I believe the time is near. What time you would ask? Oh the time for election to come. I look with excitement when Goh Chok Tong hand over the baton to Lee Hsien Loong. So i waited and waited for election to come. But it seems lukewarm. Nobody breathe anything. When Badawi ascend the throne, immediately we have the Malaysian Election. It is quite normal isn't it. Because when the baton was given to Badawi, only one person in Malaysia has given his nod and that is Tun Mathathir. Then what about the people? The tribal council of millions haven't spoken, haven't cast their vote! So it is natural that general election is held quite fast after Badawi became the Prime minister.
Recently, if you have noticed, the ministers start to wake up from their hibernation, out of their burrows, start their walkabouts and all that. Okay stop that defamation or libel suits first, i am not saying ministers do not interact with the people if there is no elections but i am saying that i feel that now, the walkabouts have become more, interviews, appearance have become intensified.
Of course i am worried and excited. I am 21 and of a legal age to vote! Voting for your countries leader is unlike voting for Sylvester Sim for the Singapore Idol. Sylvester may, if lucky, cut 1 or 2 albums for 1 or 2 years after which he may go back to his interior design arena but ministers or policitian leaders are here to stay for 4 to 5 years. And anything can happen in these years. So they are given a very heavy burden and responsibilities. That is why, we don't use SMS, emails to vote. Neither are we allowed to vote multiple times for our country's "steerer". Everybody only have 1 chance and you better make full use of it. So, hm...Singapore Idol voting system is rather unfair and not just enough.
I am quite worried by the youngsters, particularly people of my age. What is their basis for voting? I recalled in class, my lecturer asked us to vote for that someone who we think best to deserve an A. So the classmates voted. However, what disturbed me is that, the attitude is, if i like you, i will vote for you. I don't really care whether you deserve that A or not. If i like you, you are in.
This attitude is quite similiar to people who say:" oh i may vote for the opposition because they can counter-check the government" or " oh to bring in some excitement to the local politics, PAP has dominated for too long". So are they saying they vote for the sake of adding more colours to the political arena, are they voting for the sake of the appearance merely of Chee or JBJ in the parliment, or, do they vote because they want to see Singapore grow to a greater height? It really worry me.
Ok perhaps having some oppositions to check the government is good. However, looking at our local oppositions candidates, i find it hard for them to convinced me that they will bring Singapore to greater height. Look at Tang Liang Hong, he was being accused of a Chinese Chauvanist. Of course he denied, however i feel, as a man, as a person, he should really come back and clear the air, instead of airing his woes in Australia. Chee Soon Juan, an avant garde attention seeker. Who could forget his $7million( pardon me if the figure is wrong) question to Goh Chok Tong. Is is appropriate asking such question to Goh Chok Tong in a wet market? What is his motive when he seek so many foreign organisations' support for his libel suits? He oused Chiam See Tong from SDP rumours have said, so can i predict that he will perhaps..oused the whole cabinet and start his dictatorship? Its scary isn't it. I do hope our opposition can really have some good new blood. And of course, stop asking some nitty gritty, petty questions in the parliment.
Perhaps Singapore is small, i don't see the need of having so many parties. We have PAP, SDP,SDA,NSP,etc. Over 10 odd big and small parties. If we have a land mass like Indonesia, ok its justifiable. But look, even America, a huge country only has, basically 2 parties, the Democrats and Republican. England we have Labour party and the Conservaties. In China we have only the CCP. Erm...okay China is exceptional.
Perhaps it is time the opposition have a coalition under one umbrella. Of course the people inside must have the same agenda or else fraction and friction will occur and it isn't good. Also, pooling of resources can have larger economy of scales, haha. And since there isn't any good candidates, at least the pooling will get stronger even without 1 or 2 strong candidates.
So, until PM Lee dissolves the Cabinet, the electoral Committee start to redraw the GRC boundaries, i guess i just have to sit back and watch Singapore Idol and curse at the unfair, biased system of voting of the show.
Saturday, October 30, 2004
Friday, October 29, 2004
complacency
I think i am getting complacent for over such trivial results which i have achieved so far. OH NO!!! Why do i say that, because i just blew away 10 marks for my electrical technology semestral exam for nothing!!! The formula was right under my nose and yet i try to be funny by subsituting a value for one of the unknowns in the formula with another value which i thought was correct, even though the formula state so i was wrong! So whats wrong? Complacency man!!
The 3 greatest sin of a student is complacency, laziness and procrastination, in order. When a student get complacent, he would think that he is some guru or whatever and so he will be lazy and don't study. So he become lazy. And when he is lazy, he will procrastinate.
Although i do not have the last 2, the complacency part is slowly surfacing in me. Argh!! I must curb it, control it, i cannot let a small slipshot thrawed my plan of getting a scholarship? hahahaha.
I also feel my motivation start to fizzle in all aspect. My studies, my financial adviser job,etc. I just hope i can quickly get my license to practice and start finding people to strike a deal with. Also, hope that my motivation would be increase back to the same old time high level during this coming holiday.
Fear is crippling me. I hope i can muster the courage and approach. Yet i can't, because the ghost of the past keep haunting me....
The 3 greatest sin of a student is complacency, laziness and procrastination, in order. When a student get complacent, he would think that he is some guru or whatever and so he will be lazy and don't study. So he become lazy. And when he is lazy, he will procrastinate.
Although i do not have the last 2, the complacency part is slowly surfacing in me. Argh!! I must curb it, control it, i cannot let a small slipshot thrawed my plan of getting a scholarship? hahahaha.
I also feel my motivation start to fizzle in all aspect. My studies, my financial adviser job,etc. I just hope i can quickly get my license to practice and start finding people to strike a deal with. Also, hope that my motivation would be increase back to the same old time high level during this coming holiday.
Fear is crippling me. I hope i can muster the courage and approach. Yet i can't, because the ghost of the past keep haunting me....
Thursday, October 28, 2004
It ain't what it is
I read with regret of what has happened in the southern part of thailand. Now i can understand why alot of our young "able" males are going to bintan, not britian mind you!
Thailand used to be the place where cheap food, cheap imitation goods and cheap hookers roam in the streets. Apart from being questioned by your wife when she found that strawberry flavoured condom in your pocket, the last thing in your mind is that your hotel room is stormed by masked commandos, welding some automatic machine gun that can fire more rounds than you do with your brother down under, while you are in the moment of achieving the climax of the whole process.
Therefore, you have it, destination Bintan.
But apart from coming up with that reason on why bintan became such hot spot for singaporean looking for some fun, cheap, sastifying trills, another thing set me thinking: Are religion good or bad?
On one end ,the clerics teaches Islam as the religion of peace, while on the other, numerous heads are cut by a oh so blunt knife by some muslim extremists while verses are chanted in the background.
Christianity teaches peace also, yet the crusades kills so many people during the struggle of teritories( if i am not wrong) with the muslim.
And Dalai Lama, go around saying that tibet should be autonomous and rumours have said that he has some private armies, hm, so much so for a religion that advocate everything is "empty and emptiness is everything".
Beside all that, who else can forget our dear joachim kang, some other sexually and monetary deprived priests, brothers, fathers, monk, abbort, who either have sex with underaged girls or steal temple money for that Mecedes Benz SLK
It is really sad actually because all these happenings are man made. Thailand turn out to be like this because people are using violent, in the name of religion to create havoc for their own agenda. Same goes with Osama, the crusaders and others.
Religion, a power who can binds people, have been the scapegoat of humans own advancement, either bad or good.
Its sad.
Thailand used to be the place where cheap food, cheap imitation goods and cheap hookers roam in the streets. Apart from being questioned by your wife when she found that strawberry flavoured condom in your pocket, the last thing in your mind is that your hotel room is stormed by masked commandos, welding some automatic machine gun that can fire more rounds than you do with your brother down under, while you are in the moment of achieving the climax of the whole process.
Therefore, you have it, destination Bintan.
But apart from coming up with that reason on why bintan became such hot spot for singaporean looking for some fun, cheap, sastifying trills, another thing set me thinking: Are religion good or bad?
On one end ,the clerics teaches Islam as the religion of peace, while on the other, numerous heads are cut by a oh so blunt knife by some muslim extremists while verses are chanted in the background.
Christianity teaches peace also, yet the crusades kills so many people during the struggle of teritories( if i am not wrong) with the muslim.
And Dalai Lama, go around saying that tibet should be autonomous and rumours have said that he has some private armies, hm, so much so for a religion that advocate everything is "empty and emptiness is everything".
Beside all that, who else can forget our dear joachim kang, some other sexually and monetary deprived priests, brothers, fathers, monk, abbort, who either have sex with underaged girls or steal temple money for that Mecedes Benz SLK
It is really sad actually because all these happenings are man made. Thailand turn out to be like this because people are using violent, in the name of religion to create havoc for their own agenda. Same goes with Osama, the crusaders and others.
Religion, a power who can binds people, have been the scapegoat of humans own advancement, either bad or good.
Its sad.
Sunday, October 24, 2004
Saturday, October 23, 2004
Code of honour
Ok this entry is abit hackneyed( not sure of the usage of the word). My friend and i was talking about liking another person or something like that. And we both agreed on something. We both believe as guys, we should abide by some rules and regulation when wooing, jioing, chasing a girl.
1) Don't go after 有夫之妇. meaning, DON'T go after someone who is married or in the sense of single, someone who already have a boyfriend. It is rather unethical to be the 3rd party. True one may say:" oh we should go after what we want". But to me i think that is a rather selfish way and self centred way of doing things.
2)Give up when you know that the girl you like, like someone else although the girl haven't hitch up with the guy she like. This is rather practical and helpful. Practical in the sense that save yourself with the agony of heartbreaking when suddenly 1 day you caught both of them holding hands, which literally means, you have lost the battle lah. Helpful in the sense that, give the poor girl the break. Since you got the slightest hint that she like someone, spare her the agony of embarassment when she see you or whatever.
But, if one day, the girl no longer like that guy whom she liked last time or perhaps that guy got a gf which means the chances of the girl you like hitching up with that guy she like who now got a girlfriend is near zero, then its okay for you to start unrolling your battle plan.
Remember:" Like someone means making her happy and respecting her choice without influencing her making of decision."
p/s: i know this entry is sort of un scholarly compared to my other entries( ahem ahem) but i am bored bah and the code of honour is really what i abide to with my friends. We are all chivalrous gentlemen.
1) Don't go after 有夫之妇. meaning, DON'T go after someone who is married or in the sense of single, someone who already have a boyfriend. It is rather unethical to be the 3rd party. True one may say:" oh we should go after what we want". But to me i think that is a rather selfish way and self centred way of doing things.
2)Give up when you know that the girl you like, like someone else although the girl haven't hitch up with the guy she like. This is rather practical and helpful. Practical in the sense that save yourself with the agony of heartbreaking when suddenly 1 day you caught both of them holding hands, which literally means, you have lost the battle lah. Helpful in the sense that, give the poor girl the break. Since you got the slightest hint that she like someone, spare her the agony of embarassment when she see you or whatever.
But, if one day, the girl no longer like that guy whom she liked last time or perhaps that guy got a gf which means the chances of the girl you like hitching up with that guy she like who now got a girlfriend is near zero, then its okay for you to start unrolling your battle plan.
Remember:" Like someone means making her happy and respecting her choice without influencing her making of decision."
p/s: i know this entry is sort of un scholarly compared to my other entries( ahem ahem) but i am bored bah and the code of honour is really what i abide to with my friends. We are all chivalrous gentlemen.
色己是空，空己是色
(everything is empty and emptiness is everything)
Friday, October 15, 2004
Spendthrift
The value of money is not actually in the denomination of what is printed at the top right hand corner of the notes, it is actually in its purchasing power, any economist can tell you that. For example if a deuter bag can be brought with a $100 note, while when tomorrow come, you need to pay for it with an extra 10cent,then the $100 purchasing power actually decrease.
However to me,the value of money is not in its purchasing power. It is of how i come to possess it. If all else doesn't seem to be benefited from serving NS, one thing for sure, is that i truly know what is the value of my money.
I have done my maths. During my recruit time, i earn a measly $240 per month. I woke up to the tune of Majulah Singapura at 5.30am and sleep at 10.30pm. That work out to be about 17 hrs per day. Multiply it by 30 days, you will get 510 hours per month. So 1 hour i actually earn $0.47. Can you imagine that?
So i have started to be a little bit more frugal when i go out with friends, when i go to school, etc. However frugal doesn't mean i am stingy. When needed, alittle bit more to be fork out, i will do it.
Being frugal is when your old bag is still useable, haven't go out of fashion, has a acceptable capacity and you do not go and acquire another bag, which has the function as your old one except that it has a new pricetag and that it decrease your purchasing power.
Something is worth only when you yourself go and earn it yourself, this is more than the truth. Looking back, i can't imagine how i could spend my parents hard earned money just like burning hell bank notes into the bin. Perhaps it is the maturity that i bring with me after collecting my Pink IC, i felt ashamed and guilty of my spending power.
So on one hand, i could understand why youngsters spend money as if the Singapore Mint endorse them to do it. However on the other hand, i can't but felt that, doesn't they feel their parents toil everyday, getting scoldings from their bosses, just like me getting it from my sergeant. Swallowing their pride, just to earn that paltry sum of money for the survival of the family. Parents love are unmeasurable, but does it give us the excuse to spend the money, to ask for more money, just on some consumer durables which only is a replica of what we have?
So it really ire me when i read in some blogs, which says:" oo i wanna get that shoes" " ooo i wanna get that accessories" " ooo blah blah get blah blah blah spend blah blah blah get blah blah blah spend" and the list is endless.
Yup, being vain is something quite natural, but, don't live like a princess when you just live in a HDB flat and not some castle and that your dad is just a plain kopitiam guy and not prince charles.
However to me,the value of money is not in its purchasing power. It is of how i come to possess it. If all else doesn't seem to be benefited from serving NS, one thing for sure, is that i truly know what is the value of my money.
I have done my maths. During my recruit time, i earn a measly $240 per month. I woke up to the tune of Majulah Singapura at 5.30am and sleep at 10.30pm. That work out to be about 17 hrs per day. Multiply it by 30 days, you will get 510 hours per month. So 1 hour i actually earn $0.47. Can you imagine that?
So i have started to be a little bit more frugal when i go out with friends, when i go to school, etc. However frugal doesn't mean i am stingy. When needed, alittle bit more to be fork out, i will do it.
Being frugal is when your old bag is still useable, haven't go out of fashion, has a acceptable capacity and you do not go and acquire another bag, which has the function as your old one except that it has a new pricetag and that it decrease your purchasing power.
Something is worth only when you yourself go and earn it yourself, this is more than the truth. Looking back, i can't imagine how i could spend my parents hard earned money just like burning hell bank notes into the bin. Perhaps it is the maturity that i bring with me after collecting my Pink IC, i felt ashamed and guilty of my spending power.
So on one hand, i could understand why youngsters spend money as if the Singapore Mint endorse them to do it. However on the other hand, i can't but felt that, doesn't they feel their parents toil everyday, getting scoldings from their bosses, just like me getting it from my sergeant. Swallowing their pride, just to earn that paltry sum of money for the survival of the family. Parents love are unmeasurable, but does it give us the excuse to spend the money, to ask for more money, just on some consumer durables which only is a replica of what we have?
So it really ire me when i read in some blogs, which says:" oo i wanna get that shoes" " ooo i wanna get that accessories" " ooo blah blah get blah blah blah spend blah blah blah get blah blah blah spend" and the list is endless.
Yup, being vain is something quite natural, but, don't live like a princess when you just live in a HDB flat and not some castle and that your dad is just a plain kopitiam guy and not prince charles.
Sunday, October 10, 2004
How to tell whether a person is lying
Yup, i have read the Sunday Times today. I think Sunday times is the best out of all straits times from mon to fri. Don't you feel that from monday to friday, the news are pretty much the same? Presidential votings, Al qaeda, Israel, Palestine, Taiwan Straits affairs, Iraq, blah blah blah. Ever since 2 ill fated plane rammed into the very symbol of american capitalism, news from that day on, are all the same, revolving around the same theme! Boring i said! So Sunday times is rather refreshing. Okay it does still revolve around the themes which i have mentioned, but hey, its on a lesser dosage. The best part of Sunday times is of 'cos the second section of the first section. All the food, lifestyle, comics really brighten my day. The main section also not bad, i especially love to read the invest portion.
Talking about today Sunday Times second section, there is this article call "What Lies Beneath". The title suggest perhaps that the article is going to be very chim but how chim can a national newspaper, read by all walks of life be?
Well its about how you can spot someone who lied or catch him with his pants down. It give some suggestion like "its easier to catch a liar if you come from acultural background similar to the liar's" or " every lie can be caught if you study the clues hard enough" blah blah blah.
I tell you what. The sure foolproof way to catch a liar is, to know the lie that the liar is going to say! Isn't it simple? If you know already the lie, and when this liar come up to you and said the lie that you know is already a lie, then you have already caught him! There is no need for him and you to be culturally same or whatever.
The Sunday Times has just wasted a page just to tell people how to spot a lie, while i have done it in one sentence.
Talking about today Sunday Times second section, there is this article call "What Lies Beneath". The title suggest perhaps that the article is going to be very chim but how chim can a national newspaper, read by all walks of life be?
Well its about how you can spot someone who lied or catch him with his pants down. It give some suggestion like "its easier to catch a liar if you come from acultural background similar to the liar's" or " every lie can be caught if you study the clues hard enough" blah blah blah.
I tell you what. The sure foolproof way to catch a liar is, to know the lie that the liar is going to say! Isn't it simple? If you know already the lie, and when this liar come up to you and said the lie that you know is already a lie, then you have already caught him! There is no need for him and you to be culturally same or whatever.
The Sunday Times has just wasted a page just to tell people how to spot a lie, while i have done it in one sentence.
Saturday, October 09, 2004
searching for novelty in the MRT
Although my assets account for less than 10K or even lesser, but i can afford to go to school, meet my friends or anywhere i like in a mercedes Benz. How can i do that? Well, all it need is a tap of my EZ-link card onto the card reader. As Simple as ABC. From the buses that runs on electrical cable and taxis that r helm by tryanical drivers who they themselves are the meters, to now, a world class transportation. Singapore transport systems has really been through alot of changes.
I still can remembered when i have my first magnetic card where i will slot into the gantry in order to gain access to the platform of the train. However now, all we need is just a tap from our EZ link card and that it. Although to me i feel the time saving attribute lauded by those who introduce this is miserably small, but okay for the sake of gaining yet another first, i and other fellow countrymen unanimously support the idea of using the EZ link. However i must say old habits still stay. People use to use some blunt edges of coins or other thing to scrape off the print on the magnetic card. The idea of course is to perhaps draw something onto it, write the owners' name perhaps all in the name of creativity. Although the authorities on one hand promote creative thinking, but on the other, frown upon drawing on those card. They even put some little sentence which says:" Government property" and it often lead me to think, how come this card, which i use my own money to buy, still belong to the government instead of it belong to me? The spirit of Singaporean as an creative lot do not just fizzed out. EZ link too can be scrape off. I came upon 2 pieces to be exact with the green colored coating being scrape to its underlying white. So this whole thing about Singaporean being creative are re-assessed by me. Do they have nimble minds or just possess itchy fingers?
Sometimes, things which appear insignificant actually weld high power. As i arrived at the platform, this striking yellow line gaze at me with such stern power. Like a fierce mother guarding her daughter, the track, she silently and invisibly warn me not to get close to her daughter or else dire consequences would happened. So my focus is thrust at the tall buildings opposite the station. For people seeking an early audience with GOD, free falling from a height of 10 storey is the ticket to rise to heaven early. That is what happened to people that is old fashioned. In this new era, many ways has been paved and founded by people with an overflow creative juices. As trains approach, people leap off, ignoring the stern yellow line, onto the tracks, only to be maimed to death by the father of the track, the train. Another novelty. I really pitied the train driver, especially the north south bound one. Bishan alone has about 3 such isolated incidents. And about 2 cases the leapers die.
As the train approaches, i step in. The sticker which says:" no food and drinks" serves as a warning that if i do that, i need to pay a fine. Blame it on my timid nature, no matter how hungry i am, i will still with all my might, resist the temptations of sinking my teeth into some hot char siew bun in the train. But this young undergraduate just did that. She was sitting infront of me, half a char siew bao gone! I was amazed. And since the driver never announce and shame her through the PA system, it shows yet another loophole in the system, after the no-record function CCTV. Why bother to paste about 100 odd stickers in a fleet of train, warning people no eating and drinking is allow, but fail to have any measures to catch those people when they flout the rules. How i know the char siew bao nimbling girl is an undergraduate is because she mention about psychology classes that she was going to. So that determine she is an undergrad. Soon after, she sat beside a young man when the seat beside the young man is available. The young man, i presume is her classmate or schoolmate, began to open a packet of what it seems to be like biscuts and he too start to nimble on it! Atrocious being when he decided to swept the crumbs off his bag to the floor of the cabin!.
In another desperate attempt to make a statement about themselves, the girl offer the guy a chocolate coated biscut. In between bites and countless questions of " is it nice?" by the girl, she offer the guy some mineral water and he gamely drink it. Undergrad should have some civics and moral education too i think.
As i alight and walk to the school, i am most glad that i can, every morning, view the reflexes of Singapore society in just a cabin with 30 odd people.
I still can remembered when i have my first magnetic card where i will slot into the gantry in order to gain access to the platform of the train. However now, all we need is just a tap from our EZ link card and that it. Although to me i feel the time saving attribute lauded by those who introduce this is miserably small, but okay for the sake of gaining yet another first, i and other fellow countrymen unanimously support the idea of using the EZ link. However i must say old habits still stay. People use to use some blunt edges of coins or other thing to scrape off the print on the magnetic card. The idea of course is to perhaps draw something onto it, write the owners' name perhaps all in the name of creativity. Although the authorities on one hand promote creative thinking, but on the other, frown upon drawing on those card. They even put some little sentence which says:" Government property" and it often lead me to think, how come this card, which i use my own money to buy, still belong to the government instead of it belong to me? The spirit of Singaporean as an creative lot do not just fizzed out. EZ link too can be scrape off. I came upon 2 pieces to be exact with the green colored coating being scrape to its underlying white. So this whole thing about Singaporean being creative are re-assessed by me. Do they have nimble minds or just possess itchy fingers?
Sometimes, things which appear insignificant actually weld high power. As i arrived at the platform, this striking yellow line gaze at me with such stern power. Like a fierce mother guarding her daughter, the track, she silently and invisibly warn me not to get close to her daughter or else dire consequences would happened. So my focus is thrust at the tall buildings opposite the station. For people seeking an early audience with GOD, free falling from a height of 10 storey is the ticket to rise to heaven early. That is what happened to people that is old fashioned. In this new era, many ways has been paved and founded by people with an overflow creative juices. As trains approach, people leap off, ignoring the stern yellow line, onto the tracks, only to be maimed to death by the father of the track, the train. Another novelty. I really pitied the train driver, especially the north south bound one. Bishan alone has about 3 such isolated incidents. And about 2 cases the leapers die.
As the train approaches, i step in. The sticker which says:" no food and drinks" serves as a warning that if i do that, i need to pay a fine. Blame it on my timid nature, no matter how hungry i am, i will still with all my might, resist the temptations of sinking my teeth into some hot char siew bun in the train. But this young undergraduate just did that. She was sitting infront of me, half a char siew bao gone! I was amazed. And since the driver never announce and shame her through the PA system, it shows yet another loophole in the system, after the no-record function CCTV. Why bother to paste about 100 odd stickers in a fleet of train, warning people no eating and drinking is allow, but fail to have any measures to catch those people when they flout the rules. How i know the char siew bao nimbling girl is an undergraduate is because she mention about psychology classes that she was going to. So that determine she is an undergrad. Soon after, she sat beside a young man when the seat beside the young man is available. The young man, i presume is her classmate or schoolmate, began to open a packet of what it seems to be like biscuts and he too start to nimble on it! Atrocious being when he decided to swept the crumbs off his bag to the floor of the cabin!.
In another desperate attempt to make a statement about themselves, the girl offer the guy a chocolate coated biscut. In between bites and countless questions of " is it nice?" by the girl, she offer the guy some mineral water and he gamely drink it. Undergrad should have some civics and moral education too i think.
As i alight and walk to the school, i am most glad that i can, every morning, view the reflexes of Singapore society in just a cabin with 30 odd people.
Tuesday, October 05, 2004
paper qualification- necessity or alternative?
So which certificate you will show to your prospective employer? The PSLE, O Lvl, A Lvl , Diploma or degree? If on your degree was writen a four letter word, PASS but your Diploma got the word: Certificate of Merit writen on it, will you be at the cross road of which certificate to show? I wonder how the employer will react, if he see my Diploma is more "powerful" than my Degree. So will he still accept me? Will i get a less pay or what? And also, do where the degree come from matter? I mean, if you got a pass from let say....NUS compare to you getting a First Class honour from some 3rd division overseas University, which paper do you think will your employer like the best? I think the only answer is wait for him to use it after the toilet bowl is flushed!
Our parents, teachers, man on the street, the taxi uncles keep telling us:" ah boy ah, paper qualification is very important in Singapore ah". And you ask them why, the typical answer is:" with a degree or just a piece of thick paper that is laminated, you can get a job plus good pay". So you ask another question:" Sim Wong Hoo leh?" Most likely he will know the answer but he will ask you back:" whos Hoo?"
We have seen Bill gates dropping out of college, our very own Sim Wong Hoo not getting a degree, but are elite in their own area. The chairman or the big shot of DZT Tie Leung( pardon for the spelling if wrong) is also a poly grad. So is getting a paper qualification, especially a degree all that important? Or receiving some valuable knocks from the school of hard knocks more important? I can only quote my lecturer Mr Teng:" It depends".
Having a paper qualification is like an safety net. It ensure you that while you fail in the school of hard knocks, when you can't own the masterplan, you can, well, still be part of your master's plan. It is a safety net that your parents rather, cast over your bum to cushion you when you fall from being an entruprenuer.
However it did lead to one thing which luckily our government discover it early, people are studying for the sake of scoring in examinations, people thus are lacking of creativity due to blindly studying which thus they lack the courage to go and enrol themselves in the School of Hard Knocks.
But, can we blame the students and the teachers who indirectly cast the net for them? Absolutely not! This is because getting a paper qualification is a necessary thing to do. And the more you score good results, the bigger you will weave your safety net and the bigger your safety net is, the more you will be safe, not necessary feel safe. Giving the economy now, having a standard retangular shaped net over your bum may not work. You will need different shapes, colors and sizes of your net, which means constant upgrading, constant improving.
However as a safety net is, well, to cushion any impact, obviously if you throw a tennis ball, it won't bounce! To those who strike it out without a safety net like Bill gates, it get the tennis ball inside them to bounce for so many times such that for once, they can bounce to such infinity that it is impossible for them to hit the ground again! But for someone who has been cushioned by paper qualification, if their net suddenly got a hole and if they are lucky enough to fallen from that hole, it is very very less likely they will bounce as they have loss the touch.
So is paper qualification a necessity or alternative, i have not quite answer the question isn't it? This is because instead of preparing a net, i am packing my own parachute which in case after i bounce, and fall, my parachute can open up and slow down the impact.
Our parents, teachers, man on the street, the taxi uncles keep telling us:" ah boy ah, paper qualification is very important in Singapore ah". And you ask them why, the typical answer is:" with a degree or just a piece of thick paper that is laminated, you can get a job plus good pay". So you ask another question:" Sim Wong Hoo leh?" Most likely he will know the answer but he will ask you back:" whos Hoo?"
We have seen Bill gates dropping out of college, our very own Sim Wong Hoo not getting a degree, but are elite in their own area. The chairman or the big shot of DZT Tie Leung( pardon for the spelling if wrong) is also a poly grad. So is getting a paper qualification, especially a degree all that important? Or receiving some valuable knocks from the school of hard knocks more important? I can only quote my lecturer Mr Teng:" It depends".
Having a paper qualification is like an safety net. It ensure you that while you fail in the school of hard knocks, when you can't own the masterplan, you can, well, still be part of your master's plan. It is a safety net that your parents rather, cast over your bum to cushion you when you fall from being an entruprenuer.
However it did lead to one thing which luckily our government discover it early, people are studying for the sake of scoring in examinations, people thus are lacking of creativity due to blindly studying which thus they lack the courage to go and enrol themselves in the School of Hard Knocks.
But, can we blame the students and the teachers who indirectly cast the net for them? Absolutely not! This is because getting a paper qualification is a necessary thing to do. And the more you score good results, the bigger you will weave your safety net and the bigger your safety net is, the more you will be safe, not necessary feel safe. Giving the economy now, having a standard retangular shaped net over your bum may not work. You will need different shapes, colors and sizes of your net, which means constant upgrading, constant improving.
However as a safety net is, well, to cushion any impact, obviously if you throw a tennis ball, it won't bounce! To those who strike it out without a safety net like Bill gates, it get the tennis ball inside them to bounce for so many times such that for once, they can bounce to such infinity that it is impossible for them to hit the ground again! But for someone who has been cushioned by paper qualification, if their net suddenly got a hole and if they are lucky enough to fallen from that hole, it is very very less likely they will bounce as they have loss the touch.
So is paper qualification a necessity or alternative, i have not quite answer the question isn't it? This is because instead of preparing a net, i am packing my own parachute which in case after i bounce, and fall, my parachute can open up and slow down the impact.
Sunday, October 03, 2004
burn which flag?
Taiwan burn our flag, so to reciprocate their goodwill(礼尚往来), we should burn theirs also. But then, which flag to burn?
If we burn taiwan flag with the Kuomingtang(KMT) logo on it, then we are indirectly telling the whole world that we recongise taiwan as a separate entity, a sorverign country. Then i think instead of being angry, Chen Shui Bian would encourage Singaporean to burn more of Taiwan flag. US perhaps would even smile secretly behind the thick walls of pentagon. Beside that, Singapore would have created another new topic, after PM Lee Visit, after BG yeo speech, for Bush and Kerry to debate on. China on the other hand, would start to boycott Singapore goods, pop stars as it means Singapore has violated the one china policy.
Ok so instead of burning Taiwan flag, we burn china flag to show we abide the one china policy. But when we burn that, will Hu Jingtao praise us and tell us to burn more? Chinese has always been very sensative about national pride. The unglamourous history of China didn't help in this case either. Since the manchus, China has always been bullied. In world war 2, both the land and the women are tormented. Chairman Mao miss the bull's eye by having The great Leap and The cultural Revolution. Even China paramount leader deng xiao ping has a black stain when he is the alleged leader to give the go ahead of using military force against the Tiananmen ignorant commoners. So it is until recently China can hold its head high again and national pride has been an all time high for this moment.
So if we burn their flag, instead of positioning their Dong feng missle at taiwan presidential building, Mr S R Nathan may need to operate somewhere else.
It is surprising that a small country will create so many shockwaves in the whole world. From the memories in my brain, our flag was burn when this maid call flo from philipines were sentenced to death. Then indonesia also burn our flag before, also due to the sentencing of a maid. Malaysia burn one also when some israellies came to Singapore. Perhaps some Amercian use it to stop the BBQ fire behind their courtyard when Michael Faye was caned.
The irony thing perhaps is, if we reciprocate Taiwan "Little prince" goodwill by burning their flag, we ourselves may be prosecuted instead! Ha! Talking about national pride!
If we burn taiwan flag with the Kuomingtang(KMT) logo on it, then we are indirectly telling the whole world that we recongise taiwan as a separate entity, a sorverign country. Then i think instead of being angry, Chen Shui Bian would encourage Singaporean to burn more of Taiwan flag. US perhaps would even smile secretly behind the thick walls of pentagon. Beside that, Singapore would have created another new topic, after PM Lee Visit, after BG yeo speech, for Bush and Kerry to debate on. China on the other hand, would start to boycott Singapore goods, pop stars as it means Singapore has violated the one china policy.
Ok so instead of burning Taiwan flag, we burn china flag to show we abide the one china policy. But when we burn that, will Hu Jingtao praise us and tell us to burn more? Chinese has always been very sensative about national pride. The unglamourous history of China didn't help in this case either. Since the manchus, China has always been bullied. In world war 2, both the land and the women are tormented. Chairman Mao miss the bull's eye by having The great Leap and The cultural Revolution. Even China paramount leader deng xiao ping has a black stain when he is the alleged leader to give the go ahead of using military force against the Tiananmen ignorant commoners. So it is until recently China can hold its head high again and national pride has been an all time high for this moment.
So if we burn their flag, instead of positioning their Dong feng missle at taiwan presidential building, Mr S R Nathan may need to operate somewhere else.
It is surprising that a small country will create so many shockwaves in the whole world. From the memories in my brain, our flag was burn when this maid call flo from philipines were sentenced to death. Then indonesia also burn our flag before, also due to the sentencing of a maid. Malaysia burn one also when some israellies came to Singapore. Perhaps some Amercian use it to stop the BBQ fire behind their courtyard when Michael Faye was caned.
The irony thing perhaps is, if we reciprocate Taiwan "Little prince" goodwill by burning their flag, we ourselves may be prosecuted instead! Ha! Talking about national pride!
Friday, October 01, 2004
Singaporeans care only for themselves. Do you agree?
"We have received donations way pass the mark! yay!" Sharon Au, a mediacorp artiste cry in exuberant as the number of calls of donations are being flashed on the television screen. Yes Singapore are a generous lot. Every year without fail, charity organizations would like patients to doctor, queue up for that TV slot so that they can take the opportunity to " fleece" Singaporean for their monies by hanging a carrot of attractive prizes to tempt them. While one's tv is being shown the program, the newspaper on the coffeetable paint another picture. Articles like 'Members ignored injured man( Sunday times 26 2004)" appear in the newspapers here and there. An infotainment program by Channel News Asia, Get Real, recently found out Singaporean do not really care enough for the less fortunate. So the good old question, buried whenever charity shows are staged, are back on everyone mind again. Do Singaporean care only for themselves?
Every year without failure, Singaporean pour in calls by the thousands, hoping that their insignificant sum of money could alleviate the suffering of the cancer patients, kidney patients or whoever charity organization that plead for help on national TV. With the rising utilities bills, GST taxes and a increase in transport fees looming around, Singaporean still find that spare cash to donate to the charity. Okay perhaps its the prizes that they are drooling for and do not mind parting with $50 for a hundred thousand condo, but still, appaluse should be given for that they really did donate! The new paper, a local tabloid, often have articles which point out the familes in some dire straits. Whenever after articles of such genre have been published, cheques would be send to the newspaper for the family on annoynomity. The very fact of the cash or cheques send in annoynomity signalled the fact that Singaporean not only care for themselves, but also, wish no publicity on such kind act.
However negative articles like " Members ignored injured man" tinted the images of Singaporean. In that article, a man slipped, fell down, immortalised due to the pain, but no one came to render help except the country club's staff. Yes indeed, some Singaporean, bogged by supertitious and skeptism, would make a complete U-turn upon seeing people in need. Supertitious as they are afraid that the person would die during the trip to hospital or whatever and that the soul would come and haunt them. Skeptism is due to the fact that the society make Singapore to be a place where people are often vary to one another. So we can expect that helping another person, when a medium like mails or TV is used as a catalyse, we can never very well expect the average Singaporean to help one another.
So in my own opinion, to a certain extent, Singaporean do not really only care for themselves. We should always rejoiced every year that our charitable organisation can still sustain until now, our patients are still living and that we can still afford to provide monetary benefits for the needy.
Every year without failure, Singaporean pour in calls by the thousands, hoping that their insignificant sum of money could alleviate the suffering of the cancer patients, kidney patients or whoever charity organization that plead for help on national TV. With the rising utilities bills, GST taxes and a increase in transport fees looming around, Singaporean still find that spare cash to donate to the charity. Okay perhaps its the prizes that they are drooling for and do not mind parting with $50 for a hundred thousand condo, but still, appaluse should be given for that they really did donate! The new paper, a local tabloid, often have articles which point out the familes in some dire straits. Whenever after articles of such genre have been published, cheques would be send to the newspaper for the family on annoynomity. The very fact of the cash or cheques send in annoynomity signalled the fact that Singaporean not only care for themselves, but also, wish no publicity on such kind act.
However negative articles like " Members ignored injured man" tinted the images of Singaporean. In that article, a man slipped, fell down, immortalised due to the pain, but no one came to render help except the country club's staff. Yes indeed, some Singaporean, bogged by supertitious and skeptism, would make a complete U-turn upon seeing people in need. Supertitious as they are afraid that the person would die during the trip to hospital or whatever and that the soul would come and haunt them. Skeptism is due to the fact that the society make Singapore to be a place where people are often vary to one another. So we can expect that helping another person, when a medium like mails or TV is used as a catalyse, we can never very well expect the average Singaporean to help one another.
So in my own opinion, to a certain extent, Singaporean do not really only care for themselves. We should always rejoiced every year that our charitable organisation can still sustain until now, our patients are still living and that we can still afford to provide monetary benefits for the needy.
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