About time I did this, but since I only just finished watching the video online, you can't blame me for being a day slow. (Slept too early yesterday >.<)

Firstly, the videos of the rally may be watched online, here. I'll be good that you've taken a view of the whole thing before reading this. Otherwise you may not get most stuffs I would write down here.

So, let's go by Parts from the start to the finish. I won't be dissecting the speech and shoving in my ideas and opinions or anything, since the content is almost perfect. Its a National Day Rally speech, don't expect there to be really much to pick on at all.

..

First, the economy. Nothing much, Speech spanned from global problems, to inflation, to Middle Income Singaporeans, specifically on car related issues and finally HDB Rental flats. 1 serious issue I do have was the claim that the average driver has benefited from the net decrease in road tax and increase in ERP. What the government has failed to realize that the number of times that one passes the ERP Gantry is not an average. Most Singaporeans who are not passing, for the sake of saving money, would be stubborn enough not to pass even a single one. The average value would thus gather a large deviation amongst the drivers and actually meaning that there would be MORE, Singaporeans needing help, while a handful really benefiting a lot more from the decrease in road tax.

The issue of increasing COE has also been avoided to include into the price of the car. Only focusing on the maintainance fees of the car and taxes maintaining the car rather than the price of overall ownership and use of the car. Don't get me wrong, it was touched on. Just not enough.

Realized something too. Everyone clapped when they're getting more money. Lol.

..

Next issue up on the line was Our Society, focusing more of our morals in our society and how we would like to appeal to others outside the country.

Interesting to see him pick out examples, even to the nitty gritty ones, that would appeal to perhaps the less enthusiastic audience.
Eg. Some things we are good at doing
i. Sit properly in the cinema (i.e. don’t put your feet on the seat in front of you)
ii.Say “thank you” after being served
But also many things we need to improve
i.Say “please” – not so common
ii.Clear tables and return food trays)

Only proves how much effort he has put into the speech to drag in the interest of the audience, and really give the impression that perhaps the NDP Speech can actually be interesting.

Of course, the part on the Youth Olympic Games was also perhaps laden with a tinge too much of Propagandic Patriotism. Whether you agree is up to you to decide.

..

Third issue of Our People. Birth Rates, marriage, and what it takes to bring up a child. Hilarious to see him talking about love and our people. Lols. Nothing much perhaps just a point in that really got my eyebrows up.

There was an idea that we should be enhancing our childcare centers as they become more prominent and utilized in the years ahead. Agreed, however there was one suggested way that got me snickering.

"Train and provide scholarships for childcare teachers."

Scholarship in Childcare Teaching in Harvard anyone?

Also, for... 'Hardworking' women, "We will extend incentives like tax reliefs, childcare subsidies etc. to the 5th and subsequent child." You suddenly realized that such an action should have been undertaken since the start of the campaign. Seems that the government was afraid that the project might end up like the Stop at 2 campaign and end up overpopulation instead? Quite unlikely isn't it?

The Prime Minster has also brought morals into the issue. Low birthrate and everything is more of a moral issue than a economic or time one. Its just basically the people's mindset not to give birth. Resources and help are definitely present. Question is, are they just pushing the blame?

..

Last topic in for the night was on the Future. Emphasis was placed on the development of the Internet as the Fifth Estate as well as the increased amount of political freedom that would soon be evident in Singapore. Really don't want to be saying anything much since it doesn't matter.

So we see that perhaps its not the lack of political freedom anymore, but just the pure apathy of Singapore's People. Not just Youths, but People towards politics and government. Its not about having more avenues to care. Its getting MORE people to care.

Either Apathy, or just plain ignorance.

The tribute to the Table Tennis Team was rather awkward. Lols.

..

Conclusion was just a wrap-up, and the introduction of a few "Singapore Success Stories." Which had propaganda laced all around it. But that's another thing.

..

So here ya go. All there. But don't take my words for it! Go watch it for yourself. =)

..

*Edit* I just realized something ironic. On the issue of the future, the PM has stated that we must learn to be Savvy on the net, and not just accept its information. We have to be discerning about what you see on the net as well as distinguish between what is true and false.

And there I was listening to his speech online.

Oh the Irony. Lols.

You know you can't stop it.

Prelims has been rather depressing. Other than Physics Paper 3, I have no confidence in really any of the other papers. But so be it, see no point in ranting over it.

Its 4.14am, I've just finished watching another episode of a drama online so I just decided to blog about something worth of discussion today. Its just a train of thought that I kept going and poof! it became koko crunch! it kinda came out. Enjoy (=

..

What is thought? Normally, we would just see it as model the world and to deal with it effectively via logical thoughts. Example, we develop the thought that we do not want to eat shit because we don't eat shit. Its as simple as that, nothing fancy about this particular definition. Logic.

But I'll like for all to perhaps consider another definition of thoughts and decisions altogether. Attempt to illogically discard away logic, and just embrace simply following our feelings and desires to drive our thoughts and actions.

When we act, we produce an effect that would undoubtedly give rise to certain changes in the environment around us. It cannot be prevented, simply because we are part of the environment itself. And the reason we act in the first place, is when we would like this effect to produce a positive outcome on our lives.

Basically, we act because we desire for something in the first place. There's really no logic involved in that. It is simply, I want this. Thus I'll get this.

Why bother putting your desires through a logical process before getting it done? And perhaps even risk getting the proper thought removed even.

Think of it this way, man desires everything. Just that we would desire something more than the others, thus we would be more inclined to fulfill that desire before the rest. We set priorities, like how some are studying Biology rather than Physics because they weigh that decision, just as how some people has landed flat on their face at the bottom of a tall building, because they desire suicide more. Hell, we all would have those desires implanted within us already from the start. Just that we remain sane compared to the rest.

Back to prioritizing. Having an infinitesimal number of desires, prioritizing should be done to separate them, and give them each a level of importance. When we prioritize, wouldn't we already have going through our logical process here? I mean, that's why we don't desire to eat defecation right?

Thus, why would we ever doubt that our desire are ever illogical? How can they be illogical when it was decided by logic in the first place? And if so, why bother using logic to question it again?

I believe the brain is smart enough to be rid of the Double checking stigma.

However, this idea of mine is flawed. I won't deny that, I'm just having a discussion here. Simply because the logical thought process of both situations are different. And completely different.

Here's what I propose. While logical thinking are emphasized in both desires and decisions, the thought process in obtaining desires are much more 'raw' as compared to the thought process that we would undergo before we convert desires into decisions. That our desires are simply instinctive logic, and thus, self-driven, materialistically. To put it in Layman's terms, that our initial desires are created on the basis of simply ensuring our survival on a very basic level. For example, the desire to work more to earn more money, the desire to mug more to pass the examinations. There's really no considerations of the after effects of actions that could harm or give us help. Taking mugging as an example, we mug, but our logical thought process overlooks the point that others might develop a bad point of view on us. We mug simply we want to score, who cares about others.

And here is when logical thinking to create decisions take the cake. They reconsider on desires more deeply to ensure that there would be no problems, and perhaps even reconsider low priority ideas to recheck them. If not for this process, nobody would have considered spending money to charity simply for the self-satisfaction of giving, eh? Think about it, at an instinctive thought process. Lose money = Bad. End of story. Though deeper thought do we achieve this ideas and revalue these ideas and reprioritize them!

While I do agree with this idea to an extent, I still remain rather attached to my original idea. Being instincts, there is no reason why our instincts would not have had social skills and morals throw into the equation. Comon, we're humans right?

Of course, this would be suggesting that man is intrinsically good. Which I suddenly realized I never believed in.

Damnit Looks like my head contradicted itself somewhere.

..

Open for discussion folks. And I'm not doing the tag EY. (=

As you guys know, I've really been watching the Olympics non stop these few days. And the more I watch, the more interesting some things appear to me though the games.

1. The competition for the Bronze Medals is generally so much more exciting as compared to the gold medal matches. Just check out all the games, particularly obvious for Epee, or Fencing. I mean, this is of course, not including the 'artistic and technical' sports such as Gymnastics and Diving. Can't find an online copy of the game. Damnit.

2. China has really outperformed herself this time. Its incredible how they have won everyone of their specialties hands down. Just look at diving, Women's 63kg Weightlifting, Gymnastics. In fact, the only sport that was perhaps... not perfect was table tennis, when the World Number 5 lost out to Andrea Bakula for their first match 12-10.

3. Going around, there's been pretty much fanfare over Tao Li's achievements in the Olympics. Wonderful that she's only my age and already achieving so much, well done.

4. Phelps is nuts. ****ing nuts.

I'm telling you, the more the past few days pass, the more I discover how sneaky the Chinese are in getting their constant economic developments.

By placing the Olympics so damned close to ACJC's Prelims, the students have no motivation to engage in mugging anymore. Japan vs New Zealand Hockey game was nice.

By making full use of the availability of televisions all around developed countries like Singapore, the students have no motivation to study and only a handful would be able to pass their examinations. Men's welterweight was nice too.

As such, less people to be working for the country in the future and decreased economic growth of other countries while they continue thriving with most people living in farmlands without the television. China won the 3m Women's Synchronized Springboard. Who would have guessed?

Ahhh. Dun think I can't see through the evil plan! It shall be foiled! Tao Li's in the Finals for 100m Butterfly and Michael Phelps has taken his first of the anticipated 8 golds.

Bleh.

And here ya go, the worst crocodile in the world reporting for reflections again.

Rather than studying GP and econs, which I SHOULD be, our dear protagonist has gone around wasting time to solve his computer problem which started this morning. Apparently it started this afternoon on a casual talk with Ms Elicia Chuah and it just hanged. (Jinx! =X)

First, Kok Hong told that it was merely a random hang, nothing big to be concerned about. And so he just started the computer again and continued the conversation. To his dismay, the computer hanged again not long after and the process continued for the next 2 tries.

And off goes Kok Hong spending the whole afternoon thinking what could be wrong with Msn Live that's causing the hanging. Conflicting Programs he thought as he went around the net searching. Hoping that eBuddy could at least handle his online conversations for now. To his dismay, the computer soon hanged as well, and he was at a loss of what to do.

Thus, he went to safe mode and checked the processes available on Task Manager one by one.

And to his dismay, that with 5 hours spent into this, the problem was not with the messengers, but rather some useless program called SmartFix FROM SINGNET that's supposed to help fix connection problems.

Oh the Irony.

...

So what's the moral of this story?

1. Singnet can suck me.
2. I should be mugging.

One more time, One more chance.
Written and performance by Yamazaki Masayoshi.

Song from the animated movie 5 Centimeters Per Second, which i decided to watch trying to get less emo. Unfortunately all it did was almost made me cry.

A great movie to be watching to pass time =)