afp (away from politics)

Sunday, April 30, 2006

posted by zyn :: 3:26 AM :: 2 Comments :: permalink

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gettin' down wi' ma homies

Saturday, April 29, 2006

So I attended a political rally today. It was cool. I never knew so many people would bother to turn up for rallies and yell things and clap and boo and cheer. And apparently rallies also got difference one. The friend I went with originally wanted to attend another rally but I managed to persuade him to come along with me to this one, and in return now I have to attend his "preferred" rally. Thus we can conclude that people do care about Singapore politics. No apathetic youths here.

Even scarier, no apathetic old men. In the cab on the way to the rally today (I got in and said the road name and the cab driver said, "Oh, going to rally ah?" I said, "Yeah, how you know!"), I was treated to a 20-minute lecture on why the government sucks. I was also rapidly sized-up, thoroughly undermined and summarily dismissed:


60-year-old cabbie:
I tell you ah, gahmen now they all donch know how to do things. I not happy with Singgapore gahmen. I tell my chewren, if they want to work for gahmen, I will disown them!

Me, somewhat taken aback by cabbie's vehemence and the fact that he has taken both hands off the wheel and is gesticulating wildly:
(faintly) Wah. Really ah.

Cabbie:
Yah really! I not joke, I tell you. I know all these scholars ah, they all no good one. Donch know anything!

Me, with a completely unexpected vague defensive stirring in my dinner-deprived belly:
Eh uncle, I scholar leh.

Cabbie, demonstrating rapid recovery and quick reflexes as he dodges two huge station wagons on either side:
Yah, but you right-hand scholar or left-hand scholar?

Me:
Har? Got right-hand and left-hand one ah?

Cabbie:
Of course lah! Right-hand is one day will become Minister one. Left-hand is wun become Minister one. I think you left-hand lah.

Me, with an indignance that surprises me even now:
Aiyoh uncle, why you see me no up one!

Cabbie:
I ask you, if you one day become Minister, you will go to rally meh? You will talk friend-friend with me meh? No lor! At this time you still sitting in office ah, I tell you!

Me, nothing to say:
Orh. Uh here stop can oredi lah.


For those who are interested, I will be spending the whole weekend talking like that. So fun!

posted by zyn :: 4:41 AM :: 7 Comments :: permalink

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the gospel of chee soon juan

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Prison Break somehow not so fun when you're watching it alone. Or maybe it's just that my alone-watching consists of being in complete darkness and it's a scary show. I scare easy.

Anyway, apparently there's this conspiracy theory circulating that notorious opposition leader Chee Soon Juan is actually acting as a PAP agent in a stupendous double bluff a la the newly-discovered gospel of Judas, in which it is "revealed" that Judas' betrayal-to-end-all-betrayals was known to and dictated by Jesus.

Amusing theory, yes, but could it be true? Let us examine the evidence.


* * * * * *

1992 by-election: Chee Soon Juan, then a NUS psychology lecturer, joins the SDP; his team wins 24.5% of the votes in the Marine Parade by-election

1993: Chee is sacked by NUS for allegedly abusing research funds. He goes on a hunger strike in protest, causing a split in the SDP and resulting in founder Chiam See Tong leaving. Until 1997 the SDP held 3 constituency seats; since Chiam left SDP has not managed to win a single seat back

1997 general elections: Chee separates MacPherson from the Marine Parade GRC, ostensibly so he can take on Matthias Yao mano e mano - he loses

2001 general elections: A week before the Nov 3 elections, Chee makes wild accusations against PM Goh on a Sunday morning walkabout, claiming that the PAP misled Parliament over an alleged $17b loan to former Indonesian president Suharto. As Wikipedia puts it: "The television broadcasts showed Chee running after Goh ranting through a loudhailer." Chee is sued for defamation and loses

Opposition members, who heretofore had encouraged voters to support any and all opposition, register Chee's antics with alarm and wisely change their tune to promote only their own parties, thereby dividing (and weakening?) the opposition

Chee also leads a team to contest Jurong GRC. He loses (are we sensing a pattern here?)

2002: Chee is fined for breaking the law by commenting on religion at the Speakers' Corner. As a result of this conviction he is ruled ineligible to run for the next general elections

2006 general elections: Two weeks before the elections, out of nowhere (note that he's not even running), Chee suddenly accuses the PAP of mishandling and covering up the NKF scandal and throws in allegations of corruption in HDB, GIC and CPF for good measure, resulting in a lawsuit threat and making his sweeping accusations headline news. Also, in flagrant floutation (yeah I made it up) of the no-podcast-during-election-period rule, Chee releases a political podcast on April 23

* * * * * *


Few people have been as vocal as Chee Soon Juan in opposing the PAP, but some of his actions not only broadcast his estrangement from common sense but also boost the PAP's image in comparison. In fact it seems that some SDP members are tentatively suggesting that Chee may be a liability to the party's credibility.

So - you decide lah. No political agenda, I just like to put together timelines for fun. Also, information is cobbled together from various sources so if anyone wants to add or amend please inform.

posted by zyn :: 1:14 AM :: 18 Comments :: permalink

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wishb

Friday, April 21, 2006

In the face of overwhelming opposition (how ironic), I should make this clear: I am not saying people aren't entitled to their opinions about the PAP. I am merely against serial vague complainers who demonstrate clear ignorance about the political system and electoral process. If you have real constructive criticism that is the result of research, good for you. But if all you do is whine and look blank when people ask you what it is you're against and what you would like to change - that's what annoys me. The examples I gave of people being willing to stand up for their opinions were (clearly, to me, but apparently not to everyone) logical extremes (hyperbole, anyone?). If you are against the US invasion of Iraq but can't provide a reason, I think you should keep your opinion to yourself. It's too easy to have a loud opinion about everything. There should be more accountability. That, of course, is my own opinion. I would never tell people not to have opinions... I mean, given how many I myself have.

It has also occurred to me that people may not place as much emphasis on good manners and basic respect as I do. That's fine, I respect that (see how that works?). Rudeness appears to be, somewhat bizarrely to me, a matter of subjectivity and I am thus content with contention.

posted by zyn :: 3:20 PM :: 3 Comments :: permalink

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heads up

Thursday, April 20, 2006

For those who are interested (is it only me? sigh), parliament has just been dissolved. Nomination day is April 27 and polling day will be May 6. Not that i'll get to vote or anything, so, whatever.

Speaking of elections, I'm quite amazed at the strong reactions people have had to the Minister Mentor dialogue and to the ST forum letters today. I hereby profess genuine surprise at the fact that people didn't think the journalists were being rude to LKY. Yes, he didn't answer their questions directly, likely due to a generation gap and general ponderousness of LKY speech (the guy is 83, ffs, cut him some slack), but they continually interrupted him and fired off question after vague-and-badly-phrased question, and if that isn't rude, then what is? Call me Victorian or Confucian but I believe in treating interviewees with respect, not by virtue of their LKY-founding-father-supreme-ruler-of-Singapore-ness but simply because they're fellow human beings. I mean, come on. As a journalist, isn't it unprofessional to keep earnestly attacking your interviewee with lousy questions rather than letting him finish what he has to say? I thought it was hilarious that LKY dissed them as Tim Russert wannabes because that's exactly how it I saw it too.

Having said that, someone pointed out to me that it doesn't make sense to say LKY should be afforded more respect and gratitude than any other world leader just because he coined the whole third-world-to-first thing, and I agree. The PAP definitely has to do more to win over the hearts and minds of today's spoiled-brat know-it-all youth, and LKY doesn't quite spring to mind as an appropriate spokesperson. But we are where we are today largely because of LKY and his party, and even if that rule by benevolent and prosperous dictatorship may be increasingly obsolete, that's no reason to be rude.

In any case, we slam the opposition for being disorganised and feeble, but is it any coincidence that those are also the perfect words to describe the 10 journalists at the dialogue? It seems like everyone's unhappy with the PAP but it's all talk and no action. Who among us dares to join the opposition? Who thinks it wise to vote against the PAP? Who will risk social and economic bankruptcy to voice the unfairness of the Singapore political and judicial systems? If it's not you, then stfu (I just learned that over the weekend from WoW, isn't it awesome? haha).

In the immortal words of LKY: "Ask yourself: does any government help the opposition to displace itself? Is it the business of the government?"

Singaporeans are dissatisfied with everything. They don't like PAP, but the opposition also not much better. Every one of them can do a better political job, but ask them for details and they stammer. Opposition for its own sake, I think, has some merit because it's at least a start. But until I know exactly what policies I want to change, and am prepared to change it, I will refrain from adding my voice to the clucking mess.

Aiyah I started out wanting to talk about food actually, but now it seems so banal. Anyway all I wanted to say is, French restaurants should be judged by their foie gras and Italian ones, by their spaghetti aglio olio. Les Amis is overrated, my favourite Ann Siang Rd restaurant is much better. But Il Lido at Sentosa is very good. Bring date to watch sunset. Okay done.

posted by zyn :: 3:21 PM :: 19 Comments :: permalink

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election questions

Monday, April 17, 2006

So I finally got around to watching the "Why my vote matters" dialogue between MM LKY and the under-30 journalists, mainly because of O2 (why O2?). First I must state, for the record, that I am completely blown away by MM. At the age of 83 he has more charisma and confidence in his little toenail than all the journalists combined, who just looked weirdly weedy and generally gormless. That said, MM also has the art of patronisation down pat - "I started life as a cross-examiner"; "Oh, come off it"; "Please. I haven't lost my memory". MM got style. I must learn from that.

Several people have already talked about the video itself, so I shall, as usual, digress and wax lyrical about something else.

(Except I do pity poor Ken Kwek, who got totally clobbered when he implied that people were afraid of voting against the ruling party because the votes were not secret.

MM:
You started off with a statement, a hundred, over a hundred told you they were afraid.

KK:
No, I didn't say that -

MM:
You said that! It's all in the... (laughs) please. I do not ha - I haven't lost my memory. We can go back on the tape. As I told you, I allow my grandchildren to speak back to me. But from time to time, when they're out of bounds, I put them down. And when you make that statement, without any evidence, I have to put it to you, get to the bottom of it, and you interviewed not 100, but 40, and a few of them said 'Oh I'd rather not say' and therefore you assumed they were afraid. How are they afraid? Because we terrify them. Isn't it your job to say there's nothing to be afraid? Are you afraid?

KK:
I -

MM:
Surely you're not.

What KK actually said was: "You don't need to know [which way people vote] to strike fear though... we talk to hundreds of voters in the course of our work, and it's either 'no comment', or 'if I vote against the [ruling party] I may...'" - and then he got cut off by MM.

And also I want to point out that some questions asked were really dumb, like "How much does the [ruling party] want to win back Potong Pasir and Hougang?" I mean, what answer did she expect? "Oh, we kind of want to a little bit, but it's not like we'll, you know, skip dinner for it or anything.")

But anyway. So.

While watching the video, it occurred to me that "Why does my vote matter, if at all?" may not be the most pertinent question for first-time voters like myself (I don't think I'll be voting though, I'm in Marine Parade GRC). So if you, like me, have never had the dubious privilege of voting, I think you should find out if you know the answers to these questions first:


1. What GRC are you registered to vote for?

2. What is a 'GRC' anyway? How is it different from an 'SMC'? What are electoral boundaries? Why does this all matter?

3. When people say 'When are elections?', what do they mean? Is it, like, a single day? What is the voting process like?

4. How many opposition parties are there and what are they?

5. How many opposition MPs are there in the government right now and who are they? (If you don't know the answer to this one feel free to shoot yourself. I would.)

6. Why do people say elections in Singapore are neither fair nor democratic? What obstacles exist here to prevent fair elections? Why does it seem like our opposition generally sucks in comparison to the ruling party?

7. Is my vote really not secret?

8. How do you ensure people come back to read this blog?

I can only offer the last answer: by posting the answers to the first seven questions another day. Hahahaha.

posted by zyn :: 9:46 PM :: 13 Comments :: permalink

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chicken soup for the soul

Bereft of argumentative discussion over the last few days, I unwisely provoked my mother during dinner tonight, much in the manner of an village idiot who, in an idle moment, pokes a pointy stick through the cardboard cage of a sleeping circus bear.


Me (brightly):
So! What's the Catholic church's stance on the gospel of Judas?

[My brother and father pause with forks halfway to their mouths.]

My mum:
Stance? What stance? There's no stance.

[Forks resume motion with sighs of hungry relief.]

My mum:
... The Judas thing isn't a gospel at all.

[Forks are reluctantly put down.]

Me (delighted to smell blood in the air):
Oh! Really! Then what is it?

My mum:
Well, gospels are good news, and this isn't good news. I mean, it portrays Judas as a good guy! And we all know that's not true, otherwise he wouldn't have killed himself. Anyway it doesn't fit in with the other gospels, the true gospels.

Me:
How do you know those are true gospels? There are like, dozens of gospels! Someone probably just randomly picked four and said, 'Oh, these look grammatical, it'll save us having to hire an editor.'

[My brother surreptitiously moves the knives away from my mum while my dad frantically signals for the check]

My mum:
Don't be ridiculous, the bible is God's word. God decides what goes into it.

Me:
So God sat down one day at his desk and compiled the bible and stapled it and then, like, threw it down from heaven?

My mum:
Look, the bible has a central theme of God's creation and goodness and you would know that if you went to church more often because you know what happens to people who don't go to church? They -


But I never find out my fate-to-be because my brother chooses at that point to fake his own death by choking on a tofu.

'tis sad, the lengths I go to for self-amusement.

posted by zyn :: 1:31 AM :: 6 Comments :: permalink

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why singapore needs political opposition

Sunday, April 16, 2006

(And thus we scratch the pseudo-political-blogging itch. But if you're expecting a treatise on the principles of democracy and good government, please go somewhere else. This entry, like all others, is really about me.)

It's Easter, so I begin with a religious analogy.

Every time I ask a Christian why there needs be suffering and injustice in the world, I am steamrollered by a barrage of earnest responses: man has to atone for original sin, bad things only happen to those who can endure them, and - the most annoying of all - God works in mysterious ways.

But the answer that gets under my skin is what a very intelligent and curiously religious person told me the other day - that if there was no suffering, we wouldn't be able to appreciate paradise.

So apparently hell on earth exists for a Christian heaven to be thrown into sharper relief. Like Morpheus says in Preludes and Nocturnes as he faces off the million lords of hell, "What power would hell have if those here imprisoned were not able to dream of heaven?"

(haha sorry, I'm in the middle of rereading Sandman.)

It may be a poor justification and may not make much sense, but there's an undeniable truth about the efficacy of comparison. It works in other situations too - if you've never had a crap job you wouldn't treasure a good one; if you've never dated an asshole you wouldn't recognise a sweet guy.

Is it becoming apparent where this very rambly analogy is going?

A senior ST columnist recently wrote that age and maturity have convinced her that political competition for its own sake is undesirable. But I still think - although I guess I may grow out of it - that any form of contention, however possibly practically unnecessary, serves a purpose. It baffles me how a government wise enough to acknowledge the need for private sector competition in industries like telecommunications and media (even though that kind of flopped) cannot see that it would be beneficial to institute some form of diversity in politics as well. Yes, the ruling party has done an awesome job. But how do we really judge its performance if there's nothing to measure it by?

Today's manifesto unveiling, for example. Sure, it sounds good - ensure that more civic groups are formed (by civic, I realise, the ruling party means NGOs that give aid to natural disasters, not, like, civil society), give out cash to all (this should not be construed to be anything so crass as bribery but as redistribution of wealth from the taxpayers to, well, other taxpayers), and "allow" people to work longer and retire later (see how generous the party is, so concerned that people will fester with boredom in their old age). What are the competing manifestos? Are we simply comparing this party with the absence of any party?

Interestingly, the first chapter of the WP manifesto is titled Government and Civil Liberties. There you go, instant comparison. How come this manifesto isn't given as much coverage in the national papers, with excerpts and all? (I love excerpts, they make your paper thicker and you think, yay! more news to read with my coffee.)

More importantly, competition is the quickest way to ensure that the boundaries are pushed. Without competition, I doubt (1) we would be getting free incoming calls; (2) iMacs would be so pretty; (3) I would have gone back to work on Thursday with gaping mouth holes.

How do we know we're getting the best deal if there's only one shop?

But the most crucial reason why we need political opposition in Singapore is not because our government isn't performing up to standard (it's probably better than most) or that people are unhappy (are they?), but simply because talking about politics makes people smarter. Any other country in the world that is lucky enough to experience political competition has citizens who are knowledgeable about government and who have opinions on things. Singaporeans can't tell you shit about anything that doesn't involve food, shopping, or gossip. Ask them about laksa vs. char kway teow, or which shop in Sim Lim Square will cheat your money, or whether whatshername really got a boob job, and they can go on for hours. But venture a suggestion that free speech may be worth more than having an elevator stop on every floor (hurrah!), and more often than not you'll just get a blank stare rather than an engaging discussion on the primacy of economic vs civil liberties.

Many Americans are idiots (sorry American readers heh), but almost every single one of them can tell you whether they're conservative or liberal, socially and fiscally. Do Singaporeans know what any of these four words means?

So, to summarise: political opposition is important because it gives us a basis for comparison, encourages better performance, and provides for good conversation.

And that, more than anything else, is why my life in Singapore will never be able to live up to my life in the US - because too few people are interested in talking politics and, by on extension, philosophy and economics. Hey that's a degree programme in Oxford!

Anyway that's my rant for today, which I shall choose to view as an indication of a full recovery after 72 straight somnolent hours of Sleeping, Sandman, and Sunken Temple. And no Solid foods. Fortunately I pretended to watch a documentary about freshwater things (correct or not?) last night, so my brain didn't totally decay. :)

Jay Chou tonight!!!

posted by zyn :: 6:27 PM :: 1 Comments :: permalink

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massive blood loss

Thursday, April 13, 2006

I pulled four teeth this morning and haven't stopped bleeding since. To her credit my dentist tried to warn me against extracting all four at one go - "We do two first and then two next week ok?", to which I replied "What?? You think I got so much time ah??"

So here I am, with four holes in my mouth, fainting cos I haven't eaten since dinner last night. Lucky it was a good one. If I die I don't want my last meal to have been chicken rice at the hawker centre across the road from my office. Or worse, McDonald's.

Uh oh I just got a very strange call. Have to go back office. Oh well. No rest for the bleeding.

Just wanted to add two things.

(1) After 20 years of giving naggy and often-unsolicited advice ("got headache? take panadol!"; "haven't eat lunch yet? want to die ah?"; "here, vitamin c - heard you cough 2 seconds ago") - it's nice to be on the receiving end for once. And of good advice, too. Any advice that allows me to eat chocolate is good advice.

(2) I haven't taken MC in at least six months. So of course the one day I take MC I get the call I've been waiting for. Good thing I haven't taken (that many) painkillers yet. Anyway it also shows that persistence pays off because I've been waiting for that call for almost a month. So this is to remind myself that no matter how unresponsive someone seems to be, if you try hard enough, they will one day return your calls.

Okay time's up gotta go.

posted by zyn :: 3:45 PM :: 4 Comments :: permalink

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oh, and also get stamps

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Every day, one person commits suicide in Singapore.

In fact, more Singaporeans die from suicide than from accidents, according to some study that was done in March.

The thing is - and I've known this for some time, although I don't know how I know it - that most people regret killing themselves immediately after they start doing it. Sometimes they can be saved, like if they slit their wrists (you bleed to death very slowly. And painfully) or if they take pills. But poison, or jumping, is usually fatal.

This is common sense. So people who are really serious about killing themselves (if you can be not-so-serious), who think they won't regret it, choose the no-way-back methods. Of course there's almost no way of knowing if they do regret it.

What I'm trying to say is, things do get better. "Suicidal behavior is crisis-oriented and acute in nature - if you can get a suicidal person through his crisis, chances are extremely good that he won’t kill himself later."

Against this is the intrinsically fascinating nature of suicide, the agency - and the knowledge of that agency - of irreversible termination. Of pulling the plug, of pouring water on exposed wires, of pressing shift-delete without recovery software (isn't it amazing how many analogies of ultimate annihilation are technologically-related?).

And then there's the tragic romance associated with suicide notes ('I’m going to walk to the bridge', says one. 'If one person smiles at me on the way, I will not jump.'). I, for one, have spent many an idle hour twirling my hair and composing a poetic farewell which, like my deathbed homily and Oscar acceptance speech, will probably never see the light of day.

Singapore is one of the few countries where attempted suicide is still illegal. Actual suicide I don't know, although I've heard horror stories about people being buried with handcuffs on.

I'm not going to discount anyone's depth of emotion by asking rhetorical questions like, why would anyone want to kill themselves? siao or what?

But I shall offer, humbly, without any formal psychological training, some advice for people who find themselves confronted with an unexpectedly suicidal friend:

1. Don't judge, give advice, be morbid, belittle feelings, share personal anecdotes, or blithely reassure. This includes statements like, "har? why you go and do that for?", "I tell you, you should just do this", "well, it could be worse", "can't be that bad lah", "that exact same thing happened to me this one time" and "don't worry, everything will be okay".

2. Listen. This usually involves, like, being quiet.

3. Whatever you do, don't leave the person hanging. Don't say, "eh I busy now, I call you back later"; or worse, "oops it's time for me to go out with my friends and get on with my life that is very worth living!"

4. Promise to follow up after the conversation with a specific agenda and time - call back, meet up, whatever - and really do it.

5. If you're out of your depth, advise your friend to call Samaritans of Singapore (1800-221-4444). They're good people and they know what they're doing.

I must say the whole concept of suicide is oddly compelling to me. I should go read up more on it, if anyone knows any good literature.

In the meantime, this is what started all the (probably pretentious) pontification. One of the most engaging articles I've read in a long time. Also my birthday is mentioned in the first paragraph and you know me and self-absorption.

* * * * * *

"You are lucky to be alive. So live every day to the fullest. Love yourself, okay? Okay."

posted by zyn :: 8:08 PM :: 3 Comments :: permalink

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for you

maybe we're all too old, too busy, too tired - too wise - to be playing games anymore. either you're with me, or you're not, and i'm really not in the mood to guess.

or maybe this is all projected. that's the spirit.

in any case, i'm happy for you. you've grown up, all big man now. and i mean that - if i smashed my car on the PIE you really would be the first person i'd call. i've been thinking about that and it hasn't changed although it's been some time since i've seen you. i promise to stop being patronising. well, i've promised for ages. but i think i'm getting better.

thanks for always being able to make me laugh no matter what, even in the middle of all the tears.

no regrets, dude. dude, no regrets.

(man i really want to rewatch dude, where's my car)

* * * * * *

on a much less maudlin and actually quite discordant note, check this out: parking idiots. it's genius!! but i must go and trawl through it first to make sure i'm not on the site. i quite a parking idiot. but at least i use mirrors and don't open door to check, hahaha.

posted by zyn :: 2:19 AM :: 0 Comments :: permalink

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faceglow.jpg

Saturday, April 08, 2006

Now that J has so kindly condescended to read my blog, I can finally change the design. :) Leave angry comment!

You'll all like it, I hope, because it's easier to read (at least iggy says so). My mum liked it because it's all brightness and light, unlike my old "evil" design ("why that girl wear until like that and got horns sticking out from her head some more?"). I like it because it looks deceptively (ah ha! correct use? always struggle with this word) simple but is actually technically more intricate than the last two designs.

Anyway, any and all feedback welcome, as always.

Lastly, may I take the liberty of pointing you in this direction? As an example of "political debate" that could "degenerate into an unhealthy, unreliable and dangerous discourse", it may not be that great; but as an illustration of how atas people try to be all heartlander, it's hilarious. Hahaha. Don't kill me, thank you for dinner. :)

posted by zyn :: 12:29 AM :: 7 Comments :: permalink

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inside man

Friday, April 07, 2006

I just have to get this off my chest before I can do anything else.

So last night I watched Inside Man. And it was quite an awesome movie, except for this one HUGE GAPING HOLE in logic that no one else (i.e. rottentomatoes) seems to have picked up on except me. Of course the simplest explanation for that is that I missed some vitally important scene in the movie for some reason. So if anyone has seen it, please please call me.

posted by zyn :: 4:59 PM :: 3 Comments :: permalink

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The Harpy

Thursday, April 06, 2006

See, I'm not used to the idea of not getting what I want. I can count on one hand the number of times in my life I didn't get something I really wanted. Three of them I later realised were blessings in disguise because if I'd gotten them I would have been miserable; the last thing I knew was doomed from the start so I took what I could and it was lovely and I was grateful for it.

But now, this new thing, I really want. And a few things stand in my way, but nothing more so than this person I shall call the Harpy. Which is apt, because she preys on men. Haha. I think so anyway, although I'm sure lots of people will disagree and point to her innate talents and stuff. Which is backed up by the fact that she looks nothing like a Harpy. She's not very tall and I suppose - if you threatened to pull my toenails out and ban me from Furla shops around the world - you could say she looks kind of sweet. And also she has really bad dress sense, which used to mean more than it does now because everyone in Singapore dresses like crap anyway. And she has language skills that, while competent, are not illuminating. Which they should be, given her profession. Okay that's just my pet peeve. Humour me.

So anyway. I've decided that I need a new strategy. There's no point sitting around and waiting and hoping that the Harpy will suddenly burst an appendix or that people will miraculously realise that I am better than the Harpy. I have to prove myself.

But how???

I shall go think about it over banana milkshakes. In the meantime, on a completely unrelated note, I am now Corporal Zynfandel! Sergeant this weekend, Master Sergeant next weekend. I hope.

For certain interested readers - I only WoW on weekends now hor. Last night I went out to dinner. Tonight I going out to watch movie. Work-life balance! Plus I very energetic today. Hahaha.

For all other readers - just wanted to point out new links. Terence is right now my new favourite blogger, he never fails to crack me up. Terry has awesome English (one of the highest compliments I can pay someone) and cool photos. I finally changed Weili's link. This blog reminds me that life is precious; this one has made me cry twice. This is an old friend, newly rediscovered.

But the most amazing blog award has to go to malefactor, not only a crazy creative person but also a good friend, for which I am eternally grateful.

posted by zyn :: 10:50 AM :: 6 Comments :: permalink

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how concerned are sg bloggers about "dangerous discourse"?

Tuesday, April 04, 2006

apparently, not very. in the last 24 hours:

amorality:
"good old Straits Times, the most absorbent English newspaper in Singapore for bad puppies."

diary of a lucky singaporean:
"I'm glad the govt has decided to prosecute bloggers who express harmful political opinions, of course blogs like xiaxue which discuss which handphones to buy, and which restaurants to eat at are considered healthy."

sycia:
"I will be thrown into a maximum-security prison for 5 years, then charged a certain amount of money that no ordinary person can hope to pay, and finally admitted into one of those government facilities in a personal room with soft walls if I just hold a political discussion on the internet."

a gecko's tale:
"like the many means of propagation used by plants, determined individuals will find ways to circumvent the law."

dog pundit:
"Singapore is a perfect fit for Xiaxue: both are little boogers afraid of their own self-importance."

adalmin:
"NOT talking about the elections is like having Diseased Uncle Ronnie over to tea and tactfully trying to ignore his bubbling pustules as they spit blobs of yellow goo into the pudding; it's simply, frankly, undeniably impossible to do with a straight face."

Amazing how many rancorous references there are to xiaxue. Me, I feel superior - I have achieved that ever-elusive goal of indifference.

Do you think posting random links constitutes "dangerous discourse"? Die.

posted by zyn :: 9:04 PM :: 2 Comments :: permalink

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a priest, a paladin, and varimathras

First things first - thanks for all the comics recommendations! Haven't had time to try them out yet but that's the first thing I'll do this weekend.

And as I told filip earlier, since I can no longer blog about politics (sekali prosecution) or about my job (sekali restitution) or about religion (sekali divine retribution), I shall have to blog about - you guessed it - World of Warcraft.

Say hello to the new design! Temporary, of course. I suspect I shall get sick of it soon. But in the meantime isn't it pretty???

Yes yes for the WoW pedants out there (you guys are real nerds leh), the character is actually a night elf druid. But druids have MUCH awesomer gear than warriors, at least in terms of looks. And this design is cool, cos I can update my character stats in tandem with my game, like when I level or increase armor or get sleepier or whatever. And of course I'm still holding out for my first epic item. Don't really want to level until I hit master sergeant, although that will mean spending my entire weekend in front of the computer, which will make me, like, REALLY a nerd.

(And also for the WoW pedants out there - are wisps really the new race? I'm all confused.)

Best viewed 1024x768 as usual, so sorry to all of you who have big-ass screens. I'm actually designing this on a big-ass screen so sorry to me too.

I need to take a course in web design, all my designs are really amateurish. I think my layouts are getting better though. This took even more ingeniousness than the ill-fated aiyahwhatever, for those of you who remember. I designed that too, of course. Not to blow my own horn or anything, you know. (Heehee.)

O2's comment (see previous post) made me think - this has been quite a downer of a blog, hasn't it? But despite all appearances to the contrary, I'm not unhappy. And neither is my blog, which is getting fat and lazy like its creator. So I've changed appearances! Haha. This is a placeholder until I can come up with a nicer (or at least more versatile) design to reflect my newfound position in society. As concluded on April 3 at roughly 3.38am, I am henceforth abandoning my crazy irresponsible I-got-dumped-so-I-have-immunity-from-judgement phase and resuming respectable citizenship.

Sigh. Was fun while it lasted.

So, new design, new layout, new blogging philosophy that consists of absolutely no controversial content whatsoever. Future entries will now read like this:


i haf e BEST FRIENDS EVER!!! todae filip gave me a cd and it was, like, e ONE cd i REALLY wanted!!! even tho i din tell him or nething!! and he rote me a really SWEEEEEET card 2!! squeeeee so happi!! happiness is, like, u noe, e MOST IMPORTANT thing on earth because if ur not happi den wat's e pt of life rite? i mean, its not lik u live to make other pple happi or nething! and its so easy 2 b happi, just make lots of GOOD BUDDYS who give you lots of stuff!!! i dunno y no one has figured this out yet!! heeheehee!!!


God just let me kill myself now.

posted by zyn :: 1:49 AM :: 7 Comments :: permalink

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political blogging is now illegal

Monday, April 03, 2006

Refer to Reuters article below. I'm taking down all my posts that could potentially be construed to "persistently propogate, promote or circulate political issues". Please spread the word and take this seriously hor. I don't want to have to visit friends in Changi Prison.

* * * * * *

Singapore warns bloggers against political postings
Mon Apr 3, 2006 12:39 PM BST


SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Political debate on the Internet could fuel "dangerous discourse" in Singapore, the government said on Monday, warning people who post political commentary on Web sites could face prosecution.

Speaking in parliament, senior minister of state Balaji Sadasivan, said anyone using the Internet to "persistently propagate, promote or circulate political issues" about Singapore during election periods was breaking the law.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, whose People's Action Party has dominated politics in the city-state since independence in 1965, is widely expected to call early elections in the coming months.

"In a free-for-all Internet environment, where there are no rules, political debate could easily degenerate into an unhealthy, unreliable and dangerous discourse, flush with rumours and distortions to mislead and confuse the public," Sadasivan said.

The tiny island-republic's laws require political parties and individuals to register if they want to post political content on the Internet.

Print media in Singapore are tightly controlled, but the Internet is rife with Web sites that discuss Singapore politics, from the critical newsgroup sg_review (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sg_Review/) to the comical www.talkingcock.com and blogs such as singabloodypore (http://singabloodypore.blogspot.com) and www.yawningbread.org.

It is not clear whether any of these sites have registered with the government.

While Sadasivan said the government's approach was to take "a light touch" in regulating the Internet, political activists have complained that the rules are too broadly defined, preventing an open debate. He said a change of the law was ruled out.

The rules also apply to "podcasting", an increasingly popular medium through which audio files are made available for download on the Internet, allowing Web surfers to listen to them at their convenience.

Last year, opposition politician Chee Soon Juan launched a podcast on the Singapore Democratic Party's Web site in an attempt to reach a wider audience and bypass the pro-government media.

posted by zyn :: 7:54 PM :: 9 Comments :: permalink

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april showers

Saturday, April 01, 2006

aiyah cham now everyone thinks i'm an attention-seeking blog whore. just to clarify, the previous post was emphatically not a (very transparent and not at all subtle and actually quite desperate) way to establish human connection. i was just trying to get hold of someone who (i thought) was ignoring me. he wasn't (i think) so it's all okay. well, i don't know if it's okay yet, but that's another story.

but thanks for all the blog love! :)) and check out tmw's papers! (heehee ok that's whoring.)

* * * * * *

it rained. i remember. diet coke and driving drunk and lying on the warm hood of a car.

i'm sorry for each of the stupid, selfish, hurtful things that i've done. i'm really quite an awful person, all things considered. i always think i'll start afresh, be a better person, do it right this time. but it's hard to escape our baser natures.

okay i won't generalise. it's just me.

anyway i think i've finally grown a conscience. to go with my newfound policy of honesty on request.

after all what is conscience but an unceasing consciousness that penetrates through the drunkest haze?

it's going to be a good day. i can feel it. :)

posted by zyn :: 12:17 PM :: 1 Comments :: permalink

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speaks

without thinking

stores

without purpose

stalks

without malice

steals

without offense