Current affairs

Well, I've been catching up on a bit of reading over the past few days since I came back and it really is impressive how this tiny planet of ours can churn up so much activity and changes in just a few days.

For example. The thais have been exchanging their PMs like nobody's business. The opposition efforts have paid off, Wongsawat stepped down and Abhisit has taken over the reins. Now thaksin-loyalists are using the PAD's very own methods in seeking yet another regime change! I wonder when will this stop? Don't they realise the damages they've done to their country? The millions lost in the airport saga? The taxpayers money lost when the police are unnecessarily deployed and pulled from their rightful posts of preventing real crime?

Is the fight for so-called "democracy" really that important? So much so that it outweighs the general welfare of public as a whole? I mean who really gives a damn about legitimacy of a government if it proves to be good for the people. You only protest if this illegitimate government abuses its power. Sure you can argue about setting the wrong precedents but would you rather live in peace, regardless the leader, or under a chaotic democracy?


Another would be Israeli bombings on Gaza. For one thing, I try not to side with either parties. It is through you-versus-me mentality that such conflagrations arise. I must really marvel at both sides. Their fight has persisted all the way from biblical times!

From how I see it, both sides have their justifiable reasons for war, and many more reasons for peace. Palestinians are sick and tired of the Israelis infringing on their sovereign rights (if you can put it that way). Their pain and suffering is immense and cannot be calculated in mere arbitrary terms. Theirs is a heavily-populated, malnourished city constantly fraught with unthinkable dangers. Militants firing on one side of the road, Israeli tanks bull-dozing in from the other side and the deep drone of war planes looming above.

Woe is the innocent child who craddles in hopeful safety of his father's bossom...


On the other hand, the Israelis are also stretched to their limits with Hama's rockets. In their mind, Hamas is akin to a thorn in the flesh of a lion. Imagine having irritating rockets slamming into border defenceless towns all day, would any government stand this? They have tried peaceful options, but the rockets still persist. They are paying Hamas back in their own medicine, albeit a more bitter one.

Sometimes, I really feel for them. Theirs is a nation scorned on all sides, their neighbours sing to their early deaths and you can really sense the wall slowly closing in. To the north is Lebonon and the Hizbollah. To their south, Hamas, to their east, Syria and a could be nuclear armed Iran. All want her death. Internally, there are 1.3 million Arab-Israelis out of 5.5 million and many are slowly sympathising with radicals! They feel threaten on all sides and can turn to no one to broker peace. The world condemns their actions, yet do little to stop Hamas rockets.

During the ceasefires, there have been occasional rocket attacks and Israel has responded by opening up humanitarian lines for its enemy. If there is no other peaceful option, can you really fault them for behaving as such? Global citizens, Koreans, Americans, Europeans all deride Israel for "genocide" and call for them to stop bombing civilians, but do the militants want to come out of residential districts and fight? No. How can you kill the enemy firing from the midst of innocent civilians without expecting other casualties. It's unrealistic.

I say that instead of protesting, the world should ramp up efforts to mediate. If not it will be the same old pattern. Israel bombs, militants fight back, civilians overwhelmed and another temporary truce is formed.

Still, they are not without sin. Torture and rampant espionage, indiscriminate bombings and hidden nukes? Some even say this recent outbreak is another form of PR for the upcoming elections. But in any war, there is no sinless party. You fight fire with fire.

Both have their difficulties and have responded in similar manners - bloodshed. Alas peace cannot be obtained through senseless violence. Hate is festered in little ones and the battle scene is set for the next generation. As the old bard laments, "Violence ultimately begets violence.."

I fear this dispute can never be settled till Israel's neighbours accept and tolerate her as she is. Till then, we can only pray for the innocent that they hold fast..


I read an interesting article. The future of global health. Millions of Africans lie sick and dying today, they cannot even find morphine in hospitals to ease their pain. Old, once thought eradicated diseases like polio are resurfacing quickly and to desire proper water sanitation is like believing in Santa. Pure fantasy.

Children bathe in polluted waste water in Jakarta slums and Chinese babies are still suffering from the effects of the Sanlu milk scandal. Obesity is on the rise and clinical depression is becoming more rampant.

In our globalised world, our geographical lines are blurred. 2 billion people travel about by air yearly and new diseases are sprouting at an unprecedented 1 a year. The SARS outbreak shows only ominously how a plague outbreak could happen in such an era. I shudder to think of such an event occurring in the little bubble of ours - Singapore.

The food we eat have traveled hundreds of miles made with ingredients from all over the world. The Sanlu milk scare displayed this clearly with so many products being pulled from the shelves. Food is genetically modified, its effects are too early to tell but one thing we can learn from recent history is this - don't fool around with mother nature.

Who can save us? Ironically ourselves, but do we want to? Heck life is just too good here, why should we care about the events in Africa or China? Because we must as a fellow human being. It is morally and ethically right to do so, it is our god-given duty to do so. God did not bless us with our bounty just to sit back and enjoy its fruits. Ability to choose to show compassion and act on it separates us from animals and to fight for human rights - the right to life, liberty, education, healthcare - all these are the very foundations of what it means to live as Man. Our human rights are derived from natural law - how would a rational human being seeking to survive and prosper act - and thus we should not ignore the cries of others for we are all the same.

What can I do as a simple student? I can start by being thankful for what I have. Awareness of our fruits and consciousness of the needs of others is the first step to greater action. And awareness only comes from wanting to read and learn about this very fascinating world =)

MERRY CHRISTMAS PEOPLE!!

GOD BLESS!

Europe

I'm back. Yes, after 2 long weeks in Europe, I'm finally back. I guess the post is really predictable, I mean who wouldn't wanna blog about their vacation to some exotic place?

I don't have any pics with me just yet, just flew back in this morning. Interestingly, I'm starting to really like flying about, 12 hrs, 24hr flights? No worries. The world is really worth seeing.
So let me recollect if I can.

London
Amsterdam
Heideberg
Innsbruck
Verona
Venice
Lucern
Paris

All over a course of 2 weeks. Wow indeed. But seriously I'd rather we concentrated on just a specific region. This way, we didn't have to stay cooped up on a freaking coach.

Alright. Where should I begin? You can't possibly put Europe into words, it's just so amazing. The mindset, attitudes, cultures, languages.. Singapore is really lacking indeed. But perhaps this is your case of "the grass may seem to be greener on the other side". One thing for sure, I can somehow feel this strong sense of freedom of expression and lassier fair outake on life. They really enjoy life, no father authority, just life. You know there are parts in Paris without road lanes, cars just zoom about without care!

And damn, the rich history and culture. One can easily be drawn in and intoxicated by all of its past. I'm still feeling heady, and no it's not the bottles of wine that I downed there. Darn they have good wine for sure.

London is cosmopolitan, so is Paris. But if you asked me, I'd loved to stay in Paris. The people are friendlier and more fun. From what I see, Londoners are pretty stuck up (no offence). And aha, Amsterdam. You know what it's famous for, yep, it's critically aclaimed international red-light districts. They have these cubicles lined along the street with social escorts modelling in their barely-there lingeries. The kids in our group were all squirming, haha it was really an eye opener although the way these women made bussiness was really uncomfortable to fathom. It's utterly self-degrading, posing in the windows like some sex toy and not a fellow human being.

Oh yea, speaking of which. I had the opportunity to watch the Moulin Rouge. For the uninitiated, it's your watered down Crazy Horse. Topless dancers, but done very tastefully. Not overtly sexual and definitely very professional. Damn its PG over there in Paris. Whoa, I was red-hot after that, with my thick sweater, 2 bottles of wine and their uber, over-powered, made-in-france-not-china heater. Hehe, I guess the French dancers did contribute too. Oh, and I was called up by a ventriloquist. Really cool, he squeezed my hand and I had to open my mouth. Yes, viva la france! You gotta love that country =)

My only bad experience there was getting scammed by this old faggot artist. I went to this place near a church, you should see the churches there, and probably it was a tourisy place. Loads of sovenior shops. At the fork of the road were many artists. I, being fucking stupid, actually posed. I mean, how much could it be.

In 5 min, he passed me the sketch, which looked nothing like me, and asked for 50 euros. I was like fuck? Go sell your butt or something, 50 euros for this shit. So I wouldn't buy it till he dropped till 20 euros. Still really expensive, but he was literally begging. There was this other female who sketched my bro, also didn't look like him, ha that I didn't pay at all, like who requested her to draw? Not me. So she gave me the sketch and went off cursing me aloud in french. Quite funny. We went in and saw more artists. These were good. 25 euros, 1 hr, best quality sketches. I was really pissed after that.

My mum was nagging, like how I wasn't business minded enough, how cost-ineffective I was and for once I agreed. If I could reach it, I'd kicked myself in the ass that day. But it's scams and experiences like these which teach you business. Next time, it won't happen again.

Swizterland was pure, natural, unadulterated beauty. The mountains and lake lucern were absolutely breath-taking. Got me very own original swiss knife over there haha. It was shoe paradise, the swiss love their feet indeed.

Italy was good too, with all the pizzas and pastas, although Venice was quite a dissapointment. Honestly, it sucked. The weather, the prices, the hotel. The hotel was haunted. It had this barouqe 1700s interior. So you can imagine red drapings, chandeliers and mirrors, mirrors, mirrors. My friend's parents had this one really cold room. In the last night, all the chandeliers started to shake violently. I was like wtf? Damn, I was this fucking close to something? But the pastas made up for it yep =)

Man, there's just so much that happened and if I were to write everything, it would take the post months to load. I guess pics are the best way to convey everything. 1 pic = 1000 words. So if I get my pics soon from my friend and parents, maybe we'll see ya. Ciao xD

Dream On

You know, music these days just plain suck. With all the popsy, hip hop bands and stars playing crap, being too cool for us and whatever. Its hard to really find new bands producing real music - songs that mean something. That's why I like older music. Seems they were more matured than those now, despite their age of chain crack smoking hehe. They had so much more style and persona too that's for sure. But it would be overboard for me to totally discredit all new bands. Maybe all I'm trying to say is that most mainstream music is crap. Good music is found in less popular avenues, like little hidden treasures =)

Dream On - Aerosmith

I think most would have heard this recently during the Olympics ads. Well this song was chosen for a very good reason.

Everytime that I look in the mirror
All these lines on my face gettin clearer
The past is gone
It went by like dust to dawn
Isnt that the way
Everybodys got their dues in life to pay

I know what nobody knows
Where it comes and where it goes
I know its everybodys sin
You got to lose to know how to win

Half my life is in books written pages
Live and learn from fools and from sages
You know its true
All the things come back to you

Sing with me, sing for the year
Sing for the laughter, sing for the tears
Sing with me, if its just for today
Maybe tomorrow the good lord will take you away

Dream on, dream on
Dream yourself a dream come true
Dream on, dream on
Dream until your dream come true
Dream on, dream on, dream on...

Sing with me, sing for the year
Sing for the laughter and sing for the tears
Sing with me, if its just for today
Maybe tomorrow the good lord will take you away

What must be said is said. The lyrics are self-explanatory.

Cat camp was refreshing, great to see old faces and the teachers, walking down cat high's corridors at 12am with good friends.. the memories.. but I'm so tired now, and dastardly hungry.

Fiat Justitia

The case is as such.

Appellant's story:
A (I can't say their names) is accused of misappropriation of 2 handphones. When B called his missing phone, A demanded $280 for the return of his phone. They met, fought and A was charged.

Defendant's story:
A found the handphone in a coffee shop while buying food for his parents. While waiting for his food, a group of angry demanded the phone back. When A asked for proof, a fight ensured and the police was called.

Simple story? Not quite. The trip to the subordinate courts today told me one thing. Man can never truly serve justice. But they can come close.

Many discrepancies were found in B's story and it was quite obvious that guy was lying all the way. A did not ask for the money, nor did he take 2 phones. But he had no proof, and he had a long track record of crimes. Who's the judge to believe?

My lawyer was doing legal aid, or free work. A came from a hard family. His dad had 2 strokes, mum can't work and sis is ill. He was the sole breadwinner. I could see that he was really earnest and thankful to the lawyer. He cringed when he heard the accusations, yet he decided to plead guilty - just so that he can save time, serve his sentence quick and come back out to work.

I was astonished. So was the lawyer. I could see from the way he hesitated agreeing that he didn't feel this was right. Should an innocent man be charged just because all was against him? His lack of proof, lack of money, his track record. Was this truly justice? I was indignant. I wanted A to fight on. The other side was obviously lying, there were just too many holes in their story, they even got the dates of events wrong! But he was pleading guilty, and I could only keep quiet and watch.

In the judge's chamber, they talked, they argued over facts, they modified facts (pretty much like a pw meeting). All that time they were talking, here was a man, whose life could change.

Finally, the sentence, thank God, he was given only 1 day imprisonment, on top of his 1 month in remand. My lawyer had won, in a way. The judge couldn't believe the persecution's case entirely, but since A pleaded guilty, there had to be a sentence.

I took notes - if I should embark on this career path, I have to be prepared to send an innocent man to jail, I had to suppress my natural emotions, for I cannot make decisions for my client, I am merely a mouthpiece to the court. But can I do it? I don't know. It is in such an instance that lawyers face the dilemma, although the choice is fixed, I have to send this man to jail for a crime he did not do, all because he wants it, and I am duty-bound to reflect that choice.

At least he got 1 day. What if it was 20 years? What if it were life? Can I rise beyond myself and take a dispassionate standpoint? Can I look my client in the eye and dismiss him? Can I look his elderly parents in the eyes and still stay emotionally resilient?

I wish for justice to be done. However poetic it sounds, it does exist. Just as some instances of love at first sight, I believe justice exist. I'm inspired to do legal aid to help these downtrodden folks being abused by others. I want to contribute back to society by seeing that all men be judged equally, and we are very fortunate that it is so here, really. But alas, I need my 4 As first before I can start to dream..


"Fiat justitia, ruat coelum" - Let justice be done, though the heavens should fall

Changes

It was my grandfather's 88th birthday. We were at the same restaurant as usual and naturally, we were bored. Yet he never was. He was contented. Happy that all of us came back that week, to the little town of Ipoh, to celebrate with him.

He is a man of few words. Never seeing the need to express through words what he could with his eyes. He stays at home all day for traveling only makes him tired. Yet he never is dissatisfied, never unhappy, never bored. I look at him, my father and myself. 3 generations spanning a hundred years. What would happen in another hundred?

Family photos adorn the wall outside his bedroom. Did he ever sit all alone by the table reminiscing? Did he hold on to those memories, captured for all eternity in those pictures? The photo of my late grandma stared back at me. I was only 8 when she died. I remember that day in August still. My father asked if I wanted to return one last time to bid her goodbye. I said no, all because I was lazy! I spent that night crying when he called to say she was gone... I was filled with grief although I didn't know her well (she didn't speak English) and I was tormented by pangs of guilt. After all, she was my grandmother. I hated myself, at that tender age of 8, for betraying her.

I felt worse when I found out she had actually mustered up strength to ask where I was and how I was doing before she left..

Now he's 88. I don't know how many years left will I get to sing him his birthday song. I don't want to stop, ever. It would signify a new beginning, a flip of the page. I don't know him well still, we never spoke much, just a few mumbled greetings at most. But I sense his desire to see us all succeed, just as he did with his children.

Seeing him move so frailly, hand struggling to hold on to his walking stick, feet shuffling one after the other.. How many more years before this all changes?

It was 11 years ago that I stood hesitantly outside my classroom, refusing to enter, not wanting to leave kindergarden. It was a year ago that I stood one last time at my school gate, ambivalent about where I was going. It'd be another year before I receive my letter. With each chapter, I lose and gain something, a trade is made with time. But sometimes the things that you lose are far more important than what you receive.

I want to hold on to all that I have and embrace it to the fullest. But it's hard because time doesn't allow it, or does it?

IF

I may not look like the type, but I adore poems and literature. It's Man's expression at its very best. The thought put into each work makes every line ever more endearing.

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream--and not make dreams your master,
If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!

-- "IF" by Rudyard Kipling

Given to us again by a fantastic English teacher at the end of the O levels.

Zoo

Only 6 from s35 turned up for the zoo trip. I guess that's not really a bad attendance no. for any of our outings so yea great =) It really would have been better if more had come. Haha but we still owned this other class - 3 in total, 2 prcs...

The trip was pretty uneventful, but then again, what are you supposed to do at the zoo, other than visit the animals and breathe in the good, sweet-smelling, fresh air. Darn if only we had went a day earlier, maybe we could have caught the Malaysian guy playing with the white tigers.That would have been interesting to watch.

Haha pardon my sadistic streak, but you have to admit that was a really interesting way to die. I mean how often do you get to see a Malaysian getting pwned by 2 tigers? You usually have them leaping off buildings and ending up as a puddle or getting mowed by a train. But this guy has seriously went off the record.

No matter how depressed you are, I can't imagine anyone choosing such an odious method as to get mauled by a tiger. And if you want to die, do it alone, luckily the tigers left before the zoo shooters went in or we'll lose another 2 good white tigers. Now they're traumatised by the event, thanks to that selfish idiot.

Hah, we were all discussing the thing last night and the theories that we came up with still cracks me up. Maybe he's an illegal immigrant who hasn't eaten for days and wanted to hunt the tapirs next to the tigers' enclosure, so he took a bucket as a helmet and a broom spear, but ended up in the wrong exhibit? Or maybe he's an innocent cleaner who screwed up and wanted to hide by using the bucket?

On a more serious note, this issue of suicide, euthanasia or whatever is something that we cannot avoid. We can joke about them to lighten up things but the crunch is this - what are we going to do as a people to stop, or rather, reduce further incidences? Maybe it's something the government has to find an answer to, but more importantly would be our role in watching out for depression signs amongst our brethren. I mean if you see your good buddy smashing his head against the wall or something, you shouldn't dismiss it and say - it's puberty. Support from close relationships is the number 1 method for treating depression. No amount of drugs can beat the uplifting effect of close support.

Maybe if his colleagues were to have stopped him when he said "Goodbye, you won't see me again" something different would have happened.

Maybe if his roommates had bothered to talk to him when they saw him brooding by the corner deep into the night, he might have been saved.

Maybe the zoo wouldn't have been so exciting as usual, but it need not be a bad thing.


"Don't give up, it's just the weight of the world"

Dammit. I thought I was over her. Dammit. I really was. Dammit. Why did I have to read those letters? Her small, squiggly handwriting.. =)

Its been a few months and who'd knew she could still cause me to lose sleep? Damn there's none like her. But I won't see her again, maybe soon, maybe never. Dammit, I have to concentrate and get over it but I just can't. But I must, I can't lose focus, not at this critical juncture.

"I know you want to sit with me right?" *smiles*
*smiles bashfully* "No" *sits*

I can be such a twit at times.

First Day

I'm so going to be a barrister.

First day at the firm was fantastic, the experience was wonderful, I really got an acute insight into what it is to be a lawyer and I must say it's fucking brilliant. They get free milo.

Here's something I learned. Lawyers must have sound judgment. No matter how good your mastery over english is, your quality of judgment transcends everything else.

"This virtue may be regarded as a sort of forensic wisdom which is supported by, rather than derived from, a knowledge of the law and the facts of a given case... it is to some degree inborn; but it can be cultivated and strengthened by the individual who recognises that there is such a virtue that is worth pursuing."

Brilliant advice.

Here's a hypothetical case my mentor gave me to ponder and to discuss with him at a later date:

The case of the spelucean exploreres. 5 explorers were in a cave when they were trapped by a landslide. It took over a month to excavate them. 10 rescuers died in the process from another landslide.The 4 explorers survived by killing one of the members and consuming him. The case is as such. That dead man had suggested they draw lots to see who shall be eaten, but pulled out at the last minute and suggested they just wait. The others felt it unfair and they drew his lot for him, which he lost.

Should they be indicted for murder?

My brief thoughts,
YES: Murder is the willful killing of another man. They should be tried.
NO: They were placed in a situation under the conditions of the "law of nature". To save 4 lives, they had to take 1.

What do you think? There is no right or wrong, but only HOW you argue it out logically and persuasively.

Amazing isn't it.