Starwars !! [cue theme]

The Starwars Trilogy (That's Episdoes IV, V and VI) set has been released, has anybody got their grubby hands on one yet?

So tempted to get one here, since it's gonna be R2 and thus a PAL release. Gonna cost me AU$70 though. Hmmm..maybe I should take advantage of the David Jones 20% storewide discount.

Oh, and any news of a Starwars Marathon back home?

Next Generation Dogs

engadget has a blog entry about the future of pooches....
HOW-TO: Upgrade your organic dog

Dog-Human translator?
Frankly, I don't wanna come home to hear my bitch bitching about the cat drinking all the milk do I?

Sigh, even dogs have 3.5Mp cameras!

Brutal.

Yo!

I'm back again! Came across this video link (Right-click and save target as) on a 'Raven Shield' forum... and felt it was an eye-opening chance to see the brutality of modern warfare.

WARNING: This clip shows peeps getting killed. So if based on the short description below, you feel that it's something you might not like or cannot take, please do not download the clip. (12 MB big btw.)

As you will see, the clip basically shows a comms recording and thermal (Hotter things appear whiter) video of an apache engaging some Iraqi militants.

Just as you might feel the brutal realities of war, it's also worth to note the power of the Apache's 30 mm M230 cannon. Not to mention, why the 'Apache Attack Helicopter' is called the "Longbow"... as like the British longbowmen of old... they excel in engagement at range and in cover.

Please note that this is not a pro-iraq war or anti-bush post... it's just an interesting clip that one day might get shown on Discovery, but till then, you can just find it here.

Another note, I've checked out the main site of where this avi file is hosted, and IT IS a political site, so, if you're into that sort of stuff, you might want to check it out here. As for the rest of us, well, just sit easy yah?

(Screencap of clip)

That's all for tonight then folks!
Good night!

*Future Breeze - Move*

-Cal-

Curtains Up!

Hmm...

A funny thought just crossed my mind... You see, I was just chatting wif my frens... and one of them mentioned that the moon was really clear and round today! But, me being in my "Room of Bum and Solitude"... remarked that, "my curtains' drawn... can't see shit.."

Thus sprang to mind, what does "Curtains drawn" actually mean to you? Open or close? It can mean both rite? I mean, usually, when I say, 'curtains drawn', I do mean it's drawn closed.. but when it's open, I dun say, "Curtains undrawn" or "Curtains drawn open"... just sounds weird.

Hmmm....

*Kyoko Fukada - How?*

-Cal-

p.s Did a quick google on "curtains drawn" and guess what, it's a danish indie band! Hehe!

Oh Smoky Night...

Sung to tune of O Holy Night



Oh smoky night,
The sparklers brightly shining
Loath to grow up, hornie ones still wanna play

Long lay the world in darkness and rotting jackfruits
Till sparkling projectiles rained down

While we did feel overgrown for such child's play
And Jeffrey's not here for us to call "loser"



Faaaaaaall on your knees, O hear the angel voices

*cue mao singing*

O niiiiiiight diviiiiiine

O night of much discarded yooooooolks

*cue mao squealing*



O niiiiiiiiight diiiiiiivvviiiiiiine

*cue glasses shattering*

O night, O night divine :)

More about Singaporean Ugly

Today Online: Don't study, you'll end up in service industry

Amusing yet... whazzat word... highlights certain truths.

Mooncake Party on Sat, 25 Sep

The original mail has been censored, see mailing list.

Hi guys & gals,

Mooncake Fest celebrations will take place @ Bishan Park this year.

All are to convene at Zhanhui's place @ 8pm.

BYOM (bring your own mooncakes)
BYOS (that's sparklers)

Non-alcoholic drinks on the house so BYOB (i.e. bring your own booze, tho I think mooncakes don't go with beer, maybe can try Tsing Tao).

Ivan's suggesting dinner, pls call him for details.

For enquiries, pls call
Me, Ivan or Zhanhui


Cheers!
Ed

Interesting Webby Post

Been quiet except for the geeks...so here we go...some MORE geek stuff:
[Lemm: The "geeks" resent that]

CLICK HERE FOR RADIOACTIVE WATER!
Interesting read about selling radioactive water as a 'health' product a century ago. Accuracy of the article cannot be confirmed. Makes you think about all the "organic" health product we have nowadays. Slim 10 anyone?

CLICK HERE FOR WATERPROOF PDAs!
Kayaking: With your PDA and wireless card? (ipaq 2210 supporter!)

CLICK HERE IF YOU ARE FATED TO BE A MONKEY!
Are you fated to be who you are?

Alas, there was this article regarding teaching that i have lost. Sorry teachers!

Jared: I'm Japanese soon getting used to. =P

Edit: Yo! Changed the links so the shoutbox and stuff (Right panel) wouldn't get pushed below. -Cal-

Power to the Bloggers Once Again

Blogging the Story Alive

For the Movie Buffs

Think most ppl have caught this, but thought the trailer doesn't do justice to the film.


Seems like more Brazilian shows nowadays


By the creators of South Park.
The new villian after Saddam? North Korea's Dear Leader

With Interest I Read...

A new take on "Homeland secuirty", what do geeks do?

---

Ask Slashdot: Home Defense, Geek Style?

Posted by timothy on Sunday September 12, @05:16PM
from the night-vision-goggles-and-low-lights dept.

Yo Maing writes "So my mom got lives alone, and got her car broken into last night. We have a motion sensor light in the driveway, and the car has an alarm but apparently both of these deterrents were ineffective. Crime has been rising around her neighborhood, and only action the police can take is to file a report. So I ask you, Geeks of Slashdot, what tricks do you guys have to defend yours and your loved ones homes against crimes like this? Not looking for anything that would get someone injured, but more in the area of detection and repulsion. Anyone have a holographic Yeti generator to scare away intruders? :)"

---

Sweeet!....trekkie talk so does turn me on =P
/me strikes sexy Charlie's Angel pose with Romulan disruptor (complete with my JC-era romulan hair-do)

The Sex of Technology and the Technology of Sex

Wired.com: Sex Drive With Gina Lynn

Hurricane Alice

Since we're on the topic of female-named storms...

Alice is the only female engineer in Dilbert's department. She's habitually overworked. Her cardiovascular system is basically coffee. She has a quick temper when confronted with the idiocy of her co-workers. She does not handle criticism well.



P.S. Only cubicle drones appreciate Dilbert. Sigh...

Good Ol' Superman

Was listening to classicfm.com & it was playing the Superman main theme. Gee, how many movies of our time have such instantly recognizable tunes?

Kill a cockroach before you go to bed every night

This is just one of the many silly things some employers here demand of their maids:

1. You get your full salary only after your contract expires in two years

2. You must give your hongbao money to Madam for safekeeping

3. You must wash babyÕs toys during the day if they are dirty. At night, all toys which baby played with must be washed

4. You can only go to bed after you kill a cockroach or lizard

5. You must repair the TV before you go to bed

6. You must carry baby and cook at the same time

7. You must hang Ah Ma and Madam's underwear on separate bamboo poles

8. You must not have any money on you

9. When reprimanded, you must look down, smile and say "Thank you"

10. You cannot use the toilet

11. You must hide in the kitchen when Sir comes home

12. You must not smile at or talk to neighbours and their maids

13. You cannot sit on the chair or sofa. You must sit on the floor when taking instructions

14. You must wear jeans and long-sleeved blouses at all times

15. You must not look out of the balcony window

16. You must ask for permission before opening any cabinet

17. Do not try to do "weirdo things" inside the house

18. You can shower only once a day, but must not be smelly

19. You must clean the floor with a cloth, not a mop

20. Do not eat any food not allocated to you

Bill Gates & Lemmings

Off Wired.com:

"Using Windows makes you seem like a lemming"

Yan Feng, president of the Beijing Macintosh User Group

Salute to Thames

My original post died when Firefox crashed (serves me right for using nightly builds...), so enjoy this hastily put together posting.

Everyone can certainly remember the scene of clouds, split-screened expansion of the London skyline and Hawksworth's (just read that he now resides in Sydney and plays regularly in a Jazz bar...erm..well unless that article is very old and he's now dead at least) "Salute to Thames" theme plays just before your favourite cartoon.

Such classics as Button Moon, Zippy's Rainbow, freaky Wind in the Willows, Count "Ducky Boos" Duckula and Dangermouse should come to mind. Unfortunately, in our days of the seventies, British programming on SBC already seems to be losing airtime to American cartoons. What's the difference? Well...just look at today's youths with their Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and Teletubbies (no I still can't believe it's BBC...). Hurray for independent TV (read TCS) you say?

Anyways, do miss the good ol' days of Thames TV, de rigeur CTW's Sesame Street and The Electric Company (that was Spiderman then!), 3-2-1 Contact's Math Man so much, and also when MOE used to show their science videos on TV!

Anyways you can read all about Thames on the following websites...

• Thames Television : Ident & History
  
• TV Fetish - Ident Ark - ITV Thames
  and
  
• The Unofficial Thames TV Page

Damn if I had a polyphonic phone or at least one that can utilize mp3s or wav files, I'd put "Salute to Thanes" as my message tone! If I can only find it that is....=P

In other news, I've gone all retro gaming again, and have been loading up the xBox with emulators. Was playing Contra3 with the HM just only. Also downloaded Lucasart's Sam n Max and Day of the Tentacle along with Sierra's King Quest series. Sigh...watever happened to good adventure games.

Fuzzy Memories of Innocence

Dunno how many of you remember this...

We're Off to Button Moon

Or this...

Zippy's Rainbow

[Lemm:] Ah, dunch you just miss Thames TV (more)? The original posted image didn't seem to work, so I've replaced it! Also found some history for the depraved! Still find zippy scary though....

Science & Society

Got this off a academic-oriented magazine:

...success has brought less trust of science rather than more, as its power apparently outstrips society's ability to cope with the possibilities it produces... Although scientists must live up to their responsibilities, society needs more awareness of the benefits that science brings and the risks of curtailing it. However imperfect, science is an essential part of a successful society. Ensuring that it prospers is a duty that scientists, governments and society at large should take on more actively.

Rock Hard Naked Man

David, the Epitome of Masculinity

[TWEAK] Comment system changed

Me changed the comment system around a bit, don't know if any of yer guys will nothing....nothing to get yer knickers up about =P

Eh still looking into getting a sidebar with a list of most recent comments (that's what you want yeah Ivan), but so far, it looks like it'd involve some javascript to extract the recent ones...

Sigh...think I'm coming down with some URTI (Upper Respiratory Tract Infection or for those who have never been to an army medical centre, it's a throat infection!)

Facts and Values

Scientist: The world doesn't need you philosophers anymore. Modern scientific man has no time to waste with you morally-obsessed people with your ridiculous and impractical questions. Furthermore, philosophers over the ages have never been able to come to any conclusive agreement as regards "the truth".I'll tell you why - because you all lack method. The scientific method has proven its infinite worth by demonstrating its ability to deliver concrete results; that's how we are able to drive cars and fly planes today. Because of science, honest citizens can no longer be deceived by religious or philosophical propaganda. They will no longer be conned into devoting their lives to imaginary causes whose premises cannot be proved conclusively.

Philosopher: So what exactly do you mean by "cannot be proved conclusively" ? And what is this "method" you speak of? I'm very curious...

Scientist: It's simple you idiot. The scientific method distinguishes between facts and values. Facts are natural empirical data which are immediately perceived by the human senses or with the aid of scientific instruments. Values entail a judgment of whether or not a certain thing is good or bad. The scientific method comes to solid conclusions based on examining facts only, and not getting mixed up in any arbitrary value judgment bullshit. People end up going to war because of a clash in values. Science however, is perfectly neutral, objective, and detached from any of this nonsense. The world should be that way.

Philsopher: Oh I see... But in that case, according to your own standards, why is science necessary in the first place? To choose the scientific method over other methods implies that it is "better", which in turn implies some conception of judging between "good" and "bad" methods right? If not, all methods would be equally usable.

Scientist: No, no, no, you got it all wrong! Science has proven to be much more effective at helping mankind achieve any given ends as compared to any other method, that's why its so useful!

Philosopher: Oh I see... so you're saying that achieving our ends is better than not achieving our ends right? But if we were to be thoroughly scientific, we couldn't possibly judge whether or not we should achieve our ends, since it forces us to make a value judgment. In that case science would not be absolutely necessary. Even worse, science cannot possibly inform us which ends to choose, but can help us achieve both good and evil causes with equal efficiency. It's like comparing the car with the atomic bomb.

Scientist: Hell no! Its unscientific man which came up with those ends! The scientific method was simply abused that's all.

Philosopher: Oh I see... so the scientific method is actually meant to be used for good causes, is that it?

Scientist: Crap, stop baiting me! Science is neutral you idiot, we are not involved in the stupid fight between good and evil.

Philosopher: Oh I see... Then what exactly is the motivation behind science? What is it that drives the scientist to do what he or she does?

Scientist: It's a completely neutral objective: a curiosity about the truth. We want to get past all the useless garbage of value judgments and get to the empirical truth!

Philosopher: Oh I see... but isn't it neither good nor bad to pursue the truth in that case? Why do scientists choose to pursue truth rather than, say, untruth?

Scientist: Okay look, I will qualify that science cannot prove that pursuing the truth is better than not doing so. We simply believe that pursuing the truth is good. I mean, get your shit straight pal, doesn't it just make simple sense?

Philosopher: Fool, I'm beginning to lose patience with you. Unfortunately, I am not as well trained as some of my other colleagues in the area of education. Even if you say that you simply believe that pursuing the truth is good, you cannot avoid distinguishing between good and bad pursuits. If you resist further, I will contend that you cannot say that it is wrong to have bad pursuits, such as lining your pocket with money obtained from selling your damned method to honest citizens! And if you agree with that, I will be sure to expose people like you who pretend to have knowledge which you do not!

Scientist: Asshole! You're just twisting my words around! Damn you philosophers!

Philosopher: My friend, any man who has to work doubly hard defending something which he claims can stand on its own needs to do some serious self reflecting. You forget that your discipline is the bastard child of philosophy. While science has been able to create air-conditioning and turbochargers, you scoff at philosophers for struggling to define justice. But ultimately science inherited its logical basis from the mathematics of philosophical logic. Science only invented the ridiculous distinction between facts and values in the hope of divorcing itself from philosophy and becoming a separate entity.

Scientist: But that's true! How can you define justice? There's absolutely no empirical material we can work with; there's no such thing.

Philospher: Just because we haven't found it doesn't mean it can't be found. That's a fallacious argument made by science. Human beings still feel a great need for justice; it is in fact the number one source of all discontentment on earth. As a philosopher, I will admit that a consistent and comprehensive explanation of good and evil has yet to be discovered. But I will most certainly not pretend that the search for one is unnecessary, and will most certainly never give up searching --- because it is self-evidently good. In the same way, I will say that it is good for human beings to be happy, although I cannot explain exactly why. Someday I hope to find out. You should too.

By the way, get yourself educated. Go read the first book of Plato's Republic. Your arguments have already been tackled by philosophy before you were even born.

Scientist: ...........

Adapted from the essay "What is Political Philosophy?", in
An Introduction to Political Philosophy: Ten Essays by Leo Strauss (Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1989)

[TWEAK] Counter added

A web counter has been added to our gracious blog.
You can check it out right at the bottom of the sidebar [Look dat-deh-way ----->] and it's plugged from www.sitemeter.com. So far it reads ONE...and I believe that's mua =P

For those of yer lurking, do take time to post a comment, even if you're just passing through. Anything really, from the infamous "I fart in your general direction" to the "LOL, ROFL, =P, =O and >%-)" or even the inane "You suck! Go get a life!" would help keep our bloggers on their toes...erm well at least we know that *cue x-files theme*, we're not alone =P

Oh, tweaked some stuff while I was at it too! Nothing (too) noticable I hope =O
Really should be working on my thesis.... *yawn*

Over the Air: Finale from Dragonheart

70 Amoy Street

Went for a drink the other day...

The place was on Amoy Street.... something familiar about that street...

Ah yes! Its where ACS all began with Oldham wasn't it?

And its now a bar....a gay bar...

heehee...so odd though...the commerative plaque is just outside...

San Mee, Coffee & Hoegaarden

Within a month of working, I've discovered the workaholic in me who stays back to finish up stuff and *GASP* leaves later than 5.30pm.

It was only at the behest of a good friend that I tried very very hard to just stop whatever I was doing and leave early - at 5.45pm.

But I've decided that I don't want to look back many years later and suddenly realize that I haven't a life beyond my cubicle.

So at a whim at 7plus in the early morning, I sms-ed to you-know-who-you-are,

"Wanna do supper tonight?"

Do understand that this was in the context of a substantial number of attempts with various groups of friends to organize last minute gatherings that usually fail to pull through.

Simply because everyone's either got plans or is feeling particular homely that night.

Of course, I'd to be pragmatic by being selective about who I sms-ed - after all, my personal supper mantra is no wheels, no talk :)

As the cosily sheltered bum cum broad-band addict in upper bukit timah demonstrated, thou shalt not meet friends after 9pm unless free transport is provided.

Not to mention that eating carbohydrates after 9pm is the bane of all bride-to-be's and other fervent weight-watchers.

Down at Coffee Club, while you-know-who-you-are was busy making eyes with this cute little babe - literally, a cute little babe sputtering saliva like a crab - I realized that we'd best take advantage of our spouseless and childless status that we're still blissfully enjoying.

Already personal accounts and relayed anecdotes (you know, friend of a friend of a friend) of wedding preparation nightmares and real-life baby blues are trickling in.

Party till thirty, yeah?

Interesting Shows

The Final Cut


Motorcycle Diaries


Love Me If You Dare


Paparazzi

Conscience vs. Principle

In the strict sense, now rarely met, conscience is the receptivity of the human soul to a higher law, a divine law. Conscience has its source above politics, and for this reason it is taken to be authoritative in politics. A man who acts on conscience is guided by a principle higher than his interest, a principle above himself, above his own group or party or country.

Such a person is raised by his transcendent principle above those who do not follow conscience, not for his own sake, not necessarily by his own choice, but for the sake of the principle and ultimately sake of the source of the principle, God. Conscience taken strictly restores the exclusiveness of a principle with a vengeance. It implies not the existence of a common good accommodating the interests of all but rather a communion of those who live according to conscience, which may be hostile to or forgiving of those who do not.

But, whether hostile or forgiving, this communion does not accept a plurality of principles; it cannot agree that its principle is a part of the truth to complemented by other parts, or an exaggeration of the truth to be offset by contrary exaggerations. It can be objected that there are many conceptions of conscience, of which this is most extreme. But if this conception seems strange and obsolete today, then this is the very problem to which I call attention.


Harvey C. Mansfield, Machiavelli's Virtue; chapter I pp.80-81 (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996)

And while on the topic of "Language"...

Here's a funny link! Not sure if you've seen it before! It's a modern version of Monty Python I think... haha!

http://www.homerserv.net/news_report_from_iraq.wmv

*Heatsink - Heatsink Whirring*

-Cal-

For the iMac Lovers

Wired.com: Paris says Bonjour to new iMac

Remembering Japan

Hello!

Was watching singapore television yesterday. Now before you get any ideas..I had too...forced against my own will. Then this bra ad came on...it was Japanese and of course..made no sense whatsoever but tickled my funny bone nonetheless....

Remember the time at the Inn on the Mountain when all of us squeezed into a room and watched that oh-so-small tv set and watched that crazy ad...it was for some drink...and the lady (who was stretching her legs upwards) went "Bee pu bee pu"? Hahaha...scarred for life I'm sure...that was absolutely silly! And that program where the wives setup the husbands hoping that they will cheat!! Goodness!! The japs...all the toe and nipple licking (we saw that on tv!) must have really got to their heads...

anyways...its teachers' day...so no teaching for me...bleh...but its ok...need the 'break'... some teachers giving me hell...I mean...we sit down and discuss about rehearsal changes...talk discuss change, see which route was best, settled and changed...and two weeks later one of them comes and tells me "I'm sorry, you don't make changes without teacher's acknowledgement!!!???" Grrr....well...just had to remind about the meeting including the date and time (not that I want to be anal...but seriously...really need to DOCUMENT EVERYTHING). What kind of world is this? Next we will be needing contracts just to say we met and discussed and changed the rehearsals....anyways...renough ranting...not good first post etiquette..