It's 6 hours away!
Will be leaving for the airport in 6 hours! Can't believe I'm leaving for China tomorrow.
Glad to leave behind those f***ing "kan cheong spiders" (the Cantonese term kan cheong means terribly jittery, insecure, scared to be "late") at work. Terribly insecure idiots, b*****ds, sycophants, bootlickers, ass kissers, apple polishers, attention seekers, backstabbers, hypocrites, wannabes, etc they are! And I'm referring to only just very few of them. Well, you get the picture.
The miserable one is usually the misfit. In the Singapore context, the misfit is usually either the most hopeless one (laziest, dumbest, bad attitude etc) or the most brilliant. I think I'm both. I'm hopelessly brilliant and brilliantly hopeless. Depending on the situation and the work to be done. 'Nuff said.
Like I said, I'm leaving tomorrow. Well, it just feels a bit fast. I'm really hoping and hoping and hoping that the holidays will LAST and I'll come back refreshed. I don't really want to go back to work.
Heard that because of some ang-moh (local slang meaning "red devil", used to refer to caucasians - some weird linguistic legacy, so don't ask me why!) could not follow instructions. These people took out their cameras and tried to snap shots of the sky-burial DESPITE BEING TOLD NOT TO DO SO! So, apparently, the Tibetan Government has banned observers at sky-burials. Why are people such IDIOTS?
Seems like the recent entries have degenerated into some kind of idiot-bashing. Hope to bring back some fresh eyes and new thoughts when I return!
Thursday, July 28, 2005
Monday, July 25, 2005
Idiots of the World UNITE?
Idiots of the World UNITE?
Today feels like a meeting of the idiots. The idiots' stars must have aligned with mine today.
Idiotic boss does not understand that when info can be obtained only tomorrow afternoon, there is NO WAY that the f***ing paper work be done today! And he had the bl**dy cheek to call and hurl accusations like "We've got to be firm. Close the thing..." So smart, do it yourself!
Idiotic sycophantic colleague was boss' ally. 'Nuff said.
Idiotic seller on ebay, when asked for the shipping cost, replied, "If you are really intrested (sic!), I'll package it and take it to the post office tommorrow morning, then I'll let you know? Answer me with (sic!) this question format so I can get back to you. Thank you".
F**k! Are you a blond, you damned dim-witted bitch of a seller? Sigh. What do you mean "If you are really interested"? Damn you! If I ain't interested, then why would I even bother to ask? Idiot!
And spent the entire afternoon at the new office but could not get the computer working because some idiot shortcircuited the server. Hm...
Today feels like a meeting of the idiots. The idiots' stars must have aligned with mine today.
Idiotic boss does not understand that when info can be obtained only tomorrow afternoon, there is NO WAY that the f***ing paper work be done today! And he had the bl**dy cheek to call and hurl accusations like "We've got to be firm. Close the thing..." So smart, do it yourself!
Idiotic sycophantic colleague was boss' ally. 'Nuff said.
Idiotic seller on ebay, when asked for the shipping cost, replied, "If you are really intrested (sic!), I'll package it and take it to the post office tommorrow morning, then I'll let you know? Answer me with (sic!) this question format so I can get back to you. Thank you".
F**k! Are you a blond, you damned dim-witted bitch of a seller? Sigh. What do you mean "If you are really interested"? Damn you! If I ain't interested, then why would I even bother to ask? Idiot!
And spent the entire afternoon at the new office but could not get the computer working because some idiot shortcircuited the server. Hm...
Sunday, July 24, 2005
Tibet Tour
Tibet Tour
Will be leaving for Tibet on Friday. Highlight of the tour would be the Shoton Festival. A few other descriptions of the same festival are as follows: Shoton 1, Shoton 2, Shotun 3 (See xuedun, the romanized pinyin for the Chinese equivalent of Shotun), and Shotun 4 (xuedun).
I'll be visiting many places of interest, although many of these places are already rather commercialised. This is invitable. Especially in the exotic land nearest the heavens, tourists would never give such a place a miss. Too good to miss. Still, I'll be taking my first look at the Potala Palace, as well as some famous monasteries like Drepund, Samye, Tashilhunpo, Sera Thekchenling, and Ganden Chungkor. More updates when I return.
And I am hoping to get a glimpse, the really elusive glimpse, of the extremely sacred tibetan sky burial.
Will be leaving for Tibet on Friday. Highlight of the tour would be the Shoton Festival. A few other descriptions of the same festival are as follows: Shoton 1, Shoton 2, Shotun 3 (See xuedun, the romanized pinyin for the Chinese equivalent of Shotun), and Shotun 4 (xuedun).
I'll be visiting many places of interest, although many of these places are already rather commercialised. This is invitable. Especially in the exotic land nearest the heavens, tourists would never give such a place a miss. Too good to miss. Still, I'll be taking my first look at the Potala Palace, as well as some famous monasteries like Drepund, Samye, Tashilhunpo, Sera Thekchenling, and Ganden Chungkor. More updates when I return.
And I am hoping to get a glimpse, the really elusive glimpse, of the extremely sacred tibetan sky burial.
Thursday, July 21, 2005
Apathy
The Roots of Apathy and How Schools Can Reduce Apathy
By DAVID O. SOLMITZ
(November 4, 2000)
Part One: The Roots of Apathy
Why is apathy, another term for passivity, submissiveness, and even numbness, reaching epidemic proportions when it comes to social, economic, environmental, and political issues? Symptoms include lack of awareness, concern, social responsibility and action, which includes voting. This is particularly apparent for those in the 18 to 24 age group.
Among the factors that cause apathy is our society's orientation toward entertainment. We have become a nation of observers watching with increasing enthusiasm as the sensationalism of the show intensifies. Presidential debates have even become an integral part of the entertainment industry. If there are no fireworks, no Jerry Springer type show, then their ratings fall way down.
How can we take politics seriously, when opposing candidates, like actors, are trained to perform in a certain way in order to appeal to the voters? Each has been prepared by their campaign experts with a bulwark of information. The debaters are trained to use that information to portray themselves in the most compelling manner possible in front of the television cameras. The audience seems to base its judgment on the clichés, slogans, and bloopers. Like an aspiring Hollywood actor or actress, charisma appears to be the final determinant as to who is the victor.
Since television networks depend upon advertisers for profit, the debates must cover a wide range of topics in a relatively short period of time. The television networks realize that the general public is not interested, nor does it have the patience, to listen to thorough, in depth discussion, like those of the Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858 on slavery. In addition, we are bombarded by short, rapid fire, political ads. These are cleverly created to appeal instantaneously to our emotions, not necessarily to our reasoning. Therefore, it can be deduced that the television medium impacts our apathy.
The phenomenal cost of running a political campaign causes many potential candidates not to run for office, especially in large states and/or for a seat in the nation¹s House or Senate. Even, in central Maine to run for the state legislature a candidate must dole out about $10,000. Though the cost is lower than in other parts of Maine, and much below the national average, it is still high. Because of these high costs, many of us wonder to what extent politicians from either party represent the commercial interests of their big financial supporters? Therefore, we feel powerless. For example, huge corporations control health care, ranging from HMOs to prescription drugs. Many of us are troubled that some mainstream politicians, who rely on these corporations to help finance their campaigns, appear unwilling to come up with alternatives that will create a healthier society. We are troubled, at a time of a heating oil shortage and the high cost of fuel that politicians seem to take no action against the oil companies that are making a huge profit by selling their oil to European countries.
Politics aside, the consumerist inclination of out society is another factor that fosters apathy. We have become addicted to buy numerous products that we imagine make our lives easier and more appealing. For instance, it is even easier to get a "Big Mac," fries, and a shake at the drive through window, than it is to microwave a TV dinner at home. What ever became of taking the healthier and less expensive option of preparing a meal at home from scratch and eating it together with family members? Why should we prepare a meal from scratch, even though it is less expensive then micro-waving an already prepared meal? Why should we give up at least one of our cars, SUV's, or four by four pick-up trucks for train travel since the latter would preserve the environment from ever-wider highways and reduce the amount of fuel? In order to buy and enjoy craved for luxuries, many people work overtime or take on more jobs. Since we have material desires, why should we be bothered if our inability to pay off our credit cards at 18% interest causes marital problems? Why should we be upset that we have little time to spend with our children because both parents are working so bills can be paid? Do the kids really need us? After all, they have boom boxes, TVs, video games, computers, and, as teenagers, many have cars--all for entertainment.
In other words, we allow ourselves to be dominated by consumerism, the entertainment industry, and the television media. Almost instinctively, we desire instantaneous gratification.
We are also controlled by our teachers, supervisors, and bosses. In fact submission is actually the opposite side of the coin of control. It is easier to be passively controlled than it is to take initiative.
It is also easier to control others than it is to stand up for principles. By controlling others, the enforcer tries to make sure that those under his or her control do not make waves. By attempting to impose compliance to the status quo, a sense of stability and security appears to exist. Whether it is the employer, boss, or supervisor in the business world or the administrator and teacher in the realm of education, the role of the boss is to make sure that his or her employees or students learn not to question but to submit to the guidelines of their superior.
Both in the world of business and education, the bottom line is accountability. This means that each individual is answerable to those above him or her. Certainly accountability can incorporate creativity, i.e. what problems can the employee, as a member of a team, solve to bring greater profitability to the company? So what if the employees' success means downsizing and thus unemployment?
In business and industry, it is much easier for management to command his or her employees to attain specific benchmarks on the way to achieve a certain goal. For school administrators it is equally palatable to demand of his or her teachers that they make sure their students achieve high scores on the Maine Educational Assessment (MEA) given annually to all grade four, eight, and eleven students throughout the State of Maine as part of the process to achieve high school graduation by the end of grade twelve. Not only are students often discouraged and even humiliated if they do poorly on these tests, but teachers' and administrators' jobs are in jeopardy.
Although both businesses and schools use the language of critical thinking, problem solving, effective communication, team building, respect, and social responsibility and involvement, the bottom line remains accountability. It is a difficult and challenging process to encourage and to motivate individuals to take on responsibility, to become socially, culturally, economically, and environmentally conscious.
For those who want to take control, it can be a scary experience to empower others by helping them to develop equal, just and trusting relationships. It is much easier to be the person in authority who, for instance, teaches respect as opposed to the one who models respect. If the employer or teacher disciplines one of those under his or her control for inappropriate behavior, even if he or she might have been in the wrong, it is easy to righteously chastise that person. Yet, it is much more difficult for the individuals to engage in a dialogue in which both sincerely acknowledge their mistakes. As a result of this more difficult process a trusting and better working relationship can develop.
Part Two: How Schools Can Reduce Apathy
To imagine that our society can drastically change course from one of instantaneous gratification through consumerism and entertainment to one in which each of us focuses on the present, on one another, and on the preservation of our environment may seem unrealistic. However, it is possible to begin to move in this direction by making our public schools more egalitarian and democratic. This means that trusting relationships between students, teachers, administrators, and parents need to be built. When people trust each other, they feel safe an absolutely necessary ingredient for success.
Teachers must be allowed and encouraged to keep awake that spirit of wonderment that small children have: always asking questions, seeking answers, and exploring beyond newly discovered horizons. According to the contemporary education reformer, Alfie Kohn, "teachers must first maximize the opportunity for students to make choices, to discover and learn for themselves, and second, creating a caring community in the classroom so that students have the opportunity to do thing together." In this way students develop the means by which to become ethical people, as opposed to people who merely do what they are told. They learn to construct moral meaning.
Ideally, students should learn to reach decisions by consensus. After all, decision making through voting remains a contest among students. There are winners and losers. Naturally, the losers have less commitment to the class than the majority. Therefore, no real sense of community, which includes the ability to appreciate and trust one another, has been accomplished. By helping students to become active participants in their own social and ethical development, the teacher is really putting the Guiding Principles of Maine's Learning Results into practice. Students are learning to discipline themselves rather than be controlled by others. They are developing responsibility, which is the opposite of accountability.
Democratic schools should encourage and empower students to become independent thinkers who are able to listen to and respond with appreciation and understanding to the thoughts and opinions of others. Students need to learn to compile, interpret, understand and use information from a wide variety of sources: books, periodicals, personal interviews, attendance at meetings, and the Internet. However, for this to happen, teachers and administrators must work cooperatively with all elements of the community equally--the middle class, the poor, and the wealthy.
Teachers and administrators gain strength through vulnerability when they are open to suggestions from parents, students, and colleagues. When teachers and students have the opportunity to select their principals and teachers, and their classrooms are conducted democratically, students become healthier, energetic, caring, socially responsible and active participants of the society.
David Solmitz of Waterville taught social studies for 30 years at Madison High School in Madison. He can be reached at 20 Johnson Heights, Waterville, ME 04901, Tel. (207) 872-2279
By DAVID O. SOLMITZ
(November 4, 2000)
Part One: The Roots of Apathy
Why is apathy, another term for passivity, submissiveness, and even numbness, reaching epidemic proportions when it comes to social, economic, environmental, and political issues? Symptoms include lack of awareness, concern, social responsibility and action, which includes voting. This is particularly apparent for those in the 18 to 24 age group.
Among the factors that cause apathy is our society's orientation toward entertainment. We have become a nation of observers watching with increasing enthusiasm as the sensationalism of the show intensifies. Presidential debates have even become an integral part of the entertainment industry. If there are no fireworks, no Jerry Springer type show, then their ratings fall way down.
How can we take politics seriously, when opposing candidates, like actors, are trained to perform in a certain way in order to appeal to the voters? Each has been prepared by their campaign experts with a bulwark of information. The debaters are trained to use that information to portray themselves in the most compelling manner possible in front of the television cameras. The audience seems to base its judgment on the clichés, slogans, and bloopers. Like an aspiring Hollywood actor or actress, charisma appears to be the final determinant as to who is the victor.
Since television networks depend upon advertisers for profit, the debates must cover a wide range of topics in a relatively short period of time. The television networks realize that the general public is not interested, nor does it have the patience, to listen to thorough, in depth discussion, like those of the Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858 on slavery. In addition, we are bombarded by short, rapid fire, political ads. These are cleverly created to appeal instantaneously to our emotions, not necessarily to our reasoning. Therefore, it can be deduced that the television medium impacts our apathy.
The phenomenal cost of running a political campaign causes many potential candidates not to run for office, especially in large states and/or for a seat in the nation¹s House or Senate. Even, in central Maine to run for the state legislature a candidate must dole out about $10,000. Though the cost is lower than in other parts of Maine, and much below the national average, it is still high. Because of these high costs, many of us wonder to what extent politicians from either party represent the commercial interests of their big financial supporters? Therefore, we feel powerless. For example, huge corporations control health care, ranging from HMOs to prescription drugs. Many of us are troubled that some mainstream politicians, who rely on these corporations to help finance their campaigns, appear unwilling to come up with alternatives that will create a healthier society. We are troubled, at a time of a heating oil shortage and the high cost of fuel that politicians seem to take no action against the oil companies that are making a huge profit by selling their oil to European countries.
Politics aside, the consumerist inclination of out society is another factor that fosters apathy. We have become addicted to buy numerous products that we imagine make our lives easier and more appealing. For instance, it is even easier to get a "Big Mac," fries, and a shake at the drive through window, than it is to microwave a TV dinner at home. What ever became of taking the healthier and less expensive option of preparing a meal at home from scratch and eating it together with family members? Why should we prepare a meal from scratch, even though it is less expensive then micro-waving an already prepared meal? Why should we give up at least one of our cars, SUV's, or four by four pick-up trucks for train travel since the latter would preserve the environment from ever-wider highways and reduce the amount of fuel? In order to buy and enjoy craved for luxuries, many people work overtime or take on more jobs. Since we have material desires, why should we be bothered if our inability to pay off our credit cards at 18% interest causes marital problems? Why should we be upset that we have little time to spend with our children because both parents are working so bills can be paid? Do the kids really need us? After all, they have boom boxes, TVs, video games, computers, and, as teenagers, many have cars--all for entertainment.
In other words, we allow ourselves to be dominated by consumerism, the entertainment industry, and the television media. Almost instinctively, we desire instantaneous gratification.
We are also controlled by our teachers, supervisors, and bosses. In fact submission is actually the opposite side of the coin of control. It is easier to be passively controlled than it is to take initiative.
It is also easier to control others than it is to stand up for principles. By controlling others, the enforcer tries to make sure that those under his or her control do not make waves. By attempting to impose compliance to the status quo, a sense of stability and security appears to exist. Whether it is the employer, boss, or supervisor in the business world or the administrator and teacher in the realm of education, the role of the boss is to make sure that his or her employees or students learn not to question but to submit to the guidelines of their superior.
Both in the world of business and education, the bottom line is accountability. This means that each individual is answerable to those above him or her. Certainly accountability can incorporate creativity, i.e. what problems can the employee, as a member of a team, solve to bring greater profitability to the company? So what if the employees' success means downsizing and thus unemployment?
In business and industry, it is much easier for management to command his or her employees to attain specific benchmarks on the way to achieve a certain goal. For school administrators it is equally palatable to demand of his or her teachers that they make sure their students achieve high scores on the Maine Educational Assessment (MEA) given annually to all grade four, eight, and eleven students throughout the State of Maine as part of the process to achieve high school graduation by the end of grade twelve. Not only are students often discouraged and even humiliated if they do poorly on these tests, but teachers' and administrators' jobs are in jeopardy.
Although both businesses and schools use the language of critical thinking, problem solving, effective communication, team building, respect, and social responsibility and involvement, the bottom line remains accountability. It is a difficult and challenging process to encourage and to motivate individuals to take on responsibility, to become socially, culturally, economically, and environmentally conscious.
For those who want to take control, it can be a scary experience to empower others by helping them to develop equal, just and trusting relationships. It is much easier to be the person in authority who, for instance, teaches respect as opposed to the one who models respect. If the employer or teacher disciplines one of those under his or her control for inappropriate behavior, even if he or she might have been in the wrong, it is easy to righteously chastise that person. Yet, it is much more difficult for the individuals to engage in a dialogue in which both sincerely acknowledge their mistakes. As a result of this more difficult process a trusting and better working relationship can develop.
Part Two: How Schools Can Reduce Apathy
To imagine that our society can drastically change course from one of instantaneous gratification through consumerism and entertainment to one in which each of us focuses on the present, on one another, and on the preservation of our environment may seem unrealistic. However, it is possible to begin to move in this direction by making our public schools more egalitarian and democratic. This means that trusting relationships between students, teachers, administrators, and parents need to be built. When people trust each other, they feel safe an absolutely necessary ingredient for success.
Teachers must be allowed and encouraged to keep awake that spirit of wonderment that small children have: always asking questions, seeking answers, and exploring beyond newly discovered horizons. According to the contemporary education reformer, Alfie Kohn, "teachers must first maximize the opportunity for students to make choices, to discover and learn for themselves, and second, creating a caring community in the classroom so that students have the opportunity to do thing together." In this way students develop the means by which to become ethical people, as opposed to people who merely do what they are told. They learn to construct moral meaning.
Ideally, students should learn to reach decisions by consensus. After all, decision making through voting remains a contest among students. There are winners and losers. Naturally, the losers have less commitment to the class than the majority. Therefore, no real sense of community, which includes the ability to appreciate and trust one another, has been accomplished. By helping students to become active participants in their own social and ethical development, the teacher is really putting the Guiding Principles of Maine's Learning Results into practice. Students are learning to discipline themselves rather than be controlled by others. They are developing responsibility, which is the opposite of accountability.
Democratic schools should encourage and empower students to become independent thinkers who are able to listen to and respond with appreciation and understanding to the thoughts and opinions of others. Students need to learn to compile, interpret, understand and use information from a wide variety of sources: books, periodicals, personal interviews, attendance at meetings, and the Internet. However, for this to happen, teachers and administrators must work cooperatively with all elements of the community equally--the middle class, the poor, and the wealthy.
Teachers and administrators gain strength through vulnerability when they are open to suggestions from parents, students, and colleagues. When teachers and students have the opportunity to select their principals and teachers, and their classrooms are conducted democratically, students become healthier, energetic, caring, socially responsible and active participants of the society.
David Solmitz of Waterville taught social studies for 30 years at Madison High School in Madison. He can be reached at 20 Johnson Heights, Waterville, ME 04901, Tel. (207) 872-2279
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Form vs Substance (II)
Form vs Substance (II)
A man and his friend decide to have a competition to see who can be intimate to his wife the most number of times. So the man goes home and gets into bed with his wife.
After a long time of doing it, he gets out of bed, feeling pleased, takes up a piece of chalk and makes a vertical mark on the wall. Although he is feeling very weary already, he goes to bed a second time with her and does it again. He gets out of bed and makes another mark beside the first one.
By now he is extremely tired but he decides he has the strength to do it one last time. So he goes back to bed, does it, and finally crawls out from under the bed sheets to the wall where he makes a third mark before collapsing from exhaustion into deep slumber.
The next day, the man has barely woken up before he hears a knock on the door. He opens it and his friend enters the room. "Whoa! You're the victor, pal!" his friend exclaims as he sees the three marks on the wall. "I could only manage it 109 times myself!"
A man and his friend decide to have a competition to see who can be intimate to his wife the most number of times. So the man goes home and gets into bed with his wife.
After a long time of doing it, he gets out of bed, feeling pleased, takes up a piece of chalk and makes a vertical mark on the wall. Although he is feeling very weary already, he goes to bed a second time with her and does it again. He gets out of bed and makes another mark beside the first one.
By now he is extremely tired but he decides he has the strength to do it one last time. So he goes back to bed, does it, and finally crawls out from under the bed sheets to the wall where he makes a third mark before collapsing from exhaustion into deep slumber.
The next day, the man has barely woken up before he hears a knock on the door. He opens it and his friend enters the room. "Whoa! You're the victor, pal!" his friend exclaims as he sees the three marks on the wall. "I could only manage it 109 times myself!"
A Stroke?
A Stroke?
Two nuns were sitting on a park bench. A flasher came by. One had a stroke; the other couldn't reach.
Two nuns were sitting on a park bench. A flasher came by. One had a stroke; the other couldn't reach.
Another funny
Another funny
There was a farmer that had three daughters. They each had a date for Saturday night. As was his custom, the farmer would meet the suitor in the front room of the farmhouse, and if they were acceptable, he'd let them take his daughters out.
That Saturday night, the first young man arrived. "My name is Freddie, I'm here for Betty, and we're going to get spaghetti." He seemed decent enough, so the farmer called Betty down and they left.
The next young man arrived a few minutes later. "My name is Joe, I'm here for Flo, and we're off to the show." He, too, seemed okay, and the pair left for the evening.
The last young man knocked on the door and entered the room to meet the farmer. "My name is Chuck--"
"Hold on, buster," shouted the farmer. "You're not going ANYWHERE with my daughter!"
There was a farmer that had three daughters. They each had a date for Saturday night. As was his custom, the farmer would meet the suitor in the front room of the farmhouse, and if they were acceptable, he'd let them take his daughters out.
That Saturday night, the first young man arrived. "My name is Freddie, I'm here for Betty, and we're going to get spaghetti." He seemed decent enough, so the farmer called Betty down and they left.
The next young man arrived a few minutes later. "My name is Joe, I'm here for Flo, and we're off to the show." He, too, seemed okay, and the pair left for the evening.
The last young man knocked on the door and entered the room to meet the farmer. "My name is Chuck--"
"Hold on, buster," shouted the farmer. "You're not going ANYWHERE with my daughter!"
A Little Teaser
A Little Teaser
Something more light hearted for a change.
My Dearest,
Please do not take this in jest,
I really do think you're the best.
You have the most beautiful eyes,
That’s where I let my gaze rest.
A woman with such good connections
Must have near infinite selection.
But you give me such a big smile,
So please ignore my imperfections.
I know that this poem's a farce,
But I'm running a bit short on class.
I'd like to take you up the West End,
It’s an evening we'd never surpass.
It's said that I'm not very slick,
And some people think that I'm thick.
I don't have a very big room,
But please don't dismiss me too quick.
I suspect that I'm pushing my luck,
Please don't say I'm out for a duck.
Come join me tonight for a film,
And I'll never treat you like muck.
When I see you I just have to thank
The Lord that I can be so frank.
Without you I'd just have to cry,
But I know on your love I can bank.
-----
Ok, think that wasn't funny at all? Take out the last word of all the third lines, and replace it with a word that rhymes with the rest of the stanza. A clue: the first one starts with 'br....'
You're more than welcome to suggest your answers in the comments.
Something more light hearted for a change.
My Dearest,
Please do not take this in jest,
I really do think you're the best.
You have the most beautiful eyes,
That’s where I let my gaze rest.
A woman with such good connections
Must have near infinite selection.
But you give me such a big smile,
So please ignore my imperfections.
I know that this poem's a farce,
But I'm running a bit short on class.
I'd like to take you up the West End,
It’s an evening we'd never surpass.
It's said that I'm not very slick,
And some people think that I'm thick.
I don't have a very big room,
But please don't dismiss me too quick.
I suspect that I'm pushing my luck,
Please don't say I'm out for a duck.
Come join me tonight for a film,
And I'll never treat you like muck.
When I see you I just have to thank
The Lord that I can be so frank.
Without you I'd just have to cry,
But I know on your love I can bank.
-----
Ok, think that wasn't funny at all? Take out the last word of all the third lines, and replace it with a word that rhymes with the rest of the stanza. A clue: the first one starts with 'br....'
You're more than welcome to suggest your answers in the comments.
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
Form vs Substance
Form vs Substance
The fall out from the NKF suit is tremendous but somehow I sense that many people are not aware of the TRUE "theatre of war".
Think carefully again and again. Is an organisation and its CEO one and the same?
No.
So then, why
1. cancel your donations when the CEO has already stepped down?
2. spray graffiti on the walls of the NKF HQ?
3. grouse about NKF's reserves?
The list goes on, but this little note hopes to help the confused people separate form from substance so that they will act rationally and let the kidney patients have their dialysis in peace.
It's so contradictory and childish when people en-noble themselves but act so despicably.
The fall out from the NKF suit is tremendous but somehow I sense that many people are not aware of the TRUE "theatre of war".
Think carefully again and again. Is an organisation and its CEO one and the same?
No.
So then, why
1. cancel your donations when the CEO has already stepped down?
2. spray graffiti on the walls of the NKF HQ?
3. grouse about NKF's reserves?
The list goes on, but this little note hopes to help the confused people separate form from substance so that they will act rationally and let the kidney patients have their dialysis in peace.
It's so contradictory and childish when people en-noble themselves but act so despicably.
Monday, July 18, 2005
Voice of Reason
Voice of Reason
"Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)" by Don McLean
Starry, starry night
Paint your palette blue and grey
Look out on a summer's day
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul
Shadows on the hills
Sketch the trees and daffodils
Catch the breeze and the winter chills
In colours on the snowy linen land
Now I understand
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen
They did not know how
Perhaps they'll listen now
Starry, starry night
Flaming flowers that brightly blaze
Swirling clouds and violet haze
Reflect in Vincent's eyes of china blue
Colours changing hue
Morning fields of amber grain
Weathered faces lined in pain
Are soothed beneath the artists' loving hand
Now I understand
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen
They did not know how
Perhaps they'll listen now
For they could not love you
But still your love was true
And when no hope was left inside
On that starry, starry night
You took your life as lovers often do
But I could have told you Vincent
This world was never meant for one as beautiful as you
Like the strangers that you've met
The ragged men in ragged clothes
The silver thorn of bloody rose
Lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow
Now I think I know
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen
They're not listening still
Perhaps they never will...
Was singing along to Josh Groban's version of the Don McLean classic, Vincent, as I was driving home just now. Somehow, many things click as I reflect on my dismal performance trying to remember the elusive words written to the enchanting tune.
My rendition was fragmented because I never remembered the word. I know the tune but not the words. I never listened. Similarly, many people don't listen to things around them.
Vincent spoke with his paintings but his ideas were ahead of his times. No one listened to him.
Terrorists speak with their bombs but they forgot that a people without peace will not listen. Yet, the people speak with hatred and condemnation and so the terrorists won't listen either.
Parents plead with the wayward child but the child does not listen. The child speaks with rebellion and retaliation but the parents listen not either.
The examples go on and on and on.
Listening is a very difficult skill. Even though people say that speaking is tough, nothing beats listening. How many times have you fallen asleep listening to someone? How many times have your attention drifted off in the middle of a lecture? How many times have you interrupted your speaker because of what you've thought you've listened?
HOW OFTEN DO YOU HEAR BUT NOT LISTEN?
"Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)" by Don McLean
Starry, starry night
Paint your palette blue and grey
Look out on a summer's day
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul
Shadows on the hills
Sketch the trees and daffodils
Catch the breeze and the winter chills
In colours on the snowy linen land
Now I understand
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen
They did not know how
Perhaps they'll listen now
Starry, starry night
Flaming flowers that brightly blaze
Swirling clouds and violet haze
Reflect in Vincent's eyes of china blue
Colours changing hue
Morning fields of amber grain
Weathered faces lined in pain
Are soothed beneath the artists' loving hand
Now I understand
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen
They did not know how
Perhaps they'll listen now
For they could not love you
But still your love was true
And when no hope was left inside
On that starry, starry night
You took your life as lovers often do
But I could have told you Vincent
This world was never meant for one as beautiful as you
Like the strangers that you've met
The ragged men in ragged clothes
The silver thorn of bloody rose
Lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow
Now I think I know
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen
They're not listening still
Perhaps they never will...
Was singing along to Josh Groban's version of the Don McLean classic, Vincent, as I was driving home just now. Somehow, many things click as I reflect on my dismal performance trying to remember the elusive words written to the enchanting tune.
My rendition was fragmented because I never remembered the word. I know the tune but not the words. I never listened. Similarly, many people don't listen to things around them.
Vincent spoke with his paintings but his ideas were ahead of his times. No one listened to him.
Terrorists speak with their bombs but they forgot that a people without peace will not listen. Yet, the people speak with hatred and condemnation and so the terrorists won't listen either.
Parents plead with the wayward child but the child does not listen. The child speaks with rebellion and retaliation but the parents listen not either.
The examples go on and on and on.
Listening is a very difficult skill. Even though people say that speaking is tough, nothing beats listening. How many times have you fallen asleep listening to someone? How many times have your attention drifted off in the middle of a lecture? How many times have you interrupted your speaker because of what you've thought you've listened?
HOW OFTEN DO YOU HEAR BUT NOT LISTEN?
Thursday, July 14, 2005
Let me give you $600 000 a year...
Let me give you $600 000 a year...
The recent NKF fiasco is a simple issue to me. Saving face, that's just about it all.
The notion of "saving face" is so important to Asians. If a samurai loses face, he would commit suicide by slicing open his gut. In some countries, if a Muslim girl loses face (e.g. she got raped), she should be drowned or hanged by her tribe. That's how important face is.) Applying the same logic, perhaps readers can also understand the rationale behind T T Durai's actions. When you feel wronged, you'll want to stand up and defend your face.
Anyway, I'm not here to judge the man. I'm here to make my stand clear.
1. I will continue to make my donations to NKF. Anyway, I donate to them on an ad-hoc basis and I do not see why that should change.
2. I believe in karma. He who abuses the trust and powers vested in him will get his just desserts.
3. The "aged population" in the future refers to people like ME. The old folks out there are already the "aged population" of the NOW, not the future. If anything, I am investing in my health's future. One day, I may have to go a-begging to NKF. Who knows? What goes around comes around. And for all of you out there who've terminated your donations to NKF, please retain your integrity till you see your graves. Don't go snatching my share of "returns on investments"!
4. No doubt, 10.5 cents (or is it 15 cents) per donor dollar comes back to subsidize the patients, don't forget that had it been easier to get donations from stingy Singaporeans (myself included), more money could have been pledged to the patients, instead of having to get the likes of some singers to perform the annual "NKF anthem" on TV. Anyway, given the fact that many older folks these days still can rely on their children and family for support, be thankful that NKF acts prudently to build up their reserves. When it's my turn and there's hardly a significant enough workforce to sustain the donation income, I will appreciate their prudence of the past. And when I'm so broke that I can't afford to keep myself alive, hopefully NKF then will have an even more sound policy to help me manage.
5. First class, business class, high class, low class, no class. To me, what class people travel in does not matter to me. In fact, if you are talking about entitlement-travel, then the COST should matter, not class.
6. Gold plated tap? Some of us wear gold and diamonds which easily out-do the North Star's brilliance! What's wrong with a gold plated tap? Opulence? Hardly. Wasn't it toned down anyway?
7. Dedicated Mercedes Benz. I wish people look for carefully around them. If we make options available, then expect people to choose the options. Don't preach as though you are on moral high ground cos you're not. Hey you out there driving yet another petrol guzzling 2 litre car! Do you know how much carbon dioxide you emit and how much faster you are depleting Earth's limited resources? And you, yes you! That one driving that SUV as though Singapore were some primary rainforest or jungle. We're a concrete city. Anything that moves around is good enough! So, if you can spend so much on a car, why don't you give equally much to NKF so that impoverished people like me do not need to be continually emotionally blackmailed into giving donations that I really ill-afford? If not for poor Durai having to meet up with some of you to make you feel good and induce you to give, what need would he of the dedicated Benz?
8. The $25k salary and the 12 month bonus. If you can deliver the results at a cheaper cost, then why not recommend yourself to NKF? I'm sure the board of governors will be more than willing to employ you and save some money too. But even if you get $600 000 (like Durai) and yet you can't deliver the tens of millions like Durai can, SHUT UP and go reflect. Talk big only when you can deliver on the back of your words. Place your money where your mouth is!
If anything, Durai failed to realise, or chose not to believe, that in a defamation suit, all skeletons must be paraded. Whether or not they concern the suit, the defending side will expectedly dig out all the skeletons. This is part of due diligence.
The only question that needs to be answered by Durai would be "Why was there such a lapse?"
The recent NKF fiasco is a simple issue to me. Saving face, that's just about it all.
The notion of "saving face" is so important to Asians. If a samurai loses face, he would commit suicide by slicing open his gut. In some countries, if a Muslim girl loses face (e.g. she got raped), she should be drowned or hanged by her tribe. That's how important face is.) Applying the same logic, perhaps readers can also understand the rationale behind T T Durai's actions. When you feel wronged, you'll want to stand up and defend your face.
Anyway, I'm not here to judge the man. I'm here to make my stand clear.
1. I will continue to make my donations to NKF. Anyway, I donate to them on an ad-hoc basis and I do not see why that should change.
2. I believe in karma. He who abuses the trust and powers vested in him will get his just desserts.
3. The "aged population" in the future refers to people like ME. The old folks out there are already the "aged population" of the NOW, not the future. If anything, I am investing in my health's future. One day, I may have to go a-begging to NKF. Who knows? What goes around comes around. And for all of you out there who've terminated your donations to NKF, please retain your integrity till you see your graves. Don't go snatching my share of "returns on investments"!
4. No doubt, 10.5 cents (or is it 15 cents) per donor dollar comes back to subsidize the patients, don't forget that had it been easier to get donations from stingy Singaporeans (myself included), more money could have been pledged to the patients, instead of having to get the likes of some singers to perform the annual "NKF anthem" on TV. Anyway, given the fact that many older folks these days still can rely on their children and family for support, be thankful that NKF acts prudently to build up their reserves. When it's my turn and there's hardly a significant enough workforce to sustain the donation income, I will appreciate their prudence of the past. And when I'm so broke that I can't afford to keep myself alive, hopefully NKF then will have an even more sound policy to help me manage.
5. First class, business class, high class, low class, no class. To me, what class people travel in does not matter to me. In fact, if you are talking about entitlement-travel, then the COST should matter, not class.
6. Gold plated tap? Some of us wear gold and diamonds which easily out-do the North Star's brilliance! What's wrong with a gold plated tap? Opulence? Hardly. Wasn't it toned down anyway?
7. Dedicated Mercedes Benz. I wish people look for carefully around them. If we make options available, then expect people to choose the options. Don't preach as though you are on moral high ground cos you're not. Hey you out there driving yet another petrol guzzling 2 litre car! Do you know how much carbon dioxide you emit and how much faster you are depleting Earth's limited resources? And you, yes you! That one driving that SUV as though Singapore were some primary rainforest or jungle. We're a concrete city. Anything that moves around is good enough! So, if you can spend so much on a car, why don't you give equally much to NKF so that impoverished people like me do not need to be continually emotionally blackmailed into giving donations that I really ill-afford? If not for poor Durai having to meet up with some of you to make you feel good and induce you to give, what need would he of the dedicated Benz?
8. The $25k salary and the 12 month bonus. If you can deliver the results at a cheaper cost, then why not recommend yourself to NKF? I'm sure the board of governors will be more than willing to employ you and save some money too. But even if you get $600 000 (like Durai) and yet you can't deliver the tens of millions like Durai can, SHUT UP and go reflect. Talk big only when you can deliver on the back of your words. Place your money where your mouth is!
If anything, Durai failed to realise, or chose not to believe, that in a defamation suit, all skeletons must be paraded. Whether or not they concern the suit, the defending side will expectedly dig out all the skeletons. This is part of due diligence.
The only question that needs to be answered by Durai would be "Why was there such a lapse?"
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Management Learning
Management Learning
1. Lesson Number One
A crow was sitting on a tree, doing nothing all day. A small rabbit saw the crow, and asked him, "Can I also sit like you and do nothing all day long? The crow answered: "Sure, why not." So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the crow, and rested. All of a sudden, a fox appeared, jumped on the rabbit and ate it.
Management Learning:
* To be sitting and doing nothing, you must be sitting very, very high up.
2. Lesson Number Two:
A turkey was chatting with a bull. "I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree," sighed the turkey, "but I haven't got the energy. "Well, why don't you nibble on some of my droppings?" replied the bull. "They're packed with nutrients." The turkey pecked at a lump of dung and found that it actually gave him enough strength to reach the first branch of the tree. The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch. Finally after a forth night, there he was proudly perched at the top of the tree. Soon he was promptly spotted by a farmer, who shot the turkey out of the tree.
Management Learning:
* Bullshit might get you to the top, but it won't keep you there.
3. Lesson Number Three:
A little bird was flying south for the winter. It was so cold, the bird froze and fell to the ground in a large field. While it was lying there, a cow came by and dropped some dung on it. As the frozen bird lay there in the pile of cow dung, it began to realize how warm it was. The dung was actually thawing him out! He lay there all warm and happy, and soon began to sing for joy. A passing cat heard the bird singing and came to investigate. Following the sound, the cat discovered the bird under the pile of cow dung, and promptly dug him out and ate him!
Management Learning:
* 1) Not everyone who drops shit on you is your enemy.
* 2) Not everyone who gets you out of shit is your friend.
* 3) And when you're in deep shit, keep your mouth shut!
4. Lesson Number Four:
The boy rode on the donkey and the old man walked. As they went along, they passed some people who remarked it was a shame the old man was walking and the boy was riding. The man and boy thought maybe the critics were right, so they changed positions. Later, they passed some people that remarked, What a shame, he makes that little boy walk." They decided they both would walk! Soon they passed some more people who thought they were stupid to walk when they had a decent donkey to ride. So the both rode the donkey! Now they passed some people that shamed them by saying how awful to put such a load on a poor donkey. The boy and man said they were probably right so they decided to carry the donkey. As they crossed a bridge, they lost their grip on the animal and he fell into the river and drowned.
Management Learning:
* If you try to please everyone, you will eventually lose your ass!
1. Lesson Number One
A crow was sitting on a tree, doing nothing all day. A small rabbit saw the crow, and asked him, "Can I also sit like you and do nothing all day long? The crow answered: "Sure, why not." So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the crow, and rested. All of a sudden, a fox appeared, jumped on the rabbit and ate it.
Management Learning:
* To be sitting and doing nothing, you must be sitting very, very high up.
2. Lesson Number Two:
A turkey was chatting with a bull. "I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree," sighed the turkey, "but I haven't got the energy. "Well, why don't you nibble on some of my droppings?" replied the bull. "They're packed with nutrients." The turkey pecked at a lump of dung and found that it actually gave him enough strength to reach the first branch of the tree. The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch. Finally after a forth night, there he was proudly perched at the top of the tree. Soon he was promptly spotted by a farmer, who shot the turkey out of the tree.
Management Learning:
* Bullshit might get you to the top, but it won't keep you there.
3. Lesson Number Three:
A little bird was flying south for the winter. It was so cold, the bird froze and fell to the ground in a large field. While it was lying there, a cow came by and dropped some dung on it. As the frozen bird lay there in the pile of cow dung, it began to realize how warm it was. The dung was actually thawing him out! He lay there all warm and happy, and soon began to sing for joy. A passing cat heard the bird singing and came to investigate. Following the sound, the cat discovered the bird under the pile of cow dung, and promptly dug him out and ate him!
Management Learning:
* 1) Not everyone who drops shit on you is your enemy.
* 2) Not everyone who gets you out of shit is your friend.
* 3) And when you're in deep shit, keep your mouth shut!
4. Lesson Number Four:
The boy rode on the donkey and the old man walked. As they went along, they passed some people who remarked it was a shame the old man was walking and the boy was riding. The man and boy thought maybe the critics were right, so they changed positions. Later, they passed some people that remarked, What a shame, he makes that little boy walk." They decided they both would walk! Soon they passed some more people who thought they were stupid to walk when they had a decent donkey to ride. So the both rode the donkey! Now they passed some people that shamed them by saying how awful to put such a load on a poor donkey. The boy and man said they were probably right so they decided to carry the donkey. As they crossed a bridge, they lost their grip on the animal and he fell into the river and drowned.
Management Learning:
* If you try to please everyone, you will eventually lose your ass!
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Reflections
Reflections
A off-the-cuff reply to a short message that someone sent me over the phone while I was at work about a moon ago.
Nary a good day exists in a hellish place as this
Covered in shit and drenched in piss
Forget about even a sliver of peace
I wait eagerly
For release
I begin to understand why SMSes are limited to 160 letters per message. The text above is only 149 characters (including spaces) and I don't think I need to say more. And I didn't have to resort to using abbreviations to shorten my message.
Go figure.
A off-the-cuff reply to a short message that someone sent me over the phone while I was at work about a moon ago.
Nary a good day exists in a hellish place as this
Covered in shit and drenched in piss
Forget about even a sliver of peace
I wait eagerly
For release
I begin to understand why SMSes are limited to 160 letters per message. The text above is only 149 characters (including spaces) and I don't think I need to say more. And I didn't have to resort to using abbreviations to shorten my message.
Go figure.
Sunday, July 10, 2005
Value vs Worth
Value vs Worth
Just a brief one this time.
Value and worth are two attributes people use to judge things in life.
Sadly, to many of these people, value and worth are one and the same. So only things of value are of worth. But need it be so? Consider the following.
What is the value of a breath to one who is breathing on his/her own and what is its worth?
What is the value of a breath to one who needs breathing aid and what is its worth?
What is the value of health to a healthy person and what is its worth?
What is the value of health to a sick person and what is its worth?
What is the value of a million dollars to a trillionnaire and what is its worth?
What is the value of a hundred dollars to a pauper and what is its worth?
What is the value of compassion to the giver and what is its worth?
What is the value of compassion to the recipient and what is its worth?
What is the value of friendship and what is its worth?
What is the value of hatred and what is its worth?
What is the value of a pair of shoes to a person and what is its worth?
What is the value of a pair of shoes to a amputee and what is its worth?
What is the value of true happiness and what is its worth?
What is the value of an antique vase to a lay collector and what is its worth?
What is the value of an antique vase to an art museum and what is its worth?
What is the value of peace to a properous nation and what is its worth?
What is the value of peace to a war-torn nation and what is its worth?
Many things in life are not of much value, but they are of much worth. Many things in life are of much value, but they may not be of much worth. Many things in life are not of much value nor of much worth. Still, many things in life are of much value and much worth.
Perceptivity is seeing the difference in value and worth. Wisdom is treasuring what is worth in spite of its value. Only then can one begin live out a fulfilling life.
Just a brief one this time.
Value and worth are two attributes people use to judge things in life.
Sadly, to many of these people, value and worth are one and the same. So only things of value are of worth. But need it be so? Consider the following.
What is the value of a breath to one who is breathing on his/her own and what is its worth?
What is the value of a breath to one who needs breathing aid and what is its worth?
What is the value of health to a healthy person and what is its worth?
What is the value of health to a sick person and what is its worth?
What is the value of a million dollars to a trillionnaire and what is its worth?
What is the value of a hundred dollars to a pauper and what is its worth?
What is the value of compassion to the giver and what is its worth?
What is the value of compassion to the recipient and what is its worth?
What is the value of friendship and what is its worth?
What is the value of hatred and what is its worth?
What is the value of a pair of shoes to a person and what is its worth?
What is the value of a pair of shoes to a amputee and what is its worth?
What is the value of true happiness and what is its worth?
What is the value of an antique vase to a lay collector and what is its worth?
What is the value of an antique vase to an art museum and what is its worth?
What is the value of peace to a properous nation and what is its worth?
What is the value of peace to a war-torn nation and what is its worth?
Many things in life are not of much value, but they are of much worth. Many things in life are of much value, but they may not be of much worth. Many things in life are not of much value nor of much worth. Still, many things in life are of much value and much worth.
Perceptivity is seeing the difference in value and worth. Wisdom is treasuring what is worth in spite of its value. Only then can one begin live out a fulfilling life.
Saturday, July 09, 2005
For entertainment
For entertainment
I wonder if the entertainment were meant for me or my beloved readers.
I wonder if the entertainment were meant for me or my beloved readers.
 You are pure, moral, and adaptable. You tend to blend into your surroundings. Shy on the outside, you're outspoken to your friends. You believe that you live a virtuous life... And you tend to judge others with a harsh eye. As a result, people tend to crave your approval. |
| You Are a Soy Latte |
 At your best, you are: free spirited, down to earth, and relaxed At your worst, you are: dogmatic and picky You drink coffee when: you need a pick me up, and green tea isn't cutting it Your caffeine addiction level: medium |
| Your Sexy Brazilian Name Is |
 Frangao da Costa |
| In a Past Life... |
 You Were: An Insane Beekeeper. Where You Lived: New Zealand. How You Died: Decapitation. |
| Your Career Type: Investigative |
 You are precise, scientific, and intellectual. Your talents lie in understanding and solving math and science problems. You would make an excellent: Architect - Biologist - Chemist Dentist - Electrical Technician - Mathematician Medical Technician - Meteorologist - Pharmacist Physician - Surveyor - Veterinarian The worst career options for your are enterprising careers, like lawyer or real estate agent. |
| You Are Chocolate Ice Cream |
 Your personality is super strong and unique. Many people crave you constantly - while you turn a few off. You are most compatible with coffee ice cream. |
You Will Die at Age 79 |
79 You're pretty average when it comes to how you live... And how you'll die as well. |
You Are A Poplar Tree |
 People tend to look up to you, and it's a bit lonely at the top. Inside, you are not always self confident, but you show great courage. Mature and organized, you are reliable in any situation. You tend to have an artistic or philosophical outlook on life. You are very choosy in love and take partnership seriously. |
Star Wars Horoscope for Aquarius |
 You can be cruel and torment people who disagree with you. Deep down, there is a peace-loving, friendly side to you. You have a knack for inflicting pain on people and use your intellect during battle. Star wars character you are most like: Darth Vader |
Your Dominant Thinking Style: |
| Exploring You thrive on the unknown and unpredictable. Novelty is your middle name. You are a challenger. You tend to challenge common assumptions and beliefs. An expert inventor and problem solver, you approach everything from new angles. You show people how to question their models of the world. |
Your Secondary Thinking Style: |
| Visioning You are very insightful and tend to make decisions based on your insights. You focus on how things should be - even if you haven't worked out the details. An idealist, thinking of the future helps you guide your path. You tend to give others long-term direction and momentum. |
Thursday, July 07, 2005
Reflections of My Political Compass Results
Reflections of My Political Compass Results
I fell in the same quadrant as Mahatma Gandhi, Dalai Lama and Nelson Mandela. I think I'm in deep trouble.
The first went on many many hunger strikes to liberate India from the British. I complain of not enough food or food variety. The second was exiled by China. I don't even dare to think! The last was imprisoned for twenty years for being anti-aparthied.
Go figure.
I think I'll exile myself to Tibet, become an ascetic monk and chain myself to the lamastery for twenty years. Sigh!
Small wonder why I am not fitting well into my work place...
I fell in the same quadrant as Mahatma Gandhi, Dalai Lama and Nelson Mandela. I think I'm in deep trouble.
The first went on many many hunger strikes to liberate India from the British. I complain of not enough food or food variety. The second was exiled by China. I don't even dare to think! The last was imprisoned for twenty years for being anti-aparthied.
Go figure.
I think I'll exile myself to Tibet, become an ascetic monk and chain myself to the lamastery for twenty years. Sigh!
Small wonder why I am not fitting well into my work place...
Results of My Political Compass
Results of My Political Compass
The Political Compass
The Political Compass website copyright (c) Pace News Limited 2001-2002. All rights reserved.
There's abundant evidence for the need of it. The old one-dimensional categories of 'right' and 'left' , established for the seating arrangement of the French National Assembly of 1789, are overly simplistic for today's complex political landscape. For example, who are the 'conservatives' in today's Russia? Are they the unreconstructed Stalinists, or the reformers who have adopted the right-wing views of conservatives like Margaret Thatcher ?
On the standard left-right scale, how do you distinguish leftists like Stalin and Gandhi? It's not sufficient to say that Stalin was simply more left than Gandhi. There are fundamental political differences between them that the old categories on their own can't explain. Similarly, we generally describe social reactionaries as 'right-wingers', yet that leaves left-wing reactionaries like Robert Mugabe and Pol Pot off the hook.
That's about as much as we should tell you for now. After you've responded to the following propositions during the next 3-5 minutes, all will be explained. In each instance, you're asked to choose the response that best describes your feeling: Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree or Strongly Agree. At the end of the test, you'll be given the compass, with your own special position on it.
The test is entirely anonymous. None of your personal details are required, and nothing about your result is recorded or logged in any way. The answers are only used to calculate your reading, and cannot be accessed by anyone, ever.
The idea was developed by a political journalist with a university counselling background, assisted by a professor of social history. They're indebted to people like Wilhelm Reich and Theodor Adorno for their ground-breaking work in this field. We believe that, in an age of diminishing ideology, a new generation in particular will get a better idea of where they stand politically - and the sort of political company they keep.
In the introduction, we explained the inadequacies of the traditional left-right line.
If we recognise that this is essentially an economic line it's fine, as far as it goes. We can show, for example, Stalin, Mao Tse Tung and Pol Pot, with their commitment to a totally controlled economy, on the hard left. Socialists like Mahatma Gandhi and Robert Mugabe would occupy a less extreme leftist position. Margaret Thatcher would be well over to the right, but further right still would be someone like that ultimate free marketeer, General Pinochet.
That deals with economics, but the social dimension is also important in politics. That's the one that the mere left-right scale doesn't adequately address. So we've added one, ranging in positions from extreme authoritarian to extreme libertarian.
Both an economic dimension and a social dimension are important factors for a proper political analysis. By adding the social dimension you can show that Stalin was an authoritarian leftist (ie the state is more important than the individual) and that Gandhi, believing in the supreme value of each individual, is a liberal leftist. While the former involves state-imposed arbitary collectivism in the extreme top left, on the extreme bottom left is voluntary collectivism at regional level, with no state involved. Hundreds of such anarchist communities exisited in Spain during the civil war period
You can also put Pinochet, who was prepared to sanction mass killing for the sake of the free market, on the far right as well as in a hardcore authoritarian position. On the non-socialist side you can distinguish someone like Milton Friedman, who is anti-state for fiscal rather than social reasons, from Hitler, who wanted to make the state stronger, even if he wiped out half of humanity in the process.
The chart also makes clear that, despite popular perceptions, the opposite of fascism is not communism but anarchism (ie liberal socialism), and that the opposite of communism ( i.e. an entirely state-planned economy) is neo-liberalism (i.e. extreme deregulated economy).
The usual understanding of anarchism as a left wing ideology does not take into account the neo-liberal "anarchism" championed by the likes of Ayn Rand, Milton Friedman and America's Libertarian Party, which couples law of the jungle right-wing economics with liberal positions on most social issues. Often their libertarian impulses stop short of opposition to strong law and order positions, and are more economic in substance (ie no taxes) so they are not as extremely libertarian as they are extremely right wing. On the other hand, the classical libertarian collectivism of anarcho-syndicalism ( libertarian socialism) belongs in the bottom left hand corner.
In our home page we demolished the myth that authoritarianism is necessarily "right wing", with the examples of Robert Mugabe, Pol Pot and Stalin. Similarly Hitler, on an economic scale, was not an extreme right-winger. His economic policies were broadly Keynesian, and to the left of some of today's Labour parties. If you could get Hitler and Stalin to sit down together and avoid economics, the two diehard authoritarians would find plenty of common ground.
Your political compass
Economic Left/Right: -4.75
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -2.15
International Chart
A diverse professional team has assessed the words and actions of internationally known contemporary leaders to give you an idea of how they relate to each other on the political compass.
The Political Compass
The Political Compass website copyright (c) Pace News Limited 2001-2002. All rights reserved.
There's abundant evidence for the need of it. The old one-dimensional categories of 'right' and 'left' , established for the seating arrangement of the French National Assembly of 1789, are overly simplistic for today's complex political landscape. For example, who are the 'conservatives' in today's Russia? Are they the unreconstructed Stalinists, or the reformers who have adopted the right-wing views of conservatives like Margaret Thatcher ?
On the standard left-right scale, how do you distinguish leftists like Stalin and Gandhi? It's not sufficient to say that Stalin was simply more left than Gandhi. There are fundamental political differences between them that the old categories on their own can't explain. Similarly, we generally describe social reactionaries as 'right-wingers', yet that leaves left-wing reactionaries like Robert Mugabe and Pol Pot off the hook.
That's about as much as we should tell you for now. After you've responded to the following propositions during the next 3-5 minutes, all will be explained. In each instance, you're asked to choose the response that best describes your feeling: Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree or Strongly Agree. At the end of the test, you'll be given the compass, with your own special position on it.
The test is entirely anonymous. None of your personal details are required, and nothing about your result is recorded or logged in any way. The answers are only used to calculate your reading, and cannot be accessed by anyone, ever.
The idea was developed by a political journalist with a university counselling background, assisted by a professor of social history. They're indebted to people like Wilhelm Reich and Theodor Adorno for their ground-breaking work in this field. We believe that, in an age of diminishing ideology, a new generation in particular will get a better idea of where they stand politically - and the sort of political company they keep.
In the introduction, we explained the inadequacies of the traditional left-right line.
If we recognise that this is essentially an economic line it's fine, as far as it goes. We can show, for example, Stalin, Mao Tse Tung and Pol Pot, with their commitment to a totally controlled economy, on the hard left. Socialists like Mahatma Gandhi and Robert Mugabe would occupy a less extreme leftist position. Margaret Thatcher would be well over to the right, but further right still would be someone like that ultimate free marketeer, General Pinochet.
That deals with economics, but the social dimension is also important in politics. That's the one that the mere left-right scale doesn't adequately address. So we've added one, ranging in positions from extreme authoritarian to extreme libertarian.
Both an economic dimension and a social dimension are important factors for a proper political analysis. By adding the social dimension you can show that Stalin was an authoritarian leftist (ie the state is more important than the individual) and that Gandhi, believing in the supreme value of each individual, is a liberal leftist. While the former involves state-imposed arbitary collectivism in the extreme top left, on the extreme bottom left is voluntary collectivism at regional level, with no state involved. Hundreds of such anarchist communities exisited in Spain during the civil war period
You can also put Pinochet, who was prepared to sanction mass killing for the sake of the free market, on the far right as well as in a hardcore authoritarian position. On the non-socialist side you can distinguish someone like Milton Friedman, who is anti-state for fiscal rather than social reasons, from Hitler, who wanted to make the state stronger, even if he wiped out half of humanity in the process.
The chart also makes clear that, despite popular perceptions, the opposite of fascism is not communism but anarchism (ie liberal socialism), and that the opposite of communism ( i.e. an entirely state-planned economy) is neo-liberalism (i.e. extreme deregulated economy).
The usual understanding of anarchism as a left wing ideology does not take into account the neo-liberal "anarchism" championed by the likes of Ayn Rand, Milton Friedman and America's Libertarian Party, which couples law of the jungle right-wing economics with liberal positions on most social issues. Often their libertarian impulses stop short of opposition to strong law and order positions, and are more economic in substance (ie no taxes) so they are not as extremely libertarian as they are extremely right wing. On the other hand, the classical libertarian collectivism of anarcho-syndicalism ( libertarian socialism) belongs in the bottom left hand corner.
In our home page we demolished the myth that authoritarianism is necessarily "right wing", with the examples of Robert Mugabe, Pol Pot and Stalin. Similarly Hitler, on an economic scale, was not an extreme right-winger. His economic policies were broadly Keynesian, and to the left of some of today's Labour parties. If you could get Hitler and Stalin to sit down together and avoid economics, the two diehard authoritarians would find plenty of common ground.
Your political compass
Economic Left/Right: -4.75
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -2.15
International Chart
A diverse professional team has assessed the words and actions of internationally known contemporary leaders to give you an idea of how they relate to each other on the political compass.
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