Christmas in New York (Long Overdue)

I know this post is highly highly overdue, but here we go. Spending a month in nyc over christmas was a truly amazing experience. The grime kills your oxfords(I had to spend $60 reconditioning them), I'm positive that there's a dead human body at the Bleecker subway stop, and you hear incessant sirens as you try to go to bed at night. You can't sleep in peace at night, you can't walk down the streets without constantly being somewhat on the edge, and you can't talk public transportation without silently cursing the screech of the trains that maniacally thunder past. I love it. There is a constant sense of edginess coupled with a vibe of unending excitement and dissatisfaction that seems strangely appealing and homely to me.

TED

It's a week to my finals, but i'm incredibly distracted. My only consolation is that in my distraction, I hope that I'm enriching other aspects of my life as well. Let me introduce you to ted.com.

"We believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and ultimately, the world. So we're building here a clearinghouse that offers free knowledge and inspiration from the world's most inspired thinkers, and also a community of curious souls to engage with ideas and each other." - ted.com



It's not just the case for Africa. Ayittey's controlled outburst towards the incumbents of the continent powerfully and incisively analyzes and deconstructs the corrupted co-dependence of poverty, the abuse of power and despot authoritarianism that is evident in many of our neighbours as well. More than that, he pleads, nay, yells for change in the generation that is to come. This is the future of development. Consultants, offer expertise to governments and state-owned enterprises that define such developing economies. Bankers, create monetary systems that provide locals opportunities to rise above their poverty. The advancement of the nations would spell out an immense amount of wealth for the private sector as well.

Do your part. If not now, then in time to come.

Anticipating Thanksgiving

On Tuesday next week, I'll finally be moving this lethargic lump of meat out of the little college town of Bloomington, first to Indy and then to Chicago. I must say, I'm quite excited to finally be in a city once more. This city-crossing, pavement-pounding pair of legs are well ready for some action.I'm looking forward, as well, to be spending time with old friends and black Friday! No prizes for guessing where and when most of this year's Christmas shopping is going to be done.

Bloomington is starting to get really cold. It's -8 outside now, and it's barely even winter. Leaves are still on the trees and I still have to transverse the campus to get to classes at 8 in the morning. I'll be desperately needing a pair of boots really soon I think. I promise there'll be pictures of what I believe will be an unbelievable week ahead up soon.

Since desperation seems to be the recurring theme in this post, it should also be known that I gave myself a haircut tonight. Having a permanently shielded field of vision and hair constantly poking at your eyes is not the best way to lead one's life. I trimmed the front and sides and trusted Olivia with the back(since I obviously wasn't able to see anything). It looks decent I think, but I really can't say much for the back since I am again, unable to see the back of my head. I think I just might be able to hold up to new york to get a haircut.

Tudung, Lipstick. Giveeemeee yoour munneee, uh-uh!

This is wayyy too hilarious to miss. I haven't laughed so hard in a while.

Well done Singapore.

"He told her to get back in line. But the tudung-clad customer, who had on a coat and gloves, placed a green paper bag on the counter and told him there was a bomb in it.

Despite the lipstick, the voice was clearly that of a man's."

Read more...

Evil

Looking at Adam and Eve as a case study. If Eve consumed the fruit without knowledge and understanding the notion of obedience, how then do we define original evil? Is evil an entity that in paradise was separate from humankind? Or does evil stem from the choices we make, regardless of whether we have the knowledge of right and wrong? If the serpent is seen as an the personification of evil that lingered on from primordial chaos, could the serpent not have tempted Adam and Eve to sin in other ways apart from consuming the forbidden fruit?

Simple enough, one might think. They lived in innocence before the fall, with no concept of right and wrong or good and evil. They only sinned when they disobeyed God's one single commandment! Let's reconsider that. Since innocence and ignorance absolved them from guilt in the garden, wouldn't innocence have then absolved them from the sin of lust(for the fruit) as well? After all, the concept of obedience can only be understood when placed next to the notion of disobedience, and disobedience did not exist, intellectually as a sin, for they were ignorant of good and evil as they had not consumed of the fruit. One can only exist with the coexistence or absence but foreknowledge of the other. True goodness only exists with the knowledge of evil, darkness only exists in the absence of light, obedience is only obedience when there is the deliberate denial of disobedience.

What then, if we view the serpent as an externalisation of our implicit desires, instead of the temptress and the instigator of evil? Is there then a way to give ourselves an explanation that might allow us to have a clearer picture of what sin truly is?

Consider.

Welcome to Foster Shea

So this is what Foster Shea looks like. And that's what we do at 4 am in the morning when the entire floor comes back intoxicated and not so sane, more often than not back only because all the parties in town have been busted by cops (Do notice the 2 very drunk boys in the background of the picture). Welcome to college life in a small town. No zouk, no mos, no attica, no arena, no clinic, not even the faintest whiff of an establishment like timbre. Just 200 sweaty bodies packed into the same house and getting high on keystone light.

Nasty really.




On an entirely different and unrelated tangent altogether,

Boremington

I know that this is not the best way to start of my college life here, but perhaps you'll understand after I reveal to you exactly how I have spent the past 2 days here.
Wednesday-Walked 30 min to get to downtown for a relatively more decent meal and 30 min to get back to the room.
Sat in car for 40 min from 11 onwards for lack of a better place to hang out(everything apart from the hospital's a&e dept is closed(on second thoughts, that might be closed as well)).
Thursday-Woke up at 930.
Looked for a place to have brunch at at 11. Most shops were still closed. Substandard sandwich which I did not finish.
Went back to bed from 12 to 3pm
Played squash from 3 to 5pm
Typed out inane blog entry at 706pm
Shall go to have pizza for dinner at 8pm

Ok, fine I saw a wild fox running through the grounds as I was walking back from downtown last night and it was really quite magnificent. One silver lining in the oppressive cloud that I fear might be iub. But I'm saving judgment for after the whole rhythm of school kicks in.

Oh and people are quite nice.

p.s. I'm singaporean, not korean damnnit!

San Francisco oh oh oh oh.

You've got to love the city of San Francisco. The weather, the waterfront, the gelato and the restaurants, woohoo! I had as well, my first taste of Korean food. Imagine having to travel 9000 miles just to have Korean down in Oakland. Goodness. But it was oh-so-good!

The Farmers' Market down by the ferry terminal was amazing as well. Never have i seen such a large variety of tomatoes, peaches, nectarines, pluots, plums and berries. It's currently peach and tomato season here in California, so as you might be able to imagine, it's quite a piece of peachylicious heaven here.



Off to a great start- The folks at united decided to upgrade me to business on the narita-sf leg of my flight! God bless their souls. The sky was gorgeous, but due to the insane brightness and my not-so-competent camera taking skills, you can't see that here.

The highly generous brother is indeed most knowledgeable when it comes to wining and dining(and some, fine, many other things of course). We went for dinner at One Market on the second night and may I say, the food was nothing short of excellent. The wood-grilled lamb that I had, brilliant. Together with the 2005 Tudor Pinot Noir, the restaurant earned my instant patronage! More importantly, it has the approval of the folks behind the Michelin stars as well. Located at the junction between The Embarcadero and Market Street, One Market is a must must go.
















Photos from the Farmers' Market that goes on at the ferry terminal building every weekend. So, what goes on here is that the farmers from all over California gather on saturdays to sell their produce, and with California being the home of the hippie-movement and organic farming, the produce is fantastically fresh and yummy!(jamie you'd love it)=)



Lastly, look at what I found at the counter of one of the oyster bars at the ferry terminal. Pretty funny much. Oh, but the shop has pretty decent ahi tuna poke.










p.s. dear all who sent me off at the airport, thank you so so much for the thought and gesture. Even my granny didn't send me off=p The book was an amazing parting gift and I believe I almost shed a tear as I was looking at it on the plane.




Oh, the places you'll go.

Charging By

For some of the best tempura in town, head down to Tenshin at The Regent. No one here does it like them. A cosy little place on the 3rd floor of the hotel, it sits approximately 30 or so i think, so do try to make reservations if you are thinking of heading down during the weekend!



Food aside, it looks like I've sung in my last awef for in the near and probably even extended future as well. =/ To the alumni there, thank you for the music. The night was really quite precious to me. So, 3 weeks more till I leave sunny Singapore for the shores of America to San Francisco and Indi-middleofnowhere-ana.

Typing this entry brings my memory back to exactly this time last year, when a whole other bunch of friends were about to leave for overseas and how we would mock and laugh as we read out their highly emotional 2000-word long goodbyes on their blogs. Surreal then, that i am close to having to eat my words a year down. But in the event that you are eagerly anticipating an opportunity to tease me, nuh-uh. This is not about to degenerate into that. This is about me reflecting on how fulfilling life can be when it is spent doing all of the items listed below
1) Not neglecting the bible
2)Having to work only one or two days a week, and for a period of 5 hours each time at that
3)Spending time with close friends before I leave
4)Getting to spend time with brother, although it might only have been for 3 days
5)Getting back in the mood of studying. Here's a list of books I have to clear before heading over
-The Guide to Understanding Financial Statements
-The Merrill Lynch Guide to Understanding Financial Reports
-Perspectives on Strategy from The Boston Consulting Group
-Payback, Reaping the Rewards of Innovation

Envy me-.-

When Marijuana is Less Harmful than Tobacco

Dutch smoking ban to cover coffee shops
Fri Jun 8, 2007 9:22pm BST

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - A Dutch smoking ban will come into force in July next year for all restaurants and cafes - including coffee shops where cannabis is the top attraction, the government decided on Friday.
"Coffee shops will be treated in the same manner as other catering businesses. They will be smoke-free," Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende told NOS television.
"It would have been wrong to move towards a smoke-free catering industry and then make an exception for coffee shops. People would not have understood that."
Establishments will not in fact have to be completely smoke-free. Proprietors will be allowed to set up a separate room or glass partition behind which people can smoke, but customers will not be served there to protect staff.
"Employees should not have to work in an environment were they are constantly exposed to the harmful effects of smoking," Balkenende said after the cabinet's decision on Friday.
Amsterdam's renowned coffee shops, where marijuana can be smoked openly in a relaxed atmosphere, are one of the city's big draws for tourists.
Coffee shop owners argue that the ban only applies to tobacco and is unlikely to hit them hard.
Whilst commonly mixed with tobacco, marijuana can also be smoked on its own, especially in pipes, vaporizers and other contraptions.
Soft drugs are officially banned in the Netherlands but under a policy of tolerance, buyers are allowed to have less than 5 grams of cannabis in their possession.

Well and good you say. In a survey conducted by Cancer Council Victoria, 4 out of 10 smokers admitted that smoke-free venues helped them in their decision to ditch the habit. Let me however, draw your attention to the line that has been typed out in green. Smoking tobacco is banned in eating places, but smoking weed is still allowed.

"Marijuana side effects from an overdose include toxic psychosis including hallucinations, delusions and a loss of self-identification."

"Marijuana side effects include physical problems like breathing difficulties and deteriorating physical abilities. Despite a popular belief, marijuana side effects speed up the heart, blood and breathing rate. The body is taxed more and this speeds up the aging process just like methamphetamines do. The marijuana side effects from this extra exertion on the body include a higher risk for lung cancer, heart attacks and strokes."

Fine, fine, argue what you will about the ban being instituted for the benefit of potential 2nd-hand smokers, that it is about the protection of the innocent, that those who indulge in such habits make a conscious decision to bring destruction onto their own body and the government has no right to interfere apart by managing externalities such as, and that which results from the pollution that such persons wreck on those around them. To me, it is a parallel situation to one where the government does away with cars and big vehicles due to their heavy emissions, allowing only motorcyclists on the roads.

According to the National Center for Statistics and Analysis (NCSA), the fatality rate per 100,000 registered motorcycles was 64.88 while the number of fatalities per 100,000 registered passenger cars was only 15.72. Now do the math. Those on motorcycles are essentially accidents waiting to happen. In the same way, the country, although having tried to control the extent of external harm that smoking tobacco creates, continues to advocate both the physical and social ills that come with the consumption of the drug. Above that, by constitution, it acts as a potential agent of destruction to other countries as well, given that many who frequent Amsterdam are tourists who picked up the usage of the drug there.

Now, I am truly thankful that my lungs are safe from second-hand smoke, but unfortunately, my son might end up a psycho-motor moron who lacks entirely in the cognitive department as well.

GTRs

While moving along the busy streets of Singapore today, I came across no less than 3 different GTRs, each sighting being no less than within 5 minutes of each other. I think it is a sign. What exactly it might be a sign of, or for, i have no idea. But I believe it's somewhere along the lines of -Ernest, you should get a GTR. That however, would shatter my grantaurismo dreams, but leave me with 60000 dollars more and a little ahead anyone in a maserati.

Totally inane entry this, but I just felt obliged to share a little about this Japanese wonder here. In case you just just just might be interested, this baby goes from 0 to the century in 3.5 seconds and can hit 193 mph. It has got as well, 480 horses under the bonnet and costs only usd$72000!

Majors, Majors, Majors

So, I was looking at the Undergraduate Academic Bulletin and decided that I will never, for the love of all things sane and beautiful, become an accounting major. Here's a sample of what the course descriptions are like - A 100 Basic Accounting Skills A 201 Introduction to Financial Accounting A 202 Introduction to Managerial Accounting A 305 Accounting for Small and Medium Enterprises A 324 Cost Management A 325 Cost Accounting A 327 Tax Analysis A 329 Taxes and Decision Making A 420 Financial Statement Analysis and Interpretation A 424 Auditing X 301 Communication for Accountants

And here is a sample of a course descripton should anyone have hoped that perhaps it was just the names of the modules that caused them to smash their heads into their keypads in boredom.

A 310 Management Decisions and Financial Reporting (3 cr.) P: A 201 and A 202. Provides students with a thorough understanding of the theoretical foundations underlying financial reporting, the rules used by accountants to measure the effects of business decisions and to report the effects to external parties, the use of judgment in financial reporting, and the transformation of cash flow decisions into accrual-based and cash-based financial statements. Students are expected to develop technical, analytical, and interpretive skills related to economic transactions and accrual-based financial statements. Accounting students should take A 311 and A 312 to satisfy accounting major requirements. Credit not given for both A 310 and A 311 or A 312.

Here are the majors i think i'll be interested in-
1) Business Economics and Public Policy
2)Finance(Sounds a little dead, but the brother disputes that)
3)Management with a co-major in International Business
To a select few who might be bored with their holidays, please feel free to look at the course descriptions. (Yes you in China, i know you're looking desperately for something to do with your time)

The descriptions already look intimidating , so I really wonder what actually having to study them will be like.
Of great importance as well, THEY DID NOT GIVE ME A SINGLE ROOM!!! Gahh. I'm now praying really hard for a nice roomie after hearing all the horror stories from new york.

June

My my, time certainly passes very quickly as a free person! Here's what's up in the month of June

1)The school holidays are here! I don't have to go to school to attempt to educate into the youth of our nation for a whole month! Unfortunately, that also means a total cessation of income for the month. That's alright though, because i'm spending my time planning for and working towards-

2)The ACJC Choir's 20th Anniversary Thanksgiving Service! In the off chance that you are someone who was from the choir reading this space who still has not indicated interest in attending the above-mentioned event, please do come for it! It has been a good one week with great company, hanging out with the jamie and gina everyday for the past week(i'm typing this from na's dining table).

3)Mario Kart is damnnn fun!=)

4)My eye hurts.

5)Mr Obama, congratulations. As a soon-to-be alien in your country, i look forward to the positive changes that you have promised in your campaign. Change we can believe in, and the continuation of brilliant brilliant video games such as grand theft auto

Seersuckers

After too long a wait, this months issue is FINALLY out! Go get it! The silly thumbi bookstore thing at holland doesn't yet have it for some reason though. You have have have to check out the seeksucker suits. Muchly classy and attractive they are.

On another note together, having returned to class after not being there yesterday, the kids actually said they missed me. Now, everyone together, say awww. Awwww. It's also of great comfort to know that they found the teacher who replaced me to be useless and would rather very much have me take their classes. Ego boost, that.

May

So this is what my life has been revolving around since leaving the army in April.=)

1) Teaching kids at a certain neighbourhood secondary school. The kids aren't too bad really, and some of their antics crack me up. Ask if you want to know the details. I shall not expose myself to the risk of getting fired and being featured on the new paper as has happened to another sad relief teacher.

2) Squash! I met Denise the other day and was reminiscing of how Kevin used to whoop my ass at it. Now that he has died somewhere in Sydney however, the games go something like this: 9-6. 9-5, 9-3, 9-3, 9-2, 9-2, 9-0, 9-4, 9-2, 9-0. Ernest wins Liang Lin. So yes. It gets a little tedious after you master how exactly to get him off his game(or lack thereof) really. Just mention a certain breakfast cereal and the score plummets, as you can see from the listing above.

3) I watched my first movie this year today and it was a pseudo chick-flick. Fortunately, What Happens in Vegas was nothing like the absolutely mind-bogglingly stupid 13 going on 30, where fairy dust magically appears on one's doll house and transforms Jennifer Garner into a 30 year-old.

4) Choir. I am most glad to say that the pieces seem to be coming together.=)

5) I was talking to a certain someone in France and she admitted that she's FORGOTTEN ABOUT ME!! Heartbreak Hotel, that. But i don't mind, long as she DOES spend the 13 days we've got before i leave kinda sorta together with me/us.=p (You, yes, YOU. You know I'm talking about you miss waikiki.-_-)

6) Mother's day is around the corner! Another trip down to Keyaki seems in order. I do miss the robotoyaki.

7) Would anyone want to contribute to Habitat for Humanity?

8) I saw these 2 pairs of shorts today, checked, and approximately 3 inches above the knee. And I am strongly fighting the urge to buy them. They're from zara, so they're kinda generic, but yes i do like them so i don't care.=\ It's highly unfortunate that there are no pictures of them that can be displayed here.

9) Oh and dear mel, I have found your woven belts. Dutti has them, but I think that the guy's collection looks better. As for your need for extra-long ones, heh.=p

Ok that's all for this entry! I'm going to try to lose a little of the tummy before the overseas kids all return and organise sentosa outings and I kinda sorta haveta expose mr bagel here. Toodles!

Idiocy, Re-affirmed

JP: I was watching Horton the Elephant and I started thinking about you during the bit where Horton started flapping his ears around under water to help him move about.

LL: Hieh hieh hieh (sarcastic laughter followed by the rolling of eyes)

JP: Then he started spraying water through his nose......

With friends like these, who needs to seek entertainment anywhere else?

Oh, and should the unthinkable ever ever happen, I believe we just might be eternally indebted to them for removing the African elephant off the list of endangered species.

On Thoughts After A Long Run

I was running along the beach today when i happened to run past the playground at Pasir Ris Park. It would be of no suprise that most of the structures have changed since the days of my childhood, but looking at the old trusty spiderweb brought back memories of climbing and climbing, but lacking the guts or sufficiently long limbs to get to the peak, succeeding which, one gained immortality and the right to incessantly taunt those below him.

How often is it, that one experiences a seemingly perfect union of both physical and mental states- the feeling that you are on top of the world, with your position of power established with every taunt and kick you deal to the poor soul below you.

Peculiar how some behavioural patterns don't seem to change over time as we supposedly mature and learn what it means to be people of stature and dignity.

In The Revolt of the Masses, 1951, Gasset states that civilisation is nothing else than the attempt to reduce force to being the ultima ratio. That might very well be the ideal goal of civilisation, but I posit that in an imperfect human society that strives to reach this ideal of civilisation for no reason other than because non-conformity, or the choice to pursue barbarism would result in absolute condemnation and the diminishing of one's status from that of person to animal, we have all just become masters at manipulating and creating facades that disguise the different kinds of force that we exercise.

How depressing it is then, to realise that from the womb to the grave, we remain equally inclined to being the basal subjects of our pride and human nature. There is then an acute need for a Savior if we wish to truly attain this ideal.

Oh and on the one other thing that doesn't change regardless of which stage of life you might be in - Mother worrying her head off and dealing out an interminable chain of advice as she sees you make your way to the top of the spider web.