So it's official

Now that I finally have some time for myself (all the teachers cancelled classes today), I can write something.

It's been a whirlwind of a term 1 for me, and I recently crashed on my Math test (surprise, surprise). DARN YOU EIGENVECTORS!

Anyway, I've been observing that there is a huge number of local youths taking up Japanese as a foreign language. Personally, it weirds me out. Then again, I'm the one who knows how to thank someone in Macedonian. 

So today, I just want to practise my German writing here in my blog.

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Heute ich habe keine Klassen, weil alle meine Lehrer die Klassen storniert. So, ich war bis zum Ende meine Midihausaufgaben. Aber ich jetzt im Bibliothek. Sigh.

Ever had this happen to you?

Hello everyone! I haven't been on the Internet for leisure for quite some time. So, hello again, blogosphere and... blogosphere-ers. 

I don't know if this has happened to you, where you are all raring to go on discussing the topic of thought, and your mind is all against it, because it is what I'm going through right now.

 

Imagine this: 

Hello world, let's discuss (no, that's a stupid topic), how about (no, too cliched) ...

Sigh. 

What I need is blogger's action day again.

Two weeks into school

and this is what I went through:

4 physically draining keyboard lessons

4 music theory lessons

2 maths tutorials, 1 still yet to be done (the topics are partial fractions and complex numbers)

1 audio editing exercise

an encounter with death (by powerpoint presentation)

2 extremely corny lessons (aptly called Our Nation, Our World)

many, many 20th century pieces as examples for exploring timbre

recordings  of Debussy

tramping up and down to the Main Library

2 lectures with a near dead lecturer (won't say who)

2 ear-training lessons coupled with one of my characteristic laughing fits

involvement with a group of people who we so fondly call ourselves the drug circle

'Nuff said

I had style, I had flair, I was there!

and that's how I DIDN'T become the nanny. (Note the pop culteure icon to the hit 90's show "The Nanny", if any of you haven't been catching the drift)

I was going to blog about what NOT to blog, but i'll save it for the next post. Meanwhile, I took this really fun quiz (and it's not from Facebook). It's about what comes into my mind when you say certain words, and this game goes much deeper, as it focuses on lateral thinking (this is a transcript of when I played with a friend).

Country: Namibia

What you think about the previous answer: !Kung bushmen

What you think about the previous answer: Click sounds

What you think about the previous answer: Xhosa language

What you think about the previous answer: Nelson Mandela

What you think about the previous answer: Apartheid

What you think about the previous answer: South Africa

What you think about the previous answer: Africa

What you think about the previous answer: Roman Empire (Africa is a Latin word)

What you think about the previous answer: Power

What you think about the previous answer: HM Queen Elizabeth II

What you think about the previous answer: Canada (She's the Queen of Canada too)

What you think about the previous answer: Inuit

What you think about the previous answer: Greenland

What you think about the previous answer: Denmark (coloniser of Greenland)

What you think about the previous answer: Scandinavia

What you think about the previous answer: Germanic people

What you think about the previous answer: Germany

What you think about the previous answer: Namibia (colonised by Germany)

Funny how things come in full circle, isn't it?

Got Milk? An Earth Hour Message

Found a strange addiction to milk (particularly full cream and chocolate) these few days. Yes, I know this is especially weird and unusual.


Today the Orchestra is performing on Earth Hour. In the dark. For about an hour. As Kok Wai put it: Omigosh. Better dish out the fluorescent bangles.


We have come a long way in development, but it has come with a price: The Earth is getting more and more sick by the second. Pollution levels are rising all over the world. Waste is accumulating and is increasing at an alarming rate.


Fortunately, modern technology and politics has improved in terms on environmental conservation. Rubbish is now used to create electricity. We also now have a carbon neutral country (that's Vatican City by the way) and many more nations such as Costa Rica are also aiming for this carbon neutral status. Australia is about to phase out the use of incandescent lightbulbs, saving heck of a lot of electricity.


However, laws and technology cannot function alone, for it is the common people that makes all the difference, including you and me. So, by doing our dear Earth a favour by turning off all the electrical appliances (except for the fridge of course) you can make a very big difference. Also in conjunction with Earth Hour, I invite you to watch the following video:



Happy Earth Hour!

A reply to the "Petition Against High Bus Fares to Poly Students"

This topic has never failed to make me chortle within myself.

I see endless pages of argument between Poly Students and JC students in Singapore over the unequality of bus fares. JC students would pay the students' concessionary fare while Polytechnic students are subject to paying the bus fares.

What amuses me is actually how poorly this subject has been going on. I see much talk with no real work done, that is. Polytechnic students are typically complaining and JC students are just justifying the LTA's motions.

I have one thing to say: When arguing, base your arguments on a basis where everyone can relate to each other. As such, there shouldn't be long winded tussles over "You don't understand me" issues. (This applies to your relationship too, if you have any)

A nation is defined as a group of people who have similar interests and goals. In Singapore, these interests can be found within the National Pledge. I highlight this part in italics below.

We, the citizens of Singapore
Pledge ourselves as one united people
Regardless of race, language or religion
To build a democratic society
Based on justice and equality
So as to achieve happiness
Prosperity and progress to our nation

Here is the highlighted part, in case you missed it:

To build a democratic society
Based on justice and equality

To be a nation as described above one needs justice and equality. This can be applied to the bus fare issues based on this sentence which i know Singaporean students drone on each school day without taking in account of what is actually meant.

I have a proposition:

All students receiving tertiary education in Singapore should have 4 concessionary bus trips each school day, and this is used to go to school and return home from school. Anything more and the student is to be charged adult fare.

Extra concessions bought at bus interchanges or MRT should not have a significant price difference and I recommend that Poly students pay 15% more than JC students.

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Oh, and for the JC students who argued at these forums please be noted that:

1) Our school fees are heck a lot more than yours and that's why we do mind paying more for something over a basic necessity.

2) Yes, we have no uniforms and it is true it is easier for us to go out and have more fun, but please note: We are nevertheless in a learning institution and we do have exams and grades to worry about too.

3) We also will have to drop a course if we do poorly in school.

4) What do you mean (Fawwaz from the Facebook forums) JC students have no lax in discipline? Is that not an implication that Poly students always bend the rule? We are human, please, and no matter how hard you try, you can never have a completely perfect or a dysfunctional society.

Let's Talk About: Euthanasia

This is another fairly eye-opening topic which I intend to discuss today.

Euthanasia is the act of mercy-killing to patients who are terminally ill. This issue has been stirring up a storm of controversy lately, and still no definitive answer as to it's extent of acceptability has been brought up. It is, of course, a highly subjective topic and I do welcome comments on this post but please, no inflaming comments please :)

Why euthanasia is acceptable:

• It relieves the terminally-ill patient of further suffering.


• It is more economical if you look in the healthcare system's point of view: More space in hospitals to treat other patients, resources can be used on other patients, etc.

Why euthanasia is not acceptable:

• It is easily viewed as a crime against life and suicide in most religions.


• It is morally wrong.


• The medical professionals have the duty of sustaining a patient until he/she dies naturally.


• Family members would want to spend as much time possible with the dying patient.

In my point of view, euthanasia is actually acceptable as long as it is consented by a mentally-fit patient himself. It is unfair to make decisions upon a mentally fit patient who, technically speaking, is the only one who knows the suffering he/she is going through.

However, if I would unfortunately be in the patients position (which I hope i won't be), I wouldn't end my life with euthanasia, but I would stop taking my medicine, because in my religion it is morally wrong to know your time of death. At least refusing medicine still keeps your time of death uncertain.

That's my point of view. What's yours?