Monday, September 20, 2004
One Day Off

This week started with the news that civilians in the force would get one day off-in-lieu instead of the half day stated earlier in an e-mail brief circulated by manpower.Good news,of course.The only thing was that it was leaked earlier in an e-mail earlier anyway that it was supposed to be one day.But somehow,our manpower department decided that the force should get a half-day rather than one day.For whatever reasons best known to themselves.Colossus had drafted an email to our own manpower officer asking why that should be the case and although the reply was logical,it wasn't satisfying because the rest of the civil service was getting their one day pie and eating while we have to be content with half.Obviously,there were a lot of dissenting voices who expressed their disbelief enough for the manpower side to rescind their statement.I just wonder how the ministry could see fit to alter a policy that was government sanctioned to their own interpretations and needs.Colossus and Shadowcat mentioned that it was a bias against civilians officers in a uniformed organisation.Discrimination.That is probably not far from the truth,if it wasn't the truth in the first place.

Besides this piece of good news,nothing have been good so far.I had been having this splitting headache since last week that wouldn't go away and whenever I even bend slightly,the pain is excruciating.I still haven't taken any aspirins for it because I am still in the process of recovering from the flu I was/am suffering from last week.Taking too many types of medicines together might be like the equivalent of stuffing a Molotov Cocktail down your own throat.And unless I have a death wish.I wouldn't do that.But the thing is,the headache is affecting me.I am in a very bad mood because my head is always aching and my eyesight gets a bit blurry at times.Is that because of the contact lenses?Am I getting a stroke or something?Or is this what you call a migraine?My immediate thoughts then are naturally...can I get downgraded for this?Chow Keng is in my blood.Add to that,a toothache around my left molars,although the pain is alleviating even as I type.It was certainly rather pronounced over the weekend.

Spurs have,again,gotten lucky with a poor performance away to Chelsea.Let's face it, a point is a good result against the Londoners with the roubles.But while their defensive solidarity is admirable,Spurs' attack is abysmal.If Jermain Defoe does not score,there are no goals.Jacques Santini fielded what I felt was the best possible lineup in this match and they didn't get too many chances out of it.Against top opposition,stout defending will certainly do the job and we'd nick a point from many top fixtures.But against the mid-table and bottom rung strugglers,the lack of invention will tell.And it was glaringly exposed against Norwich a week back.Spurs will draw more games than they'd lose.But they'd also draw games that they should win.How good is that?Well,a win gets you three points.A draw gives you one.Do the maths.

A while back in the newspapers,there was a report that Singapore is witnessing increasing numbers of divorce cases in Singapore.How interesting that even as we are embracing Western values,we are also adopting their societal phenomena.I stopped short of writing "ills" because I can't necessarily say it is a bad thing.Two people staying in a marriage without love is like living in hell.So to split is a much better option.But doesn't it also expose how frivolous the institute of marriage have gotten now?It's not a life-binding commitment to each other anymore.Can't work it out,split.It's that simple.Couples used to really work out their problems and see how they can understand each other and compromise to each other.Now,I guess we are too individualistic and egocentric to do such a thing.It's all about me,me and me.And why is it people never seriously consider if they should ever even get together in the first place rather than rush into a lifetime commitment that they are not sure that they can adhere to?Is it a rush of blood to the head or what?It's such a sad state that nowadays holy matrimony isn't really that holy anymore.If our parents were like us,what would we have become?

I finally watched Kill Bill V2 yesterday in the comforts of my home and one thing that surprised me was that I thought it was better than V1.Surprised because Jubilee had written in a review in her blog earlier that she thought V2 wasn't as good as V1.My feelings are on the contrary,V2 was better than v1.But that is because I didn't like V1 much.It was,in my opinion, a good but not great film,quite unlike what Ebert said(who gave 4 stars to both volumes,if it was up to me,V1 would get 3 while V2 gets 3 1/2).I don't always agree with the guy anyway.But one thing we agreed on was the fact that we both liked V2 better than V1,even though we liked V1 to much varying degree.I am sure that the two parts were meant to be viewed as one single film now as opposed to two parts,because otherwise,it makes V1 a rudderless film in my opinion.My main sticking point with V1 was it's lack of a plot or direction.Sure,it was a lovely film to look at with very clever tributes to various film sources and genres.But for what?Anybody could do that.He didn't seem to have much of a story to work with.The characters seemed like cardboard cut-outs existing only to further the action,not a story.V2 fills in the gaps here but what I liked most about it was the slower pace.And the dialogue written.It's geekspeak on various subjects.Super heroes and their alter egos,Black mambas,etc.These dialogues also set out the characters and their psyches nicely.Bill,Pai Mei(it's such an obvious tribute to all those 70s martial arts movies,some of them starring Jackie Chan),Bubb and to a much lesser degree,Elle Driver.I don't necessarily enjoy more talk than chop-sock but in this case,it was better that way.In an unrelated matter,Prodigy has finally released an album after eons(Was their last album in 1997?That would make it almost 7 years for a followup!).Why they have taken so long,I have no idea but I certainly would like to hear what they are up to.I have heard some rather poor reviews on it but I guess I really want to listen for myself.At least they didn't do a Guns & Roses "Chinese Democracy".

Mediacorp and Mediaworks have finally decided to cut their losses and merged to form a single unit.How nice that MM Lee was finally proven right after a few years and how great that we no longer have to read those advertisements by Mediacorp proclaiming that they have the top ten TV programmes.How bad it is for consumers now that they'd have one less channel to view(when they say they're reviewing the profitability of Channel I,I think they are just delaying the obvious).The TV moguls may claim that variety,in fact,has not decreased because there are still over 50 channels on cable but that argument holds no weight at all.We are talking about free to air channels here,not subscription TV.When you talk about choice in such a manner,you are assuming that everyone has or can have cable TV.That is NOT the case.So do your arguments right.I guess commercial entities cannot always keep bleeding because they have a bottonline to meet.So it's logical to simply do the right thing and merge.But when it happens,it's still a regrettable action.Consumers still suffer.And now that it is a monpoly again,advertising rates will only rise.Think about any potential downstream effects.Will TV licensing rise as well?I know there's MDA to regulate this but the new entity does have more bargaining chips.There will also be no more Streats and SPH owns a part of Today.There was talk that there is still space for a morning daily besides ST but I think those guys must be hallucinating.No chance.If we aren't big enough for two TV stations,there ain't no space for another morning daily.But in the grand scheme of things,what does it matter?Everyone repeat after me:Temasek Holdings.We read what they want us to read,watch what they can afford us to watch,choose what they allow us to choose.Simple.On a related matter,I pity those guys who crossed over to Mediaworks from Mediacorp.Heard there were bucketloads of tears shed.Actually for what?They must have crossed a lot of people in the old company before they crossed over,right?Said bad things about them and cursed them I suppose?Otherwise,what's there to be afraid of?Channel U will still in existence,what.I wonder what did all those Channel u artistes said before they left.They must have thought they are the big fish now.What about Man Suk Sum?Well,I guess they should still retain their day jobs.But in the case that they should lose their day jobs,at least the job market is improving nowadays and they should find clerical work fairly easily.Or at least that's what Big Brother told us.Because if it was better,how come everyone I know can't seem to find a new job?Weird,isn't it?On an unrelated issue,there could be a price war looming in the budget airline battle for the Perth market.How nice.At the very least,it's not Bangkok for a change and the destination is much more exotic.It's a great time to plan for a cheap holiday to the Auzland,isn't it?Say YEH!

Over 1 hour typing this blog.If only I devoted the same degree of commitment to my work...for f#$%?!