Aruba

So it wasn't just a Singaporean thing.  

From subtle asian traits:

"Hi everyone gather round,

I have another story to tell.

OKAY so when I was 14, I went on a summer exchange program where I would go to GuangZhou/ZhongShan and live with the high school students there. I'd been to China many times before, but I didn't actually hang with locals much or anything, mostly just family trips.

So, my parents thought that it would be a good idea for me to go on this summer exchange program to learn more about Chinese life and culture. I got to live in the same dorms as the high school students there, eat in the cafeteria with them, make friends, etc etc etc.

 

Anyways, one day as we're on a field trip to some park (I forget where we were tbh), they tell me, "hey hey William, let's play Aruba!"

Me: "wtf is Aruba"

My Chinese Friends: "It's a fun game where we all lift you up like a king!"

Me: "o shit okay yeah that sounds fun let's do it"

 

What they ended up doing was ramming my crotch into a tree several times.

 

Apparently it's a common playground game/prank they do in China.

 

And so, I returned to the U.S. with a newfound respect and appreciation for Chinese culture."

Observations - 19th September 2014

"We are all self-made, but only the successful will admit it" - Earl Nightingale

***

"The first no means "not right now".

The second no means "not ever".

The third no means "please go away, I have already dialled 911 and I only have to press call""


"I suddenly remembered another beautiful example of privilege that also involves intersectionality.

Mystique of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Blue, does not look like an ordinary person, bullied for looking different: facing prejudice. Bio-mimic, can look like anyone she wants: privileged. Result: intersectionality!"


[On RJC] "I was from a batch where there was this incident, where people would leave their lecture notes in the library of the old Mount Sinai campus. And they would return to found them either missing or thrown in the trash.

They found the culprit a girl who was often made fun of because she was ugly. It was one of those things where you didn't know whether she was a victim or a culprit."


"Is it bad that i processed "card carrying feminist" as "a woman no one can take seriously"?"

"People don't hate her because she's a feminist. They hate her because she behaves like an asshole and cries persecution when she is called out on it."

No true feminist puts sugar on his porridge.

Amused that feminists are for "ending violence by men against women" but against "end racism by black people against white people".

If a single parent is as capable of parenting as two are (and thus we should not discourage single parenthood in children's interests), why are men blamed for not doing their fair share of the housework and childcare? After all, if single parents can manage on their own, the mother can manage on her own without the father.


"Do you really believe it's a choice? Who in their right mind would choose to believe in a sky fairy and subject oneself to a lifetime of social ridicule by liberals and misunderstanding, and a faith that the gay lobby is trying to make illegal?"

RT @necropants I've noticed a lot of people who ask for trigger warnings are those who actively search for sensitive topics to argue about

Not all smokers get lung cancer and not all lung cancer patients smoke
Ergo it's a stereotype and a lie that smoking causes lung cancer!

"Offended" as used by "activist" types though usually means "something I can't refute or disprove, but runs counter to what I think, so it needs to be suppressed."


"I hearby refuse to click on links with headlines that have been upworthified. If you see something worth sharing, share the original item, not the linkbaited upworthy and ilk shit. The headlines don't actually say what the item is"
"I also don't click on any link from Business Insider which, to this day, I don't think I've ever seen a legitimate business article."

“What is the best occupation in the world? Being a librarian..When you tell people to shut up, they have to shut up”

Amused that it's a seizable offence (up to 6 months jail) to display a national flag in Singapore (National Emblems (Control of Display) Act (Chapter 196))

Conversations - 7th May 2014

Someone: one of my exes took 40-45min showers
it was one of the things that pissed me off the most

Me: is that why you turned lesbian?

Someone: no.
thats why i dumped him though.


Someone else: If you tell a black woman to marry or date out,
usually they get offended and they say one of two things 1) Other men
are too weak or 2) other men don't find them attractive.


Me: What I told a lothario friend: "women are like money. You think more will make you happy but not really Past a certain amount"

Someone: absolutely
where really does limitless satisfaction lie
ertainly not in orgasm

Me: Well until you recover

Someone: that's the thing
need to recover
I can milk more satisfaction out of quora than out of my cock


Someone else: I've asked other Asians this, but never a Singaporean man, when you were young did you your father, cousins, older brother, uncles ever talk to you about how to "talk to women"...in America, this is pretty normal...I learned most things from my uncle and older cousins...

Me: wow no wonder americans are so good


Someone on the licensing framework: apparently both of us couldn't really be bothered to slam the MDA
are we showing our age?
=P

Me: haha
I've been blogging since 2001
the more things change...


Me: do you remember... there was this song we sang in choir
an opera chorus which got translated into mandarin
not Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves

Philip Yeo's Best Friend: Lol they are many
Might you be thinking of Cavalliera Rusticana
he villagers move about the square, singing of the beautiful spring day (Gli aranci olezzano sui verdi margini – "The air is sweet with orange blossoms")

Me: the description sounds familiar
there was something about people going about doing things

Philip Yeo's Best Friend: Umm yes
果园的金色的蜜橘散发芳香花丛间百灵鸟婉转地歌唱

Me: I see you were traumatised too

Philip Yeo's Best Friend: Yes
Many brain cells were wastedon this

Me: unlike me you didnt just memorise the pronunciation
the orchestral version sounds v diff from the piano reduction
aha yes I think this is
thanks

Philip Yeo's Best Friend: R u feeling nostalgic
Are you planning an alumni concert
SONGS the Way They Were Intended

Yes lol I did it recently with mit chorus
as the MIT chorus director put it its very popular cause it's hard to fuck up

Me: it's remarkable how you guys remember it after 16-7 years


Someone on the above (before I showed him the lyrics): 果園裡金色的蜜橘散發芳香


Someone else: Mainland women, 90% will only marry someone with a house and a car
and Mainlanders mean "own" as in no mortgage

that is why there is so much pressure on men here
and tehy work like dogs, have little fun in life
they spend all their youth working their ass off just to get some
greedy bitch so they can have bad sex
and make one kid in some overpriced ugly apartment bloc
Chinese Dream is a fucking nightmare
fuck that

If I was a Chinese guy and I lived in Shanghai, i would simply save money to buy a wife from Vietnam (cheaper) and never buy a house in this bubble, because it is stupid to do so actually, buy a car, and just work and have as much fun as possible


Someone: who is this clown ***?

Me: You whack lor

Someone: have to ask you first mah
sekali you're trying to bang her
or are banging her
then I whack how?

Me: hahahahahaha
then I'llwhack you back lor

Someone: walao you don't respect the bro code

Me: gays are exempted ;)

Someone: the hell, gays not bros meh
:0

Singapore before my time

TheBicycleDiaries: I remember Singapore

I remember Singapore

when there was no MRT,
and Nicoll Highway was the only expressway
(no ECP, AYE, PIE, CTE ...),
with 2 lanes going one way and one the other,
alternating between morn and evening peak hours

when buses had no AC,
but had conductors whom you paid,...
in exchange for punched tickets

when kids collected colourful bus tickets,
ice-cream sticks, bottle caps,
matchboxes, and if possible,
foreign coins and stamps

when there were no cell phones,
so you arranged meetings carefully,
and kept to them, waiting patiently for the other,
using coin pay-phones as a last resort

when there was no cable TV,
but only two free-to-air local channels,
and two others, courtesy of our neighbours,
all black and white,
with no remote

when there was no internet,
nor computers,
and libraries and books held
the information you needed,
with card indexes the "search engines" of the day

when Jalan Kayu was bordered
by rubber plantations,
and the prata was for 10c just outside
the school gates
(the school is gone and someone moved my prata!)

when Yaohan opened in Plaza Singapura
and half of Singapore went to check out the
Japanese store,
with its novel freshly baked goodies
and many freebies

when City Plaza,
Katong Shopping Centre,
and Beauty world
were the "IN" places
(they still exist but in a different IN)

when Katong Park was much
grander than it is now,
right at the edge of the sea,
now pushed away by reclamation

when Changi beach was the place to be
on weekends,
and planes landed at Paya Lebar Airport
where you could wave at people
from an open balcony

when the Malaysia Cup was
the football event of the year,
with live radio broadcasts
and shouts of "Goooooal"
heard from windows

when RI was at Stamford Road
(where Raffles City is now)
before it moved to Grange Road,
and split into RI and RJC as it moved again to Bishan.
Now I hear it is one RI again...
...but is it the same?

when the University of Singapore (US)
at Bukit Timah
was merged with the Nanyang University (NU)
of Jurong
to form the N-U-S at Kent Ridge
(and then split again into two, but with different names)

when the iconic Robinsons burnt down,
with smoke visible half an island away,
when Hotel New World
came tumbling down
and the Cable Cars got entangled

when NS uniforms were olive green
and needed to be starched,
with boots polished,
and the Singapore River was a truly stinky place

when posters at government departments warned
"you will be served last"
if you kept your hair long
(and when a famous physicist
had a hard time getting in the country to give his invited
talk...because of his long hair).

when cinema seats were hard
(some are re-used now in the Esplanade library)
and tickets cheap,
with huge halls
but not very clean
(chewing gum was still available)

when Yusof Ishak
was the President
and when Benjamin Sheares
was sworn in
as the second President


when Lee Kuan Yew
held court,
mesmerising the nation with
his speeches,
no special effects,
just a man with a mission
to realise a Vision

when an unknown
Chiam See Tong
stole some thunder,
at a little known
Potong Pasir,
and affirmed:
what is good can be better

That is what i remember
of old singapore,
I am sure I will remember more
when i get older,
will tell you then
(unless this simulation ends before
i put pen to paper again)

R .
April 2014
Singapore

Perhaps one of the most interesting words in the English language today

This is a famous passage which I first heard this in the form of a WAV file with the first movement of Spring from Vivaldi's The Four Seasons in Secondary One (in 1996):



As 13 year olds, we understandably found it funny, but listening to this still brings a smile to my face - and not just due to nostalgia.

Today, someone sent me a variant: a comedy clip with a bearded Indian man reciting a similar script (slower, with poorer delivery and with annoying laughter in the background):


(this is almost twice as long in length)

I did some research and this comes from a longer sketch where the chap is talking about how "Fuck" has replaced "God" as the most important word in the English language, thanks to Nietzsche:



The video information dates the original sketch to 1980:

"Osho used this sketch on the word fuck first in a talk in 1980 and repeated it again in this later talk. We have seen the original of this sketch being attributed to Jack Wagner, George Carlin and Monty Python - no one seems to be sure.


"When Friedrich Nietzsche declared, "God is dead," he himself became utterly helpless no consolation, no hope, no meaning. He had to go through a long process of insanity.

Nietzsche seems to me to be the most important figure that has dominated the world in this century. Without any argument his statement has infiltrated into every mind. But he was not aware of the implications. I have no problem if God is dead. There is no need to mourn his death.

The problem is that if God is dead, then you lose the most important word in your language and you will need a substitute. God was one end, one extreme, and when one extreme disappears from your mental vision, the necessary and inevitable is that you will fall to the other extreme.

And that's what has happened, Milarepa. Instead of God, `fuck' has become the most important word in our language. Even if Friedrich Nietzsche comes back, he will be surprised and he will try to resurrect somehow the dead God, because this is stupid. But you will need a whole report on it, a whole research.

One of the most interesting words in the English language today is the word `fuck'. It is a magical word. Just by its sound it can describe pain, pleasure, hate and love. In language it falls into many grammatical categories. It can be used as a verb, both transitive, "John fucked Mary," and intransitive, "Mary was fucked by John", and as a noun, "Mary is a fine fuck." It can be used as an adjective, "Mary is fucking beautiful."

As you can see, there are not many words with the versatility of fuck. Besides the sexual meaning, there are also the following uses:

Ignorance: Fucked if I know.
Trouble: I guess I am fucked now!
Fraud: I got fucked at the used car lot.
Aggression: Fuck you!
Displeasure: What the fuck is going on here?
Difficulty: I can't understand this fucking job.
Incompetence: He is a fuck-off.
Suspicion: What the fuck are you doing?
Enjoyment: I had a fucking good time.
Request: Get the fuck out of here.
Hostility: I'm going to knock your fucking head off.
Greeting: How the fuck are you?
Apathy: Who gives a fuck?
Innovation: Get a bigger fucking hammer.
Surprise: Fuck! You scared the shit out of me!
Anxiety: Today is really fucked.

And it is very healthy if every morning you do it as a transcendental meditation just when you get up, first thing, repeat the mantra "fuck you" five times; it clears your throat too!"


Who Osho was, I didn't know. The only candidate was Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, né Chandra Mohan Jain, aka Acharya Rajneesh.

I was quite skeptical given that Wikipedia positions him as a mystic/guru rather than a comedian, but it does mention his "comedic talent", and photos match up.


A slightly modified version turns up on UseNet, dated September 1984:

"It seems there is some interest in the word 'fuck', I haven't been around the NET for some time now (having changed jobs), but have started reading it lately, and thought I'd submit the following item. As Tom Cruise put it in Risky Business, once in a while you just have to say "What the fuck!"

IMPROVE YOUR SPEACH - FUCK YOU

Perhaps one of the most interesting words in the English language today is the word "FUCK". It is one of those magical words that, just by the sound, can describe pain, pleasure, hate, and love. "FUCK", as most words in the English language, takes its name from the German word "friden" which means to strike.

In language, "FUCK" falls into many grammatical categories. It can be used as a verb, both intransitive (Mary was fucked by John) and transitive (John fucked Mary). As an adverb (Mary is fucking interested in John) and as a noun (Mary is a fine fuck). It can also be used as an adjective (Mary is a fucking beautiful girl). As you can see, there are not many words with the versatility of "FUCK".

Besides the sexual meaning, there are the following uses:

Fraud.....................I got fucked at the used car lot.
Dismay....................Oh, fuck it!
Trouble...................I guess I'm fucked now.
Agression.................Fuck you!
Difficulty................I can't understand this fucking job.
Displeasure...............What the fuck is going on here?
Incompetence..............He is a "fuck-off".
Ignorance.................Fuck if I know.
Apathy....................Who gives a fuck?
Disdain...................The fuck you can.


I know you can think of many more uses. But, with all these uses how can anyone be offended when you say "FUCK"?

We can use this word more often in our daily speach. It adds to our prestige.

Say LOUD and CLEAR:............."FUCK YOU".


Since none of the other stuff was rotated, I didn't rotate this...Enjoy."


Of course, the best version is the classic with Spring:

"Perhaps one of the most interesting words in the English language today, is the word fuck. Out of all the English words that begin with the letter 'f' ...fuck is the only word referred to as 'the f word... It's the one magical word. Just by its sound can describe pain, pleasure, hate and love. Fuck, as most words in the English language is derived from German ...the word fuieken, which means to strike.

In English, fuck falls into many grammatical categories:

As a transitive verb for instance.. John fucked Shirley.
As an intransitive verb... Shirley fucks.

Its meaning is not always sexual, it can be used as...

An adjective such as... John's doing all the fucking work.
As part of an adverb... Shirley talks too fucking much.
As an adverb enhancing an adjective... Shirley is fucking beautiful.
As a noun... I don't give a fuck.
As part of a word... absofuckinglutely -or- infuckingcredible.
And as almost every word in a sentence... Fuck the fucking fuckers.

As you must realize, there aren't too many words with the versatility of fuck...such as these examples describing situations such as:

Fraud: I got fucked at the used car lot.
Dismay: ahhh fuck it.
Trouble: I guess I'm really fucked now.
Aggression: Don't fuck with me buddy.
Difficulty: I don't understand this fucking question.
Inquiry: Who the fuck was that?
Dissatisfaction: I don't like what the fuck is going on here.
Incompetence: He's a fuck-off.
Dismissal: Why don't you go outside and play hide and go fuck yourself...

I'm sure you can think of many more examples.

With all these multi-purpose applications, how can anyone be offended when you use the word. We say use this unique, flexible word more often in your daily speech.

It will identify the quality of your character immediately.

Say it loudly and proudly: FUCK YOU!"

Observations - 19th February 2013

Is Groupthink inevitable once a certain size is reached?

If we criticise Christians for importing US Fundamentalist Christianity, why not others for liberals and human rights activists for doing the same for the Western paradigm of human rights?

I think fuzzy (or downright wrong) thinking from progressives annoys me more than from conservatives, because they claim to have progress, history, reason on their side, and the intelligentsia reflexively support progressive causes.


If 377A is found to be unconstitutional, does this mean National Service can be challenged too?

"I don’t think the anti-LGBT version of “agenda”, often unexplicated, with sinister undertones, exists"
Me: "What, you mean the anti-gay agenda where they force gays to get married, lock them up until they repent and hang those who refuse to turn straight?"


The only thing I love more than men who look like women... is women who look like men who look like women.

Amused that ACJC's BGR policy is to "let light pass through between you and your friend" (other JCs have more strict stances, e.g. RJ's "no holding hands in school uniform" [at least as of 2001])

It's not your fault if you have a disability. But it is if you make it hard for people to accommodate you.

Saw a woman pushing a pram. Looked inside, and there were two cats.


"Sorrow for the victim, or outrage at the crime, can blind us. To see clearly, such feelings must be put aside"

RT @Notorious_QRG #TellAFeministThankYou thanks to my Mum, who is a feminist, but who brought me up to be critical and independent - so I dumped feminism.

"For every time I hear an outwardly sexist comment by a man said to a woman, I’ll hear ten comments by women saying that technology is “a man’s job” or “I need a man to help me” or something similar."

"I have pretty conservative and liberal friends...but it seems many of my liberal friends see their political belief as like a religion, and if you don't adhere to it they are quick to judge you as morally corrupt, stupid, or evil...I've been attacked worse for my heretical views by liberals than conservatives (and I disagree with both on many issues in American political context)."


BF: Baby, you must be a broom.
GF: Why? Cause I sweep you off your feet?
BF: No. Cause you're fucking hairy.

"My wife went to the beauty shop and got a mud pack. For two days she was beautiful. And then the mud fell off"


"The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools"

On HBO Asia's Serangoon Road: "You know what would really give it a tinge of authenticity? A tv in the background with LKY crying..."
"Nothing more 60s than that, folks. That, and race riots. According to our school history textbooks"

RT @9GAG: There's "hell" in hello, "good" in goodbye, "lie" in believe, "over" in lover, "end" in friend, "ex" in "next", & "if" in life.

"Never ask a painter to do whatever he/she wants, 50% of artists really enjoy depicting the worst thing the can think of when it's going on a public place to make a statement and gets a ton of free publicity."

On running a F&B business and dealing with "ex convicts":
"Forget the ex convicts [asking you to buy their stuff to give them a chance]... I have, numerous times, asked them to call me to get a job and none of them called like they promised. And they just walk on when I asked them to come inside the bar for a quick interview when they were just outside trying to solicit money for their wares."
"I deal with the type that ask for money so they can eat to take and seat and I'll buy them a meal, I've never had one take me up on the offer."

ACS and Rich Kids

"When I woke up this morning my girlfriend asked me, 'Did you sleep good?' I said 'No, I made a few mistakes.'" - Steven Wright

***



"It was in mid 1980 when the principals of all the four units of ACS were called to the Ministry for a briefing by none other than Dr. Goh Keng Swee himself, then Minister for Education. We were, to say the least, all aghast when told of the anti-social behaviour of many ACS boys. He cited several common instances of boys flaunting their wealth, bragging about their fathers' latest flashy cars, wearing expensive watches, even gold chains! "Such anti-social behaviour is bad influence," he said, "and must be stopped."

The Ministry's press release the next day was something we would not forget for a long time: "ACS are snobs! ACS boys flaunt their wealth!"

Several members of the Board and the principals met over the next few days and worked out a co-ordinated action plan. First, we invited all parents to an open session. Most of them, as expected, talked about their sons' unhappy encounters in school. A young mother said that she had to work very hard so that she could give her son a dollar a day for pocket money - a princely sum in those days. The boy, however, kept asking for more, not out of necessity but because his friends had so much of it in their wallets and he wanted "to show them." There was no quick solution, but we came to the consensus that helping boys develop a more positive attitude and not try to keep up with the Wongs and the Joneses was a step in the right direction.

A set of rules and guidelines was then implemented. It limited the amount of money a boy could have in school; it prohibited the wearing of flashy items like expensive watches and chains; and just as important, boys were required to have a short, neat haircut, with specific guidelines provided. Together with the rest of the rules, these were meant to put an end to the flaunting of wealth."

--- Personal Recollections / Wee Kim Cheng, Principal (1976-1994), ACJS at Barker Road & Peck Hay Road

吹功

Ed: There used to be a flash item here, but it no longer works (and I can't remember what it was about) - 3 Jan 2018

Bemoaning the degeneracy of the modern generation

"Why shouldn't things be largely absurd, futile, and transitory? They are so, and we are so, and they and we go very well together." - George Santayana

***

I saw the following in the Facebook status of someone my age:

"When I was a kid, I didn't have a laptop, MBP, iPod, iPhone, Blackberry​, PS3 xBox, PSP, or iPad. I played outside with friends, bruised my knees, made up stories and played hide and seek. I ate what my mom made. I would think twice before I said "NO" to my parents. If I misbehaved​ i got caned. Not… just me, my friends too. Simple. Life wasn't hard, it was good and I survived. MOST kids these days are spoiled. Re-post this if you appreciate​ the way you were raised. I think we were happier kids. ♥"

Needless to say, this is very problematic.

Undoubtedly, each generation bemoans the degeneracy of the current (or rather, newer) generation.

Here is Weird Al on the subject, with his song "When I Was Your Age"



"Well, nobody ever drove me to school when it was ninety degrees below
We had to walk butt naked through forty miles of snow
Worked in the coal mine twenty two hours a day for just half a cent
Had to sell my internal organs just to pay the rent"

Sloane Court Hotel: a place that will probably be blown up and redeveloped soon

"If you don't know to the second when a drunk's gonna vomit on you, you don't survive as a strip club bouncer." - Veronica Pare and Ferrett Steinmetz

***


Opposite used to be the Garden Hotel, where I went carolling in the mid-1990s.


The restaurant isn't much to shout about though. The 'roast chicken' was mediocre (though at $14.80 with soup, a scoop of ice cream [with lots of ice crystals] and a cup of tea) at least I someone paid for what I got) and I was told the steak was alright. And the buns they give are fried (wth?!)

The oxtail stew was good though. Which was why 3 people at another table all ordered it.

If you look around, the buildings around are all high-rise. So this place's fate is assured.

"way better than beiber!!! =D"

"I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them." - Ian Fleming

***



"I miss the 90's."

"You know, Barbara is unstable. She is too big, and spends too much."

"There is never enough time, unless you're serving it." - Malcolm Forbes

***

An email I got:

"http://gssq.blogspot.com/2001/11/now-that-google-has-finally-reindexed.html

In the above entry, there is a .wav file of George H. W. Bush that was spliced together. I haven't heard it in over 10 years and would love to get my grubby hands on it again. Sadly, the link in your blog is now broken. (9 years later I'd hope so). I was wondering if you possibly had that wav file you could email. For a bit of a walk down memory lane, it would be awesome. Thanks in advance!

Thanks for your time,

~clone"


Listen to the MP3 (which seems patched together mostly from his State of the Union address):

[Addendum: Unfortunately as of February 2012 Odeo has gone down]

Or download the original WAV [Addendum: Unfortunately so has my homepage, so here it is on 4shared, till it goes down and someone tells me about it:



Page link]


Transcript:

"You know, Barbara is unstable.

She is too big, and spends too much. She's nagging, lazy and uninspired, but when Barbara holds my pride, I have always risen to the occasion.

This may seem frivolous, and it don't mean itself, but this weekend, we did it together, right here in this chamber, pushing, my missile inch by inch further and deeper, and I'm huge, and I think twice - really - that this is no time to boast.

Tonight she wanted me to know that some day having a good time must end. Which means, no more next year than this year, oh no, this will not stand!

She now recognises that I have needs; my piece is hard and it has been languishing in these Hallowed Halls for years now.

There're certain things that a president can do without the wife, and I'm gonna do them. Let me level with ya, I relish I'm good, and job, and I cannot wait.

Let me tell you what you can do. Give me the same thing 43 Governors have - a new woman under complete government control. And you, pay the bill.

And finally, I had a joint tonight, and it is, kicking in now. And that is fine. No one ever thinks - I need drugs, but after all, a man needs a vice.

You know, I have bad dreams. This time, I saw Elvis - that thief - making fun of my life, and you know, my thing.

*This* will not stand. Thank you, and God Bless our beloved country, thank you very very much."

"The Accidental Conductor"

"The Accidental Conductor is about the story of a self-made musician. The Young Artist Award recipient of 2006 started out his music career without any formal training until he reached 30 years of age. Although he majored in Physics, his passion for music drove him to take chances with each little opportunity that came his way. He was, perhaps, the only conductor whose choirs have twice won the highest national accolade of Best Choir of the Year without him having a single piano lesson in his life.

This book tells of how he grew up in a conservative average family, took a unique path to his tertiary education, and eventually became a full-fledged musician in the choral world — although it was a slight deviation from his childhood dream of becoming an opera singer."

The Accidental Conductor by Toh Ban Sheng can be bought from Armour Publishing (S$16) or Popular (S$15.41)

Amusing email I got from Hotmail:



"Thanks for using Hotmail for 10+ years!‏

That's right!

For roughly a decade you've been using Hotmail® to help keep your digital life in sync, and we just want to say thank you.

You've witnessed many dramatic improvements to Hotmail since it launched. Just imagine what the next 10 years will bring!

Back around the time you started using Hotmail...

Windows® 98 - Was the hot new operating system!
The Spice Girls - Were rocking stadiums from London to LA!
Mobile Phones - Were largely considered unnecessary and annoying!"

Okay, so this was only in 2003, but still!

"A bore is a man who deprives you of solitude without providing you with company." - Gian Vincenzo Gravina

***

Someone on a GEP event: the invite page asks 'what did gep mean to you;'

i recall alot of cocky yet socially awkward ppl


Someone else: i saw naked woman in gymtoday

god she had nice breasts
and she sure was flaunting it
didn't even bother to hide or turn away from other people

nice shape great size
yum yum

but she was like 35
so maybe not....
lol =p


Someone: the last reason why i'd leave sg

nearly all the interesting ppl i know have alr told me of their intent to get outta here

smart people dont stay here
sad huh?


Someone else: i'm in an msn conversation with someone who's getting married soon.
her piece of advice: "if you dont have 30K , dont propose"

Me: ah, SG women!

this is why you should go for a PRC
hurr hurr

Someone else: ergh - still have to depend on which PRC...
some PRCs also come here to fleece affluent SG men

Me: to quote ***

"the *** chick actually said, "well, if you guys just want gold digging sluts from the mainland"

and he replied: "as opposed to the local gold digging sluts?"
"at least they give you value for money"

we also talked about PRC chicks.. i said, "at least PRC women are generally poor, so you can't blame them for being scheming and calculative and doing anything to get out. whereas HK women tend to be more well off, but still want the guy to pay and pay." in cantonese: "what's yours is mine, what's mine is mine" kind of attitude"

Someone else: heh. well spoken


MFTTW: i guess saying "younger guys are immature" is as good an excuse as any for hiding the fact they just want a guy with career and more established to take care of them so they can stay home and be taitai
hurhur

i think sg girls still all have that kind of expectation
that the guy must earn more and be breadwinner

Me: haha convenient huh
yah sg girlks are materialistic

then **** will talk cock
but nvm

MFTTW: even my highly educated friends think like that lor... even though they should really know better.

Me: yeah
moral of the story: don't marry a SG girl

MFTTW: hurhur
that's why the vietnam bride industry is booming mah

Me: Tôi cần thực hành tiếng Việt.


Someone: it is very rare to obtain agreement from you

Me: hahahahahahahahaha
I'm tired :)

This has been floating around for years, but at least it's been updated to include all the JCs:


The JC Lightbulb Joke.

Q: How many RJC students does it take to change a light bulb?
A: 4 whole faculties. One to design the new bulb, one to manufacture and test it out, one to write a proposal on it and one to market it.

Q: How many HCJC students does it take to change a light bulb?
A: The whole school. To compete with RJC.

Q: How many VJC students does it take to change a light bulb?
A: The whole school. One student to screw it in and the rest to cheer and wave flags and banners to give him/her support.

Q: How many NJC students does it take to change a light bulb?
A: None. They can study without light.

Q: How many AJC students does it take to change a light bulb?
A: They're too busy trying to be one of the top 5 JCs.

Q: How many ACJC students does it take to change a light bulb?
A: None. They'll rather use all their money to employ YJC to do it for them.

Q: How many YJC students does it take to change a light bulb?
A: None. Only one teacher to tell them what a light bulb is in the first place and to demonstrate how to change the light bulb. (So how do you think they're able to change it for ACJC?)

Q: How many CJC students does it take to change a light bulb?
A: They'll prefer it to be darker. (Hmmmm?*raises eye-brows* )

Q: How many JJC students does it take to change a light bulb?
A: None. Their physics is so bad that they made their macho male physics teacher cry.

Q: How many TPJC students does it take to change a light bulb?
A: None. Would they even bother?

Q: How many SAJC students does it take to change a light bulb?
A: None. They believe in praying for it.

Q: How many NYJC students does it take to change a light bulb?
A: None. They are still using oil lamps.

Q: How many SRJC students does it take to change a light bulb?
A: Huh, what litebarb?

Q: How many PJC students does it take to change a light bulb?
A: Heck the light bulb lah, the principal would do something about the rightbarbs. Let's do 300 jumping jacks for not wearing the proper school attire.

Q: How many MJC students does it take to change a light bulb?
A: None. They are too busy trying to get promoted.

Q: How many IJC students does it take to change a light bulb?
A: None. They are Innovians. They'll find ways out of the dark.

Q: How many TJC students does it take to change a light bulb?
A: None. They think they are already very bright.

"There it was, hidden in alphabetical order." - Rita Holt

***

Singapore male fetish come true:


(from the OHMYGOD series of jing quek)

Someone had to ask me to explain (he's gay), so I outlined the appeal as:

- (Perceived) Youth
- Sexual variety (different women)
- Sexual simultaneity (at the same time)
- Uniform
- Reverse bukkake analogue

(Schoolgirls are a recurrent theme in his photography)

"All television is children's television." - Richard P. Adler

***

On something we watched in Secondary School:


Brainiac: Science Abuse - Alkali metal experiment with forged results

"One experiment conducted by Brainiac aimed to illustrate periodic trends in the alkali metal series. It showed the violent reactions of metallic sodium and potassium with water, in which the hydrogen produced subsequent explosions, and intended to demonstrate the even greater reactivity of rubidium and caesium by dropping them into a water-filled bathtub. However, the reaction was not particularly spectacular, and the crew substituted explosives for the alkali metals. This is clearly visible in the footage, in which an "explosives" sign can be seen on the premises, and an exploding cloud of hydrogen gas, which one would expect in an alkali metal reaction with water, was not visible.

The Brainiac staff have admitted that the explosions had been faked. According to Tom Pringle, Brainiac's "Dr Bunhead", very little occurred in the real reaction of caesium and water, as the large volume of water over it drowned out the thermal shock wave that should have shattered the bathtub. The crew decided to set up a bomb in the tub and use that footage to generate the explosion.

Similar experiments with caesium or rubidium have been repeated; these include Popular Science columnist Theodore Gray's experiments with the alkali metals, the "Viewer Special Threequel" episode of MythBusters, and an attempt made as part of the Periodic Table of Videos series created by several faculty members at the University of Nottingham. In no case were the rubidium and caesium reactions extremely violent, much less quite as explosive as the Brainiac episode depicted."


Damn, so much for that Caesium Bomb idea!

Finally, the lyrics to Pasigin!

"Reading made Don Quixote a gentleman. Believing what he read made him mad." - George Bernard Shaw

***

Someone finally sent me the Pasigin lyrics!


PASIGIN

Isa sadtong kahaponanon
Sa higad sang amon punong
May lukon kag may hipon
Ikaw didto nga matipon
Sibot-sibot sa panghigaron
Pasayan amon nga sundon
Sikop-sikop sa hagapisik
Mga ulang gatalalsik

Panakla klaklaklaklakla
Panakla sang mga mangla
Panakla klaklaklaklakla
Panakla sang mga mangla (Repeat)

Si nonoy nagapangahayhay
Walay isda isampot sa balay
Nag-abot iya nga sibot
Kay sumang-it sa talibog

Si nonoy nagapangalipay
Gapanagoy nasampot sa balay
Madamong kuha nga isda
Ipasalubong kay palangga

Isa sadtong kahapunanon
Sa higad sang amon punong
May bangus kag untidos
Ikan dito mapadulos
Naga-isol ang mga uson
Gakamang mga bagungon
Alimango ga kapay-kapay
Nagasunod mga kalampay

Ang gataw sang mga isda
Nagalimid sang mga taba
Hinay-hinay pagbutwa
Agod siguro ang kuha (Repeat)

Si nonoy nagapanghayhay
Walay isda isampot sa balay
Nag-abot iya nga sibot
Kay sumang-it sa talibogsok

Si nonoy nagapangalipay
Gapanaghoy nasampot sa balay
Madamong kuha nga isda
Ipasalubong kay palangga
Ipasa lubong kay palangga

(Courtesy of broadwaylover95)

[Ed: This, a Filipino Folk Song, was sung by the University of Santo Tomas Singers (Philippines ) at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod 2010 (July 10, 2010 )]