more blog news..
Yahoo! News - Blog-Tracking May Gain Ground Among U.S. Intelligence Officials
Thursday, 29 April 2004
golden homes
i saw this sight from my window yesterday at around 5pm and couldn't resist taking a couple of shots with my digital cam.. a few minutes later, it poured cats and dogs for a good two hours or so.. the evening was nice and cool and the smell of rain lingered on till late into the night.. i love the smell of the air after a rain..
can't wait for this week to come to an end.. next week will be the final week of my teaching practice at a real educational institution in singapore, with real students, real teachers and real classroom problems.. the end of a part fun part stress part agony experience and then i can look forward to another short holiday before we're finally told our destination for the next three years..
these two weeks have been a spinning mix of excitement, uncertainties, heart-stopping highs, revelations, friendships and all things that make life challenging but meaningful...
i'm looking forward to this weekend.
i saw this sight from my window yesterday at around 5pm and couldn't resist taking a couple of shots with my digital cam.. a few minutes later, it poured cats and dogs for a good two hours or so.. the evening was nice and cool and the smell of rain lingered on till late into the night.. i love the smell of the air after a rain..
can't wait for this week to come to an end.. next week will be the final week of my teaching practice at a real educational institution in singapore, with real students, real teachers and real classroom problems.. the end of a part fun part stress part agony experience and then i can look forward to another short holiday before we're finally told our destination for the next three years..
these two weeks have been a spinning mix of excitement, uncertainties, heart-stopping highs, revelations, friendships and all things that make life challenging but meaningful...
i'm looking forward to this weekend.
Wednesday, 28 April 2004
sunrise 28 apr 2004
i didn't do this morning's sunrise justice.. was rushing out of the house and decided to take just a few cursory shots... came back just now to look at the pics and could only find one decent one.. which is the one i just posted above...
it was A LOT more beautiful than what you see here...
nonetheless, this is for my friend who's feeling stressed.. cheer up.. :) ... the weekend is almost here... :)!!
i didn't do this morning's sunrise justice.. was rushing out of the house and decided to take just a few cursory shots... came back just now to look at the pics and could only find one decent one.. which is the one i just posted above...
it was A LOT more beautiful than what you see here...
nonetheless, this is for my friend who's feeling stressed.. cheer up.. :) ... the weekend is almost here... :)!!
China targets blogs in latest censorship of Internet
BEIJING: China is targeting blogs -- diary-style personal pages for Internet users -- in its latest attempt to censor the increasing popularity of the Internet in the country, according to a rights group.
Two sites hosting blogs for thousands of people -- who express their views about news, themselves or anything they want -- have been shut down by the government, the Paris-based media rights group Reporters Without Borders said.
One of the blogs, "BlogBus.com," hosted more than 15,000 blogs that have now been made inaccessible, the group said in a statement.
(see full story)
Internet censorship of blogs??.. the most deplorable form of censorship. no less.
BEIJING: China is targeting blogs -- diary-style personal pages for Internet users -- in its latest attempt to censor the increasing popularity of the Internet in the country, according to a rights group.
Two sites hosting blogs for thousands of people -- who express their views about news, themselves or anything they want -- have been shut down by the government, the Paris-based media rights group Reporters Without Borders said.
One of the blogs, "BlogBus.com," hosted more than 15,000 blogs that have now been made inaccessible, the group said in a statement.
(see full story)
Internet censorship of blogs??.. the most deplorable form of censorship. no less.
Monday, 26 April 2004
Sunday, 25 April 2004
Saturday, 24 April 2004
architecture in singapore
Studio Jay Dokken | Kampung
look at singapore architecture in a new way..
some of his comments (you have to click the little media button below the arrow) are sheer hysterical....
Studio Jay Dokken | Kampung
look at singapore architecture in a new way..
some of his comments (you have to click the little media button below the arrow) are sheer hysterical....
i thought people were being mean when...
they wrote, like in this blog:
"William Hung's "Inspiration"
Wow, it's bad. Really bad. Worse than you think. By reducing William Hung to a solely auditory phenomenon, Inspiration leaches all the joy in his goofiness and replaces it with sheer sonic horror. It's like listening to karaoke only you're not drunk and you're not with your friends. "
until i heard it for myself..
gulp...
i think it's a crime to put a CD like this on the market... i'm sorry if i come across really mean... trust me, i'm not normally so critical... but just don't let your kids hear any of the songs.. it may keep them up all night...
they wrote, like in this blog:
"William Hung's "Inspiration"
Wow, it's bad. Really bad. Worse than you think. By reducing William Hung to a solely auditory phenomenon, Inspiration leaches all the joy in his goofiness and replaces it with sheer sonic horror. It's like listening to karaoke only you're not drunk and you're not with your friends. "
until i heard it for myself..
gulp...
i think it's a crime to put a CD like this on the market... i'm sorry if i come across really mean... trust me, i'm not normally so critical... but just don't let your kids hear any of the songs.. it may keep them up all night...
Friday, 23 April 2004
Thursday, 22 April 2004
Wednesday, 21 April 2004
a moment to treasure
when i saw the sunrise this morning, i was blown away....
i never knew i could witness a sunrise as stunning as this in my little garden city ... and from my apartment window... glancing nervously at my watch to make sure i wasn't going to be late for work, i ran to grab my digital camera and managed to snap but two shots before the sky brightened, almost in the blink of an eye..
i almost missed it!
it suddenly dawned on me that many things in Life are really like that... a moment of indecisiveness, hesitation, procrastination and the opportunity passes you by, never to be seen again.. imagine if i stood by and just wondered if i should take the picture.. after a minute or so, the whole process of decision-making would have been pointless..
so i believe in following my intuition.. my gut feel.. though i have frequently been accused of being a daredevil of sort, taking risks of all kinds, seemingly without care of consequence or repercussion, it's really only because i'm afraid of missing an opportunity which stares me in the face.. just because i was afraid... or worried about what others would think....
I believe I should live Life the way I believe..
(this stunning picture is dedicated to my new friend... happy one week anniversary! :) .... thanks for giving me the courage and reason to do so..... and thank God for all the wonder and beauty in my life... :)
when i saw the sunrise this morning, i was blown away....
i never knew i could witness a sunrise as stunning as this in my little garden city ... and from my apartment window... glancing nervously at my watch to make sure i wasn't going to be late for work, i ran to grab my digital camera and managed to snap but two shots before the sky brightened, almost in the blink of an eye..
i almost missed it!
it suddenly dawned on me that many things in Life are really like that... a moment of indecisiveness, hesitation, procrastination and the opportunity passes you by, never to be seen again.. imagine if i stood by and just wondered if i should take the picture.. after a minute or so, the whole process of decision-making would have been pointless..
so i believe in following my intuition.. my gut feel.. though i have frequently been accused of being a daredevil of sort, taking risks of all kinds, seemingly without care of consequence or repercussion, it's really only because i'm afraid of missing an opportunity which stares me in the face.. just because i was afraid... or worried about what others would think....
I believe I should live Life the way I believe..
(this stunning picture is dedicated to my new friend... happy one week anniversary! :) .... thanks for giving me the courage and reason to do so..... and thank God for all the wonder and beauty in my life... :)
Monday, 19 April 2004
dumb joke (via email) .. too good not to be shared..
A middle age woman decides to have a face lift for her birthday. She spends $5000 and feels pretty good about the results.
On her way home, she stops at a news stand to buy a newspaper. Before leaving she says to the clerk, "I hope you don't mind my asking, but how old do you think I am?"
"About 32," was the reply. "I'm exactly 47, " the woman says happily.
A little while later she goes into McDonald's and asks the counter girl the very same question.
She replies, "I guess about 29." The woman replies, "Nope, I'm 47." Now she's feeling really good about herself.
She stops in a drug store on her way down the street. She goes up to the counter to get some mints and asks the clerk this burning question. The clerk responds, "Oh , I'd say 30." Again she proudly responds, "I am 47, but thank you."
While waiting for the bus to go home, she asks an old man the same question. He replies, "Lady, I'm 78 and my eyesight is going. Although, when I was young, there was a sure way to tell how old a woman was. It sounds very forward, but it requires you to let me put my hands under your bra. Then I can tell you exactly how old you are."
They waited in silence on the empty street until curiosity got the best of her. She finally blurts out, "What the hell, go ahead." He slips both of his hands under her blouse and under her bra and begins to feel around very slowly and carefully. After a couple of minutes of this, she said, "Okay, okay,...how old am I?" He completes one last squeeze of her breasts and removes his hands and says, "Madam, you are 47." Stunned and amazed, the woman says, "That was incredible,... how did you know?"
The old man replies, "Promise you won't get mad?" "No", she said.
So he replied, "I was behind you in line at McDonald's"
A middle age woman decides to have a face lift for her birthday. She spends $5000 and feels pretty good about the results.
On her way home, she stops at a news stand to buy a newspaper. Before leaving she says to the clerk, "I hope you don't mind my asking, but how old do you think I am?"
"About 32," was the reply. "I'm exactly 47, " the woman says happily.
A little while later she goes into McDonald's and asks the counter girl the very same question.
She replies, "I guess about 29." The woman replies, "Nope, I'm 47." Now she's feeling really good about herself.
She stops in a drug store on her way down the street. She goes up to the counter to get some mints and asks the clerk this burning question. The clerk responds, "Oh , I'd say 30." Again she proudly responds, "I am 47, but thank you."
While waiting for the bus to go home, she asks an old man the same question. He replies, "Lady, I'm 78 and my eyesight is going. Although, when I was young, there was a sure way to tell how old a woman was. It sounds very forward, but it requires you to let me put my hands under your bra. Then I can tell you exactly how old you are."
They waited in silence on the empty street until curiosity got the best of her. She finally blurts out, "What the hell, go ahead." He slips both of his hands under her blouse and under her bra and begins to feel around very slowly and carefully. After a couple of minutes of this, she said, "Okay, okay,...how old am I?" He completes one last squeeze of her breasts and removes his hands and says, "Madam, you are 47." Stunned and amazed, the woman says, "That was incredible,... how did you know?"
The old man replies, "Promise you won't get mad?" "No", she said.
So he replied, "I was behind you in line at McDonald's"
will you still love me tomorrow...
this is sweet.
teaching practice is becoming more challenging by the day.. other than the endless amounts of lesson planning, there is the constant uncertainty that accompanies us whenever we step in and out of a half-dead class... sometimes, at the end of the day, we wonder if we have made a dent of a difference to anyone at all..
for a profession that is entirely people-centered, it's easier said than done to "just do our best" (something that many kind souls have been telling me to do...) after all, our results and our sense of achievement are determined almost entirely by the impact we have made on other people, not on the amount of teaching we have done in the classroom ...
these past few days have been scorchingly hot in the daytime, turning classrooms into furnaces.. sometimes, even i feel sleepy when i walk in, only to be blasted by the heat from the oven-baked walls... the kids are comatosed after hours of endless lessons and nothing seems to be effective in reviving them.. except for occasional lame jokes such as:
Q: Why did the bee cross its legs?
A: Because it couldn't find a Bee Pee (BP) station .
teaching is hard.
this is sweet.
teaching practice is becoming more challenging by the day.. other than the endless amounts of lesson planning, there is the constant uncertainty that accompanies us whenever we step in and out of a half-dead class... sometimes, at the end of the day, we wonder if we have made a dent of a difference to anyone at all..
for a profession that is entirely people-centered, it's easier said than done to "just do our best" (something that many kind souls have been telling me to do...) after all, our results and our sense of achievement are determined almost entirely by the impact we have made on other people, not on the amount of teaching we have done in the classroom ...
these past few days have been scorchingly hot in the daytime, turning classrooms into furnaces.. sometimes, even i feel sleepy when i walk in, only to be blasted by the heat from the oven-baked walls... the kids are comatosed after hours of endless lessons and nothing seems to be effective in reviving them.. except for occasional lame jokes such as:
Q: Why did the bee cross its legs?
A: Because it couldn't find a Bee Pee (BP) station .
teaching is hard.
Friday, 16 April 2004
Thursday, 15 April 2004
Monday, 12 April 2004
funky pinhole cam
there's no doubt about it.. i'm constantly and abundantly blessed in those things that really matter to me.. photography, travel, career, friendships, a wonderful family and other inspirational figures in my life....
someone just lent me this fun plastic pinhole cam... see GAKKEN OTONA NO KAGAKU
now i've a new toy to play with... :) it takes normal film but requires no battery whatsoever..
i take first and then show you, ok? :p
in the meantime, look at the results of a pinhole photography experiment (called 'Emulsification') this Japanese guy did with some giant glass balls... he custom-made these giant glass globes and then coated the insides with some photo emulsion thing before covering the outside with black material and foil, leaving only a small hole at one end. He then leaves the whole glass ball out in the garden to capture the scenary.. I guess at the end, he removes the outside covering and illuminates the globes from the inside to complete these amazing creations..
the Japs are truly imaginative and creative!
there's no doubt about it.. i'm constantly and abundantly blessed in those things that really matter to me.. photography, travel, career, friendships, a wonderful family and other inspirational figures in my life....
someone just lent me this fun plastic pinhole cam... see GAKKEN OTONA NO KAGAKU
now i've a new toy to play with... :) it takes normal film but requires no battery whatsoever..
i take first and then show you, ok? :p
in the meantime, look at the results of a pinhole photography experiment (called 'Emulsification') this Japanese guy did with some giant glass balls... he custom-made these giant glass globes and then coated the insides with some photo emulsion thing before covering the outside with black material and foil, leaving only a small hole at one end. He then leaves the whole glass ball out in the garden to capture the scenary.. I guess at the end, he removes the outside covering and illuminates the globes from the inside to complete these amazing creations..
the Japs are truly imaginative and creative!
The Psychology of Color - According to Dr. Max Luscher
i found this Color Preferences Reveal Your Personality test in the school computer and tried it..
here are my results...
PROBLEM UNDERLYING THE PRESENT STRESS -- Works to strengthen his (her) position and bolster his (her) self-esteem by examining his (her) own accomplishments -- and those of others -- with critical appraisal and scientific discrimination. Insists on having things clear-cut and unequivocal.
DESIRED OBJECTIVE -- Seeks an affectionate relationship, offering fulfillment and happiness. Capable of powerful emotional enthusiasm. Helpful, and willing to adapt himself (herself) if necessary to realize the bond of affection he (she) desires. Needs the same consideration and understanding from others.
CURRENT INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR -- Circumstances are such that he (she) feels forced to compromise for the time being if he (she) is to avoid being cut off from affection or from full participation.
like all online personality tests, the results are unsurprisingly accurate....erhmm....
spent the long weekend doing a stock-check on my current state of existence, looking for answers and affirmations... also managed to go for a run at East Coast, went swimming twice (including once to the very exciting Jurong East Swimming Complex with best pal Kai) and work out some fresh changes to my current weekly work/play routine..
i'm ready to face this new week with a smile on my face. :) Thank God!
i found this Color Preferences Reveal Your Personality test in the school computer and tried it..
here are my results...
PROBLEM UNDERLYING THE PRESENT STRESS -- Works to strengthen his (her) position and bolster his (her) self-esteem by examining his (her) own accomplishments -- and those of others -- with critical appraisal and scientific discrimination. Insists on having things clear-cut and unequivocal.
DESIRED OBJECTIVE -- Seeks an affectionate relationship, offering fulfillment and happiness. Capable of powerful emotional enthusiasm. Helpful, and willing to adapt himself (herself) if necessary to realize the bond of affection he (she) desires. Needs the same consideration and understanding from others.
CURRENT INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR -- Circumstances are such that he (she) feels forced to compromise for the time being if he (she) is to avoid being cut off from affection or from full participation.
like all online personality tests, the results are unsurprisingly accurate....erhmm....
spent the long weekend doing a stock-check on my current state of existence, looking for answers and affirmations... also managed to go for a run at East Coast, went swimming twice (including once to the very exciting Jurong East Swimming Complex with best pal Kai) and work out some fresh changes to my current weekly work/play routine..
i'm ready to face this new week with a smile on my face. :) Thank God!
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