The Pocket Merlin

Goals Galore

2010-05-29T21:26:00.003+08:00

My goals for AY 2010/2011:

1. Make sure I finish in the top 55% of my cohort. Hopefully this would be made slightly easier by the 12 credits of non-law modules but i'm sure at this level, there is no easy stuff.Need to keep my job.

2. Try to get into one of the international moots teams and achieve something decent at the competition itself. This is my own World Cup as a student.

3. Win the Law Faculty League in the final attempt. It's been 3 years of hurt for the comrades and I.

4. Stage a groundbreaking football fiesta

5. Contribute to a great Law IV 2010.

6. Win at Spectra ( if there is one before I graduate)

7. Enjoy the December holidays because this will be the 'last' december holidays in a long while.

Let's end this post of with a quote:

'A writer who pens a breathtaking first five chapters of his novel is a nobody if he cannot equal that quality for the last five'

Guess who said this?

Who else but me.

2010-05-16T17:50:00.000+08:00

This blog will be shut down on Sunday, 20th June 2010

The unsung foot soldiers

2010-05-16T14:24:00.004+08:00

Indian convicts were first brought to Singapore by the British in 1825 - 6 years after Sir Stamford Raffles from the British East India Company landed here.

It was reported that they numbered about 1,500 in the year 1847 and doubled a decade later in 1857.Between 1825 to 1872, Indian convicts formed the Lion's share of the labour force for public works.

By 1873, the 1,100 convicts remaining in Singapore and Malaya( hundreds of hardcore ones were not given the option of release and instead sent to the Andaman Islands) were pardoned unconditionally, and eventually dispersed.

Instead of returning to India, many with savings went into business, purchased landed property and sought employment with the skills they had acquired during their service time as convict labourers.

Their fruits of labour include:

1) The Istana ( formerly known as the Government House)
2) St. Andrew's Cathedral
3) Roads such as High Street( Singapore's first road), North and South Bridge Roads, Keppel Road and Commercial Square( today's Raffles Place)
4) The Lighthouse on Pedra Branca
5)Fort Canning( Cpt Collyer's Fortress)

2010-05-13T00:46:00.001+08:00

Today, I successfully wrote another chapter to my Singapore Dream. I'll repay the full faith they have shown me.

2010-05-10T13:43:00.002+08:00

I am hugely excited about Wednesday..Doing my best to prepare whatever I can and I'm confident I can see the proceedings through. Its unfortunate for me that the new AG hasn't assumed appointment. Would be an added thrill to have him in the panel.

Ali

2010-05-06T12:53:00.002+08:00

For all his greatness, Muhammad Ali was as famous for his quotes as he was for his imperiousness in the boxing ring. Here are my top 5 of his quite stunning words of wisdom. It makes good laugh but you can't take anything away from a confident and successful man:

'I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was. '

'At home I am a nice guy: but I don't want the world to know. Humble people, I've found, don't get very far.'

' I'm the most recognized and loved man that ever lived cuz there weren't no satellites when Jesus and Moses were around, so people far away in the villages didn't know about them.'

'If you even dream of beating me you'd better wake up and apologize. '

'I'm so fast that last night I turned off the light switch in my hotel room and was in bed before the room was dark. '

the homecoming..

2010-05-04T19:58:00.002+08:00

Looking forward to seeing you in a few days. I'm going to get as much of you in the days I'll be there. It's like I was thrown a winning lottery ticket. haha.

Really ecstatic about the news. Its only the first hurdle cleared. Need to go one better and make this mine. It's an investment and I hope it pays handsome dividends.

I have a lot of support and hopes pinned on me. I need to make my parents proud of me..one more time. The last 2 weeks has been a nail biting wait and thankfully the wait has ended on a gleeful note.

My short term task is to finish 2 weighty assignments in the next few days. about 1000 more words + citation to go before I hit the bed tonight..

This weekend Chelsea would win the English Premier League. It's so sad that we couldn't build on our good showing last season. Sunday's performance against Chelsea made things difficult for irate Man utd fans but we played without pride and gusto. Uncharacteristic and at times shambolic.

But still...the fire burns..You Will Never Walk Alone

Cameo showing

2010-05-01T00:09:00.003+08:00

The month of May has arrived.

24 more days to your 22nd Birthday!!
switch those numbers...42 days to the start of the World Cup!
58 days to returning to Singapore... or is there a twist to this?

Still hoping for that email that would raise or shatter hearts and hopes... Would know by next week at this time..surely.. That's all that is certain.

2 essays to pound in one week. Must be and will be executed..

2010-04-12T20:52:00.001+08:00

Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: don't give up the fight!

Preacher man, don't tell me,
Heaven is under the earth.
I know you don't know
What life is really worth.
It's not all that glitters is gold;
'Alf the story has never been told:
So now you see the light, eh!
Stand up for your rights. come on!

Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: don't give up the fight!
Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: don't give up the fight!

Most people think,
Great god will come from the skies,
Take away everything
And make everybody feel high.
But if you know what life is worth,
You will look for yours on earth:
And now you see the light,
You stand up for your rights. jah!

Get up, stand up! (jah, jah! )
Stand up for your rights! (oh-hoo! )
Get up, stand up! (get up, stand up! )
Don't give up the fight! (life is your right! )
Get up, stand up! (so we can't give up the fight! )
Stand up for your rights! (lord, lord! )
Get up, stand up! (keep on struggling on! )
Don't give up the fight! (yeah! )

We sick an' tired of-a your ism-skism game -
Dyin' 'n' goin' to heaven in-a Jesus' name, lord.
We know when we understand:
Almighty god is a living man.
You can fool some people sometimes,
But you can't fool all the people all the time.
So now we see the light (what you gonna do?),
We gonna stand up for our rights! (yeah, yeah, yeah! )

So you better:
Get up, stand up! (in the morning! git it up! )
Stand up for your rights! (stand up for our rights! )
Get up, stand up!
Don't give up the fight! (don't give it up, don't give it up! )
Get up, stand up! (get up, stand up! )
Stand up for your rights! (get up, stand up! )
Get up, stand up! (... )
Don't give up the fight! (get up, stand up! )
Get up, stand up! (... )
Stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up!
Don't give up the fight! /fadeout/

-Marley

2010-04-12T00:26:00.002+08:00

It has been an eventful 2 weeks with a trip down to melbourne and the picturesque Great Ocean Road. The last 3 days was spent at a Model UN conference which was a novel experience and one that has only heightened my interest in international law. It all seems so exciting and the 3 day session was a telling tale that international law is probably the most messy and least toothed branch of law there is.

I've had the opportunity to meet many different people over the last 2 weeks. Most are Aussies but also others from other countries. When I tell people, I'm from Singapore, everyone has praises about how efficient and clean Singapore is and you don't need to be an expression expert to tell that they are in awe of Singapore's development over such a relatively short span of time. We turn 45 this year. When my parents were born, Singapore was still a British possession. And though everyone jokes about our chewing gum ban, it brings much joy and pride to be Singaporean. It's not perfect living but at least its interesting.

2months plus to the return of Jurong's prodigal son...

Week 2

2010-03-26T14:50:00.002+08:00

It always feels super upbeat to slack with you online for long hours. Feels like only a screen stands in between. Its very real and I truly appreciate all you do considering you have 8246 ongoing tasks at anytime :)

Another week goes by and it is a good start that I'm going for classes more regularly this semester than the last. The subjects are more interesting this time or at least easier than those I did last semester. Operating on a pass/fail basis for a whole year is heavenly. I hope readjusting in my final year wouldn't be too painful but in all honesty, that is my last worry for now. haha. Like a lalang seed, I move with the wind.

Pupillage ( or what is now called training contract) prospects are looking better. One interview secured upon return. 3 other such options seem available but possibilities mean little at this level. May not even get any one of those 3 possible interviews. Last week, i got rejected straight up by what is probably the biggest firm in Singapore. It was humbling but not humiliating. 2 thumbs up for my comrades who will get to mix it with some of the biggest and most expensive names in the legal arena.

I'm off to Melbourne on Tuesday for a week. The weekend is promising though. Got a pub crawl in the city tomorrow organised by the uni law society. complimentary drinks at 4 pubs + pub lunch + loads of fun i hope. And it starts in the middle of the afternoon at 3pm. Should try to coax law club with this idea when i go back. Sure to be a hit!

And on Sunday, it is time to earn some valuable cash through refereeing. managed to get a lobang and the pay is decent too. In a way I'll get to recoup some expenses this past week.

The most irritating thing is to wake up at 7am in the morning to the noisiest birds in the woods behind my house and someone needs to shoot those gurgling wild turkeys.They look weird.

From Down Under

2010-03-21T17:15:00.003+08:00

It has been an easy week just settling in and going for classes. There has been much less to do this time compared to when I got here in July last year. Phone line there, bank account in operation and familiarity everywhere.

I've moved nearer to school now and at least I'm a 15 min walk away to a mall this time and to 2 pubs cum clubs. More food option available! I've already done more in the kitchen than I did in the whole of the first month I came last semester. I guess I'm lazy to cook and that has only decreased a little. haha. I'm aiming to be able to make more basic dishes over the semester. Realised that there are some good youtube demo guides also. haha.

My housemates are quite easy going. 3 other Singaporeans which include one couple who are getting married in december. The girl cooks damn well but I feel bad leaching off although they are very nice and always ask me to just help myself to the food. I've put back the 10kg I lost from the first time and I'm looking not to lose so much of weight this time. haha.

There is a bicycle which the previous housemate left behind and I took it out like twice so far. It just needs some air but it would be useful to me especially to get to some shops and the mall. reduces my walking time a bit though walking isn't all that bad because it doesn't scorch here. The numerous upslopes pose a bit of struggle for my cycling so don't think i can get too far with those 2 wheels. ha.

It's been an easy going week. Haven't really been out much except to school. Need to conserve the finances a bit now so that I have more room to spend when I go to Melbourne at the end of the month.

The best part of the week has got to be us webcamming every single day! It's really superb and so much more morale boosting compared to that period of 2-3 weeks last yr when the internet at my old place wasn't sorted out when i arrived. Its been a week here already. Time will fly..

Heading to the city later to catch Man United and Liverpool. Come on Mighty Reds!

2010-02-18T13:48:00.002+08:00

So tomorrow will be the last day of internship. Somehow the long CNY break took the sting out of my workhorse tail and I wasn't in high spirits on making a return to Raffles Place yesterday. No court action this week also. I don't like staying in the office. Maybe I'm just too restless. haha.

So well it has a good stint and I shall be getting subhas anandan to autograph a copy of his biography which I own. That would sum up everything nicely. It is unlikely I'll consider working here. But never say never. We shall see how things unfold. My head is not too clear about where I want to start work at for now but I know that matter would most probably be laid to rest by the time i fly off.

Nothing much to prepare for exchange. Accom and modules settled. It's not a new place this time. I've got many things that I want to do in the next 4 weeks and I'm looking forward to spending more time with you now that I'll be unemployed. haha

2010-02-15T00:33:00.003+08:00

I just watched the movie 'Invictus' which was about how the South African Rugby team's against all odds World Cup victory in 1995 united a nation that was recovering from decades of racism and discrimination against Black people( apartheid).

The moment when Black President Nelson Mandela, clad in a South African jersey and cap, presented the World Cup trophy to captain François Pienaar, a white South African was a magical occasion to mark the coming together of a 'rainbow nation'. One that was still licking its wounds from its troubled racist past.

And while I'm tempted to let go a string of paragraphs about how sports is a potent political tool or that sportsmen do succeed where politicians fail in uniting a nation, it was a poem that Mandela handed Captain François before the 1995 tournament which i found inspiring :

Invictus

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

This was the poem that Mandela points to as his inspiration to stay up during all those times it was easier for him to lay down in his 27 years as a political prisoner.

2010-02-12T22:22:00.002+08:00

It was a work loaded week but I think I played it a bit smarter this week by dodging late hours in the office. Of course, the trade off was that I had to bring work home but its still home. We got to meet more often this week also. much more than last week.Anyway, like 5 more days left of internship only. And I'm looking forward to the long weekend staring at me now. I have work which needs to be done but I'll squeeze that in on Monday or Tuesday I guess.

On Thursday, I had the fortune ( or maybe misfortune) of helping my mentor out at a client interview at Changi Prison. A guy just 5 years older than me. Charged with drug trafficking. He faces the death penalty if convicted. His calmness surprised me. Well this is one of those 'assigned' cases' for my mentor lawyer.

Basically when a person is charged with an offence that carries capital punishment and he cannot afford the cost of a lawyer, the state assigns him a lawyer. Of course 'crime doesn't pay'. So a lawyer working on such assignments probably earns his hourly amount over 1 or 2 days.

My mentor was lamenting to me how such cases do not bring him much money but only pressure form senior partners at the firm because such cases would take away his time from raking dollars and cents with better paying cases and clients. One of those instances when capitalism and socialism look at each other in the face with hostility.

Today was the first time I saw Subhas Anandan in court. He appears very daunting with his huge frame and wise beard but today wasn't his day as the appeal was dismissed. Basically, an Indian lady was sentenced to a few weeks imprisonment for voluntarily causing hurt to another person. So this was an appeal against the decision. Appeal unsuccessful but at least the application to start her sentence on Wednesday was approved. She can spend some time with her 4 children over this long weekend. Cheers to humanity.

2010-02-06T09:18:00.003+08:00

It has been a busy week. I've attempted to blog on at least 2 occasion during week but my efforts were thwarted by tiredness. In any case I've been at KhattarWong for the 1st of of 3 week internship and basically I was mostly involved in the trial my internship mentor was tasked to handle.

We are representing our client( a Man United fan as I found out)..hahahha) who allegedly punched the complainant at a coffeeshop. This is a private prosecution action. Since the state chose not to take action.

The complainant alleges that our client was sitting very closely to the former's wife at a coffeeshop near chinatown. This happened sometime in April last year. So the complainant went up to our client and told him ' move away from my wife. you are sitting to close to her' where our client replied ' This is a public place and I have the right to sit wherever i want'.The complainant started pointing a finger at our client's nose telling him to move away and after he repeated that line like a few times, our client who was holding a soya sauce container in his hand, punched him leaving him with 2 lacerations on his lips and a broken wrist sustained when the complainant tried to break his fall from the punch.

Our client's case is that he merely pushed away the complainant because he was irked by the complainant's finger touching his nose. We called 6 witnesses including the accused( our client). I must admit that my MP Christopher De Souza , who was counsel for the complainant, did a good job in contradicting the witness testimonies provided by our string of defence witnesses. In any case, those other 5 witnesses were friends of our client and were seated at the same table as our client when the incident took place. There were those funny things witnesses say at times also which wants to make you burst but you just have to control. It can be an amusement. ha

Trial is over and both counsel will have to give their submission in a few weeks before a decision is made.

The most absorbing thing about assisting a the lead lawyer in court is having to type down everything the witnesses say accurately as they say it. You have to be correct and exact. no paraphrasing no second guessing.

Because the system is an adversarial one, when the opposing counsel actually quotes evidence already given in court to a new witness, you have to be alert to catch whether that was really quoted or whether its misquoted. If its misquoted, the onus is on you to indicate to your lead lawyer to object to the question asked by the other counsel.

You must watch your own back and if you don't, the other side can get away with things. and these objections are crucial since it stops the possibility of evidence detrimental to you from surfacing. Even the smallest things can make a difference. At least evidence note taking keeps me awake. haha

It's good I haven;t got to do much research for now. Going to court is more fun to watch the drama unfold. I really appreciate it that my mentor Mr Low ( the man who prosecuted Anthony Ler many years ago ) takes great effort even while the trial is going on to explain to me certain pointers and get me involved in analysing photos or other exhibits before we submit them as evidence to the court.

I trust next week will be equally good if not better. Next Thurs, I'm following my mentor to take instructions from our client who has been charged with trafficking 400grams of heroine. An offence which carries the death penalty if convicted. I've never stepped into Changi Prison before. Looking forward to it - thankfully not as an offender. haha

Thaipusam Greetings !

2010-01-30T12:05:00.002+08:00

My warmest Thaipusam greetings to my Hindu friends and i intend to pierce your minds with some nuggets of reality. haha.

For years, many have asked why Thaipusam isn't a Public Holiday in Singapore. There have been many misconceptions and stories surrounding this. I feel not enough has been done to make the reason for the present position clear to many folks in our community.

1912 - The first Hindu public Holiday was granted to the Indian community by Straits Settlement Government of that day. This was for Deepavali but it was not legislated as an annual affair.

1914 - The first Legislated Hindu Public Holiday came when the Hindu community was given a say to choose between Deepavali or Thaipusam. In a meeting of the Hindu Association, it was decided that it would be Thaipusam( a festival which had been celebrated for at least 30 years prior to gaining public holiday status).

Thaipusam was dropped as a public holiday in 1968 by amendments to the Holidays Act (and yes we do have such legislation in operation..haha) after the views of the various religious groups including the Hindu Endowment Board were sought.Other religious holidays such as an extra day for Hari Raya Puasa, Easter Monday and Prophet Mohamed's Birthday were removed from the Schedule of Public Holidays to up economic competitiveness.

Thaipusam was not substituted by Vesak day, which was already a public holiday before 1968. Incidentally, Deepavali was also an existing public holiday way before 1968.

I personally think that Thaipusam should be a public holiday since its a major festival of the Indian community which is nationally recognised as one of the 3 dominant communities in Singapore and we all know that the other two communities each have 2 days gazetted as public holidays. Its about parity.

Furthermore, because of the festive colour and celebratory mood created by Thaipusam, it is an ideal occasion for people from different walks and ethnic groups to come together and soak in the carnival atmosphere without having to take official leave from work or skip classes.

The circumstances were different in 1968 when a 3 year old nation had to up its game to spearhead economic progress. Maybe a careful re consideration of present day conditions is needed for a review of the Holidays Act.

Celebrating 1 year !!

2010-01-29T15:29:00.004+08:00

Yesterday marked one year since You and I started dating. It all started with our vivocity date on the 28/1/2009 and its been 1 year already between then and now. Among the other activities, it was nice going back to that same Starbucks yesterday -How fitting to grace the venue that got the ball rolling. haha

The exhibition we went for at our National Museum yesterday was an interesting experience and while some of the Ancient Egyptian exhibits looked well chiseled and striking, there were also some freaky ones( like a mummified cat which seemed horribly squeezed). We also did the mini-activities they provided ; some memorable souvenirs to take home.

Lunch yesterday was superb at SOFRA Turkish restaurant. The chicken was awesome and second only to the joy of spending and chit chatting the afternoon away with you. The desert ( Baklava) that we had after our meal had a strange twang to it and we spent a few seconds coming to terms with what is tastes like. That was funny because it looked a bit shady. I still don't really like the taste of it. hahah

We managed to catch The Imagerium of Dr Parnassus. a film staring the late Heath Ledger who died 1/3 way through the filming of the movie. His role was played on by Johnny Depp and Jude Law and it was an interesting fantasy film that portrays the imagination a mind can hold.

We bought dinner from Ayer Rajah Market and had a nice quiet dinner at West Coast park. The atmosphere was peaceful and quiet. It was a nice way to wind down for the day. Something less hustle bustle and more serene.

Its been an eventful one year. There have been so many emotions of different sorts and numerous experiences of countless types. Its wonderful that there is so much to look forward to in the future ahead...

2010-01-27T12:46:00.002+08:00

Law 0-2 Medicine - A just result.

It was good to see so many fresh faces and old comrades but it doesn't detract from the fact that it is 3 defeats in 3 years. It was 0-0 at half time and I can safely say that this is the weakest medicine team I've played against. It was more level this year. Still, we conceded 2 sloppy goals and never look potent when we attacked. We rightfully lost. I got to play about an hour of the game overall. Didn't expect that much playing time with the big squad we had and so personally, it was an engaging evening.

I am stuck at home today having to do some household cleaning since my aunt and her husband are coming over tonight for dinner. We don't usually get people coming over but whenever we do, it is helter skelter because the house only gets cleaned on a fortnightly basis ( in a good month).Much work to be done over the next few hours.

The last 2 months was slack and damn fun but internship begins on Monday. Need to squeeze in time to settle some stuff for that over the next few days. And amidst all this.. there is the much anticipated Thursday this week when we turn 1 :)Time flies...and it flies too fast.

2010-01-26T08:49:00.001+08:00

In To Kill a Mockingbird, why is Dill called a "pocket Merlin"?

"Merlin is a man of mystery and magic; contradiction and controversy surrounded his life." He was a wizard and prophet for King Arthur. He was also an adviser to him. Because of how creative and magical he was, Scout saw those same creative qualities in Dill. His head "teemed with eccentric plans, strange longings, and quaint fancies."

Because Dill thought up all their games and plays, and because he was the one who liked to do daring things (such as run up to the Radley house and touch it--to deliver a note to Boo through his window, etc), he was given this title.

2010-01-22T21:43:00.003+08:00

Though I'll be enjoying most of World Cup 2010 ( up til the Quarters) from the comfort of an Australian couch,it is worrying to know that no local media giant has successfully bought the telecasting rights for the World Cup yet. Mediacorp, Starhub and Singtel are refusing to accede to the purchase price demands by FIFA( the world governing body for football.

All 3 are complaining that the cost of buying the TV rights is to exorbitant. The Media Development Authority has ruled out the possibility of the Singapore Government intervening to buy those rights. Fair enough that the taxpayer should be made to bear costs spent on TV programmes that have a national goal and wider social objectives. Haha.. Maybe it would be a possibility if Singapore had qualified for the World Cup.

I just feel that one of the 3 media moguls should just purchase the rights and try to cut their costs by charging the customer more than the subscription fee levied on the consumer for previous World Cups. They may even consider a joint effort of some sorts to spread the costs if they haven't already thought about it. I'm sure the consumer will be willing to fork out more this time and such a market is pretty much demand inelastic anyway.Its just once in four years. Come on! Its the World Cup!!- Only the Olympics has an arguably bigger fanfare.

I have watched every single World Cup Final since 1994.Would it be 5 in a row? That lies in the hands of Singtel, Starhub or Mediacorp. haha.

This coming Tuesday will be the time to renew our yearly rivalry with the Medicine Faculty on the soccer pitch. This is my 3rd consecutive Law-Med Challenge and having battled for the losing side in the last 2 years, I hope we are third time lucky with the full backing of our home crowd at BTC. May the crowd be our extra 'man'.

Ok folks..I'm off to Seremban this weekend for a family wedding. Time to hammer some roti canai and syrup limau at every pit stop and not to mention Ramly Burgers too.Haha..

pondering pocket merlin..

2010-01-21T21:17:00.002+08:00

Its good to have a timely financial injection into my hands. Working for my uncle is really the best way to get overpaid and though the content of the facilitation workshop over the last 2 days was boring, at least there was internet access which kept me occupied the whole time. So much so that I was slightly below par at times and had to be 'nudged' by my uncle at intervals.Thanks for having such a facility NPARKS!

But that doesn't mean we are done and dusted with the few anal members at your HQ for their ridiculously unjust conduct a few months ago.

In brief, there was this NPARKS officer who fined 3 of my law school comrades for smoking at the open space outside their HQ office. A few days later, i saw him smoking at the very same spot and having a nice chit chat with his colleague( a non smoker). Are we fools or what? If you have rules, you rule by them and you are also subject to them.

So i trotted up to the non-smoker and told him that his smoking colleague was being unfair to my punished friends. He challenged me by asking me whether he should fine his friend. Of course I said 'yes'. He wasn't fined but he was forced to extinguish his cigarette butt there and then. At least i caused him some inconvenience and that made my day.

It was ironic that the course conducted was on 'conflict management in NPARKS'. I could have chipped in my story as a case study.haha

On a financial note, I'm going to treasure this payment i received because it would take me 2 weeks to earn this amount which i earned in the past 2 days when i begin my internship in around 10 days time. Money, like fire, is a good servant but a bad master. Must make a mental note to control expenditure after an overspending spree in December. haha

Few days back, I witnessed how a certain Carlos Tevez, who left Manchester united for rivals Manchester City because the former thought he was worthless, scored 2 goals against his former club and celebrated in a way that mocked and silenced his critics from Man Utd.

Proving people wrong churns the sweetest joy I can tell you. Its nice when people hate your guts.Having all to prove is a nice challenge. But when u get what you want and it becomes a case where you have all to lose, that's where the true test of grit shows its face. Not easy but you have to do it. There are too many people waiting to cheer should you slip.

On a closing note.. many cheers to Liverpool who won for the first time in 2010.No Gerrard No Torres but we still did it. Getting up at 3.30am this morning was worth it. I know it is going to be a trophy barren season but I hope we have turned the corner with the win yesterday..come on boys!

2010-01-16T13:47:00.002+08:00

The last 3 days were spent working with my uncle at YWCA. It was awesome because i've earned some money now which will sustain me for some time at least. Got another assignment with him next week and looking forward to that cash injection too. haha.

He is a facilitator and his job requires him to be neutral and sometimes even fake( i.e not himself) because he can't afford to piss the course participants off or appear judgmental and biased. The moment a participant doesn't take to you, it makes facilitation so difficult because the atmosphere gets weary.

Having known him all my life, I do find it quite remarkable at how he is so professional - never losing him head during scenarios which he usually would in his private life. He diffuses any tensions that surface amicably and without much sweat. He is so good at what he does although his natural character trait could just do him in if he isn't cautious. This was professionalism in its living form and it kept me engaged during an otherwise boring 3 day course.

In a more gender neutral move, the government has devised a scheme such that children of mixed marriages need not be racially classified based on their father's race any longer. The parents now would have an option to choose which race to register their child under.

Interestingly, we can look forward to seeing ' Indian-Chinese' or ' Malay-Chinese' or Chinese - Eurasian' on the NRICs of kids in this country in time to come. this is a move intended to ensure that their full heritage is preserved and recognised.

Well, this is an administrative move with no real bite. It is not going to change the way parents of mixed marriages bring up their kids nor is it going to change the kids' perceptions of their multi-ethnic roots.

Hmm..so if one is expedient enough, he/she may consider how they can use this to their advantage since there are several government policies which are have racial grounding. The tricky situation would be in the home perhaps where the couple would have to make a rather unkind decision. Is choice really all that good always? haha

I was thinking of a Malay-Indian couple who would settle for this bargain/compromise scenario to avoid a tensed dispute as to what to categorise their kid as: '

Let's register the first child as a 'Malay' and the second as 'Indian' '. Perfectly possible scenario.

And so both of them go to Primary school. Baby No. 1 has his basic school fees waived and attends Mendaki classes on weeknights. Baby No. 2 pays basic school fees and goes for a SINDA camp for the weekend. And yes...they are siblings under one roof. Quite a funny thought.

We are a multi-racial country and I agree with PM that the new laws are not going to drastically change the ethnic composition of the nation in that Chinese, Malays and Indians will continue to be the 3 dominant ethnic groups.

Mixed marriages were, are and will continue to be commonplace in a society as 'rojak' as ours.

While it is true that Singapore society is moving away from a traditional Asian patriarchal mentality and the role of women would bolstered by the said changes, the new scheme raises some questions on the neatness of such a double-barreled scheme as encapsulated in the scenario.

2010-01-12T18:44:00.002+08:00

Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew's rebuttal of NMP Viswa Sadasivan on the issue concerning the special position of minorities in Singapore:

''NMP Viswa used to work in Sinda. I'm told for 10 years. He will know Indians are not equal. Brahmins will not be in Sinda. It is the non-Brahmins who are in Sinda.'

What do I think?

1. Such a statement is sweeping and factually inaccurate. I personally know Brahmins who have participated actively in SINDA programmes. Some of you will share the same sentiment.

2. Caste profiling which has been the thorn of Indian society ( though formally abolished by the Indian Government many decades back) should not be indiscriminately used in the Singapore Parliament by a leading political figure like the Minister Mentor.

Back with a bang..

2010-01-10T13:37:00.002+08:00

Ok i know its been a hell of a long time since i blogged. The impetus to do so had greater conviction when i was abroad. This was a medium where all of you could track my activities and doings many many miles and seas away.Its good to be back. Time flies doesn't it. It's now like a month since we went to Penang. And what a getaway that was. Looking forward to the next group trip like this after this semester.

Its good to be back to spend time with loved ones, friends and comrades. Going abroad has made me value such people more than I did. Its been like 6 weeks since i got back. Im really glad that you and I got to spend so much of time together in the holidays. School is starting and so I won't be able to bug you as much as I do during your holidays. haha.

About 2 weeks ago,Grandma was very ill with pneumonia and it appeared that all hope was lost. Thankfully ,a fortunate turn of events with the medication got her discharged after a couple of weeks in hospital. She isnt in the best of shape now too. But at least she's home - where she really wants to be and not stuck on a hospital bed.

Last week, i went for the JBJ memorial service at the Speakers' Corner ( the dummy icon of Singapore's Freedom of Speech). It was truly moving and inspiring to hear many a person sing high praises for a national hero who had shaped the Singapore political scene in numerous aspects. JBJ may be gone but his spirit must live on in all of us. The PAP has done a wonderful job all these decades and in my opinion, they are the most capable party to rule for the next two. Policies are generally good but some need tweaking, re assessment and fine tuning. They have to accept that they can get it wrong sometimes. Its perfectly ok. You are human too. JBJ's motion of Confronting apparent injustices and questioning the system is an act of creating a civil nation and not destroying one.

I'll be flying off on March 15. Slightly more than 2 months to go. i got an internship at the firm ,KhattarWong for 3 weeks in Feb. In a way it is a dream come true because I'll be working in Subhas Anandan's Criminal Litigation department. i admire him for his tenacity and combative spirit and his willingness to take on even the most 'no hope' cases. I hope it would be a wonderful learning experience for me. More importantly, my parents would not nag at me so much since i would be out at work in the day. They constantly fear that I'm up to no good when im free because the idle mind is the ideal workshop of the devil. Except that those days are bygone now. haha.

I'm highly convinced that I've lost many friends of yesteryear for good. The memories were good and I will always hold some of you in very high regard. I hope we meet in the upper echelons of society one day where we can enjoy a highly professional relationship but there is little room for a personal one.

Im looking forward to the 28th of this month. 1 Year is really like a starting milestone. where the months seems paled in comparison since u can start counting in years from then on. Numbers aside ( since I was never a good Maths exponent), its been the best year of my life and I have learnt and felt more this past year than I have in the previous 5. I look forward with budding enthusiasm and anticipation....

2009-11-24T17:18:00.005+08:00

I am irritated that the 3 day road trip was slashed 3 fold . Well, in the end we only went to sunshine coast for a day trip. It was fun and tiring with all the hilly climbs we did and the splash we had at the beach but I'm disappointed that Bundaberg didn't materialise.

On Saturay night, i came to know that the car we were supposed to use had transmission problems and wasn't fit for a long drive. The owner should have just serviced his car like last week so that there would have been time to rectify the problems. Everyone knew the plans few weeks ago already anyway. So it was clear that we could only drive up as far as sunshine coast but not further north to Bundaberg.It was too late to even book train tickets at that time in order to pull a rescue scenario. Dampening.

Gold Coast still awaits me later in the week. I don't expect any cock ups with this one. I realise that he isn't the adventurous sort. The mistake i made was to realise later rather than sooner. I shall have a different approach to things next semester. Its not his fault that he is type X and I am type Y. The real learning is done not inside but outside the books and classroom. We come from Singapore and SEP is the only chance to learn on the outside rather than the inside.

I went to New South Wales for a week in October. Best week in Australia. yes i missed my comfortable bed but it was so eye opening, fun and it was nice to feel lost at first and learn. Awesome.I am hungry for more of these. haha.

When 2 people have different personalities, the toughest thing is to know when to say 'ok. that's it' and embark on your own course leaving the other one behind temporarily. I would have found the first 2 months here less dull had I done that much earlier.

Well. all these paragraphs above are the least of my concern for now because I'm just looking forward to come home in a handful of days. At this stage, when there is so little time left here, you just look forward to the passing of the hours in anticipation. haha.

We leave for Penang in exactly 2 weeks. study hard friends. The end is near.. or rather.. can't wait for the start of holidays!

2009-11-18T21:02:00.002+08:00

And the sem is just about to end. Last paper tomorrow and i can't wait. I hate closed book exams. What's the point of forcing you to go into the exam hall without an aid when you do get access to resources to get by the everyday tests your job will throw at you. I'm probably just complaining because i'm too used to open book exams in uni but well, one more exam and this sem is dead and buried.

Well there's about 10 days left before coming back to Singapore. Probably just do things in and out of the city, go to the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Bundaberg. A 3 day road trip is in the works Mon-Wed.

Looking forward to the much anticipated Penang trip !

Good luck with the exams everyone!

I shall blog more in length and depth after tomorrow's paper is out of the way. haha..

2009-11-13T18:45:00.003+08:00

I had an absolute Disneyland of a paper on Monday. If only exams in Singapore could be as straight forward as that. The best part is the perusal time before the exam starts. I'm sure all of us encounter time management problems and it would be fantastic if we could have the perusal time option back home. Its harder to fail than to do well i think.It seems that the system here goes out of the way to give everyone a chance to maximise marks. Marks, marks, marks - how Singaporean of me!

I think the uni system here is such that if you really study hard, you can't escape doing exceedingly well whereas in Singapore, you could well study 24 hrs a day and 7 days a week and still end up with an unjustly mediocre grade. We live in a highly competitive academic environment and hail from an uncompromising education system.

There are just too many stellar individuals in our system and many of such intelligent people are made to feel average these days with the intense competition all around. I dare not imagine how it would be in the era of our children. Would that day come when we as a society concede the failure of our 'Asian Work Ethic' model? - The same model that has propelled the 'little red dot' into an economic powerhouse with current standards comparable to the mightiest and wealthiest states.

3 more papers to go! I end on Thurs and looking forward to that short road trip north of Brisbane to Sunshine Coast and Bundaberg the week after that.

See you all real soon !

2009-11-02T20:40:00.003+08:00

So it was Halloween on Saturday. But to my dismay, there was no party of any sort for me to be involved in. Everyone seems to be buried in their books with the upcoming exams - the artificial test of life.

I have on my books plans to stage some Halloween party of some sort for friends next year in Singapore. Long way to go but i hope those ideas bear fruition when the time comes. Haha.

The real horror show was staged by a certain Liverpool Football Club - a club with a glorious history and a topsy turvy present. The boys went down 3-1 to Fulham and had 2 players sent off during the game. Its now 5 defeats in 11 league matches. Bollocks!

So we've come the full circle and the euphoria following the slaying of the Red Devils in the week preceding Halloween has gone up in smoke with the most recent slaughter at the hands of Fulham. We need to buy good new players soon and look for a new manager at the end of this season. Its getting from bad to worse.

We all have friends. some of us have more friends than others. But its never a numbers game because ultimately, less than a handful of those, would be there for you when it matters. would be there for you ,every step and every breath, not only in laughter but also in misery. would go the extra mile for you.would painstakingly make that extra effort as though it was for themselves.

It is turning Nov3. Soon i can put a big fat 0 beside the 3 :)

subsidise H1N1 jabs..

2009-10-29T23:18:00.004+08:00

It has come to my attention that a H1N1 jab would fetch $29 at polyclinics across Singapore and only available to those over 18 years of age since tests on children are still ongoing.

Such vaccines are free in every Australian State and only children under 10 are excluded as data from the trials on younger children will not be available until late October or early November.It remains in the balance whether children below that age would require a double dosage for effective vaccination.

I think government health agencies like polyclinics should drastically cut down on the cost of vaccination to make it more available to larger sections of the public at a much lower price. There would be a greater common good achieved at a cost which I'm sure would not be staggering since we have a financially prudent leadership.

After all, we have a population much less than Australia and proportionately more vulnerable to global health attacks of H1N1 magnitude. Our government has not been straining itself by giving out welfare payouts to support our people over the decades. I'm sure we could all do with some substantial subsidy.

Fine. maybe not free vaccinations to avoid marketplace polyclinics daily. But a nominally fee would suffice. And policy could draw the line at those ordinarily resident in Singapore or some similar mechanism which has been utilised. This makes the class of beneficiaries certain and would facilitate government budget matters.

I was also puzzled why the 11-17 age group was left out in Singapore whereas the Australian health authorities gave the green light to this class.

I think the Government ought to step in and play a greater role in subsidizing the cost of such vaccinations of pandemic concern. We pride ourselves on being a world class health services hub which can only grow in stature. But instead of targeting rich foreigners to flock here for medical treatment, maybe there needs to be more attention paid to those at home.

Fantastico!

2009-10-26T00:59:00.004+08:00

I was almost correct with my prediction. Pool won 2-0 and I'm more than jubilant that they bettered my prediction. Gerrard had to sit out today and the initial trepidation of playing without the Liverpool Captain made me and many fans around uneasy. In the end, it was a spirited showing by a team which had lost 4 games. What a win! We may struggle to finish in the top 4 this season but today's victory over our most bitter rivals was fantastic!

It was funny to see Michael Owen return in a Man Utd jersey. Thank God he didn't score against his former team. That would be a tough pill to swallow. I still cannot believe he signed for Man Utd after all the good years growing up and playing for Liverpool. Still can remember watching him as a 17 year old when i was in primary school.For all its glorious history, the team was aging and struggling and there he was..so youthful and exuberant..extremely pacy with a sharp eye for goal. Fast forward 12 years..from hero to zero i believe. Its never easy when you achieve so much at such a young age. expectations just keep mounting.

I've been studying for a week now. It's getting a bit easier now that I've tuned my mind into academics. Overall, I'm quite disappointed with this semester. Feel its a bit wasteful since i didn't travel around much.

Traveling is costly in Australia compared to Europe. When i applied to OZ in Novemeber last year, I only did so because i felt it was unfair of me to add undue financial burden on my parents. Affording it is one thing. I just thought it would be unconscionable for me to get them spend so much since i felt i didn't deserve it after everything that has happened in the past.

I really wanted to go a non-English speaking country so that i could learn a new language and it would be a totally different cultural experience but I just couldn't bring myself to. Well, that is that. I've committed myself to this SEP and I'll make a much better time of it next semester I'm sure.

But in hindsight, going to Europe would not have allowed me to come back for a considerable break and looking at how things are now in my life, I'm glad I'll be spending the Australian summer in Singapore.

I thank you for being there with me and making the distance feel like a fiction :)

Fingers crossed..

2009-10-25T18:57:00.002+08:00

When you walk through a storm
Hold your head up high
And don't be afraid of the dark
At the end of the storm
Is a golden sky
And the sweet silver song of a lark

Walk on through the wind
Walk on through the rain
Tho' your dreams be tossed and blown
Walk on, walk on
With hope in your heart
And you'll never walk alone
You'll never walk alone

I'm leaving home soon to catch the Liverpool-Man Utd game at this bar called pig n whistle in City. We'e going there 2 hours before kickoff to catch a seat barside. The place is a melting pot for English football fans and i heard the atmosphere is fantastic on such nights. My prediction: Pool to win 1-0. In the Reds we trust !

Today

2009-10-22T20:29:00.003+08:00

hey All. Got up early today and went with Rashvin to MovieWorld in the Gold Coast. Guess we chose a good day to go since the crowds were thin during this time of the year. Thankfully, everyone was at school and so we didn't have to wait long for the rides. The rides were crazy though. I felt a vertical roller coaster drop at one stage and a roller coaster which picked up from 0km/h to 100km/h in 3 seconds. It was awesome and because the queues were so short, we had multiple bites at the cherry. At times, it felt like my organs were going to fly out. But here I am..everything intact.

We then watched SAW 6 which is rated M15 here. bet its R21 in Singapore.Speaks volumes about our censorship regulations. It was really gruesome and lived up to its 5 predecessors.

Amidst all the blood and gore came across the deep idea of how the will of a person to live is supreme and opened my eyes to how insurance companies can rather shrewdly just 'select' who lives and who goes with their fine print policies.

I mean an insurance is like a health savings account which many people dutifully keep over decades so that one isn't left high and dry when tragedy strikes. But the fact is that many are not given their due protection which morality deems they are due to receive because they have have flouted one or 2 really fine prints on their insurance policy [ AKA contractual liability].

Laws are about set rules and somehow with many issues and not just this insurance one, you sometimes feel that morally innocent people suffer the consequences of strict formalism. Makes me wonder whether there can ever be perfect justice.

Well, if you are confused about what I'm talking about, watch the movie and it may be a bit clearer. haha. Alright folks, I am now 38 days to a return. Everyone start counting down with me. woohoo!

The NMP- Democracy's Sore Thumb

2009-10-21T20:19:00.006+08:00

Eunice Olsen a former Miss Singapore Universe was only 27 when she was appointed as a Nominated MP - the youngest ever since the scheme was born. Today, there are 9 Nominated MPs in parliament who have a role in making laws that govern Singapore.

The scheme was introduced by then PM Goh Chok Tong to tap on the particular expertise possessed by citizens free of party affiliation and to increase the substantive tempo of parliamentary debates.

Even if the addition of the NMP was to stir greater and more intense debate in parliament before laws are passed, it is odd that these members are allowed to vote on most matters.

We are a democracy and we choose the people we want to run our country. Why should individuals who have not subjected themselves to the electoral process and are not popularly elected be allowed to shape the laws which impact the lives of our people?

I mean for me, the NMP scheme is wonderful if u just curtail the power for NMPs to vote on Bills passed. Surely a neutral( at least in theory) would help to inject some objectivity into debates to clarify matters which the government and opposition are deadlocked over due to respective party loyalties.

But I don't fancy the idea of someone unelected by my people voting in parliament to pass laws. Such a capacity should vest only with men and women who have stood at election. Otherwise, we would be paying democratic representation mere lip service.

What is little known to many of us also is that the current Singapore Constitution does not prevent NMPs from being appointed as Ministers if the PM so wishes to! This means that current NMP Joscelin Yeo( who has a record 40 SEA GAMES gold medals and 5 standing records in the competition to date) is theoretically eligible!

----

Liverpool 1-2 Lyon. A shocking shocking shocking home defeat. Legendary Gerrard hobbled off in the 25min with an injury. Torres not fit to start.Its getting from bad to worse to worst. 4 defeats in a row. And Man Utd are next this Sunday. A perfect time to turn the corner against our most hated rivals. I remain optimistic. After all these years as a Liverpudlian( tts what u call a liverpool fan), I have an optimism second to none.

2009-10-19T15:44:00.003+08:00

It was festivities galore the past weekend. First time celebrating Deepavali without family. Fair enough that there was still plenty to eat and new friends which helped me replicate the usual festive mood. But im sure nothing beats being in Singapore during such a period.I should have put on a kilo or 2 since the amount I ate the last 2 days was probably as much as the amount I've eaten for the 2 weeks preceding deepavali.How glorious.

Exams are in the horizon.I guess I still need to put in some effort to pass and sadly there is no free lunch in this matter.You reap what you sow. I expect the time to zoom faster since I'll be occupied with studying. that would be ideal at least.haha.

Amidst all the food and drinks on Saturday evening, I had the displeasure of watching Liverpool lose for the 5th time this season. No Torres No Gerrard and the way the team performed was one to be forgotten. I think its time they bring a new manager in and some good quality players to match the stature of such a great club.

~~Deepavali greetings to all of you back home !

2009-10-15T23:47:00.002+08:00

I lead a new lease of life now. So much so that there are people who still cling on to the dream that their man of yesteryears is still alive. Its as though they cannot accept that they have to let 'me' go. Still, I've left in my trail a past not entirely tucked away. There remain holes that could never be plugged.

We all have to face the mistakes we make. If not today, maybe tomorrow or a day in the future. The happier I become, it is inevitable that I am forced to look back and think about the people who have had their happiness cut short courtesy of yours truly.I hope there is still time to make it all up.

Sometimes it ironic how the ones that are hurt continue to see the good in you but passive bystanders can never do so. Its like the bunch that are supposed to feel a sense of strong resentment towards you don't and the ones that are just standing around and unaffected do.

It is weird how things worked for me in the past. So many times, i stunned myself by pulling off the most miraculous achievements when the chips were down and I seemed dissolved. And when i seemed to have it all, I would not disappoint by royaly pressing the 'self-destruct' button.

Though i know who I am today, I can never fully appreciate who i truly was. Well, i can't reflect like this everyday because its not always progressive to think about yesterday's dinner rather than tomorrow's breakfast. I've probably got around 60 more years to go if I'm fortunate. Such a short time if you have a brain of imagination like mine. I hope i can make the best of the decades to come.

'Champions are made from something they have deep inside them - a desire, a dream, a vision.'
- Muhammad Ali

home and dry

2009-10-14T10:34:00.004+08:00

I'm back. It was a fun week out of Brisbane and i guess traveling alone made people around me be more friendly towards me and it was a good experience and an eye opener meeting other travelers from other parts of the globe. The weather was not that great and it rained almost everyday, but thankfully most of the time, it poured at night. In Australia everything shuts down early so your day is more valuable than night because that is when u have to do everything before the nation shuts down at sunset. I found sydney very hustle bustle - just like singapore where we are used t othe familiar sight of people rushing everywhere and time meaning everything. Brisbane is much more slow paced in that sense.

The highlight of the journey to the Blue Mountains National Park where the scenery was just spectacular and i'm sure it would have been better if not for the weather. I spent like 4 hrs walking through the trails in the valley of the mountains and it got tiring at times because a series of diving down slopes would be followed by a trail of steep terrain. It was satisfying since we don't really come into contact with nature at such a magnitude back home.

The other action packed event was the pub crawl on saturday night when the backpackers' hostel i was putting up at organised a $20 tour of 5 bars with one free drink at each bar. splendid deal! The blokes were good fun and extremely friendly..almost all of them who had been to Singapore told me how astounded they were at our airport. ha.There were a bunch of crazy irish lads( who were only 18 but looked 27) going mental and jumping up and down while the bus was taking us from pub to pub. They were drunkenly uncontrollable and I was worried that the bus may just tip over anytime.And to my horror, i didnt know that the bus would not shuttle us back after the 5th bar. So i was stuck outside the bar a good 10 min drive from my hostel. This isnt the best position to be in since cab fares can cost as much as diamonds in Australia (ok..fine. exaggeration!) A few local told me it would be like A$10 to catch a cab and i thought might as well since it was pouring already.

So i hopped onto a cab and when i told the cabbie my destination, he scolded me for taking a cab because he said it was just a short walk away.abt 15minutes). True enough we were there in a 5 min drive and after giving me a good tongue lashing for not checking properly, the good soul refuse to accept money from me. He was an old vietnamese uncle. maybe he felt bad for his fellow Asian comrade after all and didn't want me to part with my money when he felt i didnt need to. good soul.

Yesterday, manage to squeeze some time to meet my aunt Saro and uncle Robert.I last saw them about 6-8 years ago when we had a massive family gathering in KL. Don't know if i would ever get a chance to meet them in the next decade since they live miles away from all of us back home. Met quota for now i guess.

Now that I'm back, have to stat looking at the option of studying for exams next month.I'll end on Nov19. surely earlier than all of you back home.haha. As with any other exam,i always like counting down to the end rather than the start. Always look for the light at the end of the tunnel.

going south..

2009-10-06T22:58:00.003+08:00

Ok everyone..I'll be heading off to New South Wales ( sydney, newcastle and the blue mountains region) from thursday to tuesday. I'll be pretty much on my own and i'm looking forward to the challenge and adventure that lies ahead. I've only ever taken a plane once all alone. It can be a lonely feeling but the journey isnt that long from here to sydney anyway. Hope to pour out a stream of action packed stories on this forum when i return...you peeps look forward to that while i look forward to my imminent departure.

Hariharen's PSLE commences tomorrow - every 12 yr old kid's World Cup i call it.My best wishes to him and i hope he passes with flying colours and fulfills his bags of talent and potential.

I'll be 6 weeks away from coming back to Singapore when i return from Sydney. time flies and I can only hope it flies faster. There are many things to see in Australia but there is no place like home - that's where my most precious assets are based; family, heaps of friends and that special person from Singapore's old fishing village :)

2009-10-05T20:15:00.002+08:00

Its my naina's birthday todae. Supposed to webcam with them tonight but he told me he's going out with his working colleagues tonight.52 already. If everything had gone by plan, he would be all set to receive his entire CPF sum on this date 3 yrs time. But no no no...The constantly evolutionary CPF scheme never disappoints in helping contributing individuals 'retain' their money in light of long term interests. While having its merits, u certainly cant help but feel that some facets of the scheme is more punitive than anything.I mean when you hit your retirement years, you should not be cordoned off from your own money. The state should not be overly interfering with your autonomy and deciding that health interests should prevail. The individual has the capacity to decide what is best for him/her in his latter years and some respect must be accorded to this capacity. In any case, im sure my dad has no opinions about this. He's out with his friends right about now.

Liverpool were terrible yesterday. Was such a drab match and i struggled to stay awake. Not that Chelsea deserved to win 2-0 but they really looked hungrier. That's 3 defeats already this season! Realistically, its gonna be another season w/o the premiership title.

Went to play golf with augustine earlier. I hit the driving range for the first time and realised that the game is not at all slack.All that focus and technique that goes into a driving shot is not easy to grasp and of the 70 over balls i played, i think i probably only hit like 7 or 8 of them sweetly. The body positioning, the swing method and the poise needs getting used to. my torso hurts a bit after all that twisting. I always thought that its a boring game which require arm power. not true. its the torso movement and the club will do the rest for you. The way u stand and maintain your body control is supreme for you to hit a sweet one. Its a real character game coz its so easy to get frustrate and impatient. I hope i get to try my hand more at it.

And then after like an hour, we descended onto our 18-hole mini-golf course. This one is interesting coz u must study the course terrain for the slopes and pitfalls before deciding to play the ball towards the hole. Rather enjoyable and its catching my interest since its difficult to clear the first hurdle of coming to terms with the mechanics of how it is played.

2009-10-04T17:43:00.002+08:00

Just went for soccer kick-a-bout. Basically, sunday soccer is super relax and not as taxing as the sessions i used to have in the lead up to ASEAN Games. More like a chance to catch up with friends and get some exercise.

We'll be off to watch liverpool play chelsea later tonight. Hope the mighty reds can pull off a surprise win in London or at least come away with a draw. I'm just hoping they won't lose. The boys were awful in the midweek game and im wishing the weekend brings better fortune for the club.

I'm happy that the wheels are in motion for a trip in december with Anitha and friends. Looking forward to it after all the efforts to reach a consensus. Its October already and my return is just weeks away..

It is extremely interesting and eye opening to see ang mohs here doing construction work, road sweeping and the array of blue collared jobs which I am so used to seeing my South Asian friends do back home. Everyone takes pride in his/her job here. Minimum wage laws have ensured that they have decent dough to lay on the table and occupational stereotyping which is generally prevalent in Singapore is pretty much unheard of.

Step back..

2009-10-03T20:07:00.003+08:00

When you are in the whirlwind of your most reckless years, u think nothing can stop u or ever end the lifestyle u lead. U tell urself that this will last forever and deep inside u dun want anything to change. You are blind to the fact that you hurt many people( at home or out of it) in your trail and that selfishness is the order of the day. You can have everything rolling for you 364 days without realising it takes 1 day to take you from hero to zero. Admittedly, Those who don't deserve anything got more from me than those who truly did.

I've heard that happiness is the greatest good of humanity. There were those years when i was the torchbearer of the motto 'live everyday like there is no tomorrow'. But i realise that once u tear that flag down and start thinking about 'tomorrow', your eyes open themselves to things which you ought to have seen. Thankfully, i am not a blind mouse anymore.

I can never compensate 'victims of this hurt' adequately or even at all. I guess all things held constant i still have some excess bad karma waiting to bite me. I hope subsequent good deeds would even things up. When u feel so comfortable and perfect about how things have mapped out in every aspect, you just dun want bad karma to tip u over.

My name may be a burden to other people but not to me.How much can you actually change the impressions people have about you? What's important is that the ones who mean the most to you truly know who you are. They are the ones who have been there, are there and will always be there for you.

another day..

2009-10-02T14:08:00.002+08:00

I was too shag and lazy to post yesterday and while Anitha says that the initial surge to blog daily will erode with time..i hope i can circumvent that such a disease. ha.Ok maybe everyday is asking for too much but i shall try every alternate day at least.

SeaWorld was fun yesterday. rashvin, anu and I created a ruckus on the rides screaming at unexpecting Asians and playing with weird sea creatures. Nobbad..i touched a starfish, a sea cucumber and a giant of a sting ray amongst other things for the 1st time. Not that its gonna get me on National Geographic or anything but I always enjoy the moments when i do something for the first time.

It's like as people we have a limited time on earth to do an infinite number of things. Without attempting to bring in the topic of the central problem of economics - scarcity, lets just say that I have always conducted myself wanting to do and see new things whenever i can. There are limits and boundaries of cause but within that acceptable space lies a plethora of experiences begging to be caught hold of. I'll be heading down to New South Wales next thurs for abt a week. Need to plan some things out this weekend. Need to maximise the time i've got there.

Running of to the pool and jacuzzi soon..after all the sightseeing mobilisation this week..would be quite chillax to take a dip..

the day as it unfolded...

2009-09-30T21:38:00.002+08:00

My day started on the wrong foot and i was pissed off that i woke up at 7am to watch fiorentina whoop liverpool's ass 2-0 in champions league grp game.We were really lackluster. i was in an expectant mood considering pool had won Hull 6-1 just few days earlier and i was hoping they would teach Fiorentina a footballing lesson they won't forget. Sdly, it was the reverse.

The ball is round and anything can happen.How sad that the man who scored both goals for fiorentina was not even born when pool lst won the league title in 1990. I'm not getting my hopes high for this season. But when u have supported a team for the last 14 years, u just can't help but love them whether its win,lose or draw.

Next up, I went to North Stradbroke island AKA 'Straddie' with Rishen and Rashwin today. It was good fun with all the mini rock scalings and stuns we did trying to get down by the banks of the ocean. The scenery was spectacular and the clear blue ocean a real joy to behold. Was a real laid back aussie outdoor setting with bikini-clad girls and shirtless mates walking barefoot everywhere, even on the public shuttle bus! I have a vision that sentosa will become like tt one day but how unlikely since the waters are extremely polluted now with works to build the IR.

And then in the evening Rashwin and I headed down to the suburb of Inala- a dodgy Viet stronghold in Brisbane. We tried to communciate with 2 viets we saw in this shady looking shop area but they were less than friendly and thankfully neither tried to pull any stunt on us.

and then there was this African women with her child who walked past us and turned back once every 5 secs to check if we were following her. Quite funny since we thought if anything ..we were the vulnerable people around there. In any case.we just deliberately walked in the other direction and i believe her fears were dispelled.

We had been thinking of going to Inala for some time already and seriously, its not a place for the faint-hearted since Inala is notoriously infamous for its high crime rate and viet triads. We felt like undercover cops sitting in his car trying to look out for some dodgy activities but our wait prove to be disappointing since there was no real action.

what next? SeaWorld at the Gold Coast tmrw.Its gonna cost a bomb but its one of those places u always wanted to go to since u were a kid. especially since i vividly remember my friends in pri sch shining with enthusiasm and exasperation when they used to tell me about their trips to MovieWorld and SeaWorld in the GC. I'll be going with Rashwin and his younger siblings.

Last but not least..happy children's day to everyone. When u r a kid u r not afraid to do things. You do it just because u like it. that's how most of us first realise what we are good at anyway.

Hear this out..

2009-09-28T23:01:00.005+08:00

I refer to the ST article dated 24th Sept ‘ HDB Ethnic Quota needs a tweak?’ where Chan Kok Keong proposes reforms for the current HDB system of announcing quota limits at the start of each month such that buyers and sellers of flats do not have to wait for the start of a new month before finding out their chance of transacting pursuant to the quotas in place. (http://www.straitstimes.com/ST+Forum/Story/STIStory_432713.html)

The HDB Ethnic quota policy(1989) has been a subject of constitutional debate in Parliament before and needs to be in the near future. Simply put, it offends the principle of equal protection guaranteed by Article 12 of the Republic of Singapore Constitution.

I shall refrain from legal niceties so as not to bore the ordinary reader who possesses an extraordinary interest in my post.

But simply put, HDB’s ethnic quota policy quota obviously discriminates prospective re-sale home owners on racial grounds. While the objective of the policy is to eliminate the possibility and weed out any potential danger of racial enclaves, any national policy implemented by a state institution in its exercise of powers must not be incompatible with constitutional safeguards. Otherwise, we would be just paying lip service to the concept of constitutional democracy. That would be a total mockery i think.

SO how now? - By way of constitutional amendments, Parliament should specifically provide for the HDB policy as an exception to the rule laid down by Article 12 just like how there are several other provisions (i.e the racial politics of GRC scheme) in the Constitution which have expressly stated exception abridging the rights of the individual.

A simple measure likes this can retain genuine constitutional supremacy whilst allowing the state to pursue national objectives ( such as racial integration ). Constitutions are framed to balance the interests of the individual with the interests of the state after all.

This is a matter which I had raised to my impressively learned ex-tutor Dr Kevin Tan who himself informed me that he has been making the argument for ages but no one seems to be listening.

From what i see in Australia, i personally feel that the quota policy must be retained especially with an increasing number of foreigners descending on Singapore.

In Australia, one reason for simmering racial tensions and an uneasy co-existence of different mates is probably due to racial enclaving. In Brisbane itself thr are certain areas with an overwhelming Vietnamese majority and there are similar suburbs which are almost completely populated with one migrant ethnic group (i.e Lebanese and Serbs). What has transpired are gangland wars between these migrant groups and large scale racism from white Australians.

Surely, the mistrust and misunderstandings triggered by the demographic orientation is a contributing factor in sowing the seeds of discord. If you look at sociological patterns elsewhere, immigrants from the same country tend to set up communities in a location and endeavor to remain intact for security , comfort and solace. Surely a few familiar faces with recognisable habits are much welcomed in a land of new faces and other races.

The HDB ethnic quota policy is ever so needed more today than anytime in the 1990s. The large influx of immigrants that comes to our shores should be ‘compelled’ to live amongst people of different races to foster national unity. It seems that the lawmakers got it right i guess....almost right.

2009-09-28T08:14:00.000+08:00

History has no sympathy for the defeated.Winning is everything - otherwise why do we keep score anyway?

After a torturous 240 minutes of football in one day, our tournament culminated with a 1-0 defeat to the Hong Kong invitational team in the Final of the ASEAN Games Soccer final. It was a bitterly disappointing way to finish but i guess we lost to a technically better team in the final. It was great fun training and playing with the blokes and i hope the team would go one better next year. haha. As for now,i probably need a day or two to completely recover from the intensity of yesterday. ha. it aches everywhere.

Its mid sem break now. quite dumb that this actually isnt in the middle of the semester but in the latter half of it. No major plans for the week yet but I'm sure i'll have plenty to find and do.

Today marks 8 months since we started going out.Sometimes i feel that I've known u for much longer because of the closeness we share. Every passing month, I feel that i learn a bit more about u and the way u see things. We have had our differences on occasions but I guess that's part and parcel of a relationship. Its great that u've made a difference in my approach and view to life and injected some real meaning into it :)

To be continued...

Starters..

2009-09-26T11:32:00.000+08:00

I've decided to start blogging after contemplating the opening of a blog for about 5 years now. My main inspiration behind this has been Anitha's blogging ventures, which has in a way pushed me to lay the ghost of procrastination to rest. I felt this is an apt time as well since I'm on SEP now and this medium would be best for all of u to track my adventures ( or a lack thereof..haha).

Tomorrow is a big day : ASEAN Games( Soccer) tournament , Queensland. I'm part of a 18 man strong team representing Singapore at this tournament. Its gonna be a whole day affair and I'm looking forward to it after spending the last month or so going for trials and training. In some aspects, it feels good to play at a level as competitive as the A division in my opinion. Its been 5 years now since i played in the A div and I've never got into the swing of proper training with a bunch of committed individuals ever since. Everyone is up for it. I would bleed for the game but I've seen around me others who r willing to do more.

This team lost to Malaysia and ended 2nd last year. Its gonna be tough with Malaysia,Vietnam, Oman and Nepal in our group this time. I'm hoping to play most of the games but i really can't wait to get my hands on Malaysia in particular. At any level, Singapore-Malaysia match ups always kindle that rivalry and the passion and I wouldn’t want to miss out on that. Let's hope things remain sporting but an ill tempered affair is not out of the question.I'm speedily recovering from an ankle injury sustained in a warm up game against the Bruneians on Tues and my initial injury fears are now almost gone i believe.

Still on the point of soccer, i think my playing days will draw to a close soon. I was advised by my specialist in 2006 that i should refrain from playing contact sports following my cataract surgery. I've probably ended up with a terrible headache 80% of the time after a game ever since. It is this striking pain over my right eye usually and then it just becomes a crazy headache. Football is so healing that you never feel it during the match. But after that..you wish you just heeded the doctor's advice. haha. Furthermore, there is always the apparent risk of eye complications ( AKA potential blindness) if i suffer a nasty collision while going for a header or something. I'm not as comfortable in the air as I used to be because of that inherent fear inside at times. There are more important things in life and health and safety should come first. I guess i would find it very hard to divorce myself from the combative side of my game.:Which is the very reason why i am in such a predicament now.

School has been alright. not that I go too many times. It week 9 for me here in Brisbane and I'm pretty sure I've been to school less than 20 days. well..its pass-fail anyway so i don't wanna push myself too hard here ( not as though i do in s'pore oso). I hope i can finally learn how to be conscientious so that i wont be so academically battered in my final year. ha. This past month just zoomed past with 3 essays and a quiz on the cards. Tough modules they are. I cannot imagine doing unjust enrichment and private international law on a graded basis without suffering from trauma.

I still remember the date - May19th 2005 ( incidentally, my late grandfather Kanniah Naidu's birthday). That was when i received my law acceptance letter. The most sublime hr of my life at that stage i reckon. It hasnt been a bed of roses ever since.

There are times when i get disillusioned with what im studying. Sometimes i tremble indignation at the injustice in the cases at hand. What is justice is a question we shall not explore for now due to the can of worms it throws out. And while on internship, i thought to myself..hw much is all this mugging actually gonna prepare u for practice?..its different when u have a real client there who has lost $1million through some contractual hullabaloo and u r the difference between him recovering all or nothing at all.

Where is the human touch in that hypothetical for tutorial 3? Surely a particular question in a criminal law hypothetical cannot bring out the same passion that a real case can give. Pressure..and real pressure will bring out the finest man for the hour.

On a more student level..i feel that the meticulous and time consuming process of everything does not cut ice with my personality. Strangely, i think both capitalist and socialist notions keep me going. I believe the financial rewards in this profession can be lucrative which is what keeps me hanging in there i guess. there are very few things ( though significant ones) that money cannot get for u. additionally, there are sections of people in our beloved country who need a voice and need someone to champion and/or protect their interests.

I am very thankful for getting the chance to intern at Tan, Rajah and Cheah during the summer( ok we should all stop using this word because its summer all year long in Singapore. Let's be proud of our equatorial status and not sing to the beat of others). The experience at TRC gave me an insight into practice life( at least TRC style). i really enjoyed myself there it gave me an indication that i would be well suited for the rough n tough of litigation.

Till next time..