Wednesday, August 24, 2005
The last post
must be some of the shittest post I ever written. But i don't believe in authoritarian censorship, so it shall be left behind to torment whoever dares venture here.
Sometimes
The world of the looking glass.
Is so unreal.
And, yet, can bring real pain.
Then, you, sometimes, sometimes dream.
About that, auric, blazing star rise.
In the, thin boundary yonder.
And, as I gaze, upon your silhouette.
Cast upon the cold surface.
Listening, wondering, of the tales.
From the hearts asunder.
Then before, the rays' strength is at its zenith.
Silently, swiftly, gently shall my shadow fade.
Is so unreal.
And, yet, can bring real pain.
Then, you, sometimes, sometimes dream.
About that, auric, blazing star rise.
In the, thin boundary yonder.
And, as I gaze, upon your silhouette.
Cast upon the cold surface.
Listening, wondering, of the tales.
From the hearts asunder.
Then before, the rays' strength is at its zenith.
Silently, swiftly, gently shall my shadow fade.
Sunday, August 21, 2005
Wondering skeptic
I was trying to see if I can view the NDP rally speech online, to see what sort of goodie bag the government is giving out.
Unfortunately, our very competitive media industry have only one main broadcaster, and the main source of such a livestreaming was to have come from the ChannelNewsAsia (at the rate that we import CHinese people, it's going to be called ChinaNewAsia soon, wahaha...oops oops, falling into the insular singaporean mode again).
Anyway, because our CNA see themselves as the BBC of Asia, they also put all their videocasting of their shows through the Real Network, and you have to subscribe to their premium version of the Realplayer to get access to premium content. And as I am a poor student, with no credit card, I am left with no option but to give RealPlayer a middle finger and say goodbye to the live webcast.
So much for trying to connect to all Singaporeans.
Unfortunately, our very competitive media industry have only one main broadcaster, and the main source of such a livestreaming was to have come from the ChannelNewsAsia (at the rate that we import CHinese people, it's going to be called ChinaNewAsia soon, wahaha...oops oops, falling into the insular singaporean mode again).
Anyway, because our CNA see themselves as the BBC of Asia, they also put all their videocasting of their shows through the Real Network, and you have to subscribe to their premium version of the Realplayer to get access to premium content. And as I am a poor student, with no credit card, I am left with no option but to give RealPlayer a middle finger and say goodbye to the live webcast.
So much for trying to connect to all Singaporeans.
Friday, August 19, 2005
The skeptical cynic strikes!
From Todayonline (18 August 2005)
Letter from Janaine Lau
Press Secretary to Minister for Law
Your article "Changing Istana" (Aug 13-14), although purporting to be based on views of experts, contained misleading and inaccurate statements about the constitutional role of the President and his relationship with the Council of Presidential Advisers (CPA).
.
First, the article said that in 2004, Parliament passed new provisions "to make it possible for the Government to transfer its reserves to selected statutory boards and Government companies, without such transfers being regarded as a draw on past reserves".
.
In fact, the amendments merely enabled the Government to transfer its past reserves to the past reserves of protected statutory boards and Government companies. This would not enable the Government to draw on these past reserves.
.
Secondly, the article said the majority of the six-member CPA "must agree with the President before he can effectively veto the Government's budget or key appointments".
.
There is no requirement that the CPA has to agree with the President before he can exercise his veto. However, if the President vetoes the budget or key appointments contrary to the CPA's recommendation, the veto can be overridden by a two-thirds majority in Parliament. But if the CPA agrees with the President, then his veto is final and cannot be overridden by Parliament.
-------------
Notice the words in bold above.
From the dictionary.com, the definition of veto:
n. pl. ve·toes
1.
1. The vested power or constitutional right of one branch or department of government to refuse approval of measures proposed by another department, especially the power of a chief executive to reject a bill passed by the legislature and thus prevent or delay its enactment into law.
2. Exercise of this right.
3. An official document or message from a chief executive stating the reasons for rejection of a bill.
2. An authoritative prohibition or rejection of a proposed or intended act.
tr.v. ve·toed, ve·to·ing, ve·toes
1. To prevent (a legislative bill) from becoming law by exercising the power of veto.
2. To forbid or prohibit authoritatively.
Then let's see the make up of the Council of Presidential Advisors (from http://www.istana.gov.sg/cpa.html):
The Council comprises six members, of whom two are appointed by the President at his discretion, two are the Prime Minister's nominees, one is the Chief Justice's nominee and the sixth, the nominee of the Chairman of the Public Service Commission.
And then let's see who makes up the majority of the Parliament (from here):
Total of 84 seats in Parliament.
seats by party - PAP 82, WP 1, SPP 1
And we just wonder why was there so much hoo ha about the non-president elections earlier.
Letter from Janaine Lau
Press Secretary to Minister for Law
Your article "Changing Istana" (Aug 13-14), although purporting to be based on views of experts, contained misleading and inaccurate statements about the constitutional role of the President and his relationship with the Council of Presidential Advisers (CPA).
.
First, the article said that in 2004, Parliament passed new provisions "to make it possible for the Government to transfer its reserves to selected statutory boards and Government companies, without such transfers being regarded as a draw on past reserves".
.
In fact, the amendments merely enabled the Government to transfer its past reserves to the past reserves of protected statutory boards and Government companies. This would not enable the Government to draw on these past reserves.
.
Secondly, the article said the majority of the six-member CPA "must agree with the President before he can effectively veto the Government's budget or key appointments".
.
There is no requirement that the CPA has to agree with the President before he can exercise his veto. However, if the President vetoes the budget or key appointments contrary to the CPA's recommendation, the veto can be overridden by a two-thirds majority in Parliament. But if the CPA agrees with the President, then his veto is final and cannot be overridden by Parliament.
-------------
Notice the words in bold above.
From the dictionary.com, the definition of veto:
n. pl. ve·toes
1.
1. The vested power or constitutional right of one branch or department of government to refuse approval of measures proposed by another department, especially the power of a chief executive to reject a bill passed by the legislature and thus prevent or delay its enactment into law.
2. Exercise of this right.
3. An official document or message from a chief executive stating the reasons for rejection of a bill.
2. An authoritative prohibition or rejection of a proposed or intended act.
tr.v. ve·toed, ve·to·ing, ve·toes
1. To prevent (a legislative bill) from becoming law by exercising the power of veto.
2. To forbid or prohibit authoritatively.
Then let's see the make up of the Council of Presidential Advisors (from http://www.istana.gov.sg/cpa.html):
The Council comprises six members, of whom two are appointed by the President at his discretion, two are the Prime Minister's nominees, one is the Chief Justice's nominee and the sixth, the nominee of the Chairman of the Public Service Commission.
And then let's see who makes up the majority of the Parliament (from here):
Total of 84 seats in Parliament.
seats by party - PAP 82, WP 1, SPP 1
And we just wonder why was there so much hoo ha about the non-president elections earlier.
Saturday, August 13, 2005
This guy is good
Hope the newspaper don't sue me for copying direct but am rather tired of having to hyperlink stuff.
Man busted by three wives
From correspondents in London
August 12, 2005
WHEN Melvyn Reed went into hospital for a heart bypass operation, his loved ones were anxious to be with him as he recovered.
But things got unexpectedly crowded around the bedside of the 58-year-old car salesman. And while his heart was on the mend, three others were soon broken.
For first, one of his wives turned up to comfort him. Then another. Then another. All within minutes of each other.
It was only then that the three women, who live in different parts of England, realised the bespectacled, portly businessman was a bigamist who had been living several secret lives for years.
Two weeks after he was discharged, Reed walked into a police station on the advice of his solicitor and admitted his deception.
He was later given a four-month suspended prison sentence by magistrates in Wimbledon for two counts of bigamy.
Advertisement:
Recalling the fateful day the three women all turned up at the hospital, Reed told police: "Unfortunately, the timing of the visits went out of sync and they all arrived at once."
His first wife -- his only legitimate one -- is said to be standing by him.
Man busted by three wives
From correspondents in London
August 12, 2005
WHEN Melvyn Reed went into hospital for a heart bypass operation, his loved ones were anxious to be with him as he recovered.
But things got unexpectedly crowded around the bedside of the 58-year-old car salesman. And while his heart was on the mend, three others were soon broken.
For first, one of his wives turned up to comfort him. Then another. Then another. All within minutes of each other.
It was only then that the three women, who live in different parts of England, realised the bespectacled, portly businessman was a bigamist who had been living several secret lives for years.
Two weeks after he was discharged, Reed walked into a police station on the advice of his solicitor and admitted his deception.
He was later given a four-month suspended prison sentence by magistrates in Wimbledon for two counts of bigamy.
Advertisement:
Recalling the fateful day the three women all turned up at the hospital, Reed told police: "Unfortunately, the timing of the visits went out of sync and they all arrived at once."
His first wife -- his only legitimate one -- is said to be standing by him.
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
Patriotism?
Exactly what does it mean by being patriotic? Why do some people like to quote latin sayings that essentially means to sacrifice for the greater good? Where is the sense of that? I do not claim to know nor do I really care how good is it for the people that I should cut off my own tongue for them.
I like life, I don't want to die or get incaerated unnecessarily. I like the kind of socially constructed freedom that I currently enjoy. I despise those who try to take that away from me. Unfortunately, some of us don't have a choice.
When I was younger, I used to clamour for the chance to go for any of the national day parade. It conveyed a sense of awe and even some sort of inspiration in me, to strive and become someone as useful as those who were marching in the impressively neat columns. It was of course a great treat to see fireworks then, since it was restricted to only national days and new year eve countdowns.
I remembered once I attended a national day parade rehersal, it was indeed quite overwhelming, what with the seemingly rousing national day songs, flag fly past, I even saluted the flag when I was still just only barely 17. Nothing wrong with that, I love my country then, and I think I still do, although in a very different manner from what some above said people thinks the best way to do.
I don't know what will I do in the near future, with graduation looming, I fear the grasp of my homeland with her ice cold fingers, the sunny island belies a certain dark character underneath her veneer of propserity. But know this I will, and some way I will find, soon.
I like life, I don't want to die or get incaerated unnecessarily. I like the kind of socially constructed freedom that I currently enjoy. I despise those who try to take that away from me. Unfortunately, some of us don't have a choice.
When I was younger, I used to clamour for the chance to go for any of the national day parade. It conveyed a sense of awe and even some sort of inspiration in me, to strive and become someone as useful as those who were marching in the impressively neat columns. It was of course a great treat to see fireworks then, since it was restricted to only national days and new year eve countdowns.
I remembered once I attended a national day parade rehersal, it was indeed quite overwhelming, what with the seemingly rousing national day songs, flag fly past, I even saluted the flag when I was still just only barely 17. Nothing wrong with that, I love my country then, and I think I still do, although in a very different manner from what some above said people thinks the best way to do.
I don't know what will I do in the near future, with graduation looming, I fear the grasp of my homeland with her ice cold fingers, the sunny island belies a certain dark character underneath her veneer of propserity. But know this I will, and some way I will find, soon.
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