8(which looks really disgusting)

What a nice ending.

Isn't it gorgeous? But without any programs here, its boring i have to add. I dont want to have to install Photoshop when its going to lag.

No matter, thats going to change soon. Besides, iTunes and MSN work perfectly here. That's all that matters actually. The rest i can do without until iLife and iWork come. Or, *horrors* i can go back to Windows to do my homework.

Wow, this is an interesting prospect, I can go to school and tell my teacher that my "computer doesnt have Word yet" lol.

Today's Google News Front Page:
Preachers in Kabul urge execution of convert to Christianity
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Check out Article 3 & 18.

This is a sick, weird and depressing world.
I've said it before, and dont anybody ever tell me otherwise.

Mac OS X

2006-03-24T15:10:00.000+08:00

Like finally!

I am typing this on SAFARI right now on my Intel PC!
After this i have to figure out how to dual boot my system.

I cant take a screenshot yet because i havent figured out how to,
but oh gosh. its GORGEOUS.

I am uber happy now.
What a wonderful weekend.

UPDATE: AFter staring at Kernel all day, i am officially tired. BUT it works! Everything so far works, and OSX even detects my Windows HD so that i can load everything in without much trouble. Whoopee. I will TRY to upload screenshots [yes, i figured out how to.]

Start Button

2006-03-23T20:48:00.000+08:00

curious, has anyone realised that the start button isnt painted correctly?
the blue portion of the bar isnt uniform throughout. towards the bottom of the bar its a lighter blue than the rest of it.

at first i thought it was just my computer, but then i looked at screenshots that people had sent me previously, and it was like that throughout!

okay, random post then.

Inside The Stand

2006-03-21T23:05:00.001+08:00

From the Inside Out / The Stand
© Joel Houston/Hillsong Publishing

A thousand times I've failed
Still Your mercy remains
And should I stumble again
I'm caught in Your grace
Your light will shine when all else fades

Everlasting
Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending
Your glory goes beyond all fame
And the cry of my heart
Is to bring You praise
From the inside out
Lord my soul cries out

So I'll Stand
with arms high and heart abandoned
in awe of the one who gave it all
I'll Stand, my soul Lord to you surrendered
all I am is Yours.

In The News Today

2006-03-18T01:54:00.000+08:00

Man Hits Own Car Then Sues Himself

the idiot.

on a more practical note.
Kingston develops self-destructing thumbdrive

see? the world is such an interesting place!
and people ask me why i dont blog long entries anymore.
why should i when there are such interesting things going on?

of course right now, i'm exploring all 6 Star Wars Soundtracks.
maybe for use in the next YM Video? LOL.

Video Day

2006-03-16T14:42:00.000+08:00

I Am Bored

2006-03-15T21:58:00.000+08:00

Taken from I Am Bored.
Actually, i am not bored, i have too many things to do.

This fits nicely with the background doesnt it?

After Photohunting

2006-03-13T11:47:00.000+08:00

after a day of mindless picture snapping and uploading 360 photos.
i finally find something i like in my memory card. :)

Slashdot

2006-03-11T18:16:00.000+08:00

That's the thing about people who think they hate computers. What they really hate is lousy programmers. - Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle in "Oath of Fealty"

Photoshop II

2006-03-11T13:47:00.000+08:00

See!

2006-03-08T08:35:00.000+08:00

Dead actors faking lines
Over and over and over again
She cries.

SEE! I was right, it doesnt pay to be happy.

9 Things This Week

2006-03-06T23:56:00.000+08:00

One very intimidating Shakespeare Essay
Start revising for Mids
Put my head in the toilet over my coming results
Wash hair after that.
Which reminds me I need to cut my hair
Should i wash my hair then?
Testimonial thingamajig for Andrew and Mr. Ho
Smile More.
Sleep.

Hemorrhage

2006-03-05T20:03:00.000+08:00

Don't fall away and leave me to myself
Don't fall away and leave love bleeding in my hands, in my hands again
And leave love bleeding in my hands, in my hands
Love lies bleeding

Oh hold me now I feel contagious
Am I the only place that you've left to go?
She cries her life is like
Some movie in black and white
Dead actors faking lines,
over and over and over again she cries

And I watched as you turned away
You don't remember, but I do
You never even tried

ABC

2006-03-04T08:26:00.000+08:00

ABC to offer hit shows for free on the Internet

WHOOPEEE! Seeing that all the shows i watch are only from ABC.
This is the best news ever!

Hotmail Upgrades

2006-03-03T15:01:00.000+08:00

Calvin And Hobbes Again

2006-03-01T20:55:00.000+08:00

oh by the way.
I DONT HAVE TO TAKE CHINESE EVER AGAIN.
rawr.

Mr Bean

2006-03-01T12:26:00.000+08:00

John, i'll bet all the money in the world that you will laugh so hard at this.

Fear

2006-02-28T23:50:00.000+08:00

According to the latest GP Comprehensions, where most of us get our source of knowledge from, the fear of fear is the new in thing.

I have to say, that is extremely true, and the most fearsome thing of all, is knowing that i have to go through all of this alone.

i wasn't kidding about the demons in my head.
oh, i discovered my new found hate for love songs.

Pre Econs

2006-02-28T12:04:00.000+08:00

This has to be the first time i feel like throwing up before a paper.
Well Done.

More Apple Ads

2006-02-28T12:00:00.000+08:00

my first computer was actually a Mac.
And it was actually THIS Mac.
Hahaha.

Post GP

2006-02-27T16:35:00.000+08:00

and the funny thing is, this doesnt even apply to the GP paper alone.

Lightning

2006-02-26T22:39:00.000+08:00

blinding light that drives me to hell.

what in the world was i thinking.
oh, i forgot how to.

Apple Advert

2006-02-26T14:17:00.000+08:00

Rofl.

Munich

2006-02-24T22:29:00.000+08:00

Dare I say it -
Brilliant.

Simply brilliant. I would compare this movie to (in my opinion) Spielberg's greatest - Schindler's List. This is a highly recommended watch.

Emotionally riveting, and morally insightful. I couldnt help thinking the whole time that i was watching this movie what i would have done in each of these character's positions.

Definitely not a "prayer for peace" as Spielberg would like you to believe about this film. That being said, it was a fair and impartial film about the aftermath of the Munich Massacre. Probably why half a world away people are fighting over cartoons and not this film.

This has to be the best movie that I have seen this year and probably even for 2005. Spielberg shines in this one and makes up for the pathetic excuse of a movie that was War of the Worlds.

On The Topic Of You

2006-02-24T22:28:00.000+08:00

I didn't meant to fall in love with you
letting go of all I've held on to.

guess who's been stupid again?

*whoops and cheers*

stop chasing the demons in your head.

A Level Timetable

2006-02-23T00:13:00.000+08:00

History / 9067

1. 10th November 2006 - History 9067/01 (1430-1730)

2. 16th November 2006 - History 9067/03 (1400-1700)

English Literature / 9008

1. 13th November 2006 - English Literature 9008/01 (0800-1100)

2. 17th November 2006 - English Literature 9008/08 (1430-1730)

3. 22nd November 2006 - English Literature 9008/03 (0800-1100)

Economics / 9079

1. 14th November 2006 - Economics 9079/03 (1400-1615)

2. 15th November 2006 - Economics 9079/01 (1400-1500)

3. 15th November 2006 - Economics 9079/02 (1530-1715)

And we were talking about death.

Death

2006-02-21T20:58:00.000+08:00

I am become death, the destroyer of worlds

Look into my eyes and see sweet, cold - death.

The Headlines

2006-02-15T14:29:00.000+08:00

And life seems pretty interesting this post-valentine's day.

17 Year Old Girl Sentenced to Death
US Vice-President shoots man with shotgun

And this ends the news update of today.
This world is drop dead sick.

UPDATE: I found this really interesting article while researching for History.

Time Again

2006-02-14T19:43:00.000+08:00

Fanning the Flames
Romesh Ratnesar
for Time Magazine

"Given the excesses of the protests - which included retaliatory cartoons mocking the Holocaust - it's not surprising that some of the World has lashed back...

Although the controversy has revealed degrees of cultural ignorance on both sides, it has been fueled by a brew of willful misunderstanding, manipulation and oppurtunism - all of which became combustible in the political climate that prevails in much of the Middle East today. In that sense, the crisis may also offer a sobering glimpse of the raucous, religiously infused brand of democracy that is emerging in the Muslim world. Says Joseph Bahout, a professor of geopolitics at the National Foundation of Political Sciences in Paris: "The Arab world keeps hearing the U.S speak of democracy as one size fits all - but they dont like the size that the Americans wear."

If nothing else, the editors of Jyllands-Posten in Aarhus, Denmark's second largest city, knew that publishing the cartoons would get them attention. That was the point: ... a deliberate attempt to provoke a debate about what Rose perceived as the stifling lack of coverage of issues related to Islam and Denmark's 200, 000 Muslim residents."

[this wasn't an attack on Islam! It was an attack on the way the media had become so scared of mentioning Islam at all!]

Fatih Alev, an imam in Copenhagen said that "he wasnt particulary incensed" when he saw the cartoons in the newspaper but suspected it would anger many local muslims. "Many Muslims in Denmark are not used to reading long articles. Many dont even read Danish, all they saw were cartoons depicting Muhammad in unflattering cariacatures. it was a receipe for disaster."

[of course, there are two sides to the story]

"The tempest might have remained largely a local dispute had Prime Minister Rasmussedn not compounded the editor's intransigence by refusing to meet with the ambassadors of 11 Muslim countries to discuss the cartoon flap"

i must say, both sides are simply brilliant.

idiots.

Slide

2006-02-14T17:55:00.000+08:00

And I'll do anything you ever dreamed to be complete,
little pieces of the nothing that fall.

I hate today - and the flu isnt helping my mood either.

Comic Relief

2006-02-13T12:11:00.000+08:00

LOOK LOOK! LOOK WHAT THE FLOATING MAN HEADS DID!

Of course there's nothing like something from Microsoft to cheer me up.

Tagboard Replies

2006-02-11T21:57:00.000+08:00

vernie: FYI, it does happen. i think Iran is even having a contest to see who can come up with the most insulting Jewish/Israeli cartoons.
imran: if nothing, that article does show us the American point of view of things - after all, they are sitting half a world away in their own offices with no idea about the current political situation.

dont get me wrong, i'm not saying that the Copahagen Biscuits were right.
i think they were stupid beyond comprehension to start this whole thing, and i agree with Imran, both sides are so wrong its embarassing.

i just have one question though, and pardon the ignorance. i think calling them "brainless" doesnt really answer the question. what i am asking here is this, if one agency does it, they probably are stupid. but if the whole of Europe goes about and reprints the cartoon, what does it mean? this is the gist of Sullivan's article and what he is trying to drive at. he doesnt condone the cartoons too, thats why i quoted the last para, he's just thinking about what that reprint means.

its not the insult on Islam. i think if the cartoons were reprinted to insult islam they should all have fatwas declared on them to be shot.

and if its about free speech, i am sure there are other ways of showing that they are free. altho maybe insulting politicans got abit boring for them, but still, thats no reason to go pick on another religion.

what i am trying to ask here (and stepping around it very gingerly cos of that wonderful thing known as the sedition act) is if there could be a hint of resentment by the Europeans and the Americans with the Middle East? We all know that the Middle East hates America, but could there (reasonably) be a resentment by the Americans against the Middle East too?

what i am asking, to put it plainly is this. just as there is a flowing and running anger by the Arab nations in particular, against the Americans and the West(and most recently, being labeled as Christian infidels) - and it is being displayed in the forms of suicide bombings, Iran being a pain abou the nuclear powers and of course as Sullivan quotes, 911. Is it wrong then to question that America and Europe are getting sick and tired of the nonsense that is coming out from the Middle East? and they are expressing it not by violence, but by probably the most peaceful way they know how, political satire. their mistake was of course mixing muhammad(a holy figure in Islam) and politics together. but if they had made fun of say Ayatollah Khomeini, or i dont know, some other big Islamic figure? okay, maybe then the reaction would not be as wide as it is now. but i am sure that it would be as intense.

So why bring in Islam?

Because to the West, all it seems is that the terrorists are saying that they are doing it in the name of Islam. and of course, we are Singaporean and we know thats not the case. but they dont! and all they here is Allah Akbar and everything that seems to them as if these terrorists are indeed representing Islam! why else do you think that Bush goes up there and i quote says, "Islam is a religion of peace" and i dont deny that either. but through that one cannot deny that indeed there is running resentment in the West as well, against the Arab nations in particular.

and THAT is the point of Sullivan's article
or at least what i gathered from what he wrote.

Andrew Sullivan

2006-02-11T08:58:00.000+08:00

i found this VERY interesting article by Andrew Sullivan of Time.
i think its very worth the read.

Your Taboo Not Mine - Andrew Sullivan

And there is, of course, the other blasphemy. It occurred on Sept. 11, 2001, when fanatics murdered thousands of innocents in the name of Islam. Surely, nothing could be more blasphemous. So where were the Muslim boycotts of Saudi Arabia or Afghanistan after that horrifying event? Since 9/11 mosques have been bombed in Iraq by Islamic terrorists. Where was the rioting condemning attacks on the holiest of shrines? These double standards reveal something quite clear: this call for "sensitivity" is primarily a cover for intolerance of others and intimidation of free people.

Yes, there's no reason to offend people of any faith arbitrarily. We owe all faiths respect. But the Danish cartoons were not arbitrarily offensive. They were designed to reveal Islamic intolerance--and they have now done so, in abundance. The West's principles are clear enough. Tolerance? Yes. Faith? Absolutely. Freedom of speech? Nonnegotiable.

Agree with him or not, he has a point.

Black Balloon

2006-02-10T00:04:00.000+08:00

Baby's black balloon makes her fly
I almost fell into that hole in your life
And you're not thinking about tomorrow
'Cause you were the same as me
But on your knees

A thousand other boys could never reach you
How could I have been the one
I saw the world spin beneath you
And scatter like ice from the spoon
That was your womb

Comin' down the world turned over
And angels fall without you there
And I go on as you get colder
Or are you someone's prayer

You know the lies they always told you
And the love you never knew
What's the things they never showed you
That swallowed the light from the sun
Inside your room

Comin' down the world turned over
And angels fall without you there
And I'll go on to bring you home
All because I'm
All because I'm
And I'll become
What you became to me

regardless of what i read on the net, i can never understand this song in its entirety.
hauntingly beautiful re-defined.

i also have to stop posting MTVs.
altho they arent exactly posted or hosted by me.

The Front Page

2006-02-08T15:21:00.000+08:00

this is ridiculous.

Coldplay - Live at Glastonbury

2006-02-05T18:49:00.000+08:00

When you try your best but you don't succeed
When you get what you want but not what you need
When you feel so tired but you can't sleep
Stuck in reverse

people have been asking me why i look so
moody, gloomy and sad.

And high up above or down below
When you're too in love to let it go
But if you never try you'll never know
Just what you're worth

truth is, i dont even know that i look sad/depressed/moody.

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

and when they ask me why,
i dont know how to answer.

but somehow i know they're right.

Comics

2006-02-02T22:16:00.000+08:00

in the spirit of having comics that make the world angry. lets have some real comics!

besides, the one in that Danish newspaper were poorly drawn anyway.
i've seen them, they're pretty useless.

well except for stirring up mass anger and hatred.

why cant all comics be like Calvin and Hobbes?

State of the Union.

2006-02-01T21:04:00.000+08:00

EDIT: in reference to Bush and the ideological struggle. This is what i mean, you stupid Westerners, why do you have to do this? Who cares about free speech when if you keep this up, there arent going to be any NEWSPAPER COMPANIES TO WORK FOR?

its times like this that i dont know where to put my face.

i know that posting this is going to gain me flak from Marvin again.
but i just had to reflect.

i watched Bush's state of the union via the webcast and first up i have to comment that the white house has very strategic camera placement techniques. they ONLY focus on the right side of the house. (the republicans) so every time old bushy says something, it appears like the whole house agrees with a standing O. in actual fact, its half the house.

but thats a side issue.
for something like Mr Ho's GP Class. (:

i agree with Bush on Iraq. there are no two ways about it. if iraq were to collapse. we're finished. Dominio effect all over again. one radical islamic state after another is just going to ensue. We'll have 2324234324 Irans. and we dont need that.

Of course the fact that Hamas just got elected in Palestine doesnt really give Bush much credit when it comes to his ideals of "democracy". however, one must bear in mind that probably giving Hamas some authority is a good idea. after all, being upgraded from a terrorist organization to a "government" means that Hamas has to take responisibilty for what they do. less of the mindless bombing and more worrying about what they do will have an effect on the Palestinian people. trade sanctions, boycotts, the like.

i have to make this clear.
i supported Bush in the 2004 election. but only beacuse Kerry was a total idiot.

I must say that amid the talk of "bi-partisan" politics, Bush took many stabs at the Democratic party. Needless, and probably just part of the rhetoric to shore up people's confidence in him.

Assuming that all that Bush has said before is true - although the Democrats would not agree with their ad. i think its funny that people in Congress see each other as enemies. they are nearly alike. Howard Dean's rhetoric is full of "criminal" condemnation of the Republicans, but there really is no difference between the two!

there are probably only three areas that are interesting that he mentioned.

1. Safety of troops in Iraq
2. Energy
3. Social Security.

I had just listened to a podcast by ABC, the famous and well renowed Nightline, co-anchored by famous journalists such as Martin Basheer. and they were just talking about how the simplest of weapons were being used to kill americans. IEDs as they are called or in layman's terms. roadside bombs. about 24 of these go off everyday in Iraq, and many die or are permanently dismembered. and the army has done things to help these troops! high tech things, but still not really effective. simply beacause the number of these bombs are going up and even if they were to counter 1000 of them, another 1000 come along.

its an ideological struggle over there in Iraq, and America has done nothing to help in that struggle - to be fair, it cant. but it shouldnt exacerbate the problem. calling Islam a "noble faith" shows that you know they exist, but it doesnt show that you bother about their plight. the radical muslims view Osama as someone who is kind and philantrophic and who serves the ideals of Islam. The US needs to trump that. Entering Iraq was a big mistake. Because Saddam was a dictator, but not a threat. He was more money hungry than he was terrorist. But whats done is done. they need to stay the course - even the democrats acknowledge that.

Energy. All that i can say is that i am very interested in what he is going to do soon. he proposes lots of money pumped into solar, wind and nuclear energy. i hope that it delivers. the dream is to not depend on the Middle East for oil. i love that stance. its like saying that we shouldnt depend on Malaysia for water! Big plus on Bush for that. Both sides of the house gave him a standing O.

besides, this would mean cheaper Hybrid cars because the government is funding the developments. (:

Social Security. Tax cuts for Americans. Makes sense. they get to keep more money, and they get to invest more and spend more. economy grows, jobs more. wonderful cycle and its the basic foundation of capitalism. makes perfect sense. except that America is running trillions of dollars in deficit. Having tax cuts is fine and dandy for every American. but your bills are going up - like you said, by 2030, your social security payments are going to hit the roof. worse still, to meet these payments you suggest that Congress remove its "unncessary spending".

Like the no child left behing fund that was severely underfunded? Removing unnecessary spending is a good idea. but when you are committed to a billion dollar war in another country (which is essential) and you have implemented tax cuts - you're damned if you do, and you're damned if you dont.

the fundamental issue is,
how are you going to pay?

Japan and the EU have been wonderful people lending you money in the past.

i dont think its going to continue for very long.

Better Days

2006-02-01T09:54:00.000+08:00

Better Days
The Goo Goo Dolls

And you ask me what I want this year
And I try to make this kind and clear
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days
Cuz I don't need boxes wrapped in strings
And desire and love and empty things
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days

So take these words
And sing out loud
Cuz everyone is forgiven now
Cuz tonight's the night the world begins again

And it's someplace simple where we could live
And something only you can give
And thats faith and trust and peace while we're alive
And the one poor child that saved this world
And there's 10 million more who probably could
If we all just stopped and said a prayer for them

I wish everyone was loved tonight
And somehow stop this endless fight
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days

you know there are just some songs that you can't explain, but for some reason, are inexplicably meaningful. and then when you read the background of the song, you realise that it is so wonderfully powerful.

this song was written for the victims of hurricane Katrina.
after listening, you cannot help but understand - everything.

and elucidate nothing.

Microsoft.

2006-02-01T08:52:00.000+08:00

Microsoft has been on a roll in releasing some new software.
A few weeks ago, they released MSN8 for the public, and today, i got my invitation for MSN8.
I installed it, and i realised that aside from some nifty new features like talking to people while you appear offline, there is not much difference. aside from the new color scheme.

orange. really? thank God i can change the colors.
but thats the default. its pretty cool - just cos its new i guess.

anyway, then slashdot announced that IE7 Beta 2 was released.

so naturally i went to get that too. if you remember a long time ago, i posted about IE 7, well there have been some interesting improvements. BUT, there is still not much difference between IE7 and Firefox. there is the Phishing filter, but that lags browsing so much, i just turned it off.

another thing, i'm typing out this post in Firefox because blogger isnt compatible with IE 7. sigh.

at first glance, the only thing that Firefox doesnt have which IE does, and is actually useful is this.

i was very impressed. this makes alot of sense. there have been countless times that i've got lost in my tabs. this way, i can figure out which is which. brilliant.

one disappointing thing though. when i wanted to close IE, it took ages for it to close the above 8 tabs. Firefox closes it in a wink. although it doesnt save the tabs. IE does.

Find out more about MSN and Internet Explorer.

then again, i am still typing this out in Firefox.
somethings never change.

btw. blog music plays in IE!
another reason why i refuse to use it. (:

EDIT: 12 hours later, i have uninstalled MSN8.
I dont use IE anyway - so this has been a pretty irrelevant tech update.