Notice

This will be my temporary blogskin while the blog is revamping.

-serving you better...

Just One More Week...

to go before I leave for my trek across the Middle Eastern core.

For any of you who are wondering how am I coping with serious culture shock and other stuff (which includes the crazy amount of E Math homework we have) this are the stuff I'm doing.

1. Psycho myself by believing Singapore is not hot (the Middle East is hotter)
2. Get proper visa and making sure that I have clearance to all of my destinations.
3. Rilek a little.
4. Have an open mind towards Middle eastern culture
5. Get hore riding lessons since I'm riding a horse across the desert to Petra
6. Finish my E Math homework in no particular order (jkjk)

For this trip, I have many typical responses such as "This is your 'O' Level year what..." (quoted from Glenn Wong) and let's make it clear. I believe in absolute continuity and look long term. 'O' Levels in my opinion is a 2 month matter (which doesn't mean I don't care) as compared to the many years I spend on the face of this Earth, which I believe I have addressed the serious issue of the lack of knowledge of it 2 posts ago.

Along my way, I'll take photos with my handphone and upload them during my trip (hopefully Internet cafes are cheap in all my destinations). At the end of my trip, I will create a movie with no words that focuses on Middle Eastern mysticism. So watch out next week for them!

If you have realised, the Antarctican dollar has appreciated in respect to the Singapore dollar, now that it is at a rate of S$29.65 per A$1.

Time to get started on indices...

Branding the Most Beautiful National Anthem

I was at it again, listening to various anthems, and without a doubt, I found the World's Beautifulest National Anthem, which I'm sure you'll agree after listening to it.

Below is a video from YouTube, featuring Hatikvah, the national anthem of Israel. The anthem is in a minor key, which is unusual for national anthems. However, the melody, though heart-renching, is very uplifting and inspiring.

The anthem is in a binary form, AB. Section A is a melancholic tune which roughly translates as:

"Deep in the heart within,
A Jewish soul yearns,
And facing in the East, forward,
A watchful eye overlooks"

Section B is more uplifting as compared to Section A. It translates as:

"Our hope is not yet lost,
The hope of 2000 years,
To be a free people in our own land,
The land of Zion and Jerusalem"

Section B repeats the last two lines.

Around the World in a Quiz

I am shocked. Many people are not acquainted with the Earth we live in. For example,

"What is the national language of Panama?"

"Ermm, ... Panamian?"

Sighs

Test yourself here!

A Picture Tells A Thousand Words

Spotted in China!







These guys need help!




Wheelchair-bound people beware!




Spotted in Tibet





Bilingual Sign spotted in Canada





Spotted in Ephesus







So true...this sign is taken from Katoomba, NSW






Japanese are hostile towards smokers





...and are straightforward people too.

Spotted in Malaysia! It just so happens they don't care WHERE you spit, just do it quietly.

Thank god all the watches are exact and syncronised

Whoops

Things NOT to do in a toilet

As a side message, PLEASE practice sex SAFELY...

A word on Suvarnabhumi Airport

That it's actually pronounced "soo-wan-na-poom"

For today's episode I will present the weirdest things that I have encountered concerning language. Let's start off.

1. The Estonian word for space explorer is kuuuurija.

2. In the city of Condom of France, it has a Bishop of Condom

3. In Jerusalem, there is a church called "Our Lady Of the Spasms"

4. Bangkok's full name is "Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Yuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit ." Fancy that, not even a mention of "Bangkok" in it.

5. There's a village in Canada called Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha! , together with the exclamation marks

6. One of the most outrageous place names in the world. This is the world's most stolen street sign.







You might want to read the local's reaction to this: http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2005/09/02/1125302734420.html

7. The world's shortest place name:

8. "Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia" means fear of long words. How ironic.

9. For good measure, here's the longest word in English, it contains 189,819 letters.

It's found on an external page because I got too tired writing up to the 2000th character

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20061113221628AAxlNn5

10. The shortest word in the English language is "a".

That's about what I have for today.