finally some action that we can TAKE...

Take up the petition... Potong Pasir and Hougang DO NOT deserve less, they are SINGAPOREAN, and they pay TAXES...

http://www.petitiononline.com/merlion1/petition.html

what space? what engagement?

Many also expressed concern that it will curtail space and opportunities for political discourse.

They were reacting to Senior Minister of State for Information, Communications and the Arts Balaji Sadasivan, who clarified Internet rules on election advertising in Parliament on Monday.

He commented specifically on blogs, as well as podcasts and videocasts, or vodcasts, which are online audio and video clips that can be downloaded into a multimedia player to be listened to or viewed later.

He said such streaming of 'explicit political content' by political parties or individuals is banned under election advertising rules set in 2001.

Bloggers can discuss politics but have to register their site if they 'persistently propagate, promote or circulate political issues relating to Singapore'.

Once they are required to register, they will have to remove from their site any material deemed by the law to be election advertising during the campaign period.

This period is from the time the writ of election is issued until the close of the last polling station on Polling Day.

The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), the first political party to use podcasts on its website since last August, said the latest move 'deals a crushing blow to the SDP's strategy'.

'The party will consult IT experts to see what can be done to salvage its plans,' said SDP chief Chee Soon Juan in a statement.

Workers' Party (WP) chairman Sylvia Lim also said the party now has to scrap plans for podcasting to promote the party during the polls.

'It is limiting but we will work within the law. This just shows the PAP does not trust Singaporeans to make informed choices,' she said.

Mr Tan Tarn How of the Institute of Policy Studies said: 'Such rules should not be there in the first place. In a democracy, you want the people and political parties to have access to as many tools as possible for a free flow of information.'

Commentators also noted that the ban on podcasting and videocasting means rally speeches and events cannot be put online and hence will have limited reach.

The Straits Time, Home Section; 5th of April 2006

cast your pod?

On Monday, Senior Minister of State Balaji Sadasivan clarified that podcasting and videocasting cannot be used to spread political content during elections. Bloggers can discuss politics, but will be required to register their site if they consistently espouse a political line.

Here is a list of commonly asked questions The Straits Times posed to lawyers on the Internet and elections:

# Can individuals put up podcasts or videocasts of political rallies on their blog or website?

No.

# What about pictures of political rallies?

Not allowed either.

# Can bloggers talk about political parties and their candidates?

Yes, but they must avoid consistently supporting or criticising political parties and their candidates. Dr Balaji said bloggers can give their own personal views about a candidate or political party. But if they use their blog to promote political ideals in a consistent fashion or show support for one political party, they are considered to be party political and must register.

# Can bloggers link their site to political parties' websites?

Yes.

# Can individuals send out SMS or e-mail containing political content during the campaign period?

Yes, but they need to obey the laws of land, including libel laws. Mass SMS and e-mail by individuals may run foul of the law.

# Can political parties send out SMS or e-mail?

Yes. But they must indicate who is sending the messages and on whose behalf. Such messages must not include a 'chain-letter' appeal, asking recipients to send them on. They must also stop sending to people who ask them to.

From The Straits Time, Home section; 5th of April 2005

"I do not want the two constituencies to be left behind, especially Potong Pasir, an old estate. Five years down the road, assuming Chiam does win, there will be no upgrading," Goh was quoted as saying on state broadcaster Channel NewsAsia's Web

huh???

getting safely back to Luzern...

then i was on an island in greece
so i din have internet connection at all
the island was like thailand islands
but there were no corals at all near the beach
not like when we were in surin leh

bogbog

but there was alot of sun and that was quite nice
there was also a cliff to jump from

i took a ship from italy to greece
and that took 19 hours
there were places for you to sleep in
like a cabin and all
but when i was going from italy to greece
there was no place at all
cos the ship was too full
and i was travelling on a eurail pass
that means that i don have to book a place
so i ended up sleeping on the deck
and that was super cold and windy at night
and i don have sleeping bag with me leh
then after that i reach a port in greece
then need to change to another port
so took 2 and a half hours by bus
then took another ship to Naxos
that was small island in the east of greece
that took another 6 hours
in the end i reach my friends at 0420
wah
good thing that they were good friends
and they picked me up early in the morning

so i stayed in greece for 3 days
and that was in my friends place
and its quite interesting the way the greek houses are built
there are very thick strong walls
and they are all white
with window panes that are a dark blue
the thick walls keep the house cool during the day when the outside is super hot
the area in greece is really dry
esp the island that we were in - Naxos
you see only shrubs and small bushes
not many large trees at all

spent most of the day by the beach
one of my canadian friends is a sand castle enthusiast
so we were busy trying to get a sandcastle up
in the land we did some hills, mountains and a large river
and the pyramids - though we did only one of them lar
landscaping was the easiest thing to do

there were plenty of nude sunbathers
ahhah
with old and wrinkled bodies lar
so that was not much to see at all
infact don see better still

though i managed to find a seculded beach
and did some myself
quite an experience lar
had to move away from my friends
cos they were not so on about the idea
ahhaah

so duh

then can you imagine that i had to make the same journey back
via ship and train
all the way to Zurich, or Luzern rather, where i was to meet my swiss friends.


the trip back was another ADVENTURE...
truly leh

it began like this
took ship from Naxos at 0945
reached athens port at 1500
then tried to look for the train to Patros (another port)
but the next train was at 1715 and would have been too late for me to reach Patros
as it would take 4 hours and my ship leaves Patros to Ancona at 8pm
so i tried to look for a bus
and you how every lost traveller is
(even the lonely planet guide book did not help)
i went from place to place asking about the bus
if i did that alone that was ok
but i had 3 stupid bags with me
each that weighed far too much
under the hot sun
and in the port at Pireus
that reminded me of Bangkok or Jakarta
i went from place to place
then i found the corner AT LAST
then the guy said
some tomolo
only morning have
at 9am
dionk...

so i decided i might take a CAB
knowing full well that it would be super EXPENSIVE...
the guy was really nice
and he said
it cost 150 euros
ahahah
no way man
so he recommended that i go to the bus station
the main one
and that he would take me for 15 euros

of all cabs i took the mercedes one
and i tot this time die lar
sure get ripppppped offffffffffff
i tot he would just take me to a bus station that was just nearby
and take my money and laugh

but noooooooo
the bus station was truly farrrrrrrrrr away
then i tot he taking me to sell huh????

i tried making friendly conversations all the way
foound out that he tot that all police in Greece were STUPID
and then found out that his brother was also a police
ahhaah

but we did get to the central bus station
and i was soooo glad
it was money well spent
and i paid a tip on top of the 15
i made it 17
and he was happy too
ahahh

took the bus at 1700
cos that was the earliest
and that was suppose to reach partros at 1930
but there was a jam
and it reached there at 1940
sigh
sure die lar
how to get ticket and run to the ship by 2000 for my ship
and the ship leaves super punctual lar

but good thing that the bus passed by the SUPERFAST FERRIES office
and i met this SUPERNICE lady
and she said
hurry hurry give me your EURAIL PASS
i do for you.... i do for you
then she rushed everything for me
made payment and all
then ran with me out of the office
to point me to the ship
ahaah
hurry hurry she said
and be safe
good luck
BOY i needed that

with the bags that each weighed too much
i ran to the ferry
panting non stop
but i managed to get it lar
duh
(otherwise no story)

and even had a bed in the dormitory to sleep
so good

there were many french people around
students less than 16 years old
making so much noise at night
ahahah

then i reached the port in Italy at 1500 italian time
(1 hour earlier than greek time)
and i checked the internet on the ship
that costs about 5 euros for half an hour
- anyway the train from anocona to Milan Centrale was at 1515

ahahahah
15 minutes
i took on the super KIASU singaporean role
and rushed to the front of the queue
to get OFF the ship
and was happy to be amongst the first
GOT HOPE liao - i tot to myself

then i got down rushing through the stairs of the ship
and then finally got stopped by police
ahhaahha
duh

they checked my passport
took their own SWEET time
to my dismay
and then this lady
asked me

WO studieren Sie?
Was studieren Sie?
which of cse i answered in my fluent german

it was a test lar
to test that i was not some illegal immigrant
wah lau

so i tot
its 1507
sure cannnot make it

but the lady was nice and smiled when i got my german answers right

i left then rushed to the main road
saw a cab roll by
TOOK it
that was like a gamble
and the cab rushed me to the station
in an italian fashion of cse
going against traffic at some points
and i was at the station at 1514
i tipped him
and he was happy
that was 9 euros leh

i ran to the train
to the platform 4
to realise that it was at platform 1
what the hell
and ran back to where i started out
got the correct train
and was soooo happy

then got to milan
changed trains
but din have time to get a ticket
cos the people in milan got me ping ponging from one person to another
one even said there were no trains until the 22nd
WHAT??
that was when my flight is

turns out i did have a train and i boarded it
without the ticket
i knew full well i had to pay a FINE
but that was fine
i would rather get back earlier

i took the train
thinking i was going to zurich
then to change back to Luzern

but i met a swiss man with his taiwanese girlfriend
and he told me that it was better to change earlier
as it was cheaper and could get me to luzern earlier too

i did
and BOY i was GLAD
i did that
and Peter picked me up from the station
and that was good
he looked sooooooo tired
but i am sooooooooo glad to see him

ahah
so i am safe in luzern now
long story right????

alone in the dorm

alone at the dorm now.
the past 2 days were basically sending people off
it was like a schedule of events
today it was jeannette at 9 - had to wake up at 8.40
then Tomas at 1 - he din even know how to call a cab or what time his bus was to Mountpollier
and then it was sakina and Hermione at 2
yesterday it was pierre and Mathieu

incredible
there is absolute silence in the dorm
no ringing of msn messengers from Pierre's room
laughter and obtuse singing from Tomas'
no sound of feet walking to the toilet
nor of sakina and jeannette laughing
no mathieu screaming his buttons off
or clement with his frenish

just me

had to get away from the dorm
good thing it was sunny
and i cycled to my favourite spot near the rhine
and put up my hammock
intending to read
but snoozing instead
and listening to the waves rush in and out
as the huge ships passed the narrow rhine passage
shimmering lights as the leaves on the trees rustle

then i headed back to cook chicken rice
mum had sent up a package with sauces and what not for chicken rice
i followed the instructions and soaked the chicken
was alone in the dorm
felt soooo funny
wished i managed to squeeze my way into the super packed car of Hermione
at least that would mean that i be distracted in Paris

but here and now
i'm glad to be here
to hear the silence
and to process my thoughts
my thoughts of my time here
the things that i have learnt
the things i have unlearnt
and the things that i need to learn

- to be still and patient
- to not worry about myself
- to be able to receive
- to be able to communicate with ang mohs
- to look beyond my horizons - to see so many opportunities in china
- to appreciate home and ASIA
- to realise the importance of economic analysis (numerical)
- to be less fixated
- to adapt more readily
- to be steady
- to take time

packing is almost done
just leaving the things i need for sunday
and for my last lesson on monday

i think about whether my travelling was worth the time
considering that i hardly stayed long enuff in a place
rather just to get some impressions and to hop along from place to place

was thinking about whether i have learnt enuff from WHU
if i spent my time wisely in terms of the cse work
did i pick up some skils?
it seems i learnt much from the seminar
made really really good life-long friends
people that i believe i can count on
i have had a change in perspectives
and i hope that i am more steady

nothing more i can ask for
i think i was lazy this semester
i din work very hard at all
i think i was a bum
and sometimes i think i wasted my time here
cos i only took 3 modules that were mappable
and along year that is super packed

but i think one semester of exchange is enuff
spending more time in Hamburg
would only lead to more comparisons
and dilution
of the things that i have already learnt

now to make good my time from hence forth

email from dad

Email from Dad:Hi Andrew

Hope you are settle in for your studies for the Exams now .
We have received your post- cards . They are really nice .
You should have enough Vitamins A , B C & M .Make sure you take them regularly . Eat well & drink lots of water ..Do dydle with care .
See that you do not drink at week-ends . Some people i know picked up the habit of week-end social drinking too far .

We are fine and looking forward to seeing you .

Mum & Dad


my reply:

hi dad,

I get to hear your worrisome advice again.

Please don worry about the vitamins part though, being able to cook for myself means that i will be able to eat really good food. And i have, so i am healthy, please don worry.

About the drinking and making it a habit...
well

on hindsight, it was after being in the army - where there was excessive drinking- such that we drank every weekend on saturday, and truly drank far far too much that i am able to learn and to manage my drinking currently.

I think it takes learning from experience sometimes to be able to make mature and responsible decisions
and it was a good think that i am able to know about my limits earlier.
and that came only because i had experience getting drunk when i was in my army times

so i know how much i can drink, how to manage myself and other situations around me, the people - in the event they got drunk and all.

So please don worry about that part

I think this trip and semester abroad has taught me many many valuable lessons.
And i think it has been a fruitful time for me.
I made many of great friends from all over the world.
Friends that will be friens for life
that i am sure about.
at the same time i have learnt more things about myself
and how to manage different situations better.

I think it has also taught me to loosen up a little
and not be too overwhelmed with my own mistakes
to be more accepting of things
even when they went wrong

i think its tuff to always be in control of things

though i know that it is also important to work for things

The end state is about realising and learning from lessons, and to see how to adapt and take to the many other challenges that will be swung at you.

And to realise that nothing is constant
and to realise that it is important to be mindful of things around you.

So don worry about me getting boozed and all, that was a preoccupation that was in the past - during the army times.

Drinking is not a preoccupation at this moment.
and i think i am really beyond the age of developing drinking frenzies...

ahaha..

see you soon...

places and reflections

Letter from a friend:

>glad to here that you are doing all right in Hungary.
>
>remember you told me each single place has its unique to offer.
>it is just the way we look at it :)
>and each of us balance up the world..
>some are good in one area, another might be another one..
>same as places...
>
>
>and when time goes by and you will feel like you will never be the same
>person again..
>coz experience we learn, mistakes we make, things we do, people we meet,
>will grow us...
>
>..in both good and bad way..
>..a better person or worst..
>
>hoping to get out of town tomorrow..
>maybe i will find some quite place to think things through..
>a place where I could have a peaceful mind
>a place where I could see things in different angle..
>
>also
>a place where I could get close with the nature
>a place where I could eat all day..
>a place where I could sleep 24 hours a day
>a place where I could do anything i want to
>
>...
>ya.. we learn new things everyday.. and that will grow us..
>

My reply:

heh...
i just cooked lunch for my friend and his family
and they liked it very much
i cooked chicken and beef and fish
heheheh
with the sauces that i brought from Singapore.

Tasted really quite good.
Sounds like you have been quite tired lately leh.

heh about the place that you have described...
its really interesting to know that
to know of this place
a place that you want to be in
where you can do the things like you would like to
you must have been in a place that you din have a chance to do the things you wanted to do
you must have been in a place that demanded many things
that you had to work and work
that you did not like too much

then only can be appreciate a place
a place that you want to be in
and appreciate the nature that is around us
cos we have experienced that things apart from nature are not that perfect

interesting how you need to taste bitter to know sweet
and how too much sweet is harmful
and how too much sweet is not sweet anymore
thats how we get bittersweet memories i think...

birthday rambles

well again... its a birthday that has come and gone
and you get another number as your age
and you sit back and you kinddof have to reflect about the year that has passed
and its the rooster year - so you realise
and you are 24

24 sounds miles apart from 23
its like at 23 you are young, but at 24 its downhill from there...
its that kind of feeling

then again you are so far away from home
in Germany
though its good to have the telephone to say hi to your parents
and i need to remember to call my grandma tomolo cos she was bathing the last time when i called
i miss her

had like 2 huge dinners for my birthday
yesterday we had this mexican food dinner kinddof thing
and it tasted gooood
it was at koblenz
so we were in 4-5 car loads just to get there
and we ate and ate

then tonight we had chinese dinner
and i cooked too
and it was a great dinner again

amazing the gifts i got
via parcels and posts
and from friends here who have come from all over the world
it was amazing

in a way its like the best birthday party i ever had
i remember the kiddy parties at mcdonalds
i remember storming into the toilet cos i was jealous about something
i remember being a spoilt brat
i remember the mcdonalds parties of my other friends - ruth, and my cousin marc
where i got lost
and i remember one of the few times when mum and dad were together
not that it matters anymore

then there was my uncles birthday cake that i wanted to blow out
was super angry when i din get to
and crying again
so he had to relight it
so i could blow it again

i remember the great dinners my mum (the one i live with now) who makes for me
and the dinners my bee bee - or servant that took care of me made
and now there are dinners that i make for myself and for the people that i care very much for
and to know that there are people that care very much for you too

no one knows what the future holds
though as much as new year resolutions miss their ability to really change anything
the birthday cake that needs the blowing doesnt fascinate as much anymore

i think this 4 months have been great
and there are mixed feeling this birthday
of friends you know you are going to part with soon
and a way of life that you know you have to resume with soon
in a way there is a kind of panic
even when you know that each moment happens only once
a kind of panic cos you know that you wont by this path again

yet relieved cos some of this friendships will last a lifetime

there isnt much meaning to stay the additional semester
cos i think there was nothing that could measure up to what has gone by
nothing can be better than the moments that seem to float by

and turning back and reflecting and getting nostalgic is a luxury that you cant always afford
the feeling of it though is still good
cos it challenges you to make the best of the moments that are to come
and the friendships waiting to be made
and the once made, to blossom

i know if i get back to singapore
i wont be the same person i used to be
and i wont be seeing things the same way i used to before

not that all issues are solved etc
its just a kind of motion path of a projectile
or a fruit that pulmuages through the water
moving from the air to a delayed, slower motion in the denser medium
its that kind of feeling
that kind of a blur

that you are not sure about
and too overwhelmed within

and to be taken out of the water again
you are not sure what that will mean again

and to have to be at school again
and to rush through many courses again
wah...

frankly i feel i use little of my brain here
am undisciplined and free-wheeling
and for the moment, directionless in the medium

so cough cough
spit out the water soon
and back to ...

terok

heh people
thanks for taking the time to read my blog
i have been able to get your sms and all
and i am really thankful that you are there and all
sorry i din reply
cos the german sms here is crazy..
a local sms cost 19 cents each
(SGD 0.45) per sms

wah, and if i send an overseas sms it gets worse still
think for some of you, you must be wondering how come this blog is so so full of text
i.e. no photos

ahaha

cos right, e-blogger does not support mac, so i cant upload photos using mac...
though here are some of my photos, for your viewing:

http://homepage.mac.com/moohoof/PhotoAlbum2.html

heh...

just got some updates from Jani and all - great friends that are really devoted in reef conservation and awareness in singapore..

and to see their photos of the reef life in Singapore - semakau landfill - where the bulk of our rubbish gets used to make singapore ever ever bigger...

its just so so amazing...
what we have
and what we need to protect...

check it out:

http://www.thebluetempeh.blogspot.com/

amazing.... definitely has more photos than my own blog
woowo...

there is an exam tomolo
its on corporate finance
and i know that i am dead duck
so i am not going to worry too much about it now lar
think there will be a re-exam
and i will focus my attention on that instead
not sure if i will still go for the exam tomolo morning

can you imagine?
its 4 chapters
and its open book
its a real real bargain to what we have to go through at NUS for corporate finance
- tho the thing is that the material is super super in-depth...
really really
and full of equations and all... so yah lor

i am all locked up in my room all the same
the reason is....

I AM AS RED AS A LOBSTER....

oki i think that brought the point across
well today being sunday
i got especially curious...
and i decided to try out the many sun studios that you find here in temperate regions

ahah

you might thing?
huh?
isn't that very vain to do? or metrosexualish?
wateva lar

you get old folks
- husband and wives
going to these oven- bed like things
all in a bid to look better?

ahah

you be the judge...

its a sunday and there is a special discount
that means that you get 2 times for the price of one
and the slots are in a min of 12 minutes

so as you can guess - with excellent math - i got 24 minutes of it
being a roookie
and super super blanch yellow (understatement)

i got into the bed lilke things
and closed the cover over my head
and i was dreaming away

i felt like i was in the sandy beaches of thailand again
where it was warm

you get to adjust the temperature in these things
like the amount and speed of air that comes and go
ahah, so it felt like i was by the sea with a constant sea breeze
it felt warm and nice
and i was convinced i would walk out looking less yellow already

well i did get out
and it felt oki

then... about 2 hours later
my entire body got super red lar?
like lobster....
actually like boiled/steamed/fried with chilli sauce lobster lar

the lobsters that are alive are NOT red

and it hurts all over

ahah
like sun burn

right in the middle germany , towards the end of winter...
ahahahha
ammmmmazing

oki
enuff

i think you want to find out the cost of the ordeal
well it was 9 euros
not bad for 24 minutes lar
(about 19 SGD).... oki.. stop shaking your head in disgust...

it';ll be my last time in them oven's lar
at least my last time without sun-tanning lotion....

anywae i am NOT hiao oki?
just curious....
and it did feel good
in the bed with neon lights - (its UV rays actually)
ahah

i imagined myself being my the beach again....

oki

feeling terok
red, and tomolo sure die one...

so how?

eating and studying again later...

eating alone at the moment
walked out of the library to somewhere else where you can get internet connection.. its the Glasse Kasse
or glass cellar

ahah
i packed food - rice and pork with long beans (not that long over here it seems) and chilli
ahah
feels good to be able to eat your own cooking

its the corporate finance exam on monday
ahah
and i am trying to understand all the formulae and all
its to do with capital budgeting and options, and valuation

should have started earlier
but it seemed (as always i guess) that each day had it own things

there was the cake sales on thurs
and finding out that it was Gareth's birthday on Wed
ahahha

so duh eh eh

then there is this party at the dorm tonight
at least i heard there was one
ahah

don want to go
want to boycott all the french parties
at least the frenchmen that stay at the dorm lar

they are super super duh
childish and inconsiderate
ahha
we had many issues about the internet connection
and how they all take turns to hog the bandwidth the their excessive downloading of huge huge files

was super super pissed lar
the other night it was 12 midnight
and i just returned from a buddy dinner at Fhon's and Pohn's place
was tired
after all the clearing up and all..

wanting to get online and order an air ticket for Fhon
but the page just wouldnt upload
was super super pissed

figured it was a frenchman hogging it again
so i marched to the central control room
where you get all the cables from the rooms that go to the main system
and started to remove it one by one

i had to run up and down my room (on the 3rd floor)
just to check who was the culprit
cos there is a programme on my apple that tells me the bandwidth coming in....

first time no luck

naturally i tried the second frenchman
and bingo..

ahahhah

so i went to his room
and asked if his internet connection was ok

of cse i knew it was not
and

we got to the point that he was downloading big files
to which he said that it was ok
as it was already midnight
and "the french, at midnight, it is already late"
try imagining a french saying it with a horrenduous french azzent

oki
enuff laughing

....

so i told him
don give me that
at 12 people are still awake


then he said (again in frenchlish)...
"its not ethical to go and unplug and unplug to see who is the person who is downloading... blah blah blah..."
to which i said ...

ahah

"would you rather prefer that i knocked door to door to ask .... are you the one downloading big files?"

..... brrrrrhhh

its getting cold here...
think the heating is Kaputt

oki

i write till here
going to study again...

BTW - we did resolve the issue amicably...
at least that was good....