I found a furry pink scrunchie on the floor in LT11 and someone dared me to wear it. Everyone seemed to think it was very amusing.

A message from my Head Honcho:

"The FCINUS would like to hear from all current or past ACJC students who are freethinkers, to solicit their views of the allegedly compulsory attendance of sermons on certain days of the week. A recording of one such service would also be greatly appreciated.

willing contributers may wish to be anonymous if they so desire. willing parties please email u0200722@nus.edu.sg"

***

Third person charged with sedition for racist remarks on blog site

"A third person has been charged under the Sedition Act with promoting feelings of ill-will and hostility between different races of Singapore.

Gan Huai Shi, 17, faces seven charges of posting racist remarks on his blog site."


They're not even sparing minors. Sigh.

I would have a nice rambling post here about, among other things:

1) The parallels between suppressing racist sentiments and suppressing the political aspirations of the Arab street, and how the latter has led to Islamic terrorism

2) How Singapore is uniquely easy to manage/engineer, so it should be taken as an exception rather than proving a rule

3) The difference and relationship between thought, words and action

4) How just as infant industries never grow up, infant populaces don't either and no one can be blamed but those protecting them

5) Thoughtcrime and why we should not fear evidently erroneous ideas

6) How and why the police and judiciary seem to be too free, and why they should ignore frivolous complaints

7) The fallacy of conflating the entire governmental edifice into a single-minded entity


However, I have been, am and anticipate that I will still be, struggling with among other things:

1) Robinson Crusoe, coconuts and a schizophrenic producer/consumer

2) The microeconomic foundations of macroeconomic models

3) Multiple variables flying all over the place (Yes, kids, you've been conned. Economics in University is full of maths. Run away while you still can!)

4) Rescuing my sister from her folly (again)

5) A spot of Planescape: Torment


As such, I shall just dump my scribbled notes here for perusal. As a bonus, this may give readers an insight into my thought processes as I come up with my polemics: no, they do not spring fully-formed from my mind, contrary to what some seem to believe.

I also draw on Tym's encyclopedic knowledge of US Prime Time shows to bring this tidbit from The West Wing, in response to a gay teenager being beaten to death in a hate crime:

C.J.
They made him say “Hail Mary’s” as they beat him to death. This was a crime of entertainment.

LEO
C.J....

C.J.
Beyond the crime itself is a manifestation of racism, or sexism, or anti Semitism or
homophobia that are only a tip of the iceberg of the pathology troubling this country.

LEO
I’m aware of all that. I’m just not sure it’s right to legislate against how someone thinks.

And later: C.J.
Don’t you think imposing additional penalties for hate-motivated crimes is a powerful
statement by society against tolerance?

DANNY
No. A crime is a crime. One murder isn’t any better or worse than another.

C.J.
Boy, was that the wrong answer.

DANNY
Punishing people for their beliefs is, the beginning of the end. Once more you agree
with me.


Scribbled notes:

Suppress dangerous thoughts and ideas never work
in mid east, political discussion considered sensitive, suppressed. In end, what we have - islamic terrorism

political vs racist? Though some see former as legitimate expression of political hunger, latter abhorrent. Both expression of sincerely held opinions. Both opposed to existing paradigm (idealised in latter case). Both continue even if suppressed.

spore unique - small, fully urbanised. Easy project power on complaisant populace. In this sense dream country to rule. Like simcity, all care about city. No hinterland to care about w/diff, varying concerns. No pesky local governments work countervailing direction

uk strict anti racism law. Check since when, how vigorous prosecute. Yet still - racism, riots. Most britons believe racism wrong. So not because not vigilant.

thoughts lead to words lead to actions. [Addendum: But what we really fear - actions] Since not (yet) possible to control/monitor thoughts, target words. So which words lead to undesirable actions? Fiery rhetoric, cursing & swearing, irrationality.
One guy allegedly criticise islamic law? what's wrong with that (check details of 2 buggers' offences). Islamic scholars also analyse islamic law and look at it critically.
unless the quicksand that is our OB markers is drained, many will be running around like headless chickens

What's happening now - any mention race religion, savages take out parangs hack each other to bits. 40 years of education and development, bringing us from a Third World Country to First, has not changed anything. Except the pol correct, govt approved line.
Refusal to discuss issues means that we will always NOT be ready to discuss these issues. infant industries never grow up - look at Proton. If Singaporeans are not allowed to think and care for themselves, they will never be able to, and no one to blame except those "protecting" us.

some groups and some topics more sensitive than others. Good for those with thicker skin

at the end of the day, Han observes: "the irony of this whole situation is that there will probably be more singaporeans who are racist... I know of many racists who openly condemn racism but possess subtle prejudices"


punishing people for their beliefs is controlling thought; create concept of thoughtcrime.

some say speech is an action. incitement to violence, unpleasant matters. but if speech is action, then "grumbling" on the populace's part instead of entering the political arena is acceptable

if you disagree with someone, you refute him, not silence him. if nothing else, it's intellectually dishonest, and drives the objectionable idea out of the public arena and public consciousness. why fear something that is obviously bad and false?


only because someone filed a police report. too free. just like person who complained MHA about the racist blog on tomorrow. complain, have to do something about it. we police ourselves.
you think the authorities don't monitor the net? if sporeans have nothing better to do but complain about everything it's no wonder the police look so free (investigating white elephants).
why not ignore all this rubbish
spore being as big as it is, there'll always be one idiot who'll complain. pander to them all?


is a clear signal is being sent out
The gahmen is not a cohesive, monolithic entity. Not everything takes place with the knowledge and consent of everyone in the cabinet. What this case qualifies as is left as an exercise for the reader, since I have no answer
though from outside appear to act as one entity

http://crookedtimber.org/2005/01/06/the-problem-of-evil-hits-the-papers/

"After twelve years of therapy my psychiatrist said something that brought tears to my eyes. He said, 'No hablo ingles.'" - Ronnie Shakes

***

How Girls Waste Time

38. a) Playing games involving slapping/biting with each other

126. Living life by the adage: 'If you have it, flaunt it. If you don't, bitch about those who do.'


And of course, there're the usual addenda to existing entries.

***

I hate using toilets where, as you reach under to clean up, you feel a sudden wet sensation and, if you are unlucky, some floating particles. MRT station toilets are particularly guilty of this.

Apparently the reason modern animation looks so sloppy is because of a cut in budgets: they have less detail so each cell is easier to draw.

***

At one Swedish library, you can borrow books—and a lesbian - "A Swedish library, realizing that books are not the only things being judged by their covers, will give visitors a different opportunity this weekend—to borrow a Muslim, a lesbian, or a Dane."

***

Quotes:

In Singapore you can buy canes in the market... Little curly plastic handles. I'm sure you remember. I'm sure you're very familiar with this.

People might say caning was unacceptable when confronted with a member of the Singapore Children's Society, but think in private that it was okay.

In Hong Kong... a woman was prosecuted, and there was prosecution by the social services, for making the child study excessively.

[On facial features of children inhibiting parental anger] It's difficult to be angry and aggressive to something that is cute

[On a piece of concept tissue with the word 'Reserved' on it] A science person would not be fascinated by that. [Other student: Science people do not question. They just except.] ... [only] in Physics. You should come to the Evolutionary Biology lab. The people there...

"An author is a fool who, not content with boring those he lives with, insists on boring future generations." - Charles de Montesquieu

***

Conditioned Fear of a Face: A Prelude to Ethnic Enmity?

"Brain imaging studies show that both fear conditioning and implicit negative attitudes to outgroup faces correlate with activity in the amygdala even when the faces are masked from conscious recognition. Thus, negative emotional responses to members of a different race are independent of conscious mentation, which may make such responses relatively immune to rational persuasion."

Unfortunately the studies do not rule out socialisation, so ambiguity still exists in this area.

***

"No more has any estate the breadth of soul that identifies itself, even for a moment, with the soul of the nation, the geniality that inspires material might to political violence, or that revolutionary daring which flings at the adversary the defiant words: I am nothing but I must be everything. The main stem of German morals and honesty, of the classes as well as of individuals, is rather that modest egoism which asserts its limitedness and allows it to be asserted against itself. The relation of the various sections of German society is therefore not dramatic but epic. Each of them begins to be aware of itself and begins to camp beside the others with all its particular claims not as soon as it is oppressed, but as soon as the circumstances of the time, without the section’s own participation, creates a social substratum on which it can in turn exert pressure. Even the moral self-feeling of the German middle class rests only on the consciousness that it is the common representative of the philistine mediocrity of all the other classes. It is therefore not only the German kings who accede to the throne mal à propos, it is every section of civil society which goes through a defeat before it celebrates victory and develops its own limitations before it overcomes the limitations facing it, asserts its narrow-hearted essence before it has been able to assert its magnanimous essence; thus the very opportunity of a great role has passed away before it is to hand, and every class, once it begins the struggle against the class opposed to it, is involved in the struggle against the class below it."

- Karl Marx, Introduction to A Contribution to the Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right


I understand the words, but have no idea what the sentences mean. Now I know what my lecturer was talking about when he observed:

"When I was an undergrad like you I used to spend my holidays reading Karl Marx... Marx is very difficult to read. Most people read Karl Marx in jail... no one spends their holidays reading Karl Marx."

***

I have been linked from The (Unofficial) Singapore Apple Blog. Irony, thou art dead. Heh heh.

Seattle UFO / Paranormal Group and Seattle Museum of the Mysteries: Mystery of Orbs Solved! - "Museum member Maryann Synder's claim that orbs are simply cellulose particles of a very small size or small water droplets reflecting back the flash from digital cameras appears to be confirmed by tests. The museum believes orb testing can be confirmed by photographers and other paranormal investigators and encourages independant testing."

***

Someone: if you're in an AC school, you'll be subjected to two kinds of brainwashing
the first kind instils in you a crazed loyalty to the mutant hybrid genetic mistake on the crest
the second kind makes you think there is a God
where I'm concerened, the first one took, but the second one was ignored completely

I've lost Atheist Allies (tm) that way [brainwashing].
they starts out Atheists
then they go Agnostic
and the next thing you know they're bloody Methodists.

Me: ah. I will observe a minute of silence for their souls

Someone: there's this thing we used to do to piss off the Christians
I mean they all know we're non-believers who'll burn in hell, yaddayadda
we make sure they know
and then during Chapel service we'd sing the songs especially loudly, with as much gusto as we could muster
while at the same time making it sound like something a drunk would sing.
objection through extreme participation, we called it.
nowadays we just stand and stone.

Me: why consent to go to where you're forced to participate
no one objects to this religious coercion?

Someone: no one dares
well, actually most of them are part of the religious coercion
the rest of us grin and bear it
here's the best bit-in ACSi, if you skip Chapel, you get a demerit
because apparently it's the same as skipping class.

Me: I believe religious coercion is unconstitutional
oh well
who cares

Someone: in ACJC they let the muslims and other religions go to LT2 while everyone else prepares themselves for worship
freethinkers and atheist or agnostics have to stay though
because "our souls can still be saved"
oh joy.

Me: ???
that's even worse!!!

Someone: I know!
imagine how much more I can accomplish by taking that time to do more fulfilling stuff

Me: so why not profess a religion
pastafarian

Someone: the atheists and non-believers in ACJC satisfy ourselves with discreetly mocking the christians
also. Chapel sermons are always good for GP. analysing and tearing apart the arguments.

I don't have empirical data to back this up, but am pretty sure that the people who were ranting about what a stroke of genius the iPod Shuffle was because it had no screen, randomness was good, that 512MB/1GB was just right for a flash-based MP3 player, and that no sensible person would want/need any flash-based MP3 player apart from the iPod Shuffle are now gushing their hearts out over the iPod Nano.

(insert customary refrain)

I remember my brother-in-law, a Mac whore, observing that the best product doesn't always win. He was referring to the Mac vs Wintel market share figures, and pointed out the VHS vs Betamax affair.

I guess you might say the same about the iPod. The Cult of Mac doesn't particularly care about the actual product itself.


Someone: you question maccies?
they will gush over anything that steve jobs produces
only apple can take a function [shuffle] that has existed for all time on cd players and mp3 players and turn it into a fugging lifestyle option

Someone else: that's the magic of apple. macham jedi mind trick.
Steve Jobs can shit in a bag, put it in a white box and sell it.

Someone (2): seriously..ipod doesn't even look nice :P


Someone else (2): no
because the battery still sucks

Me: nono
mac whores don't care about that


Usability consultant: I would say that iPods are 40% hype and 60% usabiliy
features matter little and Apple has proven it time and again

Creative refuses to get it
Why? Cos they are staffed by Engineers
Their boss is an Engineer
Their Marketing Dept is an Engineer
And having worked with Engineers alot I find I have to explain a lot to them why doing things from a User-centric POV is impt

Me: hahahahahaha
that's why Singapore CMI in the new economy
we have too many engineers

Usability consultant: not enuff humanities trained folk too
becos gahmen say science and engineering mo impt

then one day Indian and china came along and said
look! We got many of those and cheap too

Me: Do Science and Engineering, they said! Be a productive member of society and earn money they said! I'd rather be doing Liberal Arts!

***

Someone: me n some frens plan to set up a clothing biz
gonna call it M N G S T N
to jibe at all the mango apparel


Someone else on maths in a US university: some of the sample questions they give to me is so difficult i can't solve it

and there is a lot of stuff here they teach and test that is out of the syllabus in singapore like convergence and divergence of series...
groups.. blah blah.. even the fundamental theorems of calculus i've never seen before one lorh!

sg we assume differentiation.. here everything must prove by limits and sequences of summation

Me: haha
first principles ah
actually understanding the damn thing

in singapore we're engineers and technicians
there they're scientists and thinkers ;)

Someone else: they are not so concerned about the right answer or by the correct method.. more like using as many different possible methods to get the same answer

alot of stuff is based on proof.. deduction.. and assumption.. so its like.. stuff that even f maths is hesistant to test upon

its been interesting and eye opening

Search Referrals:


nipples singapore heritage

scgs sex stories

RJC girls porn

tuan anh productions

acjc sweat bra

frugal power ranger birthday party

nus orientation camp, activities, babes

ISD B9 TAXPAYER

NUS "arts orientation" "engin

erotic cpr resuscitation pictures

halal catering companies in singapore? - Not like there are many that aren't.

mosquito bite tits anorexic rib cage

asian schoolgirls in toilet - This is easy to find, given that they all - Singaporeans at least - love taking pictures in the toilet.

any hostelite girl wanna have a sex with men - Probably not with those who search for this.

disgusting shoes

can you fuck with garter belt

dikir barat song on total defence

cosplay tailor katong - Make it yourself! Getting a tailor defeats the point of Cosplay.

circumcised and shaven women - But won't that make it less fun?

guinness stout, abortion

emma watson peeing - Twas only a matter of time before I got Emma Watson golden showers searches.

"expansive hand gestures" personality disorder

Of Lust and Slut, and the Girl in the Tudung - This actually exists on "A Short Compilation of Short Stories and Fictions" including the work "Skandal Melayu"

"fat man sleeping "

sex, environmental, kinky

bloggers looking for sex in singapore fuck

r@ygold judaism

"scrotal infusion" sperm - How much would you need?!

piano notation for existentialism on prom night

"kotor 2" +romance +lesbian - I didn't think the Juhani thing in the first was very lesbian-ish.

scgs bolero - People actually search for this?!

emma watson's changing chests

deny me and be doomed hedwig screencap

girls pick guys up in this bangbus ripoff

raffles guys school - Never thought I'd see someone else searching for this.

jcgirls christianity

"flip flops" "sperm count" myth

why girls have bleeding after serval interval?

hairy unshaven fat "yahoo group"

sexy indian aunties scenes

blog geraldine yeo chij toilet gang

rjc nerds bimbos

sggirls changes room

blog geylang prostitute - Written by one or about visiting one?

belly male frontal nudity

berated during hockey practice sprints as punishment

menstruation blog acjc - Could they be looking for the evil plot that a certain someone had about looting the sanitary napkin van?

masterbate testimonial

sarsaparilla+healing+haitian

how long do fused hair extensions stay in - They fall out? Wah, shit.

a picture of someones body

SAR-21 singapore airlines document

restless bikini acjc

cigarette smokers cough fetish - After "fetish girls wheelchair stuck mud", nothing fazes me anymore.

hair rebond effects during breastfeeding

disadvantages of eating roti canai - Must be the palm oil.

violent poem generator

sleeping with bra on to preserve perkiness - It doesn't work! Kiddies, don't be tricked!

haram "raffles institution"

HR Porn Slideshow for Warcraft 3

Romantic stories for post op transexuals

"long hair" pillon

scgs girls e-mail list

nanyang MBA shit harvard

difference between giving 500ml iv fluid and giving 1000ml iv fluid?

magna defender adult costume

emma watsons breast are growing - She's a teenager, I don't see how they could be becoming any smaller.

scissor door modification at johor

haircut with pictures - medium length,separated layers, angled bangs

Kimberlies big hole

non-pecuniary vagina damages

orgies acjc

petticoat discipline spoof comics - They spoof this kind of stuff?!

"new paper new face" ugly

tomatos+sperm count

ponytail fetish

2005 christian millionaires ladies in norway with guestbook

200 word essay on how the US changed scince 9/11

Voldemort jesus

"school uniform" rape socks

hee-hee-hee.wav

remedies for dark armpits

"girl with muscular legs" gallery

SIA stewardess PhD engineering

nape shaving pictures

eyebrow plucking in islam - Apparently it's haram.

procodin breastfeeding

"I had an epiphany a few years ago where I was out at a celebrity party and it suddenly dawned on me that I had yet to meet a celebrity who is as smart and interesting as any of my friends." - Moby

***

Someone was calculating the cost of our education. For Academic Year 2005/2006, we pay $5930 per annum. This works out to $2965 per semester and $228 a week. Assuming 5 modules a semester and 3 hours per module per week (2 hours of lecture, 1 hour of tutorials), we're paying $15.20/hour. Although this excludes examination fees and billing for the time the staff spend on us and our work outside of class hours, it is partially compensated by mid-lecture/mid-tutorial breaks and classes ending 15 minutes before they officially end. Damn, in Science we'll get better value for our money!

In Secondary School, for some subjects, we weren't given notes and were told that "You won't get notes in University and JC" and that "Taking notes is an important skill". And so we had to copy like mad, resulting in sometimes illegible handwriting. In JC, for some subjects, we weren't given notes and were told the same, with the same results. And now that we're in University, we get notes uploaded to IVLE. [Addendum: Many/most of us supplement the handouts with our own annotations and scribbles, of course. Oh, and we're told, in some modules, that "taking notes is an important skill".] Oh well.


Quotes:

[On my Shameless-o-Meter] Well, there's one thing clear. You have too much time.

[On proposed styling of an allegedly ah lian hairstyle] We['ll] take a picture of you with a few strands of hair around your face... Call it 'Revenge of the Ah Lians'

[Student on parallels between cupboards on the Island of Doom and KL taxis: You give them pork, then the taxi will shake.] Before you give them pork the taxi is shaking because it is very lao pok. After you give them pork, the taxi will become like Herbie: Fully loaded.

I wasn't racist until I started working.

I wasn't racist until I went to KL.

[On people asked how important intelligence was for various types of relationships] The male graduates, who seemed particularly unconcerned about the intelligence of hypothetical casual sex partners.

[On monkeys with brightly coloured external testicles] There were some species of monkeys which really really embarrassed my aunt, because she was a prim and proper lady... These were the early days of colour television.

Men tend to be very hung up about the size of their organs... Few people have showed it is really important. People leaving their lover because of their organs.

[On sharing the fruits of evolutionary psychology with the world] I think this should remain an academic thing, because if everyone knows then I can't use this to go and get girls.

[On penis envy] Shouldn't men have breast envy?

What does Freud say about religion? He says: Religion is...? [Me: Religion is the universal neurosis.] Where is it? Did you bring your text? [Me: No] So nice of you to remember. You're like a lit major. Memorising texts.

Philosophers - they sat in their desks. (at)

[On Marx, the base and superstructure] Let us think of this in terms of University life. Let me say first of all that I do not think you are being exploited... These extra-curricular activities make it possible for you to stand going to lectures. Not that I think lectures are boring.

That's what that data point mean (means)

[On the law of iterative expectations] Imagination does not provide you information, unless you are psychic,

[On why he keeps slowing down to keep pace with the previous lecture group] The previous lecture group got very confused. I learnt from their mistakes... That's why I can teach more efficiently after my lecture on Tuesday. I feel a bit sorry for the Tuesday lecture group. (my)

[On the professor] I love her man. Happily drawing on her textbook.

From this point on, there will be less math. Most of the math is done... Some people sound happy.

You can use Walras's Law (Walras')

tunder ties (thunder thighs)

[On drawing a curve as a straight line for simplicity] I don't want you to spend time going: 'Ah, it's going to look like this'.

Now we come to the grand finale. All you have done from the time you first saw me to this week ends in - this 4 lines. And it took you 5 weeks.

Don't pack your things yet. I've a stupid story to tell you. Your tutorial 2 - that's not the stupid story...

I've installed SimpleAway for Miranda. Take that, M$N IM and your WMP-only feature!

Meanwhile, for those still on MSN Native, there's hope yet, with: MSN 7 Universal Patcher++ v0.8. This baby lets you run multiple instances of MSN Messenger (so you can use multiple accounts, or harass people as you wish), as well as remove banner ads, tabs, MSN Search and the Actions Pane (tested on MSN Messenger 7.5 Build 0299). It's supposed to be able to remove the Ad Bar also, but I couldn't get that feature to work.

***

"Computing Club Mooncake Fesitval Activity
NUS Computing Club

*How Anonymous Mooncakes work?

->It all starts when you send a mooncake with the Anonymous Mooncake Option.
->Notification will be sent to your receipant that they have an Anonymous mooncake.
->When the person recieves the notification, there is only one way to find out who sent the Anonymous Mooncake
->They have to send an Anonymous Mooncake of their own to the person(s) they like.
->If all goes well, the person they send the Anonymous Mooncake to will be you and that is a match!
->Details of matches (if any) will be revealed when you collect your mooncakes."


If that wasn't clear enough, the way it works is that you send your crush an anonymous mooncake. If your crush also sends you an anonymous mooncake, they inform both of you of the other's identity.

There was a website which did this via email some time back, but it failed because people just entered their whole address book because they wanted to find out who had entered their emails. So I predict the whole thing fell apart because people just used "I was just trying to find out who liked me" as an excuse when they got cold feet. Or people being what they are and having 10,000 email addresses each entered the wrong email so people weren't matched. Or some such reason.

With this, you have to pay $2.50 for a Tung Lok mini mooncake, so you can't send them to everyone you know. Besides which, it doesn't identify you via email, so you will definitely be notified if there's a match.


Han, in a characteristic stroke of genius: but why mooncake? of all things?
might as well be turd

Be not put off by the photo of what looks to be a very ugly transvestite

I was invited today to the press conference for Citylights Chicago 2006: Return to Beauty World - the University of Chicago's Singaporean and Malaysian Students' Union's forthcoming production of Michael Chiang and Dick Lee's Beauty World on 15th April 2006. For some reason, I was ushered to the Press row - probably someone on top's idea of a joke.

The musical will be directed by Andy Tan, and Adela Foo, Fang Yihan and Ng Weiyi will be in the musical directorial team. Lighting will be done by Chan Suven and makeup by MAC Cosmetics.

At this time, the people involved in the production, the makeup company, the legal advisors and the sponsors are all from Singapore, which made me wonder if this was going to be another product of the ghettoization of Singaporean students in the Mid-West: quintessentially Singaporean, by Singaporeans, for Singaporeans. My fears were partially allayed by information that they are currently seeking sponsorship on the American side too and working the ground there too.

Just like sneaky NUSSU and NUSPA, their Singaporean And Malaysian Students' Union (SAMSU) co-opts all incoming Singaporean and Malaysian freshmen into it, so they have an impressive paper strength of 80. However, not only are there people like My Favourite Misanthrope, not everyone can sing, dance and more importantly, do both at the same time (which is needed for a musical). Perhaps partially due to this, casting will be opened to all, but priority will be given to those who look and act the part, so it seems Singaporeans will fill the roles, followed by Asian-Americans and then those of non-Asian descent (Caucasians will supposedly only fill the chorus roles). Racially blind casting is still not universal (perhaps because a disproportionate amount of theatrical talent is still white), so this factor can probably be overlooked.

Maybe the year after next they can do something Malaysian for a change. In the meantime, if you're in Chicago on 15th April 2006, I can think of worse ways to spend US$10.

***

Chicago has a lot of tests. For one module, someone told me there were 3 mid-terms (hah!) and 1 final exam. Squeezed into 10 weeks, that's an exam every 2 1/2 weeks.

"All of us learn to write in the second grade. Most of us go on to greater things." - Bobby Knight

***

Seen in the IVLE...

A: On further thought, religion does serve many functions. Besides the three stated above, I believe that religion also serves as a social system which increases the unity of similar religious groups. Human cannot be a lone creature, and similar beliefs and practices will unify people and make them feel a sense of belonging to a group

B: many things that exist in this world have some functions, even faeces of human serves the function of providing food for the flies. but at the same time they may also cause some problems to others besides that benefitted group...but the functions may not be the reason for their existence...like faeces existed not because we wanted to feed the flies...but then again, perhaps the intelligent design wanted to feed the flies...

***

"The clavichord, popular from the 15th to 18th century is the simplest and quietest of all the keyboard instruments. It is for personal use and not for concerts. To approximate its true sound your playback level must be very low. While rock music resides in the upper injurious levels of human hearing, the clavichord occupies the lowest levels. The instrument however has a wide dynamic range; its lowest levels are barely perceptible, while the upper levels can reach an audience in a small room who are intently listening."

***

Stop using the lousy excuse that we are helpless citizens - "Singaporeans are not speaking up: A survey taken by the SPH in 2000 found that 93% were fearful of speaking up on government policies that they disagreed with. But can you blame us? Singapore has made good examples of those who dare make their voices heard... And our reach extends beyond our citizenry. Look at how we silence the foreign media, the Asian Wall Street Journal, Asiaweek, Time, The Far Eastern Economic Review, and International Herald Tribune. All these titles that have international reputations for accuracy and credibility but all have spent millions of dollars defending and losing libel actions brought against them by members of the ruling party"

New Trojan Swaps Porn for Koran - "Koran message chastises user when browser title bar shows something 'objectionable.'"

***

In the beginning there was the Flying Spaghetti Monster

"In an open letter to the Kansas Board of Education in July, Mr Henderson wrote: "I think we can all agree that it is important for students to hear multiple viewpoints so they can choose for themselves the theory that makes the most sense to them. I am concerned, however, that students will only hear one theory of Intelligent Design.

"I and many others around the world are of the strong belief that the universe was created by a Flying Spaghetti Monster."

He ends his letter with the telling comment: "I think we can all look forward to the time when these three theories are given equal time in our science classrooms across the country, and eventually the world; One third time for Intelligent Design, one third time for Flying Spaghetti Monsterism, and one third time for logical conjecture based on overwhelming observable evidence."

To support his account, he added a crudely drawn picture of the deity "creating a mountain, trees and a midget" and, as an afterthought, posted the whole thing on his website.

Barely three months later, Mr Henderson has discovered that he really has created a monster. His website - www.venganza.org - receives as many as two million hits a day. It has been featured on several widely read blogs, one of which is offering a $1 million (£545,000) prize for "proof" that the Flying Spaghetti Monster does not exist."

There's a wealth of opinions online about the Sedition Act charge, I've more original things to blog about, have other things to do and have already blabbed on earlier, so all I will add, given what I know is:

The hundred flowers are being sprayed with herbicide. Be afraid. Be very afraid, for now merely the act of speech invites reprisals. Especially since no one will ever know exactly what constitutes sedition, since to cite the offending phrases would be seditious in and of itself.

Any people willing to immolate themselves in public if/when a/the crackdown begins should start signing up.

[Addendum: I thought this was important. Quoting the alleged seditious lines may be seditious, but S 3(2) of the Sedition Act states that (this is set out in full):

"any act, speech, words, publication or other thing shall not be deemed to be seditious by reason only that it has a tendency

(a) to show that the Government has been misled or mistaken in any of its measures;

(b) to point out errors or defects in the Government or the Constitution as by law established or in legislation or in the administration of justice with a view to the remedying of such errors or defects;

(c) to persuade the citizens of Singapore or the residents in Singapore to attempt to procure by lawful means the alteration of any matter in Singapore; or

(d) to point out, with a view to their removal, any matters producing or having a tendency to produce feelings of ill-will and enmity between different races or classes of the population of Singapore,

if such act, speech, words, publication or other thing has not otherwise in fact a seditious tendency."]

Two bloggers charged under Sedition Act for racist remarks

"For the first time in Singapore, two bloggers have been charged under the Sedition Act for making racist remarks.

They are 25-year-old Nicholas Lim Yew and 27-year-old Benjamin Koh Song Huat.

A subordinate court was told that both their blogs had content that cast aspersions on the Malay community."


Die liao. This does not augur well. The Sword of Damocles has fallen, and though it has only struck the twain, it might as well have struck us all.

I suspect that these were the people who did the Second and Third Holocaust blogs, which were extreme even by Singaporean online standards (even on the Sammyboy forums, the most people call for is for racial discrimination, not for them to be racially cleansed).

Even so, this is not going to do anything to calm the nerves of our (justifiably?) paranoid populace. If these 2 could be (and were) tracked down despite their almost-certain attempts to conceal their identities, no one is going to harbour any more illusions.

No climate of fear in Singapore? The jury has just come closer to reaching a conclusion, and it is not the same as the one which we have been told to accept.

The consequences of saying something that is challenged may not be to be locked up in jail, disappearing in the middle of the night and not coming back, but to risk-averse Singaporeans substantial jailtime and a hefty fine isn't much better. Nobody wants to be a chicken, so everyone becomes a monkey ("杀鸡警猴").

Of course, the majority of responsible Singaporean bloggers have nothing to fear, being righteous Party-fearing people, but then as Tym points out: "A seditious tendency is defined under the Act as one to raise discontent or disaffection among the citizens or residents and to promote feelings of ill-will and hostility between different races or classes of the population of Singapore.”

Am I the only one who still doesn’t really get what a “seditious tendency” is? If it’s anything that raises discontent or disaffection, or promotes feelings of ill-will and hostility, how does that differ from any number of casual remarks made by a person—- whether it’s Joe HDB or an esteemed Minister—- in the course of a given day?" Indeed, Malay children not having to pay primary school fees and not being allowed to wear tudungs to school would qualify under this definition, as would the raising of the prices of HDB flats (since the upper classes don't live in them). Or any discussion of said issues, even in Parliament.

But then, we supposedly need flexibility to be able to deal with all kinds of situations, so I guess it's good that the law be so vaguely phrased in the first place. Might as well just abolish the law and institute rule by fiat - then they'd have ultimate discretionary power, and wouldn't be prevented from doing what was best by such pesky things as a Constitution.

Better by far to stick to infantility, I say.

Someone: essentially girls from arts are not pretty. they just spend a damn lot of time and money on clothes make up and plastic surgery

Me: plastic surgery?!
hahahahahahaha

Someone: haha well, how do they ALL manage to look the same?

the makeup clothes and whatever make them NOT dowdy
i can't imagine how arts girls can look dowdy
they will have to go rent a costume to look dowdy


Someone else on NUSSU: nussu ppl have this v strong sense of SELF IMPORTANCE
they jus sucks
and they dun listen
i was telling [someone] ppl are unhappy becos u guys dun seem to be receptive abt students' complaints and he's like this is a thankless job
u shld be glad that NUSSU is ard
and it's diff for e admin and everyth so we shld be more understanding

wtf?
NUSSU has e mentality of e bureaucracy
they are in e same league as e admin
so they shld represent students anymore wad
cos they feel so much for e admin
and they got so many chances to go abroad
all e opportunities go to them
i think it's quite unfair to say the truth
and that strong sense of self-importance can get quite irritating

[there's] an email to tell us like which student leader is going where for conferences/workshops
and e whole list of things is dominated by NUSSU

i dunno y such opportunites aren't open to other ppl
it's quite unfair
not really top secret i guess
anyways
when u go to munchie monkey
and u see e monkeys on display
they r bought by NUSSU exco members who flew overseas on wadever trips for NUS and each one of them got to buy one monkey each and maybe u can go count e number of monkeys there
maybe they can throw out some furniture to accommodate the increasing number in future