My new chio handphone cover! $5 only. Very nice, but the buttons are too sensitive.
New theme! Somehow, it looks substantially different in IE, with a misty sorta effect. Solves the problem of missing posts in IE, though.
L'origine de Bert
Thursday, August 28, 2003
Tuesday, August 26, 2003
It turns out that 42SAR is going to whack me with everything they've got. They're all out to get me. I'm going to have to go for 5BX at the unearthly time of 5:25am, RT, company runs, IPPT, SOC and all other forms of physical training, and I suspect a special programme will be tacked on to this already streneous regimen. Now the benefits of attaching out have been reduced to booking out daily and earlier and coming back later (quite important, really), less regimentation and (maybe) stayout on Friday nights. Still worth the $50 pay cut (the money isn't really important to me, anyway), though not quite as good a deal as before.
I don't understand why they are doing this to me. I am already off the list for BUC, but they want to have their cake and eat it - though my failures do not affect them any longer, they feel compelled to whack me still. I am no longer pulling them down, yet they feel compelled to pull *me* down. I sense a few genuinely want to help, but it is drowned by the seeming vitriol of some and the relentless slave driving of the rest. I know that I am just a number or statistic to them, so I am puzzled at the lengths at which they are going to. That they were capable of such I knew, but I did not think they'd actually bother to go to such lengths. Perhaps they are unhappy as it was troublesome to attach me out. Perhaps this fulfils some viceral sadistic need in them. Or maybe it's yet another one of those things which give regulars meaning in life.
To try to psyche me, alien concepts such as "personal gain", making it "part of my daily routine", "having a sense of accomplishment" and "enjoying it" were introduced to me by some. I suppose that those who take pride at being able to do 20 chinups will never be able to understand why some others find that a non-event. I would find about as much pleasure in passing IPPT as in massacring ethnic minorities in gas chambers or gunning down rows of bound and gagged civilians with a machine gun (not that I might never be forced to do either).
Ironically, what the Powers That Be do not seem to realise is that this relentless training is actually counter-productive. When you have SOC one day, IPPT the next and a 8km Route March the third, you cannot - cannot afford to - put in your best effort for each of them. This week, I have IPPT one day, SOC the next, and probably a Company Run the last, all the while with 5BX at 5:25am each morning (my biceps, triceps and thighs are still sore from my last 5BX session on Monday, more than 39 hours ago). And this is not counting the Company Run I managed to escape this morning because I was on duty. My CSM actually wants me to get someone to stand in for me for duty so I can go for each and every Company Run, RT and training session. I wonder if she wants the same for 5BX. If that's the case, I might as well not do duty, since I will never be there overnight.
By pushing me so hard, they are actually draining me of whatever motivation I had for independent training and degrading my performance. I was actually planning on working up a sweat 1-3 nights a week, barring unforseen circumstances, but since I am already going to be tormented in the early morning, morning and afternoon, I have abandoned my embryonic plans. No matter what I do on my own, how little I eat, or how much weight I lose, I will be continually lashed with the whip, so I will not bother doing any of the above. Moral of the story: Forced training often has the opposite effect.
In a way, this bout of troubles is worse than those I faced in BMT, for then I knew that my suffering was transient was would end in 15 weeks, and then I'd stand a chance (however faint) of going to a better place,and could cling on to that faint hope. Now, I stand to suffer for the 9 months and 3 weeks left till ORD (albeit with a 3 week hiatus next month - 2 weeks of overseas leave followed by 1 week of 42SAR's block leave where I'll be gloriously free in camp!). Meanwhile, while I suffer, my work languishes. All this is not helped by the fact that almost all of the "proper channels" of authority do not seem to be sympathetic, and are determined to thresh me repeatedly. The other channels of recourse in the SAF are also said by some who have experience with them to be useless and half-hearted. Thankfully, my Senior Medic has shown some signs of tempering this hellish regime with mercy, and says he will let me rest, but I doubt the practicality of that.
Of course, Devil's Advocates and seemingly well-intentioned people are wont to claim that this sadistic regime is actually "for [my] own good", but as they say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and there's always the tale I bring up of the Roman father who killed his daughter after she'd been raped to preserve her (and the family's) honour (Read: For Her Own Good (TM) (their names elude me).
Frankly, I don't know why I am so upset, or why I've been brought to tears over this spate of troubles. When you hear about it (as opposed to seeing it or doing it), it doesn't actually sound too bad. Even I don't find it impossible, though that's not least because I've been holding back for fear of exhausting myself or leaving no energy for the next day or week's fresh trials. My CSM keeps telling me not to show her my "sad face", but what does she want? A suicidal face? Further, compared to some people, especially one I have corresponded with, my troubles are as dust. Maybe I am crestfallen that, once again (as with last December), something has been yanked violently out of my grasp. Maybe I weep for the misery of the human condition.
If nothing else, I've at least found a relatively breezy and private place where I can pour out, if not my heart, then at least my tear glands. As the song goes, "For life is quite absurd, and death's the final word...
Always look on the bright side of death, Just before you draw your terminal breath."
Incidentally, my current rash of difficulties was brought on me by our favourite Poor suffering Local Third Sergeant, soon to be a Poor Suffering Substantive Third Sergeant, the Self-Proclaimed 'Master Of Office' - Tan Ban Xiong. Being short of manpower, he asked me to cover an IPPT, and this resulted in me being sighted and brought back into the spotlight, thus ending my 2 week long honeymoon. In fairness to him, I suppose I would have been forced out of the woodwork eventually, but at least I would have managed to dwell in the Elysian Fields for a while longer.
I am rather pleased with myself, because I taught the (yada yada) Self-Proclaimed 'Master Of Office' a trick. He was painstakingly selecting drawing objects one by one, and I observed him for a while, until I realised that the 'Master Of Office' was not indeed doing it the hard way on purpose, for some unfathomable end, and I taught him how to use the "arrow" function to select multiple objects at a go.
For some reason, I was reminded of this company run I had a few weeks back, when someone had the bright idea of putting me at the front and letting me "set the pace". Of course, S4 was in front of me, and *he* set the pace - probably quite slow for most, but hellishly fast for me. I managed to keep up for maybe 1km before I fell to the back, to the cries of "don't drop!". Well now, if I hadn't dropped [behind], I would have dropped [out], dropped [down] or dropped [dead], so.
I attended my first staff parade where, not only was the briefing kept short and devoid of the usual platitudes about security, I could sit down. Heh heh.
I think I am really lousy at taking care of myself - if not for some helpful people's suggestions, I might not even have gotten my 3/4 day of birthday off.
Circumcision gets you 2 weeks of MC! That beats getting wisdom teeth extracted. Something new to try for people wanting to disappear before ORD, as I messaged to not a few - but not for me.
We had an 8km Route March, and although I was lagging somewhat and feeling dazed, I was proceeding rather better than I expected when someone pushed me. Now, the stragglers are frequently given gentle nudges and pressure to keep them moving along apace. However, I hate that being done to me for, dazed and unsteady, I will lose my balance and come crashing to the ground with a great cacophony - which was what happened, and after I recovered, I moved slower and slower till I ended very much behind everyone. It's at times like these that I give praise to Aten that I will be ON LEAVE during the 24km Route March! After the route march I booked out to enjoy what was left of my birthday off, but it didn't go very well - blisters and foot pain reduced me to painful hobbling, the person I wanted to have tea with was sick, I forgot to bring my old passport so when I arrived at the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) I couldn't get my new one and when I finally got home, I was so exhausted that I ended up sleeping for 2 hours, still feeling drained after I rose.
I wonder why people like to play card games so much. So far, the only one I've been able to muster some form of enthusiasm for is Solitare - I can never remember what constitutes a Royal Flush, Full House and the like, and the joy of throwing down various combinations of cards is lost on me. I suppose this is something people get into just to kill time and to socialise.
I was swapping tales of misery over SAF email with someone, and he said I would be a great online lover and soulmate to girls in distress since I can soothe people very well with words. How embarassing and distressing, yet amusing.
Why does SMRT keep re-recording its public announcements? I swear that I have heard at least 3 variations on the "no eating and drinking" announcement, all uttered by one woman in that oh-so-annoyingly-insincere voice. Maybe they're doing their bid to prime the pump.
Surprising things you read: "A recent study of 1,000 women conducted by Anna Glasier, of the University of Edinburgh, and her colleagues, showed that more than half of those surveyed in Scotland and China disliked having periods (though most Nigerians and South Africans polled did not mind). In Edinburgh, at least, a third would prefer to do away with them altogether." I'd have thought almost all of them would want to do away with their monthly "curse".
The breaking of the latest Middle East truce makes me wonder why Israel killed a supposed Hamas dove. A hawk maybe, but why a dove? This only provides more evidence for conspiracy theories, which look increasingly less implausible. Israeli hawks want to prolong the conflict and hold on to land, and so retaliate at the slightest provocation (or lack thereof), meanwhile insisting on unrealistic periods of "absolute quiet" on the part of the Palestinians (not matched by settlers or the Israeli Defense Forces) till some Palestinians loses his patience and blows himself up. Meanwhile, there must be a million Palestinian organisations providing suicide bombers, and many rogue wings and splinter cells do not fall under the purview of the Palestinian Authority, yet Israel holds the PA responsible for each and every suicide bombing (which all warrant retaliations, while somehow targeted assassinations by them don't).
I don't see the endless circle of violence ending anytime soon - if Israel stops its incursions and restrictions, it will have "rewarded terrorism" and "shown weakness". If they retaliate, they just make yet more Palestinians swear blood feud. All those settlers running around causing trouble does not help matters. On the other side of the fence, Palestinians do not stop bombings for that will show that the policy of repression works and encourages it to continue, and daily plot revenge for the latest indignities. Meanwhile, no one remembers the original provocations (or if they do, do not see them as legitimate provocations), and the endless vengeance and revenge for those acts of vengeance go on. I want to be optimistic, but it seems that unless one wipes or drives the other out, there will never be peace.
It is strange and disturbing that, after 1 1/2 years, I still can't let go, at times. Maybe it's something I instinctively cling on to when I am bored or down.
Inspired by the encouragement and platitudes about thinking positively I've been getting, especially recently, I have indulged in an exercise in Positive Thinking. The seemingly tragic scenario in which I have endeavoured to find the silver lining - the event of Singapore being annexed, conquered or entering into anschluss with a neighbor.
Some of the many good points of such an eventuality:
- No more water worries
- Politically apathetic Singaporeans will rejoice at having even less say in the political process than they currently have
- People won't say that discrimination against non-Chinese minorities exists in Singapore, or that said minorities are being marginalised
- We can complement their economies and engage in "import substitution" (*uhh*)
- Half the male citizen populace will no longer be enslaved - better a Second Class Citizen than a a helot, whom the guard dogs are sent to chase and maim on escape and bring back, yelling and screaming, to be sent to the Chain Gang
Quotes:
I am the Master of Office
Why're you so vexed? [Takes my scribble sheet] Sorry, I can't read your writing. [Me: That's the point.]
[On my troubles] You're gonna become a P Case if you carry on like this
[Me: What do you think of 'Duli Yang'?] What the fuck is that? [Me: Duli yang maha mulia seri paduka baginda yang di pertuan tun tan sri datuk utama seri ** ***] Gabriel, are you speaking in tongues?
[On having to do area cleaning before booking out after RT on a long weekend] No wonder our BUC is so lan [lousy]
[On someone] He thinks like a girl like that. Every word you say, he will go and think of the other meaning.
[Me on being tortured] My new motto is - bo chap.
Lessons in people management: If you push a person too hard, he will become suicidal. First step is [a] protest run, like you.
I don't understand why they are doing this to me. I am already off the list for BUC, but they want to have their cake and eat it - though my failures do not affect them any longer, they feel compelled to whack me still. I am no longer pulling them down, yet they feel compelled to pull *me* down. I sense a few genuinely want to help, but it is drowned by the seeming vitriol of some and the relentless slave driving of the rest. I know that I am just a number or statistic to them, so I am puzzled at the lengths at which they are going to. That they were capable of such I knew, but I did not think they'd actually bother to go to such lengths. Perhaps they are unhappy as it was troublesome to attach me out. Perhaps this fulfils some viceral sadistic need in them. Or maybe it's yet another one of those things which give regulars meaning in life.
To try to psyche me, alien concepts such as "personal gain", making it "part of my daily routine", "having a sense of accomplishment" and "enjoying it" were introduced to me by some. I suppose that those who take pride at being able to do 20 chinups will never be able to understand why some others find that a non-event. I would find about as much pleasure in passing IPPT as in massacring ethnic minorities in gas chambers or gunning down rows of bound and gagged civilians with a machine gun (not that I might never be forced to do either).
Ironically, what the Powers That Be do not seem to realise is that this relentless training is actually counter-productive. When you have SOC one day, IPPT the next and a 8km Route March the third, you cannot - cannot afford to - put in your best effort for each of them. This week, I have IPPT one day, SOC the next, and probably a Company Run the last, all the while with 5BX at 5:25am each morning (my biceps, triceps and thighs are still sore from my last 5BX session on Monday, more than 39 hours ago). And this is not counting the Company Run I managed to escape this morning because I was on duty. My CSM actually wants me to get someone to stand in for me for duty so I can go for each and every Company Run, RT and training session. I wonder if she wants the same for 5BX. If that's the case, I might as well not do duty, since I will never be there overnight.
By pushing me so hard, they are actually draining me of whatever motivation I had for independent training and degrading my performance. I was actually planning on working up a sweat 1-3 nights a week, barring unforseen circumstances, but since I am already going to be tormented in the early morning, morning and afternoon, I have abandoned my embryonic plans. No matter what I do on my own, how little I eat, or how much weight I lose, I will be continually lashed with the whip, so I will not bother doing any of the above. Moral of the story: Forced training often has the opposite effect.
In a way, this bout of troubles is worse than those I faced in BMT, for then I knew that my suffering was transient was would end in 15 weeks, and then I'd stand a chance (however faint) of going to a better place,and could cling on to that faint hope. Now, I stand to suffer for the 9 months and 3 weeks left till ORD (albeit with a 3 week hiatus next month - 2 weeks of overseas leave followed by 1 week of 42SAR's block leave where I'll be gloriously free in camp!). Meanwhile, while I suffer, my work languishes. All this is not helped by the fact that almost all of the "proper channels" of authority do not seem to be sympathetic, and are determined to thresh me repeatedly. The other channels of recourse in the SAF are also said by some who have experience with them to be useless and half-hearted. Thankfully, my Senior Medic has shown some signs of tempering this hellish regime with mercy, and says he will let me rest, but I doubt the practicality of that.
Of course, Devil's Advocates and seemingly well-intentioned people are wont to claim that this sadistic regime is actually "for [my] own good", but as they say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and there's always the tale I bring up of the Roman father who killed his daughter after she'd been raped to preserve her (and the family's) honour (Read: For Her Own Good (TM) (their names elude me).
Frankly, I don't know why I am so upset, or why I've been brought to tears over this spate of troubles. When you hear about it (as opposed to seeing it or doing it), it doesn't actually sound too bad. Even I don't find it impossible, though that's not least because I've been holding back for fear of exhausting myself or leaving no energy for the next day or week's fresh trials. My CSM keeps telling me not to show her my "sad face", but what does she want? A suicidal face? Further, compared to some people, especially one I have corresponded with, my troubles are as dust. Maybe I am crestfallen that, once again (as with last December), something has been yanked violently out of my grasp. Maybe I weep for the misery of the human condition.
If nothing else, I've at least found a relatively breezy and private place where I can pour out, if not my heart, then at least my tear glands. As the song goes, "For life is quite absurd, and death's the final word...
Always look on the bright side of death, Just before you draw your terminal breath."
Incidentally, my current rash of difficulties was brought on me by our favourite Poor suffering Local Third Sergeant, soon to be a Poor Suffering Substantive Third Sergeant, the Self-Proclaimed 'Master Of Office' - Tan Ban Xiong. Being short of manpower, he asked me to cover an IPPT, and this resulted in me being sighted and brought back into the spotlight, thus ending my 2 week long honeymoon. In fairness to him, I suppose I would have been forced out of the woodwork eventually, but at least I would have managed to dwell in the Elysian Fields for a while longer.
I am rather pleased with myself, because I taught the (yada yada) Self-Proclaimed 'Master Of Office' a trick. He was painstakingly selecting drawing objects one by one, and I observed him for a while, until I realised that the 'Master Of Office' was not indeed doing it the hard way on purpose, for some unfathomable end, and I taught him how to use the "arrow" function to select multiple objects at a go.
For some reason, I was reminded of this company run I had a few weeks back, when someone had the bright idea of putting me at the front and letting me "set the pace". Of course, S4 was in front of me, and *he* set the pace - probably quite slow for most, but hellishly fast for me. I managed to keep up for maybe 1km before I fell to the back, to the cries of "don't drop!". Well now, if I hadn't dropped [behind], I would have dropped [out], dropped [down] or dropped [dead], so.
I attended my first staff parade where, not only was the briefing kept short and devoid of the usual platitudes about security, I could sit down. Heh heh.
I think I am really lousy at taking care of myself - if not for some helpful people's suggestions, I might not even have gotten my 3/4 day of birthday off.
Circumcision gets you 2 weeks of MC! That beats getting wisdom teeth extracted. Something new to try for people wanting to disappear before ORD, as I messaged to not a few - but not for me.
We had an 8km Route March, and although I was lagging somewhat and feeling dazed, I was proceeding rather better than I expected when someone pushed me. Now, the stragglers are frequently given gentle nudges and pressure to keep them moving along apace. However, I hate that being done to me for, dazed and unsteady, I will lose my balance and come crashing to the ground with a great cacophony - which was what happened, and after I recovered, I moved slower and slower till I ended very much behind everyone. It's at times like these that I give praise to Aten that I will be ON LEAVE during the 24km Route March! After the route march I booked out to enjoy what was left of my birthday off, but it didn't go very well - blisters and foot pain reduced me to painful hobbling, the person I wanted to have tea with was sick, I forgot to bring my old passport so when I arrived at the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) I couldn't get my new one and when I finally got home, I was so exhausted that I ended up sleeping for 2 hours, still feeling drained after I rose.
I wonder why people like to play card games so much. So far, the only one I've been able to muster some form of enthusiasm for is Solitare - I can never remember what constitutes a Royal Flush, Full House and the like, and the joy of throwing down various combinations of cards is lost on me. I suppose this is something people get into just to kill time and to socialise.
I was swapping tales of misery over SAF email with someone, and he said I would be a great online lover and soulmate to girls in distress since I can soothe people very well with words. How embarassing and distressing, yet amusing.
Why does SMRT keep re-recording its public announcements? I swear that I have heard at least 3 variations on the "no eating and drinking" announcement, all uttered by one woman in that oh-so-annoyingly-insincere voice. Maybe they're doing their bid to prime the pump.
Surprising things you read: "A recent study of 1,000 women conducted by Anna Glasier, of the University of Edinburgh, and her colleagues, showed that more than half of those surveyed in Scotland and China disliked having periods (though most Nigerians and South Africans polled did not mind). In Edinburgh, at least, a third would prefer to do away with them altogether." I'd have thought almost all of them would want to do away with their monthly "curse".
The breaking of the latest Middle East truce makes me wonder why Israel killed a supposed Hamas dove. A hawk maybe, but why a dove? This only provides more evidence for conspiracy theories, which look increasingly less implausible. Israeli hawks want to prolong the conflict and hold on to land, and so retaliate at the slightest provocation (or lack thereof), meanwhile insisting on unrealistic periods of "absolute quiet" on the part of the Palestinians (not matched by settlers or the Israeli Defense Forces) till some Palestinians loses his patience and blows himself up. Meanwhile, there must be a million Palestinian organisations providing suicide bombers, and many rogue wings and splinter cells do not fall under the purview of the Palestinian Authority, yet Israel holds the PA responsible for each and every suicide bombing (which all warrant retaliations, while somehow targeted assassinations by them don't).
I don't see the endless circle of violence ending anytime soon - if Israel stops its incursions and restrictions, it will have "rewarded terrorism" and "shown weakness". If they retaliate, they just make yet more Palestinians swear blood feud. All those settlers running around causing trouble does not help matters. On the other side of the fence, Palestinians do not stop bombings for that will show that the policy of repression works and encourages it to continue, and daily plot revenge for the latest indignities. Meanwhile, no one remembers the original provocations (or if they do, do not see them as legitimate provocations), and the endless vengeance and revenge for those acts of vengeance go on. I want to be optimistic, but it seems that unless one wipes or drives the other out, there will never be peace.
It is strange and disturbing that, after 1 1/2 years, I still can't let go, at times. Maybe it's something I instinctively cling on to when I am bored or down.
Inspired by the encouragement and platitudes about thinking positively I've been getting, especially recently, I have indulged in an exercise in Positive Thinking. The seemingly tragic scenario in which I have endeavoured to find the silver lining - the event of Singapore being annexed, conquered or entering into anschluss with a neighbor.
Some of the many good points of such an eventuality:
- No more water worries
- Politically apathetic Singaporeans will rejoice at having even less say in the political process than they currently have
- People won't say that discrimination against non-Chinese minorities exists in Singapore, or that said minorities are being marginalised
- We can complement their economies and engage in "import substitution" (*uhh*)
- Half the male citizen populace will no longer be enslaved - better a Second Class Citizen than a a helot, whom the guard dogs are sent to chase and maim on escape and bring back, yelling and screaming, to be sent to the Chain Gang
Quotes:
I am the Master of Office
Why're you so vexed? [Takes my scribble sheet] Sorry, I can't read your writing. [Me: That's the point.]
[On my troubles] You're gonna become a P Case if you carry on like this
[Me: What do you think of 'Duli Yang'?] What the fuck is that? [Me: Duli yang maha mulia seri paduka baginda yang di pertuan tun tan sri datuk utama seri ** ***] Gabriel, are you speaking in tongues?
[On having to do area cleaning before booking out after RT on a long weekend] No wonder our BUC is so lan [lousy]
[On someone] He thinks like a girl like that. Every word you say, he will go and think of the other meaning.
[Me on being tortured] My new motto is - bo chap.
Lessons in people management: If you push a person too hard, he will become suicidal. First step is [a] protest run, like you.
Post ID: 106190248284990194
Sunday, August 24, 2003
Masturbation 'cuts cancer risk' - So much for centuries of old wive's tales and superstition, fueled by pseudo-religious puritan instincts
Is The Seventh Month Fearful? - Discussion and full text of a provocative pamphlet some evangelistic Christian groups are distributing. I wonder if they'll get fined, and how *they'd* respond if another group or party was to publish a similar pamphlet targeting their own superstitions. [Ed: Just for the record, I actually support this sort of thing, as long as the right of reply is granted]
The Physics Behind Four Amazing Demonstrations - Walking on Broken Glass, Dipping Fingers in Molten Lead, Lying On a Bed of Nails and Breaking a Concrete Block and Picking Up a Piece of Orange-hot Space Tile. So that's how they do it.
The Not Al Page - The most popular songs he didn't even write (or perform)! - "a lot of people had probably found some wacky parody of a popular song and slapped Al's name on it, because everybody knows Weird Al Yankovic is the only musician who's ever done a parody."
De Vulgari Eloquentia -> Links grow out of the ends of bananas - Latest link towards my original homepage. I wonder who this guys is.
THE MOODS OF A WOMAN
An angel of truth and a dream of fiction,
A woman is a bundle of contradiction,
She's afraid of a wasp, will scream at a mouse,
But will tackle a stranger alone in the house.
Sour as vinegar, sweet as a rose,
She'll kiss you one minute, then turn up her nose in another,
She'll win you in rage, enchant you in silk,
She'll be stronger than brandy, milder than milk,
At times she'll be vengeful, merry and sad,
She'll hate you like poison, and love you like mad.
THE MOODS OF A MAN
Hungry.
Horny.
Sleepy.
Is The Seventh Month Fearful? - Discussion and full text of a provocative pamphlet some evangelistic Christian groups are distributing. I wonder if they'll get fined, and how *they'd* respond if another group or party was to publish a similar pamphlet targeting their own superstitions. [Ed: Just for the record, I actually support this sort of thing, as long as the right of reply is granted]
The Physics Behind Four Amazing Demonstrations - Walking on Broken Glass, Dipping Fingers in Molten Lead, Lying On a Bed of Nails and Breaking a Concrete Block and Picking Up a Piece of Orange-hot Space Tile. So that's how they do it.
The Not Al Page - The most popular songs he didn't even write (or perform)! - "a lot of people had probably found some wacky parody of a popular song and slapped Al's name on it, because everybody knows Weird Al Yankovic is the only musician who's ever done a parody."
De Vulgari Eloquentia -> Links grow out of the ends of bananas - Latest link towards my original homepage. I wonder who this guys is.
THE MOODS OF A WOMAN
An angel of truth and a dream of fiction,
A woman is a bundle of contradiction,
She's afraid of a wasp, will scream at a mouse,
But will tackle a stranger alone in the house.
Sour as vinegar, sweet as a rose,
She'll kiss you one minute, then turn up her nose in another,
She'll win you in rage, enchant you in silk,
She'll be stronger than brandy, milder than milk,
At times she'll be vengeful, merry and sad,
She'll hate you like poison, and love you like mad.
THE MOODS OF A MAN
Hungry.
Horny.
Sleepy.
Post ID: 106171061025590967
Limited one time offer!
All who wish to receive varying amounts (depending on my mood) of less than or equal to S$1 via DBS Electronic Fund Transfer, please leave your account numbers and your identities in the YACCS comment box below!
*This rare offer expires as and when I feel like it, but not earlier than 24th August 2003, 23:59hrs
There's something to be said for listening to half a century old recordings. Though they crackle, despite the efforts of the sound engineers, there's character in them. And of course the poor quality conceals some of their flaws *g*
All who wish to receive varying amounts (depending on my mood) of less than or equal to S$1 via DBS Electronic Fund Transfer, please leave your account numbers and your identities in the YACCS comment box below!
*This rare offer expires as and when I feel like it, but not earlier than 24th August 2003, 23:59hrs
There's something to be said for listening to half a century old recordings. Though they crackle, despite the efforts of the sound engineers, there's character in them. And of course the poor quality conceals some of their flaws *g*
Post ID: 106170371450175667
Estimated expenditure for today:
- $28 on sakae sushi (for each of 5 people)
- $8.50 on watching The Medallion
- $2.20 for a Regular (not large!) Drink during the a/m
- ~$10.60 on Pacific Coffee Company Mango blended ice + toasted focaccia cajun chicken sandwich
- $20.95 on a Trevor Pinnock CD
- ~$26 on the last 2 books of the Alexander the Great trilogy (finally!)
There was a poster in San bookshop advertising this book by Russel Chang (who else?!) published by Angsana Books called "Ran$om". The blurb says it's about what happens when terrorists threaten Singapore's water supply and a secret agent is called back into service by the Prime Minister. It sounds so bad, it's good!
- $28 on sakae sushi (for each of 5 people)
- $8.50 on watching The Medallion
- $2.20 for a Regular (not large!) Drink during the a/m
- ~$10.60 on Pacific Coffee Company Mango blended ice + toasted focaccia cajun chicken sandwich
- $20.95 on a Trevor Pinnock CD
- ~$26 on the last 2 books of the Alexander the Great trilogy (finally!)
There was a poster in San bookshop advertising this book by Russel Chang (who else?!) published by Angsana Books called "Ran$om". The blurb says it's about what happens when terrorists threaten Singapore's water supply and a secret agent is called back into service by the Prime Minister. It sounds so bad, it's good!
Post ID: 106165544577288448
Friday, August 22, 2003
The Jobs of War
As mentioned earlier, the posting above article has sparked off a vigorous debate on the S Econs list (mostly on non-economic issues, most of which the authors valiantly try to disguise as economic ones). Some points I have extricated from the interminable posts (ignoring the [admittedly few] patently absurd and brainless ones), and coupled with a few thoughts of my own and an ending by the irrepressible Chinx. Many of the social points I have excised as I have deat with many of them before and want to sleep soon.
On Mercenaries
Recent economic and business history has shown that outsourcing is often a way to both improve the quality and reduce the cost of a service or product. Indeed, the SAF has recognised this - Singapore Technologies provides much logistical and other support to the SAF, military research is not done in-house but instead by DSTA , and SFI provides the food. In the wider context of Singapore, we see CISCO being entrusted with important jobs - even though they are a private company, and Gurkhas are hired for the most important of protective jobs (eg protecting the Prime Minister and President), the last of which makes one wonder why Singaporean soldiers are not good enough to protect the highest powers in the land.
A refrain, oft-heard in a bid to quash the revolutionary - hence both heretical and preposterous - idea of hiring mercenaries, is that mercenaries are loyal only to money, and that they may defect to the higher paying side at any time, hence depriving the nation of security. However, corporations are profit-maximising, so it might be expected, following this logic, that they would charge as high a price, and offer as shoddy a product, as possible. However, this is not so, for the same reason that mercenaries do not switch employers in the heat of battle - branding. Just as companies do not produce defective products for fear of never being able to sell anything again due to customer dissatisfaction, no mercenary group worth their salt would defect, or it'd most likely never be hired again. In any case, seeing the state and attitude of many NSFs and reservists, it is not all that clear that in times of war, they would not defect, surrender or otherwise pack less than their intended punch.
Someone pointed out that since mercenaries fight for the highest bidder, "the side they are fighting for may not be the side that is 'morally correct'". However, when is war waged by sovereign states based on grounds of morality? Saddam Hussein's troops, most of them conscripts, invaded Kuwait in 1990, a clear case of a morally "incorrect" action (if one is wont to argue this way) - just because an army is financed by, and fights on behalf of a nation or state does not make its actions "morally correct". Another raised the issue of controlling mercenaries, which may not feel bound by the rules of International Conflict and military discipline, but then reputable and professional mercenaries adhere to these - more so than disgruntled conscripts who barely know what they are doing, at any rate. More practical considerations are that a small, besieged nation may not be able to outbid its neighbours, and that large mercenary armies do not exist, at least not in this region.
Hence, due to these and other practical considerations, I do not think that a wholy mercenary-based armed forces would be feasible, so perhaps Singapore could use mercenaries to support and supplement a core group of regulars. On reflection, though, since money is the main thing used to entice people to sign on, are the regulars not already mercenaries?
On the Economics of Slavery
A few people pointed out that one cannot really measure the value of defence, and of how society (read: the Government) values it and makes its cost-benefit analysis calculations. That may be true, but no one denies than defence is essential for a country. What we are trying to do is to find a more economically efficient (and hopefully equitable) way of providing it.
NS causes a misallocation of resources, as people who can otherwise contribute mightily to the economy are made - *forced* - to waste their time lingering in clerical positions. Besides, the Slave Pittance does not even begin to compensate individuals for their opportunity costs, let alone their contributions to the nation - the Powers That Be prefer to cut costs and instead dole out non-pecuniary benefits like "honour", "glory" and "the satisfaction one gains from fulfilling one's duty". However, to keep the current gross number of NSFs and to pay them fairly would bankrupt the government. The solution, I feel, is not to keep the Slave Pittance as it is, but to cut redundant jobs instead of doing what is known in economic parlance as "featherbedding" (here, enslaving people for the sake of it even though you have sufficient labour already, and many cannot contribute greatly to the defence of Singapore anyway).
Conscription may or may not be cost-effective - on the one hand, you have unmotivated, incompetent and angry troops, but on the other hand they are dirt cheap, at least in terms of pay. Their ineffectiveness mean that their numbers are deceptive, but then you do not need cannon fodder to be very effective, and they can just overwhelm the enemy with weight of numbers. Personally, I think that cutting the number of Slave Soldiers and making them better motivated through various means, among them pay (as someone once said - "You pay me peanuts, you get a monkey"), would result in a more effective army (and much less misery among the populace at large - but then policy makers do not have to worry about this form of social discontent, since it is not vented in the form of social upheaval or political change, thanks to the unique circumstances of Singaporean society and politics which I will not go into at present). It is always comfortable to revel in the inertia of the current system, as to change things would require too much effort. "The conventional view serves to protect us from the painful job of thinking" - Galbraith.
If you want to err on the side of caution and get an overly-large army, you might as well go all the way, get Weapons of Mass Destruction and rely on the theory of Mutually Assured Destruction to safeguard Singapore - it'll be cheaper, at any rate. Or as another suggested, "do we even need a military at its present size to defend singapore in the first place. the saf would have you believe that, but thats a really dodgy source of info pertaining to this. all we really need is enough missile launchers and missiles to inundate any pesky neighbour's capital. seriously, destroy the leadership, you win the war."
NB: Better educated people are withheld from the job market for 6 months longer than less educated people. This is another glaring example of economic inefficiency.
On Gender and NS
Some women complain about the NS advantage of males, that they get higher salaries and fast promotions. On paper, this is justified as being compensation for the 2 - 2 1/2 years that they have lost, but in reality, many or most companies (outside of the government) do not have this NS pay differential, and for those that do, it is merely a euphemism for the underlying gender wage differential that exists in most jobs. In any case, it is doubtful whether the "NS differential" adequately compensates males for the opportunity cost of having wasted 2 years of their lives.
On NS being a merit good
"I like to think of defence as not only a public good but a merit good. Just as the governments in many countries make education compulsory (at least until P6 or equivalent), national service is good for us!"
Yeah right. Cursory reading of past entries, and listening to other disgruntled members of the Chain Gang should be sufficient to disabuse anyone of this notion. Anyhow, it is "a tax of 2 and a half years on Singaporean males that is channelled into a public good. Males bear the brunt of the burden, and get some of the benefit - hardly what I would term an optimal outcome." Further, this tax is applied only to male citizens, and not to female citizens, first generation PRs or "Foreign Talent" *cough* - who receive most, or arguably all, of its benefits as well.
To quote my excellent, enthusiastic, effete and erstwhile partner in education Chinx: "Most people who do say National Service is good for us tend to be the people who do not have to suffer through it. Or have yet to. "
"And one does get paid in NS too, not mentioning the free lodging and free food"
Sounds like prison, albeit with higher pay.
"Would each individual value the benefits accrued from National Service more than the benefits of not having gone through army? Congrats to those whose aims in life happen to involve joining the army, but for every such person, there could be many who do not. Perhaps the fact that we are not being allowed to decide for ourselves which path we should take is what irks the economist in us. "
On Regulars and NS
Since I am lazy, getting weary and do not wish to waste the efforts of the great Chinx, I shall quote him here:
"I wish I had your confidence in regulars.
The Army is renowned for not turning away any applicants from its doors, as well as a veritable diamond-crusted rice bowl. Do you think a policy like that is likely to attract smart, energetic people bursting with patriotic pride, or people who can't find a job anywhere else, especially considering today's tight job market?
In fact, this hesistancy in turning away applicants and firing regulars only exacerbates the inefficiencies caused by NS - for one thing, you're giving some regulars a FAR too high salary compared to what they could get outside, and for another, promotion in the army is based more on seniority than on performance, which means you could very possibly have an incompetent Lieutenant Colonel leading a team of crack troops into a suicide battle. To phrase it in an economic sense - you're paying the regulars far above their opp costs, and having a bad manager run a firm of talented individuals. "
Furthermore, promotion for regulars is largely based on seniority rather than performance, so the incompetent ones are hardly separated from the better ones. Performance will hence be affected since the incentives are not quite pegged to it. Essentially, "the army's pretty darn similar to a command economy. Everyone's got a job to do thats been allocated by the management, not determined by the market. Passing orders works faster then introducing laws.. the phenomenon of 'feather bedding', lack of incentives to work hard, improve etc etc.".
The Gospel of He Who MUST Not Be Named
The abovementioned advances his pet theory, that NS is a tool of social engineering leading to both social and political stability - it breeds low level resentment and acts as a convenient target of grumbling, distracting the male populace from other issues, while at the same time leaving them with a subconscious feeling of helplessness against the power of the system.
When I mentioned that girls do not go through NS, he retorted (in person, no less!) that "girls don't start revolutions",
I have yet to conclusively evaluate the merits of his theory, but I must say that there is some modicum of truth in it.
On Social Cohesion
"I don't think that National Service can guarantee that Singapore will not "fragmenting from internal conflict". First, are the problems in "the Philippines, Indonesia, most of Africa, and in earlier years Eastern Europe" due to economic inequality or poverty? I cannot remember the exact statistics but the United States does seem to have a serious case of inequality too, as would most countries that believe in the market as it is inherent in the system that there will be inequalities (perhaps this can be another topic for discussion at some other time).
Second, is the driving force of these coups pent-up violence, or a lack of National Service? I am not sure if introducing National Service would have prevented either internal conflict or inequality/poverty for that matter. If anything, if the idea of having "disgruntled military men" is scary, I wonder how I should react to having half the Singaporean population having military training."
and
"on the entire idea of a social leveller, again, i find this idea completely repugnant. what you're basically saying is that we should, through compulsory NS, disadvantage the talented and educated so that the untalented or uneducated stand a chance. first off, this is a Pareto loss - it's a race to the bottom. you're making the rich worse off, not making the poor better off. that fails John Rawl's test of social justice.
furthermore, if, as so many appear to believe, the poor will be the majority of the people doing voluntary NS, then they will be the primary beneficiaries of higher pay for NS men. similarly, the rich will be the ones foregoing the NS income _and_ paying the higher (progressive) taxes. voluntary NS means a transfer of wealth from the rich to the poor. so if your problem is social equity, then paying people to do voluntary NS actually helps in that department. and it does so in a fair manner that helps the poor, rather than the current unfair manner that harms the rich without helping anyone."
Conclusion
Responding to some ("... people like us who are bored and can't STAND idiots who don't know what the BLOODY FNARK THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT with regards to Neverending Slavery will execute them publicily (sic)"), though not posting the below on the list, Chinx puts it best, as he has always had a more dramatic flair than me:
"It is at times like this I appreciate the knowledge that there is very little any one of you can do to touch me for what I say on this mailing list now that I am no longer a student of RJ. Because it allows me to say exactly what I feel without fear of repercussion, and what I want to say now is this.
You, sir, are an idiot.
Continuing to argue the merits of my case will be rather akin to trying to punch a hole in the wall - serving no purpose but to cause me pain and anguish, the thickness of the wall stopping all attempts at breaking through, and only incur the wrath of my neighbours who think I'm making noise just for attention.
Suffice it to say that as, ironically, of all people, Shengwu and the others sympathetic to my viewpoint have eloquently stated our case. You, on the other hand, have put forth nothing but childishy naive and simplistc arguements.
If this is the kind of S Econs students we're getting nowadays, it's no wonder RJ is in the spotlight of negative press so much nowadays."
As mentioned earlier, the posting above article has sparked off a vigorous debate on the S Econs list (mostly on non-economic issues, most of which the authors valiantly try to disguise as economic ones). Some points I have extricated from the interminable posts (ignoring the [admittedly few] patently absurd and brainless ones), and coupled with a few thoughts of my own and an ending by the irrepressible Chinx. Many of the social points I have excised as I have deat with many of them before and want to sleep soon.
On Mercenaries
Recent economic and business history has shown that outsourcing is often a way to both improve the quality and reduce the cost of a service or product. Indeed, the SAF has recognised this - Singapore Technologies provides much logistical and other support to the SAF, military research is not done in-house but instead by DSTA , and SFI provides the food. In the wider context of Singapore, we see CISCO being entrusted with important jobs - even though they are a private company, and Gurkhas are hired for the most important of protective jobs (eg protecting the Prime Minister and President), the last of which makes one wonder why Singaporean soldiers are not good enough to protect the highest powers in the land.
A refrain, oft-heard in a bid to quash the revolutionary - hence both heretical and preposterous - idea of hiring mercenaries, is that mercenaries are loyal only to money, and that they may defect to the higher paying side at any time, hence depriving the nation of security. However, corporations are profit-maximising, so it might be expected, following this logic, that they would charge as high a price, and offer as shoddy a product, as possible. However, this is not so, for the same reason that mercenaries do not switch employers in the heat of battle - branding. Just as companies do not produce defective products for fear of never being able to sell anything again due to customer dissatisfaction, no mercenary group worth their salt would defect, or it'd most likely never be hired again. In any case, seeing the state and attitude of many NSFs and reservists, it is not all that clear that in times of war, they would not defect, surrender or otherwise pack less than their intended punch.
Someone pointed out that since mercenaries fight for the highest bidder, "the side they are fighting for may not be the side that is 'morally correct'". However, when is war waged by sovereign states based on grounds of morality? Saddam Hussein's troops, most of them conscripts, invaded Kuwait in 1990, a clear case of a morally "incorrect" action (if one is wont to argue this way) - just because an army is financed by, and fights on behalf of a nation or state does not make its actions "morally correct". Another raised the issue of controlling mercenaries, which may not feel bound by the rules of International Conflict and military discipline, but then reputable and professional mercenaries adhere to these - more so than disgruntled conscripts who barely know what they are doing, at any rate. More practical considerations are that a small, besieged nation may not be able to outbid its neighbours, and that large mercenary armies do not exist, at least not in this region.
Hence, due to these and other practical considerations, I do not think that a wholy mercenary-based armed forces would be feasible, so perhaps Singapore could use mercenaries to support and supplement a core group of regulars. On reflection, though, since money is the main thing used to entice people to sign on, are the regulars not already mercenaries?
On the Economics of Slavery
A few people pointed out that one cannot really measure the value of defence, and of how society (read: the Government) values it and makes its cost-benefit analysis calculations. That may be true, but no one denies than defence is essential for a country. What we are trying to do is to find a more economically efficient (and hopefully equitable) way of providing it.
NS causes a misallocation of resources, as people who can otherwise contribute mightily to the economy are made - *forced* - to waste their time lingering in clerical positions. Besides, the Slave Pittance does not even begin to compensate individuals for their opportunity costs, let alone their contributions to the nation - the Powers That Be prefer to cut costs and instead dole out non-pecuniary benefits like "honour", "glory" and "the satisfaction one gains from fulfilling one's duty". However, to keep the current gross number of NSFs and to pay them fairly would bankrupt the government. The solution, I feel, is not to keep the Slave Pittance as it is, but to cut redundant jobs instead of doing what is known in economic parlance as "featherbedding" (here, enslaving people for the sake of it even though you have sufficient labour already, and many cannot contribute greatly to the defence of Singapore anyway).
Conscription may or may not be cost-effective - on the one hand, you have unmotivated, incompetent and angry troops, but on the other hand they are dirt cheap, at least in terms of pay. Their ineffectiveness mean that their numbers are deceptive, but then you do not need cannon fodder to be very effective, and they can just overwhelm the enemy with weight of numbers. Personally, I think that cutting the number of Slave Soldiers and making them better motivated through various means, among them pay (as someone once said - "You pay me peanuts, you get a monkey"), would result in a more effective army (and much less misery among the populace at large - but then policy makers do not have to worry about this form of social discontent, since it is not vented in the form of social upheaval or political change, thanks to the unique circumstances of Singaporean society and politics which I will not go into at present). It is always comfortable to revel in the inertia of the current system, as to change things would require too much effort. "The conventional view serves to protect us from the painful job of thinking" - Galbraith.
If you want to err on the side of caution and get an overly-large army, you might as well go all the way, get Weapons of Mass Destruction and rely on the theory of Mutually Assured Destruction to safeguard Singapore - it'll be cheaper, at any rate. Or as another suggested, "do we even need a military at its present size to defend singapore in the first place. the saf would have you believe that, but thats a really dodgy source of info pertaining to this. all we really need is enough missile launchers and missiles to inundate any pesky neighbour's capital. seriously, destroy the leadership, you win the war."
NB: Better educated people are withheld from the job market for 6 months longer than less educated people. This is another glaring example of economic inefficiency.
On Gender and NS
Some women complain about the NS advantage of males, that they get higher salaries and fast promotions. On paper, this is justified as being compensation for the 2 - 2 1/2 years that they have lost, but in reality, many or most companies (outside of the government) do not have this NS pay differential, and for those that do, it is merely a euphemism for the underlying gender wage differential that exists in most jobs. In any case, it is doubtful whether the "NS differential" adequately compensates males for the opportunity cost of having wasted 2 years of their lives.
On NS being a merit good
"I like to think of defence as not only a public good but a merit good. Just as the governments in many countries make education compulsory (at least until P6 or equivalent), national service is good for us!"
Yeah right. Cursory reading of past entries, and listening to other disgruntled members of the Chain Gang should be sufficient to disabuse anyone of this notion. Anyhow, it is "a tax of 2 and a half years on Singaporean males that is channelled into a public good. Males bear the brunt of the burden, and get some of the benefit - hardly what I would term an optimal outcome." Further, this tax is applied only to male citizens, and not to female citizens, first generation PRs or "Foreign Talent" *cough* - who receive most, or arguably all, of its benefits as well.
To quote my excellent, enthusiastic, effete and erstwhile partner in education Chinx: "Most people who do say National Service is good for us tend to be the people who do not have to suffer through it. Or have yet to. "
"And one does get paid in NS too, not mentioning the free lodging and free food"
Sounds like prison, albeit with higher pay.
"Would each individual value the benefits accrued from National Service more than the benefits of not having gone through army? Congrats to those whose aims in life happen to involve joining the army, but for every such person, there could be many who do not. Perhaps the fact that we are not being allowed to decide for ourselves which path we should take is what irks the economist in us. "
On Regulars and NS
Since I am lazy, getting weary and do not wish to waste the efforts of the great Chinx, I shall quote him here:
"I wish I had your confidence in regulars.
The Army is renowned for not turning away any applicants from its doors, as well as a veritable diamond-crusted rice bowl. Do you think a policy like that is likely to attract smart, energetic people bursting with patriotic pride, or people who can't find a job anywhere else, especially considering today's tight job market?
In fact, this hesistancy in turning away applicants and firing regulars only exacerbates the inefficiencies caused by NS - for one thing, you're giving some regulars a FAR too high salary compared to what they could get outside, and for another, promotion in the army is based more on seniority than on performance, which means you could very possibly have an incompetent Lieutenant Colonel leading a team of crack troops into a suicide battle. To phrase it in an economic sense - you're paying the regulars far above their opp costs, and having a bad manager run a firm of talented individuals. "
Furthermore, promotion for regulars is largely based on seniority rather than performance, so the incompetent ones are hardly separated from the better ones. Performance will hence be affected since the incentives are not quite pegged to it. Essentially, "the army's pretty darn similar to a command economy. Everyone's got a job to do thats been allocated by the management, not determined by the market. Passing orders works faster then introducing laws.. the phenomenon of 'feather bedding', lack of incentives to work hard, improve etc etc.".
The Gospel of He Who MUST Not Be Named
The abovementioned advances his pet theory, that NS is a tool of social engineering leading to both social and political stability - it breeds low level resentment and acts as a convenient target of grumbling, distracting the male populace from other issues, while at the same time leaving them with a subconscious feeling of helplessness against the power of the system.
When I mentioned that girls do not go through NS, he retorted (in person, no less!) that "girls don't start revolutions",
I have yet to conclusively evaluate the merits of his theory, but I must say that there is some modicum of truth in it.
On Social Cohesion
"I don't think that National Service can guarantee that Singapore will not "fragmenting from internal conflict". First, are the problems in "the Philippines, Indonesia, most of Africa, and in earlier years Eastern Europe" due to economic inequality or poverty? I cannot remember the exact statistics but the United States does seem to have a serious case of inequality too, as would most countries that believe in the market as it is inherent in the system that there will be inequalities (perhaps this can be another topic for discussion at some other time).
Second, is the driving force of these coups pent-up violence, or a lack of National Service? I am not sure if introducing National Service would have prevented either internal conflict or inequality/poverty for that matter. If anything, if the idea of having "disgruntled military men" is scary, I wonder how I should react to having half the Singaporean population having military training."
and
"on the entire idea of a social leveller, again, i find this idea completely repugnant. what you're basically saying is that we should, through compulsory NS, disadvantage the talented and educated so that the untalented or uneducated stand a chance. first off, this is a Pareto loss - it's a race to the bottom. you're making the rich worse off, not making the poor better off. that fails John Rawl's test of social justice.
furthermore, if, as so many appear to believe, the poor will be the majority of the people doing voluntary NS, then they will be the primary beneficiaries of higher pay for NS men. similarly, the rich will be the ones foregoing the NS income _and_ paying the higher (progressive) taxes. voluntary NS means a transfer of wealth from the rich to the poor. so if your problem is social equity, then paying people to do voluntary NS actually helps in that department. and it does so in a fair manner that helps the poor, rather than the current unfair manner that harms the rich without helping anyone."
Conclusion
Responding to some ("... people like us who are bored and can't STAND idiots who don't know what the BLOODY FNARK THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT with regards to Neverending Slavery will execute them publicily (sic)"), though not posting the below on the list, Chinx puts it best, as he has always had a more dramatic flair than me:
"It is at times like this I appreciate the knowledge that there is very little any one of you can do to touch me for what I say on this mailing list now that I am no longer a student of RJ. Because it allows me to say exactly what I feel without fear of repercussion, and what I want to say now is this.
You, sir, are an idiot.
Continuing to argue the merits of my case will be rather akin to trying to punch a hole in the wall - serving no purpose but to cause me pain and anguish, the thickness of the wall stopping all attempts at breaking through, and only incur the wrath of my neighbours who think I'm making noise just for attention.
Suffice it to say that as, ironically, of all people, Shengwu and the others sympathetic to my viewpoint have eloquently stated our case. You, on the other hand, have put forth nothing but childishy naive and simplistc arguements.
If this is the kind of S Econs students we're getting nowadays, it's no wonder RJ is in the spotlight of negative press so much nowadays."
Post ID: 106156245259941588
I'm trying to decide whether this year's birthday was more painful than last year's.
This year, I had a 8km route march in the morning, and when I got back my head was pounding, my feet burnt with each step and I was so exhausted I went to concuss.
Last year, on the other hand, I was charging hills outfield and riding around in an APC.
Bah.
This year, I had a 8km route march in the morning, and when I got back my head was pounding, my feet burnt with each step and I was so exhausted I went to concuss.
Last year, on the other hand, I was charging hills outfield and riding around in an APC.
Bah.
Post ID: 106155847103831292
Wednesday, August 20, 2003
The Jobs of War
Stephen Fidler and Thomas Catn
Financial Times
August 11, 2003
An excellent article on outsourcing defence, the posting of which on the RJC S Economics Mailing List has sparked a lively debate, of which I shall comment on in a future (probably next) post.
Stephen Fidler and Thomas Catn
Financial Times
August 11, 2003
An excellent article on outsourcing defence, the posting of which on the RJC S Economics Mailing List has sparked a lively debate, of which I shall comment on in a future (probably next) post.
Post ID: 106138830757603980
Monday, August 18, 2003
"Regimentation and discipline is extremely useful as a form of employment for CSMs and RSMs" (with apologies to Galbraith)
I can't believe it's been 16 months since I last consumed a day of home MC.
People like to say that there's no point getting 1 day ATTN C when you're already in camp if you do not stay-out, but then these people still book out for nights off, so I don't understand the inconsistency.
I can't believe it's been 16 months since I last consumed a day of home MC.
People like to say that there's no point getting 1 day ATTN C when you're already in camp if you do not stay-out, but then these people still book out for nights off, so I don't understand the inconsistency.
Post ID: 106119227396967294
Sunday, August 17, 2003
When I walked into the Medical Centre after lunch on Monday, it was full of recruits. The sickbay was totally filled - 10 recruits were on beds, 4 on stretchers and 3 sitting down, and half were on drips (probably more were prescribed drips, but they didn't have enough drip stands). In all, I filed about 100 dockets and got 32 medical appointments to make that day. I wonder how long they'll be traumatised before we are swarmed again. Probably not before -we- get over our own trauma.
Ever since I put up signs on the Docu Room door urging it to be kept shut, it's been left open more. I swear people are leaving it open on purpose.
Our "Poor, suffering Local Third Sergeant" Tan Ban Xiong daily makes himself useful. While I was struggling to prepare 19 X-ray appointments, the self proclaimed "Master of Office" (sand Frontpage and Access) hit upothe idea of printing the envelopes, instead of stamping them and then writing on them. So not only is it faster, it is more legible. By acts such as these, he has shown that he richly deserves his (local) promotion!
HQ Company, 42SAR seems to be getting more and more regimental and generally a less pleasant place to live in. I dread my return, especially since I won't have much leave to clear after my planned visit to my sister and brother in law next month. Even though I am attached out, they are trying to stretch their evil tentacles across the Time-Space Continuum and grab onto me - last I heard, they were trying to get me to do 5BX at 5:25am daily, as well as RT on alternate days. If that dreadful scenario comes to pass, the benefits of being attached out will be lessened (and I won't even have the extra $50 as a sop to comfort me). Maybe, as a desperate ploy, I should try to cut my attachment short, and so pull them down for the Best Unit Competition.
The purpose of enforcing Regimentation and Discipline (R&D) is supposed to be that it makes people better soldiers. Oddly enough, R&D seems to apply less the higher someone's rank is (so much for being an example), but I digress. Now, a source in 41SAR, 42's brother unit, told me that they are as slack (or slacker than) 42/HQ used to be when I first came. They don't march, don't eat breakfast and wake up at 7am. Still, they are placed higher than 42SAR in the Best Unit Competition, and it seems their results for ATEC (the unit's final exam) are going to be quite good. Seems that R&D does absolutely nothing to improve a unit's performance or fighting ability, and just breeds resently and pent up anger, frustrating people and making them worse soldiers.
Oddly, since morning 5BX was instituted for RT personnel in 42, SOC RT has disappeared. Maybe the Powers That Be think that somehow, doing pushups helps you in SOC. The logic behind that is really warped.
I wonder what freaky material the SAF No 4 Uniform is made of. It's 50% Cotton and 50% Nylon, supposedly, but somehow it does not behave like either of those fabrics - even if it is less wet than, and sunned more than normal clothing, it smells more.
After the clerks wash the toilet, they spray Jasmine 3-in-1 air freshener ("with aromatherapy essential oils"). What dedication!
Perhaps the irritating of the current crop of popular Chinese Pop songs is by Jay Chou. What drew me to (or rather, repulsed me from) it was this woman in the background shrieking continually in vibrato, and Latin chanting at various points in the song. On asking some people, I found out that it was about some guy who loses his faith in Catholicism but still believes in God. Songs nowadays are getting really weird.
In a trailer for "First Touch", we see a pregnant Malay woman who is told by the doctor that if she has her child, she could go blind. She then refuses to abort the child, saying that "children are a blessing from God. If I abort the child, what sort of mother would I be?" (Looks like not all blessings are good). We then hear "Amazing Grace" (for a Muslim?) played in the background. Well done, Medicorp.
"True Love" is a game popular at present among some medics and drivers. At first, I thought it was a normal Japanese Dating Sim. But then, the Japanese are never normal, are they? One day someone excitedly told me that he had unlocked a new girl in the game - he brought a cat home, had some item, and the cat turned into a girl and had sex with him. Bah.
Channel 8 is holding auditions for some Supermodel contest, and the age range for entrants is 14-21. They're getting younger and younger these days.
I wonder what the fuss is about bar-top dancing, with many bars holding and contests to mark its legalisation. Listening to some passionate souls, you'd think Prohibition had just ended.
US soldiers in Iraq are airing their grievances over the Internet, and some even identify themselves. I wonder if anything has/will happen(ed) to them. I'm sure that there, as here, soldiers are warned against this kind of thing. Soldiers are supposed to seek redress through official channels, but when the highest level of appeal is Dubya, the very one who threw you into this war, I don't think the official channels are going to get you very far.
Why North Korea is so obsessed about getting a Non-Aggression Pact with the USA signed is puzzling. We all know that George Bush is not exactly scrupulous about honouring his treaty commitments, and neither is Kim Jong Il. Definitions are also hard to agree upon - Pyongyang is always going to try antics like racing patrol craft across the 38th Parallel, and then claim that it was a mistake, or that it was allowed for under the Pact. I suspect they know the pact will never be signed, so they're just stalling.
Quotes:
Recent research shows that people believe that Yun Nam is the most effective hair care centre and there are 8 times more Singaporeans who believe that Yun Nam is more poplular than its competitors (popular) (So their advertising campaign is good. So?)
[Me: 'Bob' is a very common name] So is 'cesspit'.
[On my scribbling on my weekly piece of paper] This is like the Islamic writing in the Koran
He needs his beauty sleep. [Me: It doesn't seem to be doing much good] *laughter* [Ban Xiong: One of these days, I'll smother you with my pillow] [Me: Who, me or Melvin?] [Ban Xiong: Both]
[On his rare cookhouse breakfast, including a Tau Sar Delight] Breakfast today was fucked up. How come the curry puff was sweet?
[On shitting on a squat toilet without a pipe] I must use water and my left hand. [Me: And the water comes from the toilet bowl?]
[On my filing 100 dockets] You finished filing all the dockets? [Me: Yeah, man. I finished them all last night] I'm so proud of you
[On not booking out to eat on a night off day] I want to save money. [Me: Then why do you always go to the canteen?] Shut up [Ed: Said person probably ended up eating instant noodles in the bunk, instead of cookhouse food].
[Email on being away] **** will overlook [Company Name] for this period of time (oversee)
[On me] He will go and hunt him, like he hunted the secondary school girls at NCC cover... He will step in front of the secondary school boy or girl and ask, "Excuse me..." (haunt, haunted, would)
[To me] There was this guy, when I was attached to AMS [Army Medical Services]. He went round taking pictures of secondary school girls zaogeng... He talks like you.
Ever since I put up signs on the Docu Room door urging it to be kept shut, it's been left open more. I swear people are leaving it open on purpose.
Our "Poor, suffering Local Third Sergeant" Tan Ban Xiong daily makes himself useful. While I was struggling to prepare 19 X-ray appointments, the self proclaimed "Master of Office" (sand Frontpage and Access) hit upothe idea of printing the envelopes, instead of stamping them and then writing on them. So not only is it faster, it is more legible. By acts such as these, he has shown that he richly deserves his (local) promotion!
HQ Company, 42SAR seems to be getting more and more regimental and generally a less pleasant place to live in. I dread my return, especially since I won't have much leave to clear after my planned visit to my sister and brother in law next month. Even though I am attached out, they are trying to stretch their evil tentacles across the Time-Space Continuum and grab onto me - last I heard, they were trying to get me to do 5BX at 5:25am daily, as well as RT on alternate days. If that dreadful scenario comes to pass, the benefits of being attached out will be lessened (and I won't even have the extra $50 as a sop to comfort me). Maybe, as a desperate ploy, I should try to cut my attachment short, and so pull them down for the Best Unit Competition.
The purpose of enforcing Regimentation and Discipline (R&D) is supposed to be that it makes people better soldiers. Oddly enough, R&D seems to apply less the higher someone's rank is (so much for being an example), but I digress. Now, a source in 41SAR, 42's brother unit, told me that they are as slack (or slacker than) 42/HQ used to be when I first came. They don't march, don't eat breakfast and wake up at 7am. Still, they are placed higher than 42SAR in the Best Unit Competition, and it seems their results for ATEC (the unit's final exam) are going to be quite good. Seems that R&D does absolutely nothing to improve a unit's performance or fighting ability, and just breeds resently and pent up anger, frustrating people and making them worse soldiers.
Oddly, since morning 5BX was instituted for RT personnel in 42, SOC RT has disappeared. Maybe the Powers That Be think that somehow, doing pushups helps you in SOC. The logic behind that is really warped.
I wonder what freaky material the SAF No 4 Uniform is made of. It's 50% Cotton and 50% Nylon, supposedly, but somehow it does not behave like either of those fabrics - even if it is less wet than, and sunned more than normal clothing, it smells more.
After the clerks wash the toilet, they spray Jasmine 3-in-1 air freshener ("with aromatherapy essential oils"). What dedication!
Perhaps the irritating of the current crop of popular Chinese Pop songs is by Jay Chou. What drew me to (or rather, repulsed me from) it was this woman in the background shrieking continually in vibrato, and Latin chanting at various points in the song. On asking some people, I found out that it was about some guy who loses his faith in Catholicism but still believes in God. Songs nowadays are getting really weird.
In a trailer for "First Touch", we see a pregnant Malay woman who is told by the doctor that if she has her child, she could go blind. She then refuses to abort the child, saying that "children are a blessing from God. If I abort the child, what sort of mother would I be?" (Looks like not all blessings are good). We then hear "Amazing Grace" (for a Muslim?) played in the background. Well done, Medicorp.
"True Love" is a game popular at present among some medics and drivers. At first, I thought it was a normal Japanese Dating Sim. But then, the Japanese are never normal, are they? One day someone excitedly told me that he had unlocked a new girl in the game - he brought a cat home, had some item, and the cat turned into a girl and had sex with him. Bah.
Channel 8 is holding auditions for some Supermodel contest, and the age range for entrants is 14-21. They're getting younger and younger these days.
I wonder what the fuss is about bar-top dancing, with many bars holding and contests to mark its legalisation. Listening to some passionate souls, you'd think Prohibition had just ended.
US soldiers in Iraq are airing their grievances over the Internet, and some even identify themselves. I wonder if anything has/will happen(ed) to them. I'm sure that there, as here, soldiers are warned against this kind of thing. Soldiers are supposed to seek redress through official channels, but when the highest level of appeal is Dubya, the very one who threw you into this war, I don't think the official channels are going to get you very far.
Why North Korea is so obsessed about getting a Non-Aggression Pact with the USA signed is puzzling. We all know that George Bush is not exactly scrupulous about honouring his treaty commitments, and neither is Kim Jong Il. Definitions are also hard to agree upon - Pyongyang is always going to try antics like racing patrol craft across the 38th Parallel, and then claim that it was a mistake, or that it was allowed for under the Pact. I suspect they know the pact will never be signed, so they're just stalling.
Quotes:
Recent research shows that people believe that Yun Nam is the most effective hair care centre and there are 8 times more Singaporeans who believe that Yun Nam is more poplular than its competitors (popular) (So their advertising campaign is good. So?)
[Me: 'Bob' is a very common name] So is 'cesspit'.
[On my scribbling on my weekly piece of paper] This is like the Islamic writing in the Koran
He needs his beauty sleep. [Me: It doesn't seem to be doing much good] *laughter* [Ban Xiong: One of these days, I'll smother you with my pillow] [Me: Who, me or Melvin?] [Ban Xiong: Both]
[On his rare cookhouse breakfast, including a Tau Sar Delight] Breakfast today was fucked up. How come the curry puff was sweet?
[On shitting on a squat toilet without a pipe] I must use water and my left hand. [Me: And the water comes from the toilet bowl?]
[On my filing 100 dockets] You finished filing all the dockets? [Me: Yeah, man. I finished them all last night] I'm so proud of you
[On not booking out to eat on a night off day] I want to save money. [Me: Then why do you always go to the canteen?] Shut up [Ed: Said person probably ended up eating instant noodles in the bunk, instead of cookhouse food].
[Email on being away] **** will overlook [Company Name] for this period of time (oversee)
[On me] He will go and hunt him, like he hunted the secondary school girls at NCC cover... He will step in front of the secondary school boy or girl and ask, "Excuse me..." (haunt, haunted, would)
[To me] There was this guy, when I was attached to AMS [Army Medical Services]. He went round taking pictures of secondary school girls zaogeng... He talks like you.
Post ID: 106111023446457827
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of seeing He Who Must Not Be Named.
He seemed incredibly interested at what I would report of the meeting and pleaded with me not to describe how immensely gratified I was to be able to finally glimpse his elusive visage, so I will not gush about how wonderful it was to light his cigarette for him and cough profusely when he breathed the cigarette smoke in my face.
Anyhow, the only thing I will say is that I find his companion remarkably like my sister in being pedantic :)
My 5 month old on-and-off cough seems to have worsened. I think I hear the air wheezing in my lungs.
He seemed incredibly interested at what I would report of the meeting and pleaded with me not to describe how immensely gratified I was to be able to finally glimpse his elusive visage, so I will not gush about how wonderful it was to light his cigarette for him and cough profusely when he breathed the cigarette smoke in my face.
Anyhow, the only thing I will say is that I find his companion remarkably like my sister in being pedantic :)
My 5 month old on-and-off cough seems to have worsened. I think I hear the air wheezing in my lungs.
Post ID: 106110988884264363
Saturday, August 16, 2003
Clay Kitten Shooting - Healthy, wholesome fun for the whole family!
More dumb laws
False advertising - Ad parodies
Funny clips - Taiwanese educational institution site
Webcam-ed School - So much for the RJ video.
The wonders of airbrushing - I never knew so much was possible! Shocking :0
Macintosh testimonials from, among others, an Amish, and a Japanese guy with buck teeth and a yellow raincoat.
Now I *FINALLY* know who See Ar Em (Read: CRM) is!
http://community.webshots.com/user/cheryln_chang
Actually she doesn't look that CRM-ish. If CRM is like that, CFM musn't be too spectacular either.
"no she was more crmy in sch. maybe she got sick of being *****"
More dumb laws
False advertising - Ad parodies
Funny clips - Taiwanese educational institution site
Webcam-ed School - So much for the RJ video.
The wonders of airbrushing - I never knew so much was possible! Shocking :0
Macintosh testimonials from, among others, an Amish, and a Japanese guy with buck teeth and a yellow raincoat.
Now I *FINALLY* know who See Ar Em (Read: CRM) is!
http://community.webshots.com/user/cheryln_chang
Actually she doesn't look that CRM-ish. If CRM is like that, CFM musn't be too spectacular either.
"no she was more crmy in sch. maybe she got sick of being *****"
Post ID: 106103356756905796
Monday, August 11, 2003
There was this guy who hyperventilated and fainted while doing office work, coming into the Medical Centre as a casualty. I guess office work these days can be quite taxing - it's a jungle out there. Some things you just gotta see to believe (well, I didn't see it, but I saw Melvin keying in the records).
It's lucky that I was attached out in time, for the day after I "left", RT personnel started having to do 5BX every morning at 5:25am, the same time as the recruits. They are also not allowed to apply for leave or off, or take long weekends. If this continues, people are going to disappear 3 months before ORD, due to the accumulated off. I anticipate lots of MCs coming my way in the next few weeks. If they are willing to take such extreme measures just for the sake of a silly and unimportant competition, I shudder to think what it would take for them to condone killing.
The recruits had a weapon presentation parade and, as with all parades, I learnt new commands. Apparently "walkie walkie company" gets one guy from each company to march to the fore, "dalit senjata" commands the men to hold their rifles in their left hands and to put their right arms about the shoulders of the people to their right, and there is no word for "commanding officer" in Malay - the parade commander shouted, at one juncture, "hormat [something indistinct] Commanding Officer". Still, it's not as ridiculous as the ultra-long command to get people to cheer "hip hip hooray!". Besides ridiculous commands, there were ridiculous bonfires - one set up at each corner of the parade square, and small Deepavali-esque lights lined the perimeter. Maybe they intended a celebratory BBQ with the former.
I saw this SAF anti-smoking poster which had a picture of 2 legs in boots, and one boot was chained to a ball. The text read: "Why let yourself be a slave to cigarettes? Challenge yourself! Join the SAF Smoking Cessation Clinic and take control of your life!". Immediately, the following came to my mind: "Why let yourself be a slave to the SAF? Challenge yourself! Go AWOL and take control of your life!". It is oft-said that going AWOL will not solve anything, and only hurt people you love - your parents, girlfriend and others. I contend that going AWOL solves nothing - if you get caught. Further, the logic about hurting your loved ones may sound plausible, but a simple analogy will put paid to the lie. Assume that you are asked to pay protection money by gangsters. If you do not pay, they will trash your house and beat up your family and girlfriend, which will "hurt people you love". Therefore, we should all pay protection money!
We had finished vaccinating recruits and had extra prepared serum-filled syringes, and Melvin was playing with one when he shot me with one, squirting the left half of my face, and some went into my eye. Evil tellytubby!
My observations of the arts of skulduggery during my tenure so far have led to conclude that it just goes to show that when silly requirements and policies exist, ostensibly to improve the quality of work or life, people will just find a way around them, and that this will lead to the original goals being compromised more badly than if the silly requirements and policies had not existed. The spirit of doing things merely for the sake of doing them and to stay out of trouble pervades the working climate, while the shadow of the past gets in the way. I think having no certification or quality checks would result in better work quality, but the SAF would never give up its ISO certifications, of which it is so proud (how does reaching ISO 9002 standard make them fight better?). Besides, what would regulars fight for then, if not for meaningless ranking?
If they ever get down to changing the system, they might as well, to ensure accountability and responsibility, change performance appraisals so those under you have to rank you, in addition to your superiors.
It's so hard to find elves these days - even after I was promised "helpers", those I had were posted to the company line, leaving me with no 2ic and thus no one to take over me in the event that I am not around. Those who are left are also very good at hiding. Santa is getting frustrated.
My donation of $0.30 for the Army Half Marathon was rejected as being insultingly low (which might or might not have been the original intent), so I was forced to cough up another $1.70 to make the total $2. Bah.
My latest hare-brained scheme to get rid of rats went horribly awry. I noticed that the rats run into the pantry via 2 holes - one under the sink and one in the ceiling where a pipe rises into the blackness. I plugged the former with Sudol, and for the latter I tried to make it slippery so the rats would slip and fall to a gruesome death on the counter below. The former was easy, but for the latter I needed something which would not run or evaporate and was very slippery. One or two others suggested vehicle grease, so a few days later I went to the Workshop to get some. After coating the pipe and working terribly hard to wash the grease off, I waited. For a few days, I saw no rats in the pantry, and the grease coating lay undisturbed. After a few days, though, grease smears appeared on the wall and on the counter. Oh well. At least it kept them away for a few days - and I still haven't seen any rats scampering about. May they starve to death.
I wonder why the SAF bothers to trial people, for their trials are not anything normal people would recognise as such - the defendant is already pronounced guilty, and the trial is merely to decide on a punishment.
Ivan, one of our new medic, reminds me of Julian. It's not just the hair, face or the complexion. They also both have similar senses of humour and voices. Even the personalities have some similarities - for example both are kinda easy going. Freaky.
Xiankun and Yong Gen will be going for the Combat Medic Spec II course with Ban Xiong and Jason. Haha.
Weizhang was wearing this very nice red shirt with a gas mask on it and the words: "F*** the army. Make love, not war". I wonder if the shirt's available in my size.
Jonathan has this unhealthy obsession with some people, especially **** ***. He's been making references to her whenever he can.
Someone was describing his gastronomic adventures, but despite his descriptions of culinary orgies, it hardly shows on his frame. Gah, some people can eat as much as they like without any visible side-effects.
I've been reading very little these days, but somehow people think I read a lot. It's been a while since my last spurt, so I think it must be my aura.
Someone brought in Teenage Magazine's August issue, and as usual, it was a blast reading it. Some interesting dislikes that people listed for the penpal section: people who love to go to parties, "smokers" (haha), "5566, F4, energy and other actor-turned singers", "betrayers" (?) and "those who act cool and cute". There was also this "Sec 3 girl who is looking for hardcore girls and boys", whatever that means - it's even more incomprehensible than asking people to "stay cool and funky". Oddly this month, girls bucked the trend of more than half of the penpal page being taken up by guys, but then some things don't change - half the guys wanted to know girls only, while the girls were fine with knowing people of any gender. All in all, I was most amused/disturbed by this 19 year old guy who wants "to have a steady girlfriend aged 14-16".
Flash Mobs have been storming cities worldwide. Supposedly there was one in Singapore, but if so, I didn't hear about it. It sounds rather fun, but maybe the police would throw all participants into the lockup for "Illegal Assembly".
Some people were trying to convince me that, contrary to the great proportion of published literature, survey results and common perception, females are actually more prurient than males. I think this is mostly because of projection, as males project their fantasies onto the other gender, and also a desire to assuage their guilt, fears and inadequacies. Of course, most people don't like to reveal potentially embarassing details to others, but their theories seem to be based on anecdotal evidence from a biased group of samples (people they have slept with?). Or maybe I just move in different circles.
Taiwanese television causes me to be bemused. Why do Taiwanese women like to watch and take part in all those shows which provide men with cheap thrills? I suppose they themselves get thrilled as well. And then you have the schoolgirls, who often form a block in the audience, who sit there in their school uniforms watching the show unfolding rapturously. Do their schools actually approve of their outings? Maybe they don't have the same standards for "wholesome" and "educational" school outings that they have in some other places.
Chemistry is coming to a close. Looks like they didn't bungle up the post-modernist stunt too badly, but nevertheless, I think it would've been better to stick to the original premise. Another thought: Listening to Rui En speak English with the clipped and precise "RJ" accent, you wouldn't think she was a Chinese Pop singer. It's rare to find people bilingually fluent.
The latest production from Jack Neo, Home Run, is very cheapskate. Not being able to think up a story of their own, they just ripped off Children of Heaven, and from what I've seen and read, it does not do the latter justice. It disturbs me so much that everytime I see the trailer, or a featurette on it, it gets my hackles up.
The latest Speak Good English Movement has the motto: "You don't have to use big words to speak good English". I agree. In the same spirit, here are some corollaries: "Food doesn't have to be tasty to make it edible - mushy instant noodles and burnt rice are enough to live on!", "You don't have to focus to take visible photos" and "You don't have to be a perfectionist to get the job done - do as little as you need to".
It seems that everyone knows where they want to go and what they want to do, and I am in the minority. The fact that this doesn't bother me as much as it should - bothers me.
A friend cried when she lost her mp3s a few years back. I am not alone in my misery!
Yisa lost 20kg in the 2 months after ORD. Wah. Now he's much lighter than me!
I saw Zhengyu with this Sec 4 RI boy in Bishan, and the latter asked me, "Are you the webmaster of 'gssq'?". Doh!
Guy on SoulSeek: this performance of goldberg variation by J.K [Keith Jarret] is very, very poor. dl a better version. I warned you.
Me: so why do you keep it? ;)
Him: I use it as an example how bach may be misinterpreted by dilletants
try wanda landowska`s interpretation on harpsicord
Some people are so hard core :) I've found people with, like, 5 versions of the complete variations.
I really miss Audiogalaxy. Now where am I going to get the Geographical Fugue from?
Quotes:
[On a girl he knows from Renewal, a MMORPG] Yesterday I asked one of them to help me buy something. Girls like to queue up.
[On taking a day off] What are you doing tomorrow? [Me: Something I haven't done in a long time] [Someone: Pah Chiu Cheng {masturbating}] [Someone else: Think of **** *** and Pah Chiu Cheng]
[On why everyone thinks Taiwan is full of pretty girls, but that not being the case] It's just like Japan. All the beautiful girls go and pai1 AV [film adult videos]
[On not being able to sleep] I need powder.
[On Rui En] Her eyes, her expression is quite rubbish.
[On Rui En and a Channel 8 serial] Your idol is on TV. [I rush out and am dejected] [Me: Cheh. I thought it was Asian Prince]
[Zhengyu's Sec 4 RI friend] Are you the webmaster of "gssq"?
[On my teddy bear: New teddy bear smell] Some girl.
Eh! Jiabao! [Me: Eh! Bob!] Eh, shit.
[On playing 'Ganguro Girl'] There was this time when I had to keep pressing "up"
[On patriotism] The only thing I like about Singapore is the food
[On my dragging an ice cube across my chest] Wah lao... Trying to arouse yourself... Eraser nipples... Your nipples are like the erasers on the end of the pencils.
It's lucky that I was attached out in time, for the day after I "left", RT personnel started having to do 5BX every morning at 5:25am, the same time as the recruits. They are also not allowed to apply for leave or off, or take long weekends. If this continues, people are going to disappear 3 months before ORD, due to the accumulated off. I anticipate lots of MCs coming my way in the next few weeks. If they are willing to take such extreme measures just for the sake of a silly and unimportant competition, I shudder to think what it would take for them to condone killing.
The recruits had a weapon presentation parade and, as with all parades, I learnt new commands. Apparently "walkie walkie company" gets one guy from each company to march to the fore, "dalit senjata" commands the men to hold their rifles in their left hands and to put their right arms about the shoulders of the people to their right, and there is no word for "commanding officer" in Malay - the parade commander shouted, at one juncture, "hormat [something indistinct] Commanding Officer". Still, it's not as ridiculous as the ultra-long command to get people to cheer "hip hip hooray!". Besides ridiculous commands, there were ridiculous bonfires - one set up at each corner of the parade square, and small Deepavali-esque lights lined the perimeter. Maybe they intended a celebratory BBQ with the former.
I saw this SAF anti-smoking poster which had a picture of 2 legs in boots, and one boot was chained to a ball. The text read: "Why let yourself be a slave to cigarettes? Challenge yourself! Join the SAF Smoking Cessation Clinic and take control of your life!". Immediately, the following came to my mind: "Why let yourself be a slave to the SAF? Challenge yourself! Go AWOL and take control of your life!". It is oft-said that going AWOL will not solve anything, and only hurt people you love - your parents, girlfriend and others. I contend that going AWOL solves nothing - if you get caught. Further, the logic about hurting your loved ones may sound plausible, but a simple analogy will put paid to the lie. Assume that you are asked to pay protection money by gangsters. If you do not pay, they will trash your house and beat up your family and girlfriend, which will "hurt people you love". Therefore, we should all pay protection money!
We had finished vaccinating recruits and had extra prepared serum-filled syringes, and Melvin was playing with one when he shot me with one, squirting the left half of my face, and some went into my eye. Evil tellytubby!
My observations of the arts of skulduggery during my tenure so far have led to conclude that it just goes to show that when silly requirements and policies exist, ostensibly to improve the quality of work or life, people will just find a way around them, and that this will lead to the original goals being compromised more badly than if the silly requirements and policies had not existed. The spirit of doing things merely for the sake of doing them and to stay out of trouble pervades the working climate, while the shadow of the past gets in the way. I think having no certification or quality checks would result in better work quality, but the SAF would never give up its ISO certifications, of which it is so proud (how does reaching ISO 9002 standard make them fight better?). Besides, what would regulars fight for then, if not for meaningless ranking?
If they ever get down to changing the system, they might as well, to ensure accountability and responsibility, change performance appraisals so those under you have to rank you, in addition to your superiors.
It's so hard to find elves these days - even after I was promised "helpers", those I had were posted to the company line, leaving me with no 2ic and thus no one to take over me in the event that I am not around. Those who are left are also very good at hiding. Santa is getting frustrated.
My donation of $0.30 for the Army Half Marathon was rejected as being insultingly low (which might or might not have been the original intent), so I was forced to cough up another $1.70 to make the total $2. Bah.
My latest hare-brained scheme to get rid of rats went horribly awry. I noticed that the rats run into the pantry via 2 holes - one under the sink and one in the ceiling where a pipe rises into the blackness. I plugged the former with Sudol, and for the latter I tried to make it slippery so the rats would slip and fall to a gruesome death on the counter below. The former was easy, but for the latter I needed something which would not run or evaporate and was very slippery. One or two others suggested vehicle grease, so a few days later I went to the Workshop to get some. After coating the pipe and working terribly hard to wash the grease off, I waited. For a few days, I saw no rats in the pantry, and the grease coating lay undisturbed. After a few days, though, grease smears appeared on the wall and on the counter. Oh well. At least it kept them away for a few days - and I still haven't seen any rats scampering about. May they starve to death.
I wonder why the SAF bothers to trial people, for their trials are not anything normal people would recognise as such - the defendant is already pronounced guilty, and the trial is merely to decide on a punishment.
Ivan, one of our new medic, reminds me of Julian. It's not just the hair, face or the complexion. They also both have similar senses of humour and voices. Even the personalities have some similarities - for example both are kinda easy going. Freaky.
Xiankun and Yong Gen will be going for the Combat Medic Spec II course with Ban Xiong and Jason. Haha.
Weizhang was wearing this very nice red shirt with a gas mask on it and the words: "F*** the army. Make love, not war". I wonder if the shirt's available in my size.
Jonathan has this unhealthy obsession with some people, especially **** ***. He's been making references to her whenever he can.
Someone was describing his gastronomic adventures, but despite his descriptions of culinary orgies, it hardly shows on his frame. Gah, some people can eat as much as they like without any visible side-effects.
I've been reading very little these days, but somehow people think I read a lot. It's been a while since my last spurt, so I think it must be my aura.
Someone brought in Teenage Magazine's August issue, and as usual, it was a blast reading it. Some interesting dislikes that people listed for the penpal section: people who love to go to parties, "smokers" (haha), "5566, F4, energy and other actor-turned singers", "betrayers" (?) and "those who act cool and cute". There was also this "Sec 3 girl who is looking for hardcore girls and boys", whatever that means - it's even more incomprehensible than asking people to "stay cool and funky". Oddly this month, girls bucked the trend of more than half of the penpal page being taken up by guys, but then some things don't change - half the guys wanted to know girls only, while the girls were fine with knowing people of any gender. All in all, I was most amused/disturbed by this 19 year old guy who wants "to have a steady girlfriend aged 14-16".
Flash Mobs have been storming cities worldwide. Supposedly there was one in Singapore, but if so, I didn't hear about it. It sounds rather fun, but maybe the police would throw all participants into the lockup for "Illegal Assembly".
Some people were trying to convince me that, contrary to the great proportion of published literature, survey results and common perception, females are actually more prurient than males. I think this is mostly because of projection, as males project their fantasies onto the other gender, and also a desire to assuage their guilt, fears and inadequacies. Of course, most people don't like to reveal potentially embarassing details to others, but their theories seem to be based on anecdotal evidence from a biased group of samples (people they have slept with?). Or maybe I just move in different circles.
Taiwanese television causes me to be bemused. Why do Taiwanese women like to watch and take part in all those shows which provide men with cheap thrills? I suppose they themselves get thrilled as well. And then you have the schoolgirls, who often form a block in the audience, who sit there in their school uniforms watching the show unfolding rapturously. Do their schools actually approve of their outings? Maybe they don't have the same standards for "wholesome" and "educational" school outings that they have in some other places.
Chemistry is coming to a close. Looks like they didn't bungle up the post-modernist stunt too badly, but nevertheless, I think it would've been better to stick to the original premise. Another thought: Listening to Rui En speak English with the clipped and precise "RJ" accent, you wouldn't think she was a Chinese Pop singer. It's rare to find people bilingually fluent.
The latest production from Jack Neo, Home Run, is very cheapskate. Not being able to think up a story of their own, they just ripped off Children of Heaven, and from what I've seen and read, it does not do the latter justice. It disturbs me so much that everytime I see the trailer, or a featurette on it, it gets my hackles up.
The latest Speak Good English Movement has the motto: "You don't have to use big words to speak good English". I agree. In the same spirit, here are some corollaries: "Food doesn't have to be tasty to make it edible - mushy instant noodles and burnt rice are enough to live on!", "You don't have to focus to take visible photos" and "You don't have to be a perfectionist to get the job done - do as little as you need to".
It seems that everyone knows where they want to go and what they want to do, and I am in the minority. The fact that this doesn't bother me as much as it should - bothers me.
A friend cried when she lost her mp3s a few years back. I am not alone in my misery!
Yisa lost 20kg in the 2 months after ORD. Wah. Now he's much lighter than me!
I saw Zhengyu with this Sec 4 RI boy in Bishan, and the latter asked me, "Are you the webmaster of 'gssq'?". Doh!
Guy on SoulSeek: this performance of goldberg variation by J.K [Keith Jarret] is very, very poor. dl a better version. I warned you.
Me: so why do you keep it? ;)
Him: I use it as an example how bach may be misinterpreted by dilletants
try wanda landowska`s interpretation on harpsicord
Some people are so hard core :) I've found people with, like, 5 versions of the complete variations.
I really miss Audiogalaxy. Now where am I going to get the Geographical Fugue from?
Quotes:
[On a girl he knows from Renewal, a MMORPG] Yesterday I asked one of them to help me buy something. Girls like to queue up.
[On taking a day off] What are you doing tomorrow? [Me: Something I haven't done in a long time] [Someone: Pah Chiu Cheng {masturbating}] [Someone else: Think of **** *** and Pah Chiu Cheng]
[On why everyone thinks Taiwan is full of pretty girls, but that not being the case] It's just like Japan. All the beautiful girls go and pai1 AV [film adult videos]
[On not being able to sleep] I need powder.
[On Rui En] Her eyes, her expression is quite rubbish.
[On Rui En and a Channel 8 serial] Your idol is on TV. [I rush out and am dejected] [Me: Cheh. I thought it was Asian Prince]
[Zhengyu's Sec 4 RI friend] Are you the webmaster of "gssq"?
[On my teddy bear: New teddy bear smell] Some girl.
Eh! Jiabao! [Me: Eh! Bob!] Eh, shit.
[On playing 'Ganguro Girl'] There was this time when I had to keep pressing "up"
[On patriotism] The only thing I like about Singapore is the food
[On my dragging an ice cube across my chest] Wah lao... Trying to arouse yourself... Eraser nipples... Your nipples are like the erasers on the end of the pencils.
Post ID: 106053163644319791
Sunday, August 10, 2003
Dear All,
I have just read and signed the online petition:
"The RIAA and the Artists versus P2P File Sharing and the Loyal Consumer "
hosted on the web by PetitionOnline.com, the free online petition service, at:
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/riaawar/
I personally agree with what this petition says, and I think you might agree, too. If you can spare a moment, please take a look, and consider signing yourself.
I have just read and signed the online petition:
"The RIAA and the Artists versus P2P File Sharing and the Loyal Consumer "
hosted on the web by PetitionOnline.com, the free online petition service, at:
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/riaawar/
I personally agree with what this petition says, and I think you might agree, too. If you can spare a moment, please take a look, and consider signing yourself.
Post ID: 106050687608034034
Saturday, August 09, 2003
Melvin introduced me to Soulseek as an alternative to Kazaa, where it is hard to find non-mainstream stuff, you always get porn when you don't want it, and people are being scared away by the RIAA. Indeed, though the download speeds on Soulseek are slow, you can find many things. For example I found many people with the full version of Handel's Messiah, and 3-4 versions of Banchieri's Contrapunto bestiale alla mente. For some reason too, it reminds me of Napster.
Why is it so hard to find non-guitar versions of Albeniz's Asturias? Grr.
Virus Origin - A Manmade Retribution - A weird commentary piece on how our pollution of the environment and playing God led to SARS, by someone who probably believes in the Gaia theory.
Heil Dubya!
Was inspired to make this after seeing a "No God, No Peace. Know God, Know Peace" bookmark:
Why is it so hard to find non-guitar versions of Albeniz's Asturias? Grr.
Virus Origin - A Manmade Retribution - A weird commentary piece on how our pollution of the environment and playing God led to SARS, by someone who probably believes in the Gaia theory.
Heil Dubya!
Was inspired to make this after seeing a "No God, No Peace. Know God, Know Peace" bookmark:
Post ID: 106044479057956543
The commentator for NDP this year claims some of the soldiers from 1st Guards voluntarily extended their ORD dates by 2 months just to take part in NDP.
wth?!
Someone: "the NDP caused my browser to crash"
I'm so happy I'm not at the rubbish point at this year's NDP :)
Someone else:
"CDF [Ed" Chief of Defence Force] looks like Kim Jong Il ahahah
cannot make it lah
doesn't look garang at all
got no badges also"
Apparently Mr Sentient is still getting enquiries on Hunter-Seeker, his little Neopets program.
wth?!
Someone: "the NDP caused my browser to crash"
I'm so happy I'm not at the rubbish point at this year's NDP :)
Someone else:
"CDF [Ed" Chief of Defence Force] looks like Kim Jong Il ahahah
cannot make it lah
doesn't look garang at all
got no badges also"
Apparently Mr Sentient is still getting enquiries on Hunter-Seeker, his little Neopets program.
Post ID: 106042815789682591
Friday, August 08, 2003
The Copyright Cage - Bars can't have TVs bigger than 55 inches. Teddy bears can't include tape decks. Girl Scouts who sing "Puff, the Magic Dragon" owe royalties. Copyright law needs to change. By Jonathan Zittrain
Conceptual Guerilla's Strategy and Tactics - Defeat The Right In Three Minutes - Sounds alarmist, but strangely, almost all of it strikes a chord with me. Which just shows you left wing I am *g*
Veil go a long way - Burqa covered band in Afghanistan with songs like "He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Burka" by "The Hollies" (wth?!)
Three Hundred Proofs of God's Existence
Some of the funniest ones (do read the rest, as there are many other great "proofs")
8. ARGUMENT FROM MIRACLES
(1) My aunt had cancer.
(2) The doctors gave her all these horrible treatments.
(3) My aunt prayed to God and now she doesn't have cancer.
(4) Therefore, God exists.
34. ARGUMENT FROM MANIFESTATIONS
(1) If you turn your head sideways and squint a little, you can see an image of a bearded face in that tortilla.
(2) Therefore, God exists.
36. ARGUMENT FROM INCOMPLETE DEVASTATION
(1) A plane crashed killing 143 passengers and crew.
(2) But one child survived with only third-degree burns.
(3) Therefore, God exists.
42. ARGUMENT FROM INCOHERENT BABBLE
(1) See that person spazzing on the church floor babbling incoherently?
(2) That's how infinite wisdom reveals itself.
(3) Therefore, God exists.
77. ARGUMENT FROM PERSONAL SANITY
(1) I've had religious experiences that can't be explained unless I'm insane or God exists.
(2) Therefore, God exists.
93. ARGUMENT FROM SPEAKING IN TOUNGES
(1) My friend here, once started spontaneously speaking some jibberish that sounded to me kind of like Russian.
(2) But neither he nor I know anything about Russian.
(3) The only explanation is God.
(4) Therefore, God exists.
103. ARGUMENT FROM EXODUS
(1) If the Exodus story has any basis in historical fact, then God exists.
(2) Some guy found some chariot wheels at the bottom of the Red Sea.
(3) There is absolutely no other way that chariots could get to the bottom of the Red Sea.
(4) This means the Exodus story is true.
(5) Therefore, God exists.
104. ARGUMENT FROM MARTYRDOM
(1) The apostles would not have died for something they knew wasn't true.
(2) Atheist gives examples of martyrs outside Christendom.
(3) Obviously those examples were fooled by Satan.
(4) Therefore, God exists.
106. ARGUMENT FROM LACK OF DISPROOF
(1) You can't prove God doesn't exist!
(2) Therefore, God exists.
107. ARGUMENT FROM ANECDOTAL EXPERIENCE (I)
(1) I once experienced something I can't explain.
(2) Atheists offer several possible, natural explanations.
(3) You're just guessing! I was there.
(4) Therefore, God exists.
138. ARGUMENT FROM TERRORISM (I)
(1) Terrorists destroyed the WTC, killing thousands.
(2) One piece of the rubble sort of looks like a cross.
(3) Therefore, God exists.
143. ARGUMENT FROM SPAGHETTI
(1) A few people saw something weird in a bowl of spaghetti.
(2) Some Catholics believe that it is the Virgin Mary.
(3) Therefore, God exists.
169. ARGUMENT FROM A BAD TRIP
(1) I went to a party and took LSD.
(2) I saw demons attacking me.
(3) Then Jesus came and drove the demons away.
(4) So I joined the Assemblies of God.
(5) Therefore, God exists.
172. ARGUMENT FROM PRAYER
(1) When I pray, either it comes true or God has a better plan.
(2) Therefore, God exists.
182. ARGUMENT FROM RAIN (aka PERCHANCE'S SISTER'S ARGUMENT III)
(1) I wanted it to be a sunny day.
(2) I prayed it wouldn't rain.
(3) We had two thunderstorms.
(4) Obviously, God didn't want to answer my prayer.
(5) Of course not! What a selfish thing to pray for! How dare I try to compel God to my selfish desires!
(6) The rain was God's punishment for my selfish desires.
(7) Therefore, God exists.
218. ARGUMENT FROM ABUSING THE BODY
(1) One time, I fasted for three days straight, prayed on my knees for hours, and didn't sleep, either.
(2) At the end of that time, God answered me.
(3) You see, you just have to mortify the flesh and accept the things of the spirit in order to meet God.
(4) No, there is no possibility that it was a hallucination!
(5) Therefore, God exists.
219. ARGUMENT FROM ECSTASY (used by a number of saints)
(1) I woke up last night with a feeling of indescribable pleasure and joy.
(2) It couldn't have been sexual; I'm holy and never have thoughts like those.
(3) So the ecstasy must have come from God.
(4) Therefore, God exists.
254. ARGUMENT FROM MUSHROOMS
(1) This pizza tastes funny.
(2) That purple llama on the ceiling is juggling chainsaws.
(3) Purple llamas can't juggle chainsaws.
(4) It must be a miracle!
(5) Therefore, God exists.
257. ARGUMENT FROM NOT-BELIEVING
(1) The New Testament says people like you would question us.
(2) You question us.
(3) Therefore the bible is true.
(4) Therefore, God exists.
259. ARGUMENT FROM METEORS (FALWELL'S ARGUMENT)
(1) God hates gay people.
(2) God is merciful.
(3) Disney World held a Gay Day parade.
(4) God could punish Disney World by sending hurricanes, earthquakes, and possibly a meteor to Florida.
(5) God didn't, thus proving both postulate 1 and 2.
(6) Therefore, God exists.
263. ARGUMENT FROM PERSONAL ABILITY
(1) I prayed to God, and then lifted a car off my trapped puppy.
(2) I couldn't have done that without God.
(3) Therefore, God exists.
275. ARGUMENT FROM GOOD AND BAD BEHAVIOR
(1) Sometimes I do good things and sometimes I do bad things.
(2) When I do something good this PROVES that God, my Guardian Angel etc are helping me to be good.
(3) Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Oh God help me to be strong and steadfast against temptation till I die so that You God will not in Your infinite mercy, send me to Hell.
(4) When I do something bad this PROVES that the Devil has tempted me to do EVIL.
(5) Whatever I do it proves that either God or the Devil is real.
(6) Therefore, God exists.
294. "TRUE BECAUSE IT IS INCONSISTENT" ARGUMENT
(1) If the Bible were cooked up by some smooth-talking manipulative authors, it would have been perfect and seamless and without any apparent inconsistencies.
(2) But the Bible IS inconsistent, erroneous, and plain goofy at many places
(3) So the Bible is NOT a product of some smooth-talking manipulative authors.
(4) Hence the Bible is the word of God.
(5) Therefore, God exists.
323. ARGUMENT FROM A VIDEO I WATCHED WITH MY DAD
(1) Me and my dad watched this video where the Virgin Mary appeared on a building in Egypt. No, it was kinda blurry... lots of people saw it though and they were pointing at it.
(2) Therefore, God exists.
329. ARGUMENT FROM WHAT MAKES SENSE
(1) Doesn't it just make more sense that an all-knowing, all-powerful, all-good deity created the world out of nothingness, from magic, essentially, and then punished us for eating a piece of fruit, and then incarnated himself in human flesh and came down to shed his own blood so he could break his own rules, and then went through hell on a temporary basis and then went back into the sky and promised to come back and take everyone who believed in him to this heaven no one has ever seen?
(2) Well, doesn't it?
(3) Therefore, God exists.
335. ARGUMENT FROM AGNOSTICISM IN INDIA
(1) [non-believer asks if the theist would still call his religious experiences Christian if he had been raised in another country]
(2) Would you call your agnostic experiences agnostic if you had been raised in India?
(3) Therefore, God exists.
337. MODIFIED TRILEMMA ARGUMENT
(1) Jesus was either lord, liar, or lunatic.
(2) Can you PROVE He was a liar or lunatic?
(3) Therefore, God exists.
Conceptual Guerilla's Strategy and Tactics - Defeat The Right In Three Minutes - Sounds alarmist, but strangely, almost all of it strikes a chord with me. Which just shows you left wing I am *g*
Veil go a long way - Burqa covered band in Afghanistan with songs like "He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Burka" by "The Hollies" (wth?!)
Three Hundred Proofs of God's Existence
Some of the funniest ones (do read the rest, as there are many other great "proofs")
8. ARGUMENT FROM MIRACLES
(1) My aunt had cancer.
(2) The doctors gave her all these horrible treatments.
(3) My aunt prayed to God and now she doesn't have cancer.
(4) Therefore, God exists.
34. ARGUMENT FROM MANIFESTATIONS
(1) If you turn your head sideways and squint a little, you can see an image of a bearded face in that tortilla.
(2) Therefore, God exists.
36. ARGUMENT FROM INCOMPLETE DEVASTATION
(1) A plane crashed killing 143 passengers and crew.
(2) But one child survived with only third-degree burns.
(3) Therefore, God exists.
42. ARGUMENT FROM INCOHERENT BABBLE
(1) See that person spazzing on the church floor babbling incoherently?
(2) That's how infinite wisdom reveals itself.
(3) Therefore, God exists.
77. ARGUMENT FROM PERSONAL SANITY
(1) I've had religious experiences that can't be explained unless I'm insane or God exists.
(2) Therefore, God exists.
93. ARGUMENT FROM SPEAKING IN TOUNGES
(1) My friend here, once started spontaneously speaking some jibberish that sounded to me kind of like Russian.
(2) But neither he nor I know anything about Russian.
(3) The only explanation is God.
(4) Therefore, God exists.
103. ARGUMENT FROM EXODUS
(1) If the Exodus story has any basis in historical fact, then God exists.
(2) Some guy found some chariot wheels at the bottom of the Red Sea.
(3) There is absolutely no other way that chariots could get to the bottom of the Red Sea.
(4) This means the Exodus story is true.
(5) Therefore, God exists.
104. ARGUMENT FROM MARTYRDOM
(1) The apostles would not have died for something they knew wasn't true.
(2) Atheist gives examples of martyrs outside Christendom.
(3) Obviously those examples were fooled by Satan.
(4) Therefore, God exists.
106. ARGUMENT FROM LACK OF DISPROOF
(1) You can't prove God doesn't exist!
(2) Therefore, God exists.
107. ARGUMENT FROM ANECDOTAL EXPERIENCE (I)
(1) I once experienced something I can't explain.
(2) Atheists offer several possible, natural explanations.
(3) You're just guessing! I was there.
(4) Therefore, God exists.
138. ARGUMENT FROM TERRORISM (I)
(1) Terrorists destroyed the WTC, killing thousands.
(2) One piece of the rubble sort of looks like a cross.
(3) Therefore, God exists.
143. ARGUMENT FROM SPAGHETTI
(1) A few people saw something weird in a bowl of spaghetti.
(2) Some Catholics believe that it is the Virgin Mary.
(3) Therefore, God exists.
169. ARGUMENT FROM A BAD TRIP
(1) I went to a party and took LSD.
(2) I saw demons attacking me.
(3) Then Jesus came and drove the demons away.
(4) So I joined the Assemblies of God.
(5) Therefore, God exists.
172. ARGUMENT FROM PRAYER
(1) When I pray, either it comes true or God has a better plan.
(2) Therefore, God exists.
182. ARGUMENT FROM RAIN (aka PERCHANCE'S SISTER'S ARGUMENT III)
(1) I wanted it to be a sunny day.
(2) I prayed it wouldn't rain.
(3) We had two thunderstorms.
(4) Obviously, God didn't want to answer my prayer.
(5) Of course not! What a selfish thing to pray for! How dare I try to compel God to my selfish desires!
(6) The rain was God's punishment for my selfish desires.
(7) Therefore, God exists.
218. ARGUMENT FROM ABUSING THE BODY
(1) One time, I fasted for three days straight, prayed on my knees for hours, and didn't sleep, either.
(2) At the end of that time, God answered me.
(3) You see, you just have to mortify the flesh and accept the things of the spirit in order to meet God.
(4) No, there is no possibility that it was a hallucination!
(5) Therefore, God exists.
219. ARGUMENT FROM ECSTASY (used by a number of saints)
(1) I woke up last night with a feeling of indescribable pleasure and joy.
(2) It couldn't have been sexual; I'm holy and never have thoughts like those.
(3) So the ecstasy must have come from God.
(4) Therefore, God exists.
254. ARGUMENT FROM MUSHROOMS
(1) This pizza tastes funny.
(2) That purple llama on the ceiling is juggling chainsaws.
(3) Purple llamas can't juggle chainsaws.
(4) It must be a miracle!
(5) Therefore, God exists.
257. ARGUMENT FROM NOT-BELIEVING
(1) The New Testament says people like you would question us.
(2) You question us.
(3) Therefore the bible is true.
(4) Therefore, God exists.
259. ARGUMENT FROM METEORS (FALWELL'S ARGUMENT)
(1) God hates gay people.
(2) God is merciful.
(3) Disney World held a Gay Day parade.
(4) God could punish Disney World by sending hurricanes, earthquakes, and possibly a meteor to Florida.
(5) God didn't, thus proving both postulate 1 and 2.
(6) Therefore, God exists.
263. ARGUMENT FROM PERSONAL ABILITY
(1) I prayed to God, and then lifted a car off my trapped puppy.
(2) I couldn't have done that without God.
(3) Therefore, God exists.
275. ARGUMENT FROM GOOD AND BAD BEHAVIOR
(1) Sometimes I do good things and sometimes I do bad things.
(2) When I do something good this PROVES that God, my Guardian Angel etc are helping me to be good.
(3) Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Oh God help me to be strong and steadfast against temptation till I die so that You God will not in Your infinite mercy, send me to Hell.
(4) When I do something bad this PROVES that the Devil has tempted me to do EVIL.
(5) Whatever I do it proves that either God or the Devil is real.
(6) Therefore, God exists.
294. "TRUE BECAUSE IT IS INCONSISTENT" ARGUMENT
(1) If the Bible were cooked up by some smooth-talking manipulative authors, it would have been perfect and seamless and without any apparent inconsistencies.
(2) But the Bible IS inconsistent, erroneous, and plain goofy at many places
(3) So the Bible is NOT a product of some smooth-talking manipulative authors.
(4) Hence the Bible is the word of God.
(5) Therefore, God exists.
323. ARGUMENT FROM A VIDEO I WATCHED WITH MY DAD
(1) Me and my dad watched this video where the Virgin Mary appeared on a building in Egypt. No, it was kinda blurry... lots of people saw it though and they were pointing at it.
(2) Therefore, God exists.
329. ARGUMENT FROM WHAT MAKES SENSE
(1) Doesn't it just make more sense that an all-knowing, all-powerful, all-good deity created the world out of nothingness, from magic, essentially, and then punished us for eating a piece of fruit, and then incarnated himself in human flesh and came down to shed his own blood so he could break his own rules, and then went through hell on a temporary basis and then went back into the sky and promised to come back and take everyone who believed in him to this heaven no one has ever seen?
(2) Well, doesn't it?
(3) Therefore, God exists.
335. ARGUMENT FROM AGNOSTICISM IN INDIA
(1) [non-believer asks if the theist would still call his religious experiences Christian if he had been raised in another country]
(2) Would you call your agnostic experiences agnostic if you had been raised in India?
(3) Therefore, God exists.
337. MODIFIED TRILEMMA ARGUMENT
(1) Jesus was either lord, liar, or lunatic.
(2) Can you PROVE He was a liar or lunatic?
(3) Therefore, God exists.
Post ID: 106035325745435668
Questions and Answers about Foreign Policy (and the U.S. Invasion of Iraq) (c) 2003 anarchie bunker
Q: Daddy, why did we have to attack Iraq?
A: Because they had weapons of mass destruction.
Q: But the inspectors didn't find any weapons of mass destruction.
A: That's because the Iraqis were hiding them.
Q: And that's why we invaded Iraq?
A: Yep. Invasions always work better than inspections.
Q: But after we invaded them, we STILL didn't find any weapons of mass destruction, did we?
A: That's because the weapons are so well hidden. Don't worry, we'll find something, probably right before the 2004 election.
Q: Why did Iraq want all those weapons of mass destruction?
A: To use them in a war, silly.
Q: I'm confused. If they had all those weapons that they planned to use in a war, then why didn't they use any of those weapons when we went to war with them?
A: Well, obviously they didn't want anyone to know they had those weapons, so they chose to die by the thousands rather than defend themselves.
Q: That doesn't make sense. Why would they choose to die if they had all those big weapons with which they could have fought back?
A: It's a different culture. It's not supposed to make sense.
Q: I don't know about you, but I don't think they had any of those weapons our government said they did.
A: Well, you know, it doesn't matter whether or not they had those weapons. We had another good reason to invade them anyway.
Q: And what was that?
A: Even if Iraq didn't have weapons of mass destruction, Saddam Hussein was a cruel dictator, which is another good reason to invade another country.
Q: Why? What does a cruel dictator do that makes it OK to invade his country?
A: Well, for one thing, he tortured his own people.
Q: Kind of like what they do in China?
A: Don't go comparing China to Iraq. China is a good economic competitor, where millions of people work for slave wages in sweatshops to make U.S. corporations richer.
Q: So if a country lets its people be exploited for American corporate gain, it's a good country, even if that country tortures people?
A: Right.
Q: Why were people in Iraq being tortured?
A: For political crimes, mostly, like criticizing the government.
People who criticized the government in Iraq were sent to prison and tortured.
Q: Isn't that exactly what happens in China?
A: I told you, China is different.
Q: What's the difference between China and Iraq?
A: Well, for one thing, Iraq was ruled by the Ba'ath party, while China is Communist.
Q: Didn't you once tell me Communists were bad?
A: No, just Cuban Communists are bad.
Q: How are the Cuban Communists bad?
A: Well, for one thing, people who criticize the government in Cuba are sent to prison and tortured.
Q: Like in Iraq?
A: Exactly.
Q: And like in China, too?
A: I told you, China's a good economic competitor. Cuba, on the other hand, is not.
Q: How come Cuba isn't a good economic competitor?
A: Well, you see, back in the early 1960s, our government passed some laws that made it illegal for Americans to trade or do any business with Cuba until they stopped being Communists and started being capitalists like us.
Q: But if we got rid of those laws, opened up trade with Cuba, and started doing business with them, wouldn't that help the Cubans become capitalists?
A: Don't be a smart-ass.
Q: I didn't think I was being one.
A: Well, anyway, they also don't have freedom of religion in Cuba.
Q: Kind of like China and the Falun Gong movement?
A: I told you, stop saying bad things about China. Anyway, Saddam Hussein came to power through a military coup, so he's not really a legitimate leader anyway.
Q: What's a military coup?
A: That's when a military general takes over the government of a country by force, instead of holding free elections like we do in the United States.
Q: Didn't the ruler of Pakistan come to power by a military coup?
A: You mean General Pervez Musharraf? Uh, yeah, he did, but Pakistan is our friend.
Q: Why is Pakistan our friend if their leader is illegitimate?
A: I never said Pervez Musharraf was illegitimate.
Q: Didn't you just say a military general who comes to power by forcibly overthrowing the legitimate government of a nation is an illegitimate leader?
A: Only Saddam Hussein. Pervez Musharraf is our friend, because he helped us invade Afghanistan.
Q: Why did we invade Afghanistan?
A: Because of what they did to us on September 11th.
Q: What did Afghanistan do to us on September 11th?
A: Well, on September 11th, nineteen men - fifteen of them Saudi Arabians - hijacked four airplanes and flew three of them into buildings, killing over 3,000 Americans.
Q: So how did Afghanistan figure into all that?
A: Afghanistan was where those bad men trained, under the oppressive rule of the Taliban.
Q: Aren't the Taliban those bad radical Islamics who chopped off people's heads and hands?
A: Yes, that's exactly who they were. Not only did they chop off people's heads and hands, but they oppressed women, too.
Q: Didn't the Bush administration give the Taliban 43 million dollars back in May of 2001?
A: Yes, but that money was a reward because they did such a good job fighting drugs.
Q: Fighting drugs?
A: Yes, the Taliban were very helpful in stopping people from growing opium poppies.
Q: How did they do such a good job?
A: Simple. If people were caught growing opium poppies, the Taliban would have their hands and heads cut off.
Q: So, when the Taliban cut off people's heads and hands for growing flowers, that was OK, but not if they cut people's heads and hands off for other reasons?
A: Yes. It's OK with us if radical Islamic fundamentalists cut off people's hands for growing flowers, but it's cruel if they cut off people's hands for stealing bread.
Q: Don't they also cut off people's hands and heads in Saudi Arabia?
A: That's different. Afghanistan was ruled by a tyrannical patriarchy that oppressed women and forced them to wear burqas whenever they were in public, with death by stoning as the penalty for women who did not comply.
Q: Don't Saudi women have to wear burqas in public, too?
A: No, Saudi women merely wear a traditional Islamic body covering.
Q: What's the difference?
A: The traditional Islamic covering worn by Saudi women is a modest yet fashionable garment that covers all of a woman's body except for her eyes and fingers. The burqa, on the other hand, is an evil tool of patriarchal oppression that covers all of a woman's body except for her eyes and fingers.
Q: It sounds like the same thing with a different name.
A: Now, don't go comparing Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia. The Saudis are our friends.
Q: But I thought you said 15 of the 19 hijackers on September 11th were from Saudi Arabia.
A: Yes, but they trained in Afghanistan.
Q: Who trained them?
A: A very bad man named Osama bin Laden.
Q: Was he from Afghanistan?
A: Uh, no, he was from Saudi Arabia too. But he was a bad man, a very bad man.
Q: I seem to recall he was our friend once.
A: Only when we helped him and the mujahadeen repel the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan back in the 1980s.
Q: Who are the Soviets? Was that the Evil Communist Empire Ronald Reagan talked about?
A: There are no more Soviets. The Soviet Union broke up in 1990 or thereabouts, and now they have elections and capitalism like us. We call them Russians now.
Q: So the Soviets - I mean, the Russians - are now our friends?
A: Well, not really. You see, they were our friends for many years after they stopped being Soviets, but then they decided not to support our invasion of Iraq, so we're mad at them now. We're also mad at the French and the Germans because they didn't help us invade Iraq either.
Q: So the French and Germans are evil, too?
A: Not exactly evil, but just bad enough that we had to rename French fries and French toast to Freedom Fries and Freedom Toast.
Q: Do we always rename foods whenever another country doesn't do what we want them to do?
A: No, we just do that to our friends. Our enemies, we invade.
Q: But wasn't Iraq one of our friends back in the 1980s?
A: Well, yeah. For a while.
Q: Was Saddam Hussein ruler of Iraq back then?
A: Yes, but at the time he was fighting against Iran, which made him our friend, temporarily.
Q: Why did that make him our friend?
A: Because at that time, Iran was our enemy.
Q: Isn't that when he gassed the Kurds?
A: Yeah, but since he was fighting against Iran at the time, we looked the other way, to show him we were his friend.
Q: So anyone who fights against one of our enemies automatically becomes our friend?
A: Most of the time, yes.
Q: And anyone who fights against one of our friends is automatically an enemy?
A: Sometimes that's true, too. However, if American corporations can profit by selling weapons to both sides at the same time, all the better.
Q: Why?
A: Because war is good for the economy, which means war is good for America. Also, since God is on America's side, anyone who opposes war is a godless unAmerican Communist. Do you understand now why we attacked Iraq?
Q: I think so. We attacked them because God wanted us to, right?
A: Yes.
Q: But how did we know God wanted us to attack Iraq?
A: Well, you see, God personally speaks to George W. Bush and tells him what to do.
Q: So basically, what you're saying is that we attacked Iraq because George W. Bush hears voices in his head?
A. Yes! You finally understand how the world works. Now close your eyes, make yourself comfortable, and go to sleep. Good night.
Q: Good night, Daddy.
Q: Daddy, why did we have to attack Iraq?
A: Because they had weapons of mass destruction.
Q: But the inspectors didn't find any weapons of mass destruction.
A: That's because the Iraqis were hiding them.
Q: And that's why we invaded Iraq?
A: Yep. Invasions always work better than inspections.
Q: But after we invaded them, we STILL didn't find any weapons of mass destruction, did we?
A: That's because the weapons are so well hidden. Don't worry, we'll find something, probably right before the 2004 election.
Q: Why did Iraq want all those weapons of mass destruction?
A: To use them in a war, silly.
Q: I'm confused. If they had all those weapons that they planned to use in a war, then why didn't they use any of those weapons when we went to war with them?
A: Well, obviously they didn't want anyone to know they had those weapons, so they chose to die by the thousands rather than defend themselves.
Q: That doesn't make sense. Why would they choose to die if they had all those big weapons with which they could have fought back?
A: It's a different culture. It's not supposed to make sense.
Q: I don't know about you, but I don't think they had any of those weapons our government said they did.
A: Well, you know, it doesn't matter whether or not they had those weapons. We had another good reason to invade them anyway.
Q: And what was that?
A: Even if Iraq didn't have weapons of mass destruction, Saddam Hussein was a cruel dictator, which is another good reason to invade another country.
Q: Why? What does a cruel dictator do that makes it OK to invade his country?
A: Well, for one thing, he tortured his own people.
Q: Kind of like what they do in China?
A: Don't go comparing China to Iraq. China is a good economic competitor, where millions of people work for slave wages in sweatshops to make U.S. corporations richer.
Q: So if a country lets its people be exploited for American corporate gain, it's a good country, even if that country tortures people?
A: Right.
Q: Why were people in Iraq being tortured?
A: For political crimes, mostly, like criticizing the government.
People who criticized the government in Iraq were sent to prison and tortured.
Q: Isn't that exactly what happens in China?
A: I told you, China is different.
Q: What's the difference between China and Iraq?
A: Well, for one thing, Iraq was ruled by the Ba'ath party, while China is Communist.
Q: Didn't you once tell me Communists were bad?
A: No, just Cuban Communists are bad.
Q: How are the Cuban Communists bad?
A: Well, for one thing, people who criticize the government in Cuba are sent to prison and tortured.
Q: Like in Iraq?
A: Exactly.
Q: And like in China, too?
A: I told you, China's a good economic competitor. Cuba, on the other hand, is not.
Q: How come Cuba isn't a good economic competitor?
A: Well, you see, back in the early 1960s, our government passed some laws that made it illegal for Americans to trade or do any business with Cuba until they stopped being Communists and started being capitalists like us.
Q: But if we got rid of those laws, opened up trade with Cuba, and started doing business with them, wouldn't that help the Cubans become capitalists?
A: Don't be a smart-ass.
Q: I didn't think I was being one.
A: Well, anyway, they also don't have freedom of religion in Cuba.
Q: Kind of like China and the Falun Gong movement?
A: I told you, stop saying bad things about China. Anyway, Saddam Hussein came to power through a military coup, so he's not really a legitimate leader anyway.
Q: What's a military coup?
A: That's when a military general takes over the government of a country by force, instead of holding free elections like we do in the United States.
Q: Didn't the ruler of Pakistan come to power by a military coup?
A: You mean General Pervez Musharraf? Uh, yeah, he did, but Pakistan is our friend.
Q: Why is Pakistan our friend if their leader is illegitimate?
A: I never said Pervez Musharraf was illegitimate.
Q: Didn't you just say a military general who comes to power by forcibly overthrowing the legitimate government of a nation is an illegitimate leader?
A: Only Saddam Hussein. Pervez Musharraf is our friend, because he helped us invade Afghanistan.
Q: Why did we invade Afghanistan?
A: Because of what they did to us on September 11th.
Q: What did Afghanistan do to us on September 11th?
A: Well, on September 11th, nineteen men - fifteen of them Saudi Arabians - hijacked four airplanes and flew three of them into buildings, killing over 3,000 Americans.
Q: So how did Afghanistan figure into all that?
A: Afghanistan was where those bad men trained, under the oppressive rule of the Taliban.
Q: Aren't the Taliban those bad radical Islamics who chopped off people's heads and hands?
A: Yes, that's exactly who they were. Not only did they chop off people's heads and hands, but they oppressed women, too.
Q: Didn't the Bush administration give the Taliban 43 million dollars back in May of 2001?
A: Yes, but that money was a reward because they did such a good job fighting drugs.
Q: Fighting drugs?
A: Yes, the Taliban were very helpful in stopping people from growing opium poppies.
Q: How did they do such a good job?
A: Simple. If people were caught growing opium poppies, the Taliban would have their hands and heads cut off.
Q: So, when the Taliban cut off people's heads and hands for growing flowers, that was OK, but not if they cut people's heads and hands off for other reasons?
A: Yes. It's OK with us if radical Islamic fundamentalists cut off people's hands for growing flowers, but it's cruel if they cut off people's hands for stealing bread.
Q: Don't they also cut off people's hands and heads in Saudi Arabia?
A: That's different. Afghanistan was ruled by a tyrannical patriarchy that oppressed women and forced them to wear burqas whenever they were in public, with death by stoning as the penalty for women who did not comply.
Q: Don't Saudi women have to wear burqas in public, too?
A: No, Saudi women merely wear a traditional Islamic body covering.
Q: What's the difference?
A: The traditional Islamic covering worn by Saudi women is a modest yet fashionable garment that covers all of a woman's body except for her eyes and fingers. The burqa, on the other hand, is an evil tool of patriarchal oppression that covers all of a woman's body except for her eyes and fingers.
Q: It sounds like the same thing with a different name.
A: Now, don't go comparing Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia. The Saudis are our friends.
Q: But I thought you said 15 of the 19 hijackers on September 11th were from Saudi Arabia.
A: Yes, but they trained in Afghanistan.
Q: Who trained them?
A: A very bad man named Osama bin Laden.
Q: Was he from Afghanistan?
A: Uh, no, he was from Saudi Arabia too. But he was a bad man, a very bad man.
Q: I seem to recall he was our friend once.
A: Only when we helped him and the mujahadeen repel the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan back in the 1980s.
Q: Who are the Soviets? Was that the Evil Communist Empire Ronald Reagan talked about?
A: There are no more Soviets. The Soviet Union broke up in 1990 or thereabouts, and now they have elections and capitalism like us. We call them Russians now.
Q: So the Soviets - I mean, the Russians - are now our friends?
A: Well, not really. You see, they were our friends for many years after they stopped being Soviets, but then they decided not to support our invasion of Iraq, so we're mad at them now. We're also mad at the French and the Germans because they didn't help us invade Iraq either.
Q: So the French and Germans are evil, too?
A: Not exactly evil, but just bad enough that we had to rename French fries and French toast to Freedom Fries and Freedom Toast.
Q: Do we always rename foods whenever another country doesn't do what we want them to do?
A: No, we just do that to our friends. Our enemies, we invade.
Q: But wasn't Iraq one of our friends back in the 1980s?
A: Well, yeah. For a while.
Q: Was Saddam Hussein ruler of Iraq back then?
A: Yes, but at the time he was fighting against Iran, which made him our friend, temporarily.
Q: Why did that make him our friend?
A: Because at that time, Iran was our enemy.
Q: Isn't that when he gassed the Kurds?
A: Yeah, but since he was fighting against Iran at the time, we looked the other way, to show him we were his friend.
Q: So anyone who fights against one of our enemies automatically becomes our friend?
A: Most of the time, yes.
Q: And anyone who fights against one of our friends is automatically an enemy?
A: Sometimes that's true, too. However, if American corporations can profit by selling weapons to both sides at the same time, all the better.
Q: Why?
A: Because war is good for the economy, which means war is good for America. Also, since God is on America's side, anyone who opposes war is a godless unAmerican Communist. Do you understand now why we attacked Iraq?
Q: I think so. We attacked them because God wanted us to, right?
A: Yes.
Q: But how did we know God wanted us to attack Iraq?
A: Well, you see, God personally speaks to George W. Bush and tells him what to do.
Q: So basically, what you're saying is that we attacked Iraq because George W. Bush hears voices in his head?
A. Yes! You finally understand how the world works. Now close your eyes, make yourself comfortable, and go to sleep. Good night.
Q: Good night, Daddy.
Post ID: 106034823730924455
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