Grace, Salt and Everything in Between

Guest review: The Sims 2

2008-05-18T18:26:00.001+08:00

Isaac Lu (meepokman) reviews The Sims 2 I like to make it clear that while I do reviews for momentary enjoyment, I decided to ditch the idea about 2 months ago due to FUCKING RETARDED shit from school. Don’t ask me why I am doing this now, because life has a strange way with twisting my arm. But why The Sims 2 of all things, why not maybe Oblivion, or Assassin’s Creed, some game that you

Epi Unleashed, and TIH #7

2008-03-15T23:01:00.001+08:00

Know I haven't posted in a while, but the VCF Epistole blog will soon be ready and I've got every cylinder full with studies (a lot of studies), training and writing projects. That, and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Sigh. But take a gander at http://epiunleashed.wordpress.com, which in good time will tell everything you need to know. And I may be putting up a guest review of said Elder Scrolls

Things I Hate #8: Those Ads on TVMobile (and TVMobile itself, come to think of it)

2008-02-27T17:10:00.001+08:00

That's right. Come on, two of the downright WORST ads I've ever seen were on TVMobile, and on a bus you're at best a captive audience. Every time they publish their viewership stats I want to puke. Because it's not a valid viewership stat if viewers have not freely chosen to watch your channel. That's the obvious gauge of a TV channel's popularity--how many tune in out of their free choice, not

Guest review 6: Call of Duty 4 (again)

2008-02-22T09:38:00.001+08:00

Isaac Lu (meepokman) reviews Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Now, I know I have not written in a long time; no excuse for that, mainly laziness. I never intended to do this now but upon witnessing my horrible English in an online conversation, I gave myself a good slap in the bollocks. Now Call of Duty 4 has been hailed by critics as much as some Indians do a deformed human which they regard

Things I Hate #9: School

2008-02-12T23:16:00.001+08:00

I've had a thing against surrendering five to six hours daily against my will to sadistic bullies who knew full well primary one through secondary two kids were somehow too young to figure out they were being bullied. Pull out the cane! Snatch his exercise book! Look, he's fucking crying! (Those were the teachers, by the way.) Yep, those days are over, but very few of my memories from primary

... Make up your own mind...

2008-02-09T22:02:00.001+08:00

... because I'm too (busy/disgusted/tired of arguing points which feels too much like school). Pick one. http://timescolumns.typepad.com/gledhill/2008/02/has-the-archbis.html#more More to come; I wrote an essay before the Archbishop spoke up, but it might do with a little updating. Till then, see you round... Meanwhile I leave you with a verse to digest--Ezekiel 22:26. Look it up.

Guest review 5: Crysis

2008-02-06T10:55:00.001+08:00

Ok, now that I have stopped drooling over my copy of Crysis I guess it is time to review it. Just before I got the game, I was thinking about how many reviewers are whores for graphics and are therefore saying it was great for just that reason. When I got the dough to buy it myself, I realized that was not the case-- but I can now piss over the console crowd with Crysis. (not that I have not been

Not yet

2008-02-04T08:47:00.001+08:00

No guest review yet, folks; there's been a little delay. Check back Tuesday; thanks!

TOP TEN THINGS I HATE: #10

2008-02-04T08:42:00.001+08:00

OK, here's an attempt at writing something more whimsical than the ravings of some mad mullahs far, far away. Please note that the exact magnitude of my hatred of something has nothing to do with its nature whatsoever; Islamic terror is as likely to be on this list as fluffy dice in cars and cheesy environmental-awareness ads. Without further ado, presenting no. 10... 10. BULK ORDERS AT FAST

A Disgusted Anglican

2008-02-03T20:26:00.001+08:00

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article3292032.ece This brother in the Church of England shouldn't need protection in his adopted country; it's hardly any surprise when murderous b*****ds threaten your life in Pakistan, but for them to do so in England is just... Never mind what he said might just have been true. The only thing the church authorities care about is the "progress"

Guest review 4 -- World in Conflict demo

2008-01-27T22:21:00.001+08:00

World in Conflict (WIC) demo first impressions by Isaac Lu (meepokman) This week, I will be ripping apart the World in Conflict demo, which my brother suggested I jump into for a while. I actually downloaded it quite some time back but never really talked about it to everyone else. And for good reason. Yes, yes, I know I promised a Crysis review but I wanted to do a truly fucked up game for

"I tawt I taw a weligion of peace!"

2008-01-23T16:42:00.001+08:00

Who appoints these guys anyway? First Abdul Rahman, now this guy. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,324666,00.html The Taliban were a cakewalk to throw out compared to the mindset they used. What next? Heck, I read anti-Christian material all the time, but no prophet or apostle insinuated I should be put to death. Seriously, Afghans, lighten up. No one can deny you've got a working airport,

Sums quite a bit up

2008-01-21T15:19:00.001+08:00

I never loved the soldier till there was a war Or thought about tomorrow till my baby hit the floor I only talk to God when somebody's about to die I never cherished freedom Freedom never cries... -- Five for Fighting, Freedom Never Cries

Psalm 23 for our times

2008-01-20T12:50:00.001+08:00

Because the Lord cares, as warriors should when made in His image. http://www.onemarinesview.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2007/11/26/shepherd_3.jpg

Guest review 3: one a week it seems

2008-01-20T12:46:00.001+08:00

I know this seems to be happening a lot lately, but for my bro and I "accuracy" in game reviews has come to mean "agreement with us". That said, the most accurate review is one you write yourself ;) Assuming you're diligent enough to do it at a length that does the game justice. These are our attempts at The Most Accurate Game Reviews You Will Ever Read. -- ZP Isaac Lu (meepokman)

Wi-Fi on 96, studies and being 22

2008-01-16T10:31:00.001+08:00

I'll be 22 in a few days. Go me, if anyone actually cares apart from my family (thanks!) and Pizza Hut thanks to the 40 bucks my mom gave them. The pizzas they handed us in return weren't too bad, if a trifle small and salty. I kept wondering why anyone would want to use the free Nokia-provided Wi-Fi service on bus no. 96--hell, journeys are over even before you can pull your laptop or

Guest review 2: because I'm tired

2008-01-13T18:36:00.001+08:00

Isaac Lu (meepokman) reviews Kane & Lynch: Dead Men Ok, for those people who liked my first review, I will try to stick as close to it as I can. With nobody giving a fuck about feedback, I’ll assume it is perfect, unless somebody has the balls to tell me what I did wrong before. Right, Kane & Lynch: Dead Men. The game is about two mean-looking dudes who spit “fuck you” every three words. We are

**** you, Crytek

2008-01-10T19:51:00.001+08:00

Really. It's not that your latest game, Crysis has screwed with my computer. It's not even that it lies--the game tells us it can run optimally on Very High and patch 1.1 fixes things so owners can now shoot stuff into the Chinese sunset. No, it's that you've actually made money off me without deserving it. I've no idea how much work went into making photo-realistic graphics and open-ended

The "Iron" Will

2008-01-09T16:38:00.001+08:00

Resolutions. You think them up and lock on them with your iron will only to find out iron by itself is so weak you need little carbon bits to keep it from melting all over itself when the heat really turns up. So here's my resolution list, put up here and now for the sole reason I'll be too busy to do much of anything when the gates of Hell (sorry, the school term) open once again. (Right now

Verse of the screwed-up life... Job 13:15

2008-01-07T21:23:00.001+08:00

Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. -- Job 13:15 My paraphrase: Though he climb up on a heavenly bell-tower and pull out his honking BIG sniper rifle, train it on me among all other targets and aim not at my head or chest (which will kill me instantly) but instead at my stomach so the round will cause my intestines to rupture and burst,

Guest review

2008-01-05T23:28:00.001+08:00

Isaac Lu (meepokman) reviews Blacksite: Area 51. This is my first review of a game so please don’t be a dick and spout rubbish about how “an experienced gamer should know better” because this review is my own opinion and if you don’t like free speech go to the nearest Hillary Clinton/Democrat supporter and give him or her a nice big hug. Ok, Blacksite then, ignoring the horrible title that

Cognitive Organisation Disorder (there's a game review in here somewhere)

2008-01-05T23:19:00.001+08:00

TRACKING…The Middle East*Central University**Professor Martin J. KrappenharmGuest Speaker, Faculty of MedicineDay 1109:34:41SEARCHING… LOCATED*Our colleagues tracking the central Russian mountains and former Soviet republics of East Asia have grasped the world concept of a “country”. As we are unable to fathom why they would want to do so, we have released an example of our own efforts on the

Resolutions, Legend and Chinglish printing

2008-01-03T20:41:00.001+08:00

I haven’t been hearing much about New Year resolutions, maybe because they’ll all have been forgotten by the time, say, February comes round? Hey, St. James, I know something even more like a dewy vapour that appears and vanishes away; a pronouncement that “I will study harder” or “I will pass my Chinese” or “I will lose weight this year”.No offense intended to those who don’t study hard or stink

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-25T17:53:00.000+08:00

"Noel, noel, noel, noel,Born is the King of Israel!"-- The First Noel

OMS and Airborne

2007-12-18T11:39:00.000+08:00

It seems Muslims the world over are picking the strangest things to get upset over. When a kid names a teddy bear Muhammad (after himself, even) the Sudanese mullahs take it as an insult to their prophet. Like their god can’t take an allusion of an allusion, or they just want something to stir the masses up and make them forget, just for a while, trifling issues like economic failure, starvation,

Joyeux Noel

2007-12-03T14:51:00.000+08:00

"I don't sing in the name of Jesus because someone said this is a marketing decision to sing about Jesus. I sing about Jesus because there's nothing greater to sing about."-- Ray Boltz, The Concert of a Lifetime I love Josh Groban's music--I've three of his albums, and frankly the way he does songs in Spanish or some language I don't know makes me want to hunt down a translation pronto. Whether

Sick f***s

2007-11-22T10:24:00.000+08:00

Some news is just so appalling you've got to see it for yourself, particularly when both women and the Saudi courts are involved. The day the Saudis reform their judicial system may come before the Second Coming, but I'm not taking any bets.http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,312372,00.html

11/11

2007-11-12T08:27:00.000+08:00

“In their sorrow, these families need to know — and families all across our nation of the fallen — need to know that your loved ones served a cause that is good and just and noble. And as their commander in chief, I make you this promise: Their sacrifice will not be in vain.”-- President George W. BushIt's Veterans' Day; thank God for such men who through the years have fought against the

Now I know why console players laugh at us.

2007-11-12T07:45:00.000+08:00

Putting together a new PC on our parents' dime. It still only crashes once every 5 minutes, with any one of a *censored* multitude of errors.My Programming lecturer said we "speak" to our computers in programming language... and more often swear-words. So true :(

Church, Spartans and Odin

2007-11-09T11:51:00.000+08:00

I had a nasty feeling in church today. Maybe it was the liturgy that grated on my nerves after a rough week—I’ve nothing against it, love it even for putting in words what my conscious mind is too lethargic to express.But I was thinking What the hell difference does it make? until I realized even heroes of the faith thought that one way or another. Christians have been dealing with that one since

There are days that go crappily.

2007-11-01T21:07:00.000+08:00

Boy, do I feel dumb. Hate to say this, but the following does make me feel better.Screw physics.Screw homework.I'm going to bed :(

Wasted ideas and the games that could have been

2007-10-29T09:15:00.000+08:00

Several game publishers just saved me a load of money... but that's NOT a good thing. In fact as far as my gaming standards are concerned, it's downright horrible.Ideas are a dime a dozen; some good, some cliched, some awful. At most the more original, untried and yet workable the idea, the more potential such a game would have to--you know, stand out. Be noticed. Be fun.And then it all falls to

(One) cure for jadedness...

2007-10-29T09:05:00.000+08:00

... is to find things to thank God for--His grace, providence, mercy and continued love for people like us.- Clean air to breathe- Good food and the continued ability to afford it- Friends who actually know what lecturers and tutors are talking about- Dare I say a soulmate?- A cross to leave my burdens at--not very comforting at first glance, but that's the way things are- Parents who provide

Dying blogs

2007-10-26T12:45:00.000+08:00

Sorry for letting the blog go this whole week; trying to get anything but studying done is turning into the very definition of useless :( I am working on a longer post--a mini-essay in itself--which should be up soon enough.And ZP, this is yourself. Remember to write about wasted games.

The "Peace" Prize, Net Filth, and Friends

2007-10-26T12:21:00.000+08:00

Gimme a break. Much as he's done to improve our knowledge of environmental issues, Albert A. Gore doesn't deserve anything approaching a "peace" prize; I always thought environmental work and awareness raising belonged to another category altogether.(Nor does social work--in my opinion, Mother Teresa shouldn't have won it either. The Peace Prize stands for just that--peaceful solutions to

Eternity is a long time to be wrong

2007-10-16T10:49:00.000+08:00

"We apologise for the victims, but only the Muslims. The infidels will go to hell anyway." "Why would we be scared of death? Even now we are not scared to be executed. Bush and his allies, you all will go to hell but me and all my friends in the world will go to heaven."-- Convicted Bali bomber Imam SamudraWanna bet?

Dedication -- Abide With Me

2007-10-15T22:49:00.000+08:00

Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide.When other helpers fail and comforts flee,Help of the helpless, O abide with me.Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day;earth's joys grow dim; its glories pass away;change and decay in all around I see;O thou who changest not, abide with me.I need thy presence every passing hour.What but thy grace can foil the

Tolong!!!

2007-10-10T23:50:00.000+08:00

I just finished my mid-term tests, and boy am I f***ed.I'd say more, but I'm in crisis mode now and mugging like crazy over such esoterics as 3-D math, rotational dynamics and magnetic properties of materials.So yeah, f***ed's the right word. (Don't go telling me I used a bad word. I know it all too well.)

What a Friend We Have in Jesus

2007-10-01T15:09:00.000+08:00

What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.Can we find a friend so faithful who will all

An Open Letter to Christians in Allied military forces

2007-10-01T15:05:00.000+08:00

I’m sorry, America and your coalition allies.I’m sorry, soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines—for not keeping you in prayer as I should have. The strain of combat and loss of life, limb or mental acuity is a burden I do not wish on anyone, and I fear my prayers for mental and physical strength, lethality and compassion may not have come in time.But I’m pretty sure God has His own timetable, and

An Open Letter to Christians in Iraq

2007-09-24T08:33:00.000+08:00

“What are we holding on to, Sam?”“That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo, and it’s worth fighting for.”-- J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings: The Two TowersTo the churches that are in Baghdad, Anbar, Fallujah and all in the nation of Iraq, greetings.I ask that the Lord we all worship bless you in every way He will; keep your faith strong, your spirits high, and your hope secure,

Huxley, faith and Super Kim

2007-09-19T12:40:00.000+08:00

There are people who take Christianity on faith--I do too, but I must admit in a twisted Huxleyan way.Let me tell you a little about Aldous Huxley. He's well known as the writer of Brave New World, the faux-utopia story about genetic engineering and eugenics that was so far ahead of its time, Singapore was cited as a GE centre way back when it was written in 1932.But I digress. Huxley fired

bin Laden on our beliefs

2007-09-12T21:56:00.000+08:00

So bin Laden suggests we (as in anyone who doesn't embrace his murderous interpretation of Islam) convert and lay down our beliefs. In the Christian faith or any other, and the system of democracy.I've four immortal words for him: COME AND TAKE THEM.

It feels so empty...

2007-09-09T21:51:00.000+08:00

... to be praying for discipline, surfing the Net, and sitting in a Maths lecture all at the same time :(I'm still so bummed.

Great writing and a not-so-great parade

2007-08-24T12:01:00.000+08:00

I usually get my books at the library; no more bookstores for me, my house is so packed. But every now and then I allow myself to pick up a book—it’s my money, after all. Some books I buy because the library doesn’t have them and I simply must read them, the subject matter is so pressing. Others… well, I may not care that much for the subject matter, but the book could be so darned good, I’ll

Please, please SingNet...

2007-08-14T16:44:00.000+08:00

... put a manual in the box you send your modems in. Trial and error's no fun :('Course, we followed the instructions on the Internet (what if the customer doesn't have a prior connection? Kinda tough.) and still couldn't do it--necessitating a call to tech support on an otherwise lovely Sunday morning.Surely with those huge profits you can afford to put A Manual In Every Box? That's part and

Simpsons, Bean and the big screen

2007-07-26T11:26:00.001+08:00

It seemed just a few years ago I was laughing my head off (not literally) at Mr. Bean’s antics—the Brit “formal bum” and the comedian playing him (Rowan Atkinson) need no introduction. I’ve never forgotten how he reacted when he pulled the wrong exam paper from his envelope, tried to pop a sweet in church… and even went swimming and got his trunks lifted (you’ll never believe how). I could go on,

War books, condemnation, update

2007-07-17T13:46:00.000+08:00

God has the heart of an infantryman.Don’t believe me? If you believe the Bible to be the Word of God, read on. If you think someone conjured up the stories in it, do go on to the next book I review—that’s strictly secular. Because this is a Christian book, from the viewpoint of a follower of God wherever He may lead. Into the US Marine Corps, into war with Iraqi insurgents, and into the brutal

Aww, poor widdle PAS...

2007-06-28T12:02:00.000+08:00

... did those nasty proselytisers hurt you?No?Then why do I see in the Today paper there'll be stiffened penalties like whippings, jail terms and fines for them? As if the PAS is afraid Islam is not true enough to compete with other religions for the minds and hearts of its believers. Even the Koran admits in Sura 2:11, "there shall be no compulsion of religion..."Another reason moderates

The Stooopidity of it all...

2007-06-27T10:41:00.000+08:00

I hope Singapore is far, far behind what some Americans are capable of.http://truthorfiction.com/rumors/a/abc-jesus.htmhttp://truthorfiction.com/rumors/a/abc-practice.htmOn a side note, a friend of mine who worked for a GLC (shh) told me about the seedier side of call centres--if a customer is kept waiting for long enough, eventually NOBODY will pick up the call.Why not? He's bound to be pissed

For a friend...

2007-06-27T10:39:00.000+08:00

Dear Lord,I’m praying for Andrew. I’ll keep it short—I don’t know details, I don’t know much about his condition—but here’s what I know, and what I want to say for now.You made it pretty clear to Job we’re not qualified to ask for explanations, go to a Court of Appeal, or say, “If I were in charge, I’d have...”But seriously. Your servant, Lord, has spent less than 2 decades in this life—less than

Restaurants and more Reilly books

2007-06-15T12:14:00.000+08:00

“Then the night grew deathly quiet, his face lost all expressionHe said, ‘if you’re gonna play the game boy, you gotta learn to play it right.’”-- Kenny Rogers, The GamblerI am in mourning—my favourite chicken restaurant is dying. Of attempted (I hope) suicide.Attempted and committed are not the same thing. Committed means the act succeeded.I remember back when I was a kid of fifteen, and I’d go

Letter to Mr. Policeman, liberal-smashing, and my new camera

2007-06-04T13:03:00.000+08:00

“We are a force for the nation, ensuring the security, survival and success of Singapore, and helping to build it into our best home. We are a police force that inspires the world.We are united with the community. We care for and serve the community that we work in and with.”-- The Shared Vision of the Singapore Police ForceDear Mr. Policeman,I never thought I’d treat this salutation as more than

Stalkers and the VC

2007-05-28T13:46:00.000+08:00

I’d make a lousy prophet. In the Old Testament even a 99% success rate warranted the death penalty.I bought the FPS Vietcong: Purple Haze with high hopes that were very quickly dashed... when the game failed to even start. A supposedly great storyline and one of the best Vietnam shooters of all time bit the dust to a bug I never realised was even there.Like a VC pun-ji trap. Yuck.Here’s a piece

A quick rant (and some praises)

2007-05-10T08:21:00.000+08:00

I can't believe I wasted a trip to the Central Lending Library.Sure, it was an SF-themed visit. That's why I picked up Simon Ings's Unplugged and Patrick Wood's YA novel Viaduct Child—what would a mind-upload be like? A teenaged girl in a dystopian London?And guess what; I still don't know.But my beef is that I wouldn't mind not knowing had I characters to care about—instead when the first twenty

OK...

2007-05-04T11:09:00.000+08:00

I need an aim.Something this blog will stand for--something my mind can make up and put into words. (My own life is boring enough as it is.) When I think of one I'll put it here.But then again opinions are free, even if shaped by whatever psychologists want. I can bless, I can rant, and I can (just maybe) say a Gift to Humanity to be quoted for ever.We'll see.

MRT Security and why I can't write here

2007-02-05T03:33:00.000+08:00

MRT “Security”Believe me when I say the TV screens mounted above our heads at every MRT platform are just big, expensive decorations that happen to release light and sound energy.True, they let us know how much longer to the next train. They even bring in some advertising dollars so SMRT Corp. won’t have to deduct so much from our ez-Link cards every time we travel.But running the same

A quick word on censorship--two sides of the coin

2007-01-10T16:14:00.000+08:00

Sixty years ago six million Jews were killed in Hitler’s ‘Final Solution’ to purify his dream race, along with the mentally disabled, Roma (gypsies) and homosexuals. It is a tragic, blood-soaked time of history I’m glad to have missed, but the scars remain to this very day.So isn’t it strange that Iranian President Ahmedinejad is convening a seminar to review the evidence for the Holocaust?

Remember last year?

2006-12-23T17:25:00.000+08:00

Last year I mentioned people telling us what big hearts they had, giving to charities while exchanging no presents among themselves. A letter to the Straits Times today confirmed my worst suspicions.Please, everyone. We don't have to know what great world citizens you are--a brief mention here, an advertisement for Oxfam there... that will do a lot more than you telling everybody how many you

Music to His Ears

2006-12-03T17:57:00.000+08:00

[Remember when I mentioned an essay I'd put up here with my church's permission? Here it is. ;)]I promise you, if I hear the chorus of How Great is our God one more time I will start running in the opposite direction… and I won’t accept any blame for sound equipment I damage on the way out.OK, maybe I’m exaggerating (I'd probably just head to the toilet). But the fact I’ve stopped singing along

Overcrowding and the Ivory Tower

2006-11-25T18:24:00.000+08:00

An old story goes that just before the Russian tsarina Catherine the Great went on a tour of the Russian countryside, there were sights just not for royal eyes—failed harvests, droughts, poverty and squalor. And besides, paychecks were at stake for her courtiers, and any risk to a courtier’s paycheck was a big risk indeed. (All you whistle-blowers out there will likely see what I mean.)In stepped

Dredging up the past

2006-11-14T23:13:00.000+08:00

The following is an essay I wrote shortly after my hard disk crashed, and that right after I checked out of hospital. The worst problems tend to come together, if I'd learnt anything back then... :(Funny how problems cluster together. Just last week I was recovering from a major spine operation (I still am) when my computer’s hard disk, for no apparent reason, decided to go crash. BANG.

Who’s afraid of the Big Bad Blogger?

2006-11-01T21:06:00.000+08:00

Wee Shu Min was wrong. I don’t deny that. While scurrilous opinions have been around for a long time now, it’s only recently that John and Jane Q. Citizen began to have access to a worldwide audience… with worldwide consequences.I hope the whole thing’s blown over, though. Nobody should have to endure the vicious personal attacks the girl went through, elitist remarks or not. Would not a simple

Music to His ears

2006-10-26T22:19:00.000+08:00

Wrote a short essay about the music in my church, and it's not all good news. If they approve I'll put up here in short order...

Tiers and Christmas

2006-10-15T18:40:00.000+08:00

Been silent for a while, which isn’t too good. I’ve been busy with work, and believe me, time to rant just got much, much shorter.That’s OK. No ranting from me today. I promise. Just a few opinions I’d like to share—and don’t worry—I regard all opinions as equal.Only some are more equal than others. Just kidding… with many apologies to George Orwell. My posts’ll probably come once in a while, and

Let's go back on track.

2006-10-07T14:13:00.000+08:00

I seemed to have drifted into rants, rants and more rants. I'll be taking a bit of a break in short order--get my thoughts back in line with God, His Word, and what He would want me to tell. Time to count my blessings, I guess...

Education, Time and Being the Best

2006-10-07T14:11:00.000+08:00

“We all make choices—but in the end, our choices make us.”-- BioShock, by Irrational GamesI had a look down at the Youthrepreneur kiosks at the Central Library last week. What I saw almost knocked the breath out of me; students were being encouraged to take up part-time sales jobs manning the booths by night, while hitting the books by day.Now is it just me, or is this another competitor for our

Couple rants here, brothers?

2006-09-26T15:56:00.000+08:00

"Plasma cannons charged and ready.""Cannons? I thought you said plasma cathodes and TVs!"With all due respect to the advertising industry, I’ve some pretty harsh stuff to say. :(You know a restaurant chain’s really got nothing better to do when it starts installing plasma TVs in its joints and pipe in ads that shout yer all hip n’ unique so lay up, join the revolution n’ be yer own person, innit?

Book review: Surviving Antarctica: Reality TV 2083

2006-09-26T15:51:00.000+08:00

Strange world, isn’t it?In a tragic way it’s the ratings-chasing of too many TV programmes that killed famed naturalist Steve Irwin two weeks ago, and continues to endanger the lives of people in a bid for fame. One blogger is quoted in the Digital Life magazine as calling the Discovery Channel a “modern-day version of the Running Man”, alluding to the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie about a TV show

TOP TEN USES FOR A SWIMMING POOL

2006-09-18T22:29:00.000+08:00

10.) Actually exercising.9.) Pretending your swimsuit has another purpose besides catching attention.8.) As the MOST prominent feature in condominium ads.7.) As a symbol of decadent living, especially if empty.6.) An empty, rubbish-filled one as a horror game setting a la Condemned: Criminal Origins.5.) As a Chekov's prop in MediaCorp dramas--when a scene is shot beside one, a character must fall

Movie review: Singapore Dreaming

2006-09-15T21:06:00.000+08:00

"What about your old army buddies?""Half of them are also trying to sell me insurance!"I couldn't shake off the feeling Singapore Dreaming would be something different. First, it was the only local film I've dragged my butt to the cinema to see recently, and second, it begins with shots of the Esplanade, a HDB estate and stuff that instantly makes you feel so at home with the set and characters.

A righteous man cares for the needs of his animals...

2006-09-05T20:11:00.000+08:00

... so goes Proverbs 12:10. I'm sure I join all of Singapore in saluting Steve Irwin; a man who went so far beyond that, and so well, we couldn't help but love him.

If you've nothing nice to say...

2006-08-30T20:28:00.000+08:00

I don't want anyone taking this wrongly, but I'm slowly purging comments from ALL my posts unless they're relevant or have something constructive to say. It wouldn't be so bad if they weren't so generic "I found some information..." etc. and sound like a they were actually written by a human being with something to say about the relevant post.It's not that I'm being cold or unwelcoming; debate

Our doorbell shorted out this evening.

2006-08-30T20:24:00.000+08:00

Are we then eligible for the Nobel Prize?

The Armchair Conscript

2006-08-27T21:17:00.000+08:00

Nobel Prize-winning writer Guenther Grass just keeps getting hailed and slammed. Why don't any of these people lamenting the loss of his moral authority try being forced to join an army whose beliefs you don't share, then survive the ever-so-visceral horror of war?I don't have to point out how many of Grass's pot-shooting critics make their observations in comfortable book-lined studies, while

The Twins Issue

2006-08-27T20:54:00.000+08:00

The papparazzi get more and more vicious every day. I'm not just referring to the infamous case of pop duo Twins being filmed in their changing room, but imagine the ruckus that comes up every time some artiste is caught doing this or that. True, we might like a peek into a star's life, to remind ourselves they're just human like the rest of us, but...I'm no Twins fan, but I'll state it clearly

Book review: Comic book science was never so much fun

2006-08-18T22:54:00.000+08:00

I saw The Science of Superheroes and its follow-up volume, The Science of Supervillains, in my library… and following my long-buried (OK, three weeks) liking for comics, I borrowed both to see where logic ended and good, reality-clean fun set in.A few words about comics (“graphic novels” for those not among the hoi polloi): I think they’re a great medium for stories to be told, stories in the

Can't help but point this out:

2006-08-14T22:49:00.000+08:00

No one seems to be taking Mel Gibson's apology at face value. Maybe they're too used to Hollywood gloss over anything that comes from the mouth? Anyway moralising can only be taken so far; remember it was the model citizens of the day who accused Christ of having a demon? ;)

Which is easier to cure, body or mind?

2006-08-12T18:53:00.000+08:00

I'm pretty sure the Subutex-Dormicium saga answers this question all too well. Drug addiction, while necessitating a painful and hard recovery, is nothing compared to psychological dependence on "highs"--meaning addiction is a hell of a lot easier to cure than human folly.But why hasn't this been addressed earlier? These are lives we're playing with here, not just bodies."See this medicine? Take

How do you want your human evil?

2006-08-06T18:20:00.000+08:00

Raw? The New Paper's for you; blood, guts, polemic and disgust are all there. I've to admit no other paper gives such detail to the evil humans are capable of--knife attacks on innocents, drug-crazed (?) workers raiding a truck carrying handphones and killing the driver, or anything that totally wipes out whatever faith in humanity you might have had. True, all sin and fall short of the glory of

Religious community service? Sacrilege!

2006-07-22T19:19:00.000+08:00

Exactly what merits the idea that our youth can develop cultural and religious sensitivity by putting them to work in temples, mosques and churches is, to put it mildly, misplaced. Mooted by the National Youth Council last week, the motion was to introduce community projects in which young people helped out in other religions’ places of worship caring for the sick, holding events and the odd

REINVENTION IN PROGRESS...

2006-07-15T20:41:00.000+08:00

Like the game developers always say... "When it's ready."

PC game review: Rise of Great Strategy, Rise of Bad Storylines

2006-07-09T16:38:00.000+08:00

I’ll be the first to admit this—Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends is the only fantasy-themed game I’ve ever bought because I was just so darn intrigued by what it had to offer. I’m no fantasy reader or gamer, but the intermingling of "steampunk" tech, magic and divinity to the extent the game provided would’ve led to some great The Longest Journey-style storytelling; scientific and magical worlds,

Why don't I cover the World Cup?

2006-07-01T20:20:00.000+08:00

Because the only thing I do worse than play football is watching and telling about it. Don't get me wrong; I know this from hard experience. (What kind of ball player am I? The first thing I ever kissed was a falling volleyball in secondary school.)

PC game review: Dark Corners of Tolerance

2006-06-25T21:17:00.000+08:00

“That is not dead which can eternal lie;And over strange aeons even death may die.”-- H P Lovecraft, The NecronomiconI’ll admit it—I’ve been neglecting the blog. A bad thing? Hard to say… but will the excuse I’ve been playing a new computer game do?I know this may sound strange, but I’ve developed quite an appetite for the survival horror genre of videogames, though I’ve only gotten round to

Malthus was right

2006-06-10T19:46:00.000+08:00

Maybe Thomas Malthus was right after all."Assuming then my postulata as granted, I say, that the power of population is indefinitely greater than the power in the earth to produce subsistence for man. Population, when unchecked, increases in a geometrical ratio."-- Malthus 1798, quoted in wikipedia.orgMalthusian economics posits an extremely dim view of the future, one in which population growth

Phone cameras, floor ads, and my old school

2006-06-04T17:14:00.000+08:00

There was a time not so long ago when you could screw up when you were out, most everyone would get a good laugh out of it, and you'd forget it as time went by and other things in life (remember, life always has other things) crowded it out. I've done many a stinker when I was younger and didn't know better. (Or maybe now, when I forget. It happens.) Anyway, you wouldn't dream of instant

A little fun

2006-05-30T21:21:00.000+08:00

Who says a grown-up can't have fun with mirrors?

Still down

2006-05-30T21:13:00.000+08:00

My PC's been down over a week, but no one seems to be affected that badly--it seems the game Mafia has a strange hold on people even 5 years after its release.Anyway I called Dell again, asked why in heaven's name a powerful graphics card breaks down after just one year... and chun chun after the warranty ends. The guy at tech support said to run a game with the casing open, since the problem may

A thousand and two word problem

2006-05-24T14:31:00.000+08:00

Oh, crap :(

The Da Vinci Hype

2006-05-16T19:52:00.000+08:00

OK, anyone thinking of releasing Leonardo da Vinci-related merchandise, especially anything named the Da Vinci (something). No harm intended, but come, sit around. Please, let's talk.First of all, it's not going to work. I know it sounds like a second chance to push your ideas through to the stores, and an even bigger one too, since many who haven't read the Book will flock to see the Movie.

Some words

2006-05-06T19:22:00.000+08:00

I know I'm not old enough to vote yet (anyway my constituency kena walkover), but sorry, I just can't not say a little something about the most crucial issue in our elections...There're several car companies working the market. One, a super-powerful conglomerate we'll call Poppa's Cars, decides to hold a referendum because, hey, people have the right to decide which car they want to buy, right?

Isn't it interesting...

2006-05-06T19:20:00.000+08:00

... how the latest Gnostic allegation always "will rock Christianity to its very foundations" but none has ever "rocked the very foundations of Christianity"?

PC game review: Should be condemned!

2006-04-25T20:46:00.000+08:00

I was originally planning to slot a few comments on Condemned: Criminal Origins in a post, but ultimately decided the game merited a post all to itself.That is not a compliment.What's just wrong with the game could fill a whole treatise on How to Write a Bad Videogame and Dress it Up So No One Will Notice. It's a bit like painting your crappy primary school art project green and brown, then

Till Tomorrow: a Parable

2006-04-21T22:38:00.000+08:00

“Hey ZP, do something for me, will ya?” His voice was pretty friendly, and I had a little time, so why ever not?“Sure thing. What’ll it be?” I asked.The Editor paused. “Nothing much,” he said finally. “A column on procrastination—holding off till tomorrow what you should be doing today, that sort of thing. Needn’t be very long, even. Just get it ready.”“Deadline?”“Soon as possible, thanks very

"I was raised (insert religion here)..."

2006-04-15T17:05:00.000+08:00

OK, how do you feel when someone admits they had a particular faith during their upbringing but discarded as they got older, like some kind of jacket that tightens as you grow and then you throw off? (Parental restrictions are a little like that too, but shh...)Me, I get bummed... for all of five seconds. If you care about this sort of thing, you'll want to know, why? And you'll have a fleeting

Guyyat Komputa: Mindblank

2006-04-12T22:36:00.000+08:00

Which is pretty much how I feel. :(

PC game review and post: How evil can you get?

2006-04-02T19:24:00.000+08:00

"It's gonna be like f***ing Doom."-- Heard from one of the Columbine High shooters, c. 2000I've always frowned on gangster games, to be honest. The line between good and bad is already murky enough without needing any EA, Take Two, etc. making things worse. In 2006's The Godfather, you represent the iconic Corleone family in sixty hours' worth of gameplay... all of it whacking people, threatening

Final Destination: Kranji

2006-04-01T09:05:00.000+08:00

Just a suggestion to any movie producers who think they need mega-budgets and exotic locales to make a compelling point: here's a tip.I've seen the intersections and locations of pedestrian crossings around the Yew Tee area, and if a multi-car pile-up occurred there and some cute young teens escaped... well, let's just say they'll have a hard time escaping. I'd parody the poster, but I've neither

Does US intervention in your country mean you are really free?

2006-03-25T08:56:00.000+08:00

I'm not going to speculate how and why "Shariah" law condones this kind of teaching. True, you may not be against any other religion, but what if you see your own as demanding the death of so-called "apostates?"The whole issue of Abdul Rahman's conversion to Christianity from Islam goes even deeper than an "Afghan decision" as US spokesman Sean McCormack called it. It doesn't even go to whether