In todays Straits Times Home section, you will notice that on Page 8, there’s an article that talks about a Worker’s Party leader who voted for the PAP in the last general election. In the article, it says that he was criticized for making public who he voted for, that he is sending out conflicting signals.

I agree totally one sentence in which the WP Leader Mr Yaw said, and that is he does not believe in opposition for opposition’s sake. That is true. In the last GE, sometimes we hear of people saying, “Vote for the opposition. We need an opposition’s voice in Parliament”. But what are we doing that for? Are we voting for the opposition just because we need an opposition inside, or are we voting for the opposition because this opposition MP is much better than his opponent? I believe, that it is the rightest sense to be the latter.

Voting for the opposition just for a voice in the opposition doesn’t seem to work. After all, one of our prominant opposition leaders took the easy way out by not voicing out anything when the Prime Minister asked him a question, isn’t it?

I do not see why Mr Yaw is sending out conflicting signals too. I mean, he simply voted for the MP he thought was best for his consituency. Let us not talk about the possible stories about being political and what propaganda. In its simplest form, this is true exercise of our rights. We decide who we want to be elected, based on previous jobs done and whether this person is good for us or not. Simply put, if a person’s isn’t cut out for this job, we should not give it to him even if he is our relative.

There isn’t conflicting signals when he campaigns to ask voters to vote for him. Whilst he believes that the PAP MP in his own constituency is much better than the WP one, he also has his own right to believe, and try to make you believe, that he is the better choice than the other MP. After all, he isn’t contesting in the constituency that he lives at. If, he voted for the opponent rather than himself, then we can raise a ruckus. But now, he believes that he is better in one place, and that his friend and colleague is lousier in the other place, what’s wrong with not voting your friend and colleague?

I don’t think there is any problem with this at all actually. Sometimes we just got to think, why did he do that, and perhaps we will understand better.

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Well I haven’t been blogging recently, even though my exams have ended last week. I’ve been having some problems of my own regarding my life, and thus that takes priority over all blogging. Haha. Anyway there doesn’t seem to be any inspiration recently on what exactly to blog about my life.

Recently I have also been out with my friends from NUS, and the madness just ended today when two of my friends went back home in Malaysia and Indonesia. Hence the NUS clique is effectively 2 people less, and there is nothing much to do together, so the outings are going to be seldom I guess. But I can still ask them out and meet somehow.

Well watched Iron Man yesterday. It’s a pretty good movie, considering I only paid $6 for it. If you pay by Nets in Cathay, its $6 per ticket. Of course, student price is also $6. I am not sure if the Nets promotion has any time-line, but I went during the weekday afternoon, so if you go during that time, it should be $6. For students just use the student card if all of you are there. (Just in case, because one card nets you one ticket only, according to rules and regulations).

On a side note, they say if they don’t give us a receipt, our purchase is free. Does the ticket count as a receipt? Lol. I think it does, else I would have gotten a free movie.

Anyway for Iron Man reviews, I think I shall not come out with one, since my friend Jiahao has already done so. He watched the same iron man movie as I did, at the same place, just that I was with my clique and he was with Waikit. So go to Jiahao for the iron man review. I think he rated it 6.5 stars out of 10. I would rate it that too.

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I was in the middle of studying for my exams when I took a break and went to the portal of many laughs, Stomp. I found this wonderful article contributed by a stupid stomper.

He labels the Singaporean inside the video a “Kiasu” Singaporean, so I suppose I have a right to call him stupid too. Baka!

What’s so kiasu about whatever he’s doing? Pushing the car up and down in oscillatory motion? How the hell does one link it to pumping more petrol? And since when Singapore offers an all you can pump petrol? Lol.

It’s weird that people are snapping photos like this. Do they win something? This is getting nonsensical. Now I’m afraid to walk in public else I may get stomped for just walking when the light is green. Haha..Great way to destress!

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Well, the matter regarding National Service is pretty much settled. I have sent an email to Defennder and we will carry out our own discussions after my exams, in a nicer way of course. I just want to say why I deleted my other post.

I deleted that post because I upon hindsight, it is an unfair post and does not help in any discussion. The comment that came with it is definitely read and digested, and I am sorry that the comment is gone with the post. Wordpress automatically deletes that comment along with the post.

I have also deleted the url containing the write up Defennder gave me, and I guess we both agree that it wasn’t very fair, and I think that there is no point in leaving it there, so we can all start the discussion anew.

So, after the exams I will be discussing this matter further, and then I will probably post up all the points that were made and everyone can have a discussion too.

Thank you!

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Is that an oxymoron to you? I guess so. How can someone be at the two opposite ends of the spectrum, one being totally shy (introverted) and keeping to themselves, and one being extremely outgoing (extroverted)? Actually, you can. The idea is that it’s not at the same time, but at different times and different scenarios.

I’m bugged by this problem actually. On the one hand, I’m extroverted when I’m with my own friends. I talk excitedly like a GPMG, crack jokes and try to make everyone laugh. However, I am most hesistant in meeting new people. There’s just this initial layer of fear, except that once I overcome it, I will become extroverted. It’s like a wrapped present, you’ll never know what’s inside until the wrapper comes off. For me, I think the wrapper’s the hard part.

I’ve got friends who tell me they are introverted. How can that be? They seem very extroverted to me. I guess they belong to somewhat the same classification of people like I am, introverted at times and extroverted at other times.

I think I need a comfortable place, once for me to shed my initial wrapper, and then I can be at ease with myself. I know it’s an irritating thing, especially when the whole world is about networking and if you want to be successful in life, you have to learn how to take off that wrapper. (In a Bleach way, it’s like getting out of your gigai in super quick speed). Or in a superman way, it’s dragging that S out of your chest in double quick time.

This split personality thing must have come from the stars, since I am born a Gemini. Lol. There seems to be much “truth” in this double personality thing, because other gemini’s seem to have some same characteristics too. On the other hand, it seems that I can pretty much bond better with Gemini people. I mean, some of my good friends are Gemini, and even if they are not Gemini, they are close to being on. Waikit is a Gemini, just one day younger than me. Alan, my NS Encik-to-be, is also a Gemini. The Empress in school is also a Gemini. Lol. Jiahao, though not a Gemini, is exactly 1 month younger, and is close to the Gemini timeslot. My girlfriend is also a gemini. Sorry for digressing.

Anyway as I was saying, the world’s becoming more “together” now. Social networking sites like Facebook are coming out. Social marketing, social events are increasing in frequency. Even bloggers are given more attention. How many times have I seen bloggers from Ping.sg attending some nice event, like the LG phone or the Canon Camcorder? Thus it is really important to shed that wrapper, or even, present an alternative look so that people think the wrapper is gone, but still allow myself to slowly shed the wrapper? Well I guess I have plenty to improve on myself.

What about you guys? Do you feel the same way too?

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I’m sure everyone is by now, very knowledgeable about the entire Mas Selamat COI findings, and can probably tell me what are the 3 confluence of factors that contributed to his escape. I’m also sure that you have either read about the incident on the papers or heard it from the news, or from friends, or from Ping.sg, like I did.

There have been discussions, published on the National Paper today, of course, regarding whether heads should roll, and featuring our PM defending his minister. Well personally I don’t think our minister has to resign, but I think the person who should resign and answer for this is the ISD head, or whoever that’s in charge of matters in the Whitley Detention Center.

There are many points raised on the blogsphere, of which I will attempt to reproduce it to the best that I can, and say why I think heads should roll. Firstly, let me start by saying that someone did a really lousy job, and has failed in his duty, and hence should be considered incompetent in this aspect.

1) Why are the CCTV’s not recording?
This is the greatest and most stupid blunder anyone could ever have. This is a security facility housing terrorist’s wannabes and we do not have CCTV to help us guard against them. Having a CCTV that doesn’t record is even worse. Having a CCTV that nobody’s looking at is the worst.

2) Urinal doors that have doors?
This got to be one of the most stupidest luxury that terrorists wannabes have. If I remember the picture correctly, there are two urinals and the door can be locked. (If not why need to kick the door open? Can just push it right?) I mean, which male uses two urinals? Not to mention, which male pees for 11 minutes straight? Either he drank a whole swimming pool, or he’s probably masturbating. Can’t be changing for that long either. Unless he’s shitting in the urinal? Else, how can you explain the need to place toilet rolls at the urinal section so that he can break his fall? Which male uses the toilet paper (7 rolls!!) after he finishes peeing?

3) Un-grilled windows
Again another dumb idea. As the head of the facility, surely it is your job to ensure that your prisoners do not escape. When there is a misunderstanding with the contractor, why are steps not taken to ensure that either the contractor does the job, or get another contractor to install the grill windows? I’m sure that money spent on grills is money well spent. Plus, who in the right mind would consider sawing off the handles a good substitute for grills? If so, the grill installing companies will have no more jobs. I mean, it’s pretty obvious that we can push the window out right? That is a big security mistake that any NSF can tell you.

4) Tall ledge that goes all the way to the fence
As the supervisor or the one in command of WDC, shouldn’t all matters be under someone’s command? I mean, surely someone knows that there is this ledge or zinc roof that goes all the way to the fence (as it seems to be at the 10 o clock news the day before). That is a huge security loophole. You might as well not fence it.

5) Who build the fence so near the detention center?
It took a trained soldier 49 seconds (around there?) to escape from the toilet and out of the detention center. Why are we making it so easy for escape? Since it is so near the fence, why then are we taking the risk by having ungrilled windows?

I can hardly call it complacency. It’s a serious lack of responsibility. Someone is drinking Milo Dinosaur when he is supposed to make his rounds round the detention center and make sure that things are done. Even in NS, we have the RSM who ensures that the BOS checks the ground for cleanliness. The guard duty personnel are also supposed to check that the fences are not cut etc. But someone is not walking the ground, or that someone is taking it for granted that things will go well.

We need to show that the civil service is not an iron rice bowl. No matter what, it is a serious error to be the head of a detention facility and view security as such a minute issue. Seriously, someone is not doing his job well. I can’t say that our minister is at fault, because WDC is not the only thing he has to govern. The person who governs the facility at WDC should be punished severely. If not, then what meritocracy are we talking about? No matter what mistakes were made, we will always forgive and forget?

They better catch the terrorist before other countries do, else it would be a serious shame on our faces. I guess, more work should be done rather than to rebut Mr Chiam of Potong Pasir, asking him if he is a police dog expert.

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I just had my C++ programming practical exam yesterday, and I must say I feel quite good even though I did not manage to finish the question. I am nearly there, I think, because I didn’t manage to check my answers for question 2, and I left 2 functions empty for question 2.

These days I have been pondering over my future. What will I become? What kind of electrical engineer will I be? What specialization would I take?

I wanted to work for SIA a few months back. I thought it would be great that I can contribute to a big Singapore company, and be part of the team when it gets better achievements. Then I thought, they didn’t even want me when I applied for a scholarship. If I ever do work there, will I be at the scholarship holder’s feet constantly? I do not know.

Then today I thought about Google. I think Google is coming into Singapore soon. I forgot when I read the news about them being willing to launch a branch here in Singapore. I took a look at their website, and they are hiring primarily software engineers, with a Bachelors in Computer Science and be good at programming. Hmm. Am I good enough? In the first place, I’m studying EE, not computer science. Ah well, guess that wonderful work life culture won’t be mine.

So what exactly am I going to be? I don’t know. It’s one year more to choosing my specialization and I have honestly no idea what I want to become. Help~~

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Now, why must I not lose my laptop? The other day at the Computer Center bus stop at NUS, I saw this A4 sized poster pasted on one of the pillars. This guy actually lost his laptop and in it is his final year project. He is even willing to pay $500 for whoever who found the laptop!

Whilst I do not have my final year project inside my laptop (hey I’m still a freshie..well not going to be one soon..lol), I have something important inside. No it’s not the lecture notes because I can always re download them again. No it’s not the past sem’s lecture notes either. Actually if you look at the photo closely, the laptop is at the NextTutor website!

Yes, NextTutor is my baby, my pet project, my “CCA” or whatever you can call it. It’s like Paddy’s Bak2u, Blog2u and all the other start up he has, except on a much smaller scale. Losing my laptop would mean that the files are gone. Although most files are uploaded on the web host, the important files that have not been uploaded are at risk. After all, I’m remaking NextTutor. It is really terrible to if I were to lose my laptop.

Besides that, my laptop have all my photos! While I am not Edison Chen and I do not have that kind of photos (no one wants to watch anyway. lol), but hey I never release my photo until I am forced to. Lol. (Looks at this post)..Just joking.

Thanks Bak2u for giving me this free VereyPC software, and it’s an added protection for my laptop. (No my laptop doesn’t have a rubber cover..got silicon keyboard protector though).

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Read this off Ping.sg. I’m now listed at the million Blog list.

I’m # 200

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Well, I think this math question for my 1506 module will tell us a reason why there is a brain drain in Singapore:

Both Elves and Dwarves live in Rivendell, but there is a certain irrational resentment
between the two groups [placed in their hearts, no doubt, by Sauron]. The amount of
racial prejudice is not the same on both sides, Elves tending to be more intolerant than
Dwarves, but both groups are inclined to move out of Rivendell at a rate controlled by
the number of the other group. Apart from this, both groups reproduce as usual, but
Elves can only be killed by violence –they never grow old– so their overall death rate
per capita is lower than that of the Dwarves; also, the Elvish birth rate per capita is
higher since Dwarf women are scarce [ever seen one?]. Both groups have more births
than deaths. We can set up a model of this situation using a pair of simultaneous ODEs
with a matrix [where the first row describes the rate of change of the Elf population]
5 -4
-1 2

Explain why this matrix does represent the situation we described. At a
certain time, the number of Dwarves is slightly larger than the number of Elves. Predict
what will happen to the population of Elves. This pattern has in fact often been observed
in racially discriminatory societies.

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