Technorati Profile
Like The Real Thing
This ST headline can be a strong contender in the International Stupidest Headline Contest.
Fortunately, the rest of the article made more sense... It was apparently the packaging of the pirated software that "looked like the real thing", not the functionalities.
Filed under: Duh
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Harm Principle
Catching up on posts on SingaporeAngle, I realized that Plato has indeed written about Freedom of Speech and causing harm (there's also this thing about offense and democracy). That'll teach me to blog before research.
Maybe when the scars from On Liberty fade a little...
Filed under: Duh
Maybe when the scars from On Liberty fade a little...
Filed under: Duh
Signs Of Changing Times
Sign #1
Blogger makes providing feedback significantly more direct, encouraging public policing. This flag option does not appear on Blogger blogs hosted on users' own servers however. I foresee a whole new level of flaming/ trolling soon. Don't like a blog/ blogger? Flag it, and persuade people to do it as well.
Sign #2
NUS's IVLE (academic webportal) takes the first steps to product endorsement and advertisement?
IVLE frontpage announces:
Filed under: Musings, Picture, Internet, Blogger, NUS
Blogger makes providing feedback significantly more direct, encouraging public policing. This flag option does not appear on Blogger blogs hosted on users' own servers however. I foresee a whole new level of flaming/ trolling soon. Don't like a blog/ blogger? Flag it, and persuade people to do it as well.
Sign #2
NUS's IVLE (academic webportal) takes the first steps to product endorsement and advertisement?
IVLE frontpage announces:
Soundbuzz reaching out to NUS studentsAlthough the announcement gives no clue, this is presumably an attempt to woo (notorious) undergraduates away from the dark side of downloading pirated music by the albums. What's next? Buying computer games and booking cinema tickets through IVLE? (Aside: What does "fraction of the full retail price" really mean? 99/100? Be still, my bargain-hunter's heart.)
Singapore's largest online music retailer, Soundbuzz is reaching out and offering NUS students an exclusive opportunity to enjoy downloaded music at a fraction of the full retail price. As the music store is exclusively for NUS staff and students, downloads can only be made by logging in with a NUSNET user ID. Login to your IVLE workspace to access the Soundbuzz music store.
Filed under: Musings, Picture, Internet, Blogger, NUS
Friday, September 23, 2005
Amending My Police Report
Ok, now that my sexuality has been restored to all its glory, go catch that thief.
Filed under: Humour, Picture
Thursday, September 22, 2005
On Freedom of Speech
It took me a long time to decide to write something regarding the recent debate of freedom of speech vs. racism. Besides the fact that I'm pretty tied up lately, this procrastination was also caused by knowing (even before I begin) that I am no fan of either camp. That puts me in the pretty uncomfortable position of having to argue both for and against freedom of speech, the result of which is a tepid and uninspiring list at best or a exercise in waffling at worst. I must also confess that I haven't been keeping up with the discussion at the point of origin and other assorted blogs, but rather quickly read two somewhat similar viewpoints. So if I rehash some argument that's already been flogged to death... well, you know why.
First off, MercerMachine summed up his thoughts pretty well. To summarize, he is against making racist comments illegal because a) it is a quasi-solution which does not address racism itself, merely its symptoms (racist speech) b) it encourages a culture of fear and ultimately tamps down active citizenry. He suggests employing discourse as the main channel of rehabilitation (if I'm not wrong, E@L agrees as well) and the court of public opinion as the main channel of enforcement.
Ideologically, I agree that this is the best solution. Being able to talk and reason a way out of social ills, to self-police, is a utopian landscape. Pragmatically (I just have to use this word huh) however, I just don't see that happening anytime soon.
First of all, it assumes that everyone, those who commit crimes and those who judge them (i.e., the public), is rational and will respond to reason. Many times however, we forget that one brand of reason is seldom universal. Hence we have North Korea, KKK, wive beaters, Mac lovers. Reason all you want, but I doubt any of them will have a change in heart simply as a result of intellectual discourse (well, maybe there's hope yet for the Mac lovers). Furthermore, regardless of one's best intentions, the court of public opinion can well manifest itself as a lynch mob, operating in shadow or with full legal impunity and authority or otherwise. I may be a little extreme, but no one familiar with the Internet should be entirely foreign to flame wars and blogstorms. Being in the majority at any one time is not logically equivalent to being right or just, and for every one person who was flamed for being offensive, I can probably find another who was flamed for just speaking his/ her mind. When the "public police" becomes the perpetrator, or when the court of public opinion fails, to whom shall the accused turn? I say work out these kinks, and only then take a bet on human nature and public policing. (Ok wait, I just remembered MercerMachine think those guys should be caned and shipped off for international community service. I happen to think so myself. More of us around and they will be, under a law of public opinion. Ironically, this still makes racist speech a crime, with even harsher punishment than before.)
It is also argued that making racist speech a crime solves only the surface symptoms, but not the root (racist thoughts/ nature). This is particularly insidious because it gives racist thoughts a chance to further fester undetected. By extension then, paracetamol, chlorpheniramine, and countless other drugs should logically be avoided, since they treat only the surface symptoms. Punishing crimes like murder, rape and battery should similarly be banned, as they only deal with deviant behaviour rather than deviant thoughts. My opinion is that making racist speech a crime is not exclusive with eradicating racist thoughts. The former sets the boundary between right and wrong and enforces it while the latter can be carried out by discourse, education and debate targeted at the general public. Having the boundary does not preclude discourse, not if one enters it with genuine respect that the boundary presumably seeks to instil in the first place (i.e., making not flushing a crime does not mean one cannot enter a debate about whether it should be a crime, while making sure he flushes the toilet in the meantime. Which is not to say that everyone do flush, but I digress).
One could also argue for making a clearer distinction between thought, speech and action, and setting speech aside as a unique category that is beyond thought and still not quite action yet. Law can then be applied to action, discourse to thought and speech, thereby leaving freedom of speech unfettered (actually, I'd think that someone is bound to bring up that a) it's not freedom of speech that's being punished, but rather irresponsible speech. By transitivity, it's irresponsibility that's the issue, not freedom of speech b) speech and action are not entirely distinct all of the times). This brings me to my last point. Leaving the philosophy to others, I don't think absolute freedom of speech is possible or even desirable. Ignoring the merits of driving deviant thoughts underground, is it reasonable to grant impunity to someone vowing a repeat of 911? Is it reasonable not to accost someone who swears he's going to put a bullet through someone else? The line between speech and action is very thin at times. Freedom of speech may be great, but beyond it, there should be a greater responsibility to humankind, if nothing else. I'm not going to sex this up with some sophisticated terms (I bet some philosopher has got that covered- they always do). Neither am I going to perform further research to back up my arguments (unless another week magically appears and my assignments are banished). I am not denying the merits or importance of freedom of speech, merely playing devil's advocate by pointing out that there are always exceptions to the rule*.
It is around these exceptions we dance, not the larger scheme of things.
What of such laws instilling fear in Singaporeans? I shall return to my usual fluffy and facetious (dare I say it: infantile) programming tomorrow and say no more.
Filed under: Musings
*Brain fart: the rule "there are always exceptions to the rule" implies that there is an exception to it as well, making itself a contradiction and therefore necessarily untrue. Huh.
First off, MercerMachine summed up his thoughts pretty well. To summarize, he is against making racist comments illegal because a) it is a quasi-solution which does not address racism itself, merely its symptoms (racist speech) b) it encourages a culture of fear and ultimately tamps down active citizenry. He suggests employing discourse as the main channel of rehabilitation (if I'm not wrong, E@L agrees as well) and the court of public opinion as the main channel of enforcement.
Ideologically, I agree that this is the best solution. Being able to talk and reason a way out of social ills, to self-police, is a utopian landscape. Pragmatically (I just have to use this word huh) however, I just don't see that happening anytime soon.
First of all, it assumes that everyone, those who commit crimes and those who judge them (i.e., the public), is rational and will respond to reason. Many times however, we forget that one brand of reason is seldom universal. Hence we have North Korea, KKK, wive beaters, Mac lovers. Reason all you want, but I doubt any of them will have a change in heart simply as a result of intellectual discourse (well, maybe there's hope yet for the Mac lovers). Furthermore, regardless of one's best intentions, the court of public opinion can well manifest itself as a lynch mob, operating in shadow or with full legal impunity and authority or otherwise. I may be a little extreme, but no one familiar with the Internet should be entirely foreign to flame wars and blogstorms. Being in the majority at any one time is not logically equivalent to being right or just, and for every one person who was flamed for being offensive, I can probably find another who was flamed for just speaking his/ her mind. When the "public police" becomes the perpetrator, or when the court of public opinion fails, to whom shall the accused turn? I say work out these kinks, and only then take a bet on human nature and public policing. (Ok wait, I just remembered MercerMachine think those guys should be caned and shipped off for international community service. I happen to think so myself. More of us around and they will be, under a law of public opinion. Ironically, this still makes racist speech a crime, with even harsher punishment than before.)
It is also argued that making racist speech a crime solves only the surface symptoms, but not the root (racist thoughts/ nature). This is particularly insidious because it gives racist thoughts a chance to further fester undetected. By extension then, paracetamol, chlorpheniramine, and countless other drugs should logically be avoided, since they treat only the surface symptoms. Punishing crimes like murder, rape and battery should similarly be banned, as they only deal with deviant behaviour rather than deviant thoughts. My opinion is that making racist speech a crime is not exclusive with eradicating racist thoughts. The former sets the boundary between right and wrong and enforces it while the latter can be carried out by discourse, education and debate targeted at the general public. Having the boundary does not preclude discourse, not if one enters it with genuine respect that the boundary presumably seeks to instil in the first place (i.e., making not flushing a crime does not mean one cannot enter a debate about whether it should be a crime, while making sure he flushes the toilet in the meantime. Which is not to say that everyone do flush, but I digress).
One could also argue for making a clearer distinction between thought, speech and action, and setting speech aside as a unique category that is beyond thought and still not quite action yet. Law can then be applied to action, discourse to thought and speech, thereby leaving freedom of speech unfettered (actually, I'd think that someone is bound to bring up that a) it's not freedom of speech that's being punished, but rather irresponsible speech. By transitivity, it's irresponsibility that's the issue, not freedom of speech b) speech and action are not entirely distinct all of the times). This brings me to my last point. Leaving the philosophy to others, I don't think absolute freedom of speech is possible or even desirable. Ignoring the merits of driving deviant thoughts underground, is it reasonable to grant impunity to someone vowing a repeat of 911? Is it reasonable not to accost someone who swears he's going to put a bullet through someone else? The line between speech and action is very thin at times. Freedom of speech may be great, but beyond it, there should be a greater responsibility to humankind, if nothing else. I'm not going to sex this up with some sophisticated terms (I bet some philosopher has got that covered- they always do). Neither am I going to perform further research to back up my arguments (unless another week magically appears and my assignments are banished). I am not denying the merits or importance of freedom of speech, merely playing devil's advocate by pointing out that there are always exceptions to the rule*.
It is around these exceptions we dance, not the larger scheme of things.
What of such laws instilling fear in Singaporeans? I shall return to my usual fluffy and facetious (dare I say it: infantile) programming tomorrow and say no more.
Filed under: Musings
*Brain fart: the rule "there are always exceptions to the rule" implies that there is an exception to it as well, making itself a contradiction and therefore necessarily untrue. Huh.
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Look Who's Back
It's Final Fantasy VII! (takes out inner-child geek hat)
The gang is back, and boy have they grown. FFVII was never my favourite (that'd be FFVIII) but it was still good to see Cloud and Company once again.
Some screenshots from Final Fantasy VII Advent Children:
A fighting scene inspired from Hero? One of the best in the movie
Spiderwoman incarnate. Funny, I didn't think Tifa was that great in the game...
... or that pretty. Stand aside, Rinoa.
Yuffie, Sid, Tifa, Vincent, Marlene, Barrett. All looking un-lego-like! (Marlene looks more like Tifa's daughter than Barrett's... Weird.)
Altogether again. Cloud and Tifa together? I can only hope...
Man of the hour: Cloud I-can't-smile-because-the-weight-of-the-world-is-on-me Strife
More faces I never thought I'd see...
Plot-wise, Advent Children is somewhat filmsy. The angst displayed by Cloud becomes pretty old pretty soon into the movie, especially when one recalls a similar attitude in the male protaganists of both the FFVII and FFVIII games. It's a fine thing to use a stoic, guilt-ridden hero to invoke poignancy, but too much of it... Well let's just say Cloud seemed somewhat menopausal when he's not fighting in the movie.
The fighting scenes though, are fast, furious and a feast for the eyes. Those alone are worth the entire price of admission. I like it that the producers have decided to eschew the high level of realism employed in the last Final Fantasy movie, because fantasy is what they do best. Favourite action scene in the movie? Tifa's fight scene, with Cloud's overdrive scene coming in at a close second. Awesome stuff.
Pics courtesy of Square Enix.
Filed under: Movies, Games, Musings
Friday, September 16, 2005
Superachiever Alert!
Would the 三字经 be something like 同学吐，很恶心？
I'm not sure if I should congratulate the kid or pity him..
Filed under: Picture, Humour
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Brokeback Mountain Trailer
Watch the trailer for Brokeback Mountain (62nd Venice Film Festival, Golden Lion winner) here (and also mirrored here). The film looks pretty good to me, and it's quite refreshing to see Hathaway in a role other than a beleaguered princess of Genovia. Not to mention it's based on a novella written by the Annie E. Proulx, who penned one of my favourite novels The Shipping News.
I wonder if the film is coming to Singapore, and whether it'll retain its R-rating unscathed.
Filed under: Entertainment, Movie
Gone In 180 Seconds
It was meant to be a quick shower after a badminton game... Hop into a shower stall, strip, rinse, towel off. 3 minutes at most. In that short window of opportunity, my friend and I emerged to find our bags ransacked, with 2 wallets and 1 mobile phone missing between the two of us. The Sports and Recreation Centre toilet/ changing room was empty, and a search of nearby rubbish bins yielded no discarded wallets relieved of cash.
One exhausting afternoon of cancelling cards and filing a police statement (the police officer gave us a long lecture on how prone to crime the SRC is... it's apparently quite notorious around the Clementi station) later, I finally sat down to review the aftermath:
a) Kenneth Cole wallet (a gift from Intrepidette some Christmases ago) - approx $100 (?)
b) NRIC (first loss) - $100
c) Driving licence - $25
d) Matriculation Card - $15
e) 1 DBS Credit Card - $5
f) 1 UOB Debit Card - $5 (with a beautiful string of 16 numbers I have memorized)
g) 2 UOB ATM Cards - $10
h) Tertiary Ezlink Card - $21
i) 1 NLB Card - $5
j) Cash - $10
Total bill - $296 (equivalent to tickets for 2 to Michael Buble's upcoming concert/ 1 ticket to the stage production Snow Wolf Lake/ buying World of Warcraft and playing for about 1 year/ three-fifths of an iPod/ 2 leather Kenneth Cole watches/ almost 1 steel-strapped Kenneth Cole watch/ 4 brand new XBox games/ 6 years of basic webhosting/ 3 years supply of CK One/ 210 packages of treats for my dog/ 18 paperbacks/ 4 512mb thumbdrives/ 30 tubs of Ben & Jerry's/ almost 1 Xbox 360/ about 20 single trips to the cinema)
Of course, that figure ignores how much trouble it is to replace certain cards like the driver's licence. Beyond that, there is also the bereft-ness of walking around without a single cent in my pockets and suddenly realizing I cannot even take public transport. Not to mention the sense of violation, of wrongness, knowing that some stranger somewhere is riffling through my wallet and sizing up my cards. That he'll likely discard the wallet, which means something to me, is more salt on the wound.
On the brighter side of things, I don't keep any personal memorabilia in my wallet and my mobile phone was spared since I kept it in a separate compartment of my bag (by chance rather than design). Plus I haven't yet bought an iPod, else I'd have lost that too. Cold comfort, if nothing else.
Whoever you are, you sneaky, fleet-of-foot fiend, you'll get yours someday, hopefully while you are cross-dressed as a ballerina and dancing sur les pointes on a bed of red-hot nails.
Filed under: Personal, Musings, Tragedy
One exhausting afternoon of cancelling cards and filing a police statement (the police officer gave us a long lecture on how prone to crime the SRC is... it's apparently quite notorious around the Clementi station) later, I finally sat down to review the aftermath:
a) Kenneth Cole wallet (a gift from Intrepidette some Christmases ago) - approx $100 (?)
b) NRIC (first loss) - $100
c) Driving licence - $25
d) Matriculation Card - $15
e) 1 DBS Credit Card - $5
f) 1 UOB Debit Card - $5 (with a beautiful string of 16 numbers I have memorized)
g) 2 UOB ATM Cards - $10
h) Tertiary Ezlink Card - $21
i) 1 NLB Card - $5
j) Cash - $10
Total bill - $296 (equivalent to tickets for 2 to Michael Buble's upcoming concert/ 1 ticket to the stage production Snow Wolf Lake/ buying World of Warcraft and playing for about 1 year/ three-fifths of an iPod/ 2 leather Kenneth Cole watches/ almost 1 steel-strapped Kenneth Cole watch/ 4 brand new XBox games/ 6 years of basic webhosting/ 3 years supply of CK One/ 210 packages of treats for my dog/ 18 paperbacks/ 4 512mb thumbdrives/ 30 tubs of Ben & Jerry's/ almost 1 Xbox 360/ about 20 single trips to the cinema)
Of course, that figure ignores how much trouble it is to replace certain cards like the driver's licence. Beyond that, there is also the bereft-ness of walking around without a single cent in my pockets and suddenly realizing I cannot even take public transport. Not to mention the sense of violation, of wrongness, knowing that some stranger somewhere is riffling through my wallet and sizing up my cards. That he'll likely discard the wallet, which means something to me, is more salt on the wound.
On the brighter side of things, I don't keep any personal memorabilia in my wallet and my mobile phone was spared since I kept it in a separate compartment of my bag (by chance rather than design). Plus I haven't yet bought an iPod, else I'd have lost that too. Cold comfort, if nothing else.
Whoever you are, you sneaky, fleet-of-foot fiend, you'll get yours someday, hopefully while you are cross-dressed as a ballerina and dancing sur les pointes on a bed of red-hot nails.
Filed under: Personal, Musings, Tragedy
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Tagged
Dawna very kindly arrowed me to "list three random facts about yourself that your friends might not know. And then tag five other friends to do it".
Hm.
If I were being an absolute arsehole, I'd just say:
1) One fact that you do not know about me is that there is only one fact you do not know about me.
Ha. But I shall be nicer.
1) Don't snicker, but I have disproved the adage "once you learn how to ride a bicycle, you never forget how".
2) The most number of books I have collected from a single author is 59.
3) I may graduate with a Computing degree, but I cannot build a PC to save my life. I do know how to go click-click-click on Dell's spiffy ordering website though. Does that count?
And being less brave than Dawna, I shall not even bother to tag anyone. No need to trample my own ego by arrowing someone and then realizing no one reads my blog.
Filed under: Personal, Blogging
Hm.
If I were being an absolute arsehole, I'd just say:
1) One fact that you do not know about me is that there is only one fact you do not know about me.
Ha. But I shall be nicer.
1) Don't snicker, but I have disproved the adage "once you learn how to ride a bicycle, you never forget how".
2) The most number of books I have collected from a single author is 59.
3) I may graduate with a Computing degree, but I cannot build a PC to save my life. I do know how to go click-click-click on Dell's spiffy ordering website though. Does that count?
And being less brave than Dawna, I shall not even bother to tag anyone. No need to trample my own ego by arrowing someone and then realizing no one reads my blog.
Filed under: Personal, Blogging
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Of Racism and Sedition
Unless you've been in self-exile these past few days, you will probably know that two locals got charged under the Seditions Act for posting seditious material on the web. Singapore Angle has a good coverage of opinions from the local blogosphere so far which I won't rehash.
I'm curious about something though. What or who determines intent, extent and how? The Seditions Act covers almost every base I can think of, from the realm of the oral to the written and printed. In fact, if I'm not wrong, "everything [which] by its form, shape or in any other manner capable of suggesting words or ideas" potentially covers telepathic thoughts as well, if they exist (proof that our legislators are forward-thinking). How useful and practical is such an act? Pretty much gives the "who" in question carte blanche if you ask me.
This is not to downplay the severity of the duo's actions, because details are sketchy in that area. At the back of my mind, I believe that they must have done or said something seriously wrong, for them to have the dubious honor of being the first two people to be charged under the act for ten years. Even without a trial, I've pretty much robbed them of the benefit of the doubt, and that's pretty disturbing to me. Granted, they probably did deserve getting charged, but that the invocation of one mysterious, obscure and blanket act can swing public opinion immediately leaves something sour in my mouth. Who knows, I could well be an accused charged under a similarly obscure act next week. Employ basic common sense? Well, I can try, but then, there's really no guarantee is there? This message illustrates my point. "Are you allowed to challenge people's cu[l]tural beliefs about religon [in Singapore], or would that upset people too much?". I'd have thought that challenging the religious beliefs of anybody anywhere without being invited to would fall under the category of "rude" rather than common sense. Apparently not.
Kind of ironic that we have to rely on so much common sense, when Singapore is reputed to have countless self-explanatory laws to govern everything from flushing the toilet to spitting to retrofitting window rivets. Go figure.
Off topic, the news has gotten onto Slashdot, and the discussion is there mixed with racism ("slant-eyed rice-pickers"), good-old-USA sentiment and total misinformation ("no chewing gum in public". As far as I know, it's import and sale of chewing gum that's banned). This one takes the cake. 22% of all prisoners get raped? That's almost 1 in 4 prisoners. What, did the census collector go undercover?
Filed under: News, Singapore, Musings, Law
I'm curious about something though. What or who determines intent, extent and how? The Seditions Act covers almost every base I can think of, from the realm of the oral to the written and printed. In fact, if I'm not wrong, "everything [which] by its form, shape or in any other manner capable of suggesting words or ideas" potentially covers telepathic thoughts as well, if they exist (proof that our legislators are forward-thinking). How useful and practical is such an act? Pretty much gives the "who" in question carte blanche if you ask me.
This is not to downplay the severity of the duo's actions, because details are sketchy in that area. At the back of my mind, I believe that they must have done or said something seriously wrong, for them to have the dubious honor of being the first two people to be charged under the act for ten years. Even without a trial, I've pretty much robbed them of the benefit of the doubt, and that's pretty disturbing to me. Granted, they probably did deserve getting charged, but that the invocation of one mysterious, obscure and blanket act can swing public opinion immediately leaves something sour in my mouth. Who knows, I could well be an accused charged under a similarly obscure act next week. Employ basic common sense? Well, I can try, but then, there's really no guarantee is there? This message illustrates my point. "Are you allowed to challenge people's cu[l]tural beliefs about religon [in Singapore], or would that upset people too much?". I'd have thought that challenging the religious beliefs of anybody anywhere without being invited to would fall under the category of "rude" rather than common sense. Apparently not.
Kind of ironic that we have to rely on so much common sense, when Singapore is reputed to have countless self-explanatory laws to govern everything from flushing the toilet to spitting to retrofitting window rivets. Go figure.
Off topic, the news has gotten onto Slashdot, and the discussion is there mixed with racism ("slant-eyed rice-pickers"), good-old-USA sentiment and total misinformation ("no chewing gum in public". As far as I know, it's import and sale of chewing gum that's banned). This one takes the cake. 22% of all prisoners get raped? That's almost 1 in 4 prisoners. What, did the census collector go undercover?
Filed under: News, Singapore, Musings, Law
I'm No Cartoonist But...
Click on the pic to see larger version... you know the drill. Too lazy to type in the link? Here it is.
Filed under: News, Singapore, Humor, Comics, Law
Disclaimer: This is merely a manifestation of my infantile musings and is not a political, sociological, intellectual, personal, racial statement or observation. Heck I'm not even sure it even qualifies as a drawing. So, repeat after me... "I am not upset. I am not offended. This man is a genius. I am not upset." Okay okay... I won't force you to repeat that genius part.
Monday, September 12, 2005
Impassioned Appeal
Celine Dion makes an impassioned appeal on CNN for victims of Hurricane Katrina. I've been touched by her music many times, but this is the first time her words did the same.
Watch it for yourself, and pray for them.
Help us find a place
Guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we’ll be safe
Filed under: News
Watch it for yourself, and pray for them.
Help us find a place
Guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we’ll be safe
Filed under: News
Sunday, September 11, 2005
Battles at Sorrow's Furnace
Guild Wars made live a huge update last week, and man, was I hooked. Here're some snaps (especially for the WoWers... see what you're missing!):
(Click on the thumbprints for the uncropped large jpegs)
Manly Ranger Versus Hulking Fugly Boss
Ranger nocks an arrow...
... and lets it fly under the belt
No Yakslapper I: Ranger Cannot Believe It
No Yakslapper II: Manly Ranger Weeps
No Yakslapper III: Ranger Asks God Why
What's a Yakslapper you ask? My monk is glad to answer (click image to see stats) :
I so need to study more.
Filed under: Picture, Guildwars, Gaming
(Click on the thumbprints for the uncropped large jpegs)
Manly Ranger Versus Hulking Fugly Boss
Ranger nocks an arrow...
... and lets it fly under the belt
No Yakslapper I: Ranger Cannot Believe It
No Yakslapper II: Manly Ranger Weeps
No Yakslapper III: Ranger Asks God Why
What's a Yakslapper you ask? My monk is glad to answer (click image to see stats) :
I so need to study more.
Filed under: Picture, Guildwars, Gaming
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
Amend VS ID
Morning Torture
Anyone who knows me well enough should know my elegantly simple motto when it comes to exercise: No Pain, No Pain.
Having woken up today at the crack of dawn to do the pain thing, my system is therefore in quite a shock. Those people who tell you jogging is a great way to begin your day?
They lie.
Barely five minutes into the run, my brain began to chant for sleep every time one of my feet hits the concrete. That works out to approximately 3 times every 5 seconds. Midway into the run, the orderly mantra has degenerated into something like SLEEPSLEEPSLEEPEVERYWHEREHURTSSLEEPSLEEPWANTTODIEPLEASELETMESLEEP. You get the idea.
Unfortunately, this mantra could do nothing about what I not-so-affectionately dub my Jogger Chauvinism. That happens when I pick up the pace whenever I am in the vicinity of a) a bus-stop b) another jogger c) a pedestrian walking in my direction. This is despite every cell in my body reenacting a Hollywood disaster flick by weeping and begging for mercy and divine intervention or termination. The end result of Jogger Chauvinism? Limp and unresponsive limbs and aches in body parts I never knew could ache.
Runners often allude to a rush after their running session. Today, I understood what they meant. That is, if they were referring to shortness of breath, quadrupled vision, lights that appeared twice as harsh and glaring, throbbing eyelids, a sense of imminent doom, a parched throat and blood vessels threatening to burst open. Nothing like thinking you've got multiple organ failure to bring about an adrenaline rush.
So why torture myself? Here's why. It's people like him who blow my motto to smithereens and then some.
So if you do meet a guy going SLEEPSLEEPSLEEPEVERYWHEREHURTSSLEEPSLEEPWANTTODIEPLEASELETMESLEEP while sleep-running in a certain Tampines neighbourhood, be nice and give me a shove so I can gather more momentum and end the torture earlier. I'll thank you for it.
Filed under: Torture, Personal
p/s: I've exaggerated a bit in certain areas (for instance, I'm pretty sure I don't get quadrupled vision- Doubled or tripled vision at most), so there's no need to spam me with invitations for pills like Viagra. Really.
Having woken up today at the crack of dawn to do the pain thing, my system is therefore in quite a shock. Those people who tell you jogging is a great way to begin your day?
They lie.
Barely five minutes into the run, my brain began to chant for sleep every time one of my feet hits the concrete. That works out to approximately 3 times every 5 seconds. Midway into the run, the orderly mantra has degenerated into something like SLEEPSLEEPSLEEPEVERYWHEREHURTSSLEEPSLEEPWANTTODIEPLEASELETMESLEEP. You get the idea.
Unfortunately, this mantra could do nothing about what I not-so-affectionately dub my Jogger Chauvinism. That happens when I pick up the pace whenever I am in the vicinity of a) a bus-stop b) another jogger c) a pedestrian walking in my direction. This is despite every cell in my body reenacting a Hollywood disaster flick by weeping and begging for mercy and divine intervention or termination. The end result of Jogger Chauvinism? Limp and unresponsive limbs and aches in body parts I never knew could ache.
Runners often allude to a rush after their running session. Today, I understood what they meant. That is, if they were referring to shortness of breath, quadrupled vision, lights that appeared twice as harsh and glaring, throbbing eyelids, a sense of imminent doom, a parched throat and blood vessels threatening to burst open. Nothing like thinking you've got multiple organ failure to bring about an adrenaline rush.
So why torture myself? Here's why. It's people like him who blow my motto to smithereens and then some.
So if you do meet a guy going SLEEPSLEEPSLEEPEVERYWHEREHURTSSLEEPSLEEPWANTTODIEPLEASELETMESLEEP while sleep-running in a certain Tampines neighbourhood, be nice and give me a shove so I can gather more momentum and end the torture earlier. I'll thank you for it.
Filed under: Torture, Personal
p/s: I've exaggerated a bit in certain areas (for instance, I'm pretty sure I don't get quadrupled vision- Doubled or tripled vision at most), so there's no need to spam me with invitations for pills like Viagra. Really.
Friday, September 02, 2005
Friday's LinkFest
It's been quite the week... I've walked on stages, shook countless hands, tried an iPod (and to my surprise, loved it), learnt (a bit) about financial planning, gotten a sore throat, went crazy at Comex, went crazier when project deadlines start to loom like they always do. Probably more to come later, for now, knock yourself out with:
1) Some software you'll never see at Comex.
2) A short clip on losing the magic in a relationship (together with some teeth I'd say)
3) A hilarious "academic" take on why dudes don't get girls. Remember to check out the miffed email.
4) The mother of all lists- a list of lists.
5) The Revenge Against Hamsters... time to get back at the one which bit you.
6) The state of American politics, by an American I presume. I wonder how a Singaporean version will go.
7) A brand new theory - Intelligent Falling.
Don't understand this? Then maybe you haven't met the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Intelligent Design ranks right up there with Scientology- "irreductible" silliness in my opinion. Find out why.
Filed under: Internet, Article
1) Some software you'll never see at Comex.
2) A short clip on losing the magic in a relationship (together with some teeth I'd say)
3) A hilarious "academic" take on why dudes don't get girls. Remember to check out the miffed email.
4) The mother of all lists- a list of lists.
5) The Revenge Against Hamsters... time to get back at the one which bit you.
6) The state of American politics, by an American I presume. I wonder how a Singaporean version will go.
7) A brand new theory - Intelligent Falling.
"Things fall not because they are acted upon by some gravitational force, but because a higher intelligence, 'God' if you will, is pushing them down."
Don't understand this? Then maybe you haven't met the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Intelligent Design ranks right up there with Scientology- "irreductible" silliness in my opinion. Find out why.
Filed under: Internet, Article