Poor little Nick Nick

Nicky got injured on saturday and his eyelids were scratched. It was basically his fault cos he started antagonising the other dog. And of all other dogs, he choose a Golden Retreiver who is obviously bigger than him. So now he has to wear that cone around his head so that he doesn't meddle with his eyes. So take care ...

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Another picture of Nicky when he did not have that ricidulous cone on him (which, by the way, has been scrapping his neck and causing his neck to be red and sore).

Anyway, I like this picture and it is also my MSN pix (for now).

Montage-a-Google

Red book Mao Zedong

I found this really fantastic tool for creating pictures that look professional and yet are so simple to use. Just look at the picture that I created just by typing "red book mao zedong" into the search field and then it searches google and creates a montage based on the pictures that was retreieved. The guy that created this tool (which I think is a flash-based application) is a genius.

You can access my new toy in the "Cool" section - 'Montage-a-Google'. Enjoy!

I have also plucked this code from this website, Madarin Design which teaches you (or let you steal) the codes to create these great looking text. So no more boring text ... now they can be aligned to the right or left. :P

Lousy Singaporean Propaganda

For the past couple of weeks, I have noticed the Total Defence ads on the publics buses in Singapore. They are an attempt by the government to create a 'nation' or (for those in the know, Ben Anderson's) 'imagined community'. They have economic, social, ... and others which I can't remember.

Anyway, I take offence at the Economics defence slogan - it sayd to "Read something Useful during your bus ride" (or something to that effect). This is so that we (the citizens of Singapore .. pledge ourselves as one united .... ahem .. got carried away) .. so that we can defend the economy of Singapore by being employable.

It got me thinking - WHY should I read something useful to defend the country? If I wanted to read something useful (and I do - my Economist), I read it so that I can know what is happening around the world without the "red and white" tinted glasses of the Straits Times. I DON'T do it for the sake of staying employable. And who is the government to tell me to read something useful... How irritating! But then isn't this the usual PATERNALISTIC method employed by the government.

(Too bad I could not get a picture of it. I was sitting too far away and the camera click of my k700 would have been too obvious.)

But I did take a photo of another ad on my side of the bus:



This, I find interesting. Sure I don't disagree with the whole concept of Social Defence - we have to have racial harmony to function. They have four names there and I guess that they are meant to represent the different races in Singapore - Chinese, Malay, Indian, and Eurasian (the order is based on the population composition). But the order of the names are reverse according to their composition. Also

Vjay = Indian
Yusuf = Malay
Chiew = Chinese (if you can believe the weird spelling. Question: why not TAN or even LEE?)

The big Question is what race is Jeff suppose to be?? I guess Eurasian. But isnt that kind of generic - it could be European, American, or even CHINESE!!

Another thing is when people inscribe "WE WERE HERE", it is usually behind the bus chair, on the toiler door or on a school desk. Does this ad subtly promote VANDELISM?

Okay, enough analysing. See what happens when you are in the bus without any reading materials (of course so that I can stay employable) or any friends to talk to (of course here I am refering to my multicultural friends. The Ceylonese-but usually mistaken as an INDIAN and my Chinese-but usually mistaken as MALAY).

Good God ... its Tampons!!!

Just read from the Economist that in this years Venice Bienale, there is a art installation by Joana Vasconcelos. She is an artist who loves to play with the idea of femininity, of the "womanly knowledge", and to put it on its head.

From far, the chandelier actually looks just like it is made of glass.



But if you click on the image, you will get a up close picture of the chandelier and you can sort of make out that it is actually made of TAMPONS. That's right ... tampons.

I want to go to Venice now to see for the Bienale. Even if it is just to see this TAMPON CHANDELIER.

Escapism?

Today I came across a mention about a scholarship for Singaporeans to study (of all things) Maritime Economics. Sounds interesting and you get to go to the Netherlands to get the MSc from the Erasmus University. (Yes Stef ... i have a fascination with Europe). Application is due end of next week though so I have only one week to consider.

I was thinking I should just go ahead and complete the forms and see how.. But would this be the ultimate escapism? From work ... From responsibilities ... From Life ...
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Update: 10 June 2005
After much vaccilation, I have decided that I will not apply for this scholarship. What am I to do with a masters in maritime economics and LOGISTICS? I can't even tell the difference between a ship and a ship (see, i can't even give you an example of the different ships). So I shall wait for my next opportunity which is in October when the new scholarhips under the EU Erasmus program are released. There is the Masters in Economics and Law ... and hopefully something else, maybe in the field of International Trade. I hope ...

In the meantime, I have started my resume and will start mailing it out soon.

I am thinking of buying ...

Currently looking at the prices and checking out the reviews for the 12" ibook. It seems like a really good buy. Also, my current laptop is dying - the battery do not work anymore but the computer still can function if you plug in the power source. But what use is a laptop without its battery - it becomes a desktop.

Anyway this ibook seems to pack in a lot of stuff - CDRW and DVD player and other techinical specifications that looks impressive :D

Anyway, I have not bought it yet. Still in the process of sourcing for finances. I am thinking of selling my laptop (that would get me about $200-300) and there is a stereo laying around at home (that would get me another $300). So all I need now is just another $1000+.

Care to sponsor the Odinzs iBook Foundation - where every dollar donated will put a poor child closer to owning his first iBook. Please leave your details in the comment box and I will contact you shortly for your kind donation.

Odinzs thanks you :P
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Update 7 June 2005:

Thanks to Cheryl Tan and Germaine (yes ... cheryl is my sister and that is her friend) for organising and providing me with the discount to my iBook. Even though it is not a donation per se, it is still consider (IMO) a considerable amount. The money saved will go towards more RAM and harddisk :P