This is damn good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGFemrtv7-M&feature=related
Watch out for Charlie Brown!
Friday, October 19, 2012
Seeing the world through pop culture lens
...which reminds us how great a band The Specials was.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqH_0LPVoho
Rather simplistic listening to it today. But look at the make-up of the band, truly multi-racial.
The class issue, which we have ignored for too long. Pursuing only economic success could lead to permanent Halloween.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WhhSBgd3KI
And what is your definition of economic success? Bought your second property? Taking out another loan or mortgage for your third one?
Schools are to teach values. We should teach contentment too. Like water, we should find our own level and be happy.
Talking more, but are we listening?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ipGhzrIi3s
In the city there are a thousand things I want to say to you...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqH_0LPVoho
Rather simplistic listening to it today. But look at the make-up of the band, truly multi-racial.
The class issue, which we have ignored for too long. Pursuing only economic success could lead to permanent Halloween.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WhhSBgd3KI
And what is your definition of economic success? Bought your second property? Taking out another loan or mortgage for your third one?
Schools are to teach values. We should teach contentment too. Like water, we should find our own level and be happy.
Talking more, but are we listening?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ipGhzrIi3s
In the city there are a thousand things I want to say to you...
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
24 Hour Comics Day
Me and JF are doing this again. 3rd edition. This time at Bukit Merah Library, starting time 10 am. So join in the fun this Saturday, 20 Oct. It will be on the 3rd floor, Radin Mas Room.
http://singaporecomics.com/24hourcomicsday/
http://singaporecomics.com/24hourcomicsday/
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Why academic achievements still matter
I know there is a lot of talk, especially among those who do not do well academically, that academics are useless. For those who are poor at academics, this kind of thinking provides a sense of self-worth. That it is okay to fail at academics, because life does not revolve around it. Right?
I know people who have no university degrees but yet, they earn more than the average degree holder. And my dad, being a degree holder, earns very little for a graduate. His income is slightly above average, but very low for a graduate. The fact that there are people who, despite not being graduates of junior colleges and universities but have millions in their banks, convinces me that academics is not a guarantee for career success. Now the question is, how many people are like them? Not very well educated, but arguable successful. These people are not very common.
Marty Nemko is a very successful career consultant in the United States. He once said on TV that people who succeed after graduating from college, will succeed even without going to college. In other words, those naysayers of good academics may be right. The contribution of academics to career success may be very little. Look at the Beatles. Geniuses who were not inclined towards school, and very much loved all around the world. One day, Singapore will have its own Beatles, as soon as everyone starts supporting our local bands. That is, if the majority of the population even bothers to notice them.
Playing for an indie band as a career in Singapore, is more likely to lead to failure than good academics (Someone please correct me if I am wrong). So how do we encourage musical talent under such circumstances? The easy way out is to encourage academic achievements instead.
To the naysayers who have accomplished nothing, please face the facts. It is not the lack of academics that prevent you from success. So to support your believes, please support our local bands. Here's a link: The Great Spy Experiment.
P.S. For those of you in the comics industry. Please tell your family, friends, colleagues and enemies about this blog. I think we can get more Singaporeans to support local comics and music and art if we put in more effort to sell ourselves... I mean promote ourselves. And I notice one thing that seems to get me more readers. PAP is the best party in Singapore! Opposition parties suck!
I know people who have no university degrees but yet, they earn more than the average degree holder. And my dad, being a degree holder, earns very little for a graduate. His income is slightly above average, but very low for a graduate. The fact that there are people who, despite not being graduates of junior colleges and universities but have millions in their banks, convinces me that academics is not a guarantee for career success. Now the question is, how many people are like them? Not very well educated, but arguable successful. These people are not very common.
Marty Nemko is a very successful career consultant in the United States. He once said on TV that people who succeed after graduating from college, will succeed even without going to college. In other words, those naysayers of good academics may be right. The contribution of academics to career success may be very little. Look at the Beatles. Geniuses who were not inclined towards school, and very much loved all around the world. One day, Singapore will have its own Beatles, as soon as everyone starts supporting our local bands. That is, if the majority of the population even bothers to notice them.
Playing for an indie band as a career in Singapore, is more likely to lead to failure than good academics (Someone please correct me if I am wrong). So how do we encourage musical talent under such circumstances? The easy way out is to encourage academic achievements instead.
To the naysayers who have accomplished nothing, please face the facts. It is not the lack of academics that prevent you from success. So to support your believes, please support our local bands. Here's a link: The Great Spy Experiment.
P.S. For those of you in the comics industry. Please tell your family, friends, colleagues and enemies about this blog. I think we can get more Singaporeans to support local comics and music and art if we put in more effort to sell ourselves... I mean promote ourselves. And I notice one thing that seems to get me more readers. PAP is the best party in Singapore! Opposition parties suck!
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
The critic, the victim
I read the previous post by Cheng Tju and looked at the comments. And it was interesting as this Indonesian artist points out a mistake in Cheng Tju's knowledge. And Cheng Tju graciously accepts it. I hope he does.
A lot (a lot does not mean most) of Singaporeans are not open to criticism and opposing views. They can say,"I believe everyone is entitled to their opinion." But what these narrow-minded Singaporeans really should say is,"I believe everyone is entitled to their opinion, as long as they do not disagree with each other or are not negative." Like, WTF!
Narrow minded people can come from any part of the world. And they can be very irritating to talk to because you are expected to agree with them, or shut up. And that comes back down to me writing criticism. When you write an opinion on a blog, you risk being labelled as being "full of yourself". What gives me the confidence to write is the fact that I did my homework. That is to say, I spent time doing research and analysis to ensure as objective an opinion as possible. I can make mistakes. I am open to opposing views, but only from people who did their homework as well. A person who talks without doing his/her homework is plain ignorant, don't you think?
But this local society we have here, encourages ignorance in a way. If you have an opposing or negative view, you suck. Therefore, to be friends with everyone, you need to have agreeable views, even if the views hold no truth. And you are expected to try and be friends with everyone, even though it is unrealistic. Never mind if the opinion is a lie and might lead to harm and death. Positive opinions matter more than facts. In fact, for some people, they don't even know what is fact. They know the definition, but understanding what that definition means is out of their reach.
I'll give a hypothetical example to illustrate another point. What if Singaporeans generally love the movie Sucker Punch and don't find it sexist? But in the western world, people are calling it sexist and crappy. So if I agree with the billions of Europeans and Americans, that might put me in the eye of some Singaporeans, a bad guy or having no taste in movies. Some might even say I am snobbish about films, simply because I choose to agree with the billions of people outside rather than a few millions in Singapore. Like, WTF! (Note: This scenario is strictly hypothetical. It is not meant to reflect reality in anyway.This note is for people who are unable to understand what a hypothetical example is and thus take it too seriously. The writer apologizes for your inability to understand complex statements and takes responsibility because you only know how to blame others for your failure. If you wish to ïnsult me for "being stupid", you are welcome to do so.)
I support PAP. I think they are the best government Singapore has, even though they have been making mistakes here and there. So, are there any anti-PAP citizens who would like to label me as a mindless drone-like, short-sighted, elitist-sympathizing PAP dog?
PS: This criticism does not state that the majority of Singaporeans are narrow minded. There are many Singaporeans who are kind and open to ideas, as well as being pro-PAP. However, those who do find this article offending are probably guilty of being narrow minded. If you are one, just shut up and agree with me. And stop being so ignorant!
A lot (a lot does not mean most) of Singaporeans are not open to criticism and opposing views. They can say,"I believe everyone is entitled to their opinion." But what these narrow-minded Singaporeans really should say is,"I believe everyone is entitled to their opinion, as long as they do not disagree with each other or are not negative." Like, WTF!
Narrow minded people can come from any part of the world. And they can be very irritating to talk to because you are expected to agree with them, or shut up. And that comes back down to me writing criticism. When you write an opinion on a blog, you risk being labelled as being "full of yourself". What gives me the confidence to write is the fact that I did my homework. That is to say, I spent time doing research and analysis to ensure as objective an opinion as possible. I can make mistakes. I am open to opposing views, but only from people who did their homework as well. A person who talks without doing his/her homework is plain ignorant, don't you think?
But this local society we have here, encourages ignorance in a way. If you have an opposing or negative view, you suck. Therefore, to be friends with everyone, you need to have agreeable views, even if the views hold no truth. And you are expected to try and be friends with everyone, even though it is unrealistic. Never mind if the opinion is a lie and might lead to harm and death. Positive opinions matter more than facts. In fact, for some people, they don't even know what is fact. They know the definition, but understanding what that definition means is out of their reach.
I'll give a hypothetical example to illustrate another point. What if Singaporeans generally love the movie Sucker Punch and don't find it sexist? But in the western world, people are calling it sexist and crappy. So if I agree with the billions of Europeans and Americans, that might put me in the eye of some Singaporeans, a bad guy or having no taste in movies. Some might even say I am snobbish about films, simply because I choose to agree with the billions of people outside rather than a few millions in Singapore. Like, WTF! (Note: This scenario is strictly hypothetical. It is not meant to reflect reality in anyway.This note is for people who are unable to understand what a hypothetical example is and thus take it too seriously. The writer apologizes for your inability to understand complex statements and takes responsibility because you only know how to blame others for your failure. If you wish to ïnsult me for "being stupid", you are welcome to do so.)
I support PAP. I think they are the best government Singapore has, even though they have been making mistakes here and there. So, are there any anti-PAP citizens who would like to label me as a mindless drone-like, short-sighted, elitist-sympathizing PAP dog?
PS: This criticism does not state that the majority of Singaporeans are narrow minded. There are many Singaporeans who are kind and open to ideas, as well as being pro-PAP. However, those who do find this article offending are probably guilty of being narrow minded. If you are one, just shut up and agree with me. And stop being so ignorant!
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