2008年6月 Archives
I actually finished this book a long time ago, it was a very well written book where I have no problems visualising the world described. The story revolves around a Manchuria girl and a Japanese soldier during World War II, their separate lives and ideology being connected between the game of Go; and their tragic end to defy their destinies.
"In 1983, at the age of thirty, dissident artist Ma Jian finds himself divorced by his wife, separated from his daughter, betrayed by his girlfriend, facing arrest for "Spiritual Pollution," and severely disillusioned with the confines of life in Beijing. So with little more than a change of clothes and two bars of soap, Ma takes off to immerse himself in the remotest parts of China. His journey would last three years and take him through smog-choked cities and mountain villages, from scenes of barbarity to havens of tranquility. Remarkably written and subtly moving, the result is an insight into the teeming contradictions of China that only a man who was both insider and outsider in his own country could have written."
I haven't finish this book yet, so far, its been rather dry - being translated and all, and above all, for being more of a travelogue than novel. It mainly described the scenes and happenings to Ma Jian as he travel through China towards Tibet after being sacked from his job as a propaganda photographer.
But its a great insight into the political history of China that the Chinese government wishes the world can forget.
As quoted from my post in the forums.
today hor..
morning my new superior called me.. screamed and shouted at me and wanted me to return camp by 9:30am. it was 9am.
i was preparing to go to hospital wib my 24 hrs worth of urine, so i asked her the reason. she refused, i kept asking until she gave up.
she say i neber pass my duties properly because i asked a newcomer to help out with rations indent for office for next month - which i will only be back next week.
so i explained, template is there, he just need to change the dates from june to july and pass to the cookhouse unker. 5 mins work. i already told the guy to find a computer and call me, i'll explain to him, its very simple.
besides, I ORDERED THE FOOD TO LAST UNTIL 7TH JULY. SHE GAN CHIONG SMLJ. I'LL BE ALREADY BACK THERE. i only wanted to do it earlier because its my habit to finish these sorta things earlier cuz its that simple.
fucking idiot, imagine i go kl already she lidat call me. i ccb volunteer to go DB for fucking my superiors. i had to fucking plead with her until i run outta saliva when its not my fucking fault. first thing i return, ill go complain to big boss. duns care.
this is what army repays u when u decided to work abit more efficiently.
today hor..
morning my new superior called me.. screamed and shouted at me and wanted me to return camp by 9:30am. it was 9am.
i was preparing to go to hospital wib my 24 hrs worth of urine, so i asked her the reason. she refused, i kept asking until she gave up.
she say i neber pass my duties properly because i asked a newcomer to help out with rations indent for office for next month - which i will only be back next week.
so i explained, template is there, he just need to change the dates from june to july and pass to the cookhouse unker. 5 mins work. i already told the guy to find a computer and call me, i'll explain to him, its very simple.
besides, I ORDERED THE FOOD TO LAST UNTIL 7TH JULY. SHE GAN CHIONG SMLJ. I'LL BE ALREADY BACK THERE. i only wanted to do it earlier because its my habit to finish these sorta things earlier cuz its that simple.
fucking idiot, imagine i go kl already she lidat call me. i ccb volunteer to go DB for fucking my superiors. i had to fucking plead with her until i run outta saliva when its not my fucking fault. first thing i return, ill go complain to big boss. duns care.
this is what army repays u when u decided to work abit more efficiently.
Holiday! Yay! I'm going to KL in several days time, but before that I have to do a very troublesome medical test with the Diabetics Centre. Its a 24 Hrs urine test, I was given a huge bottle with chemicals in it and I have to fill it with my own piss.
And I thought the blood pressure test was bad enough. =(
And I thought the blood pressure test was bad enough. =(
Interesting movie based on the hit HK movie Shaolin Soccer with a touch of Jdrama melodramatic ending. Its quite funny, scenes are kewl and familar faces for Jdrama fans and two of the not-so-popular cast from Shaolin Soccer.
Its quite worth watching, so I don't understand why people shunned it compared to other blockbusters.
And there is also a rip-off of this movie that goes by the name of Shaolin Baba.. literally translated to Shaolin Old Woman. (http://www.shaolinbaba.jp/) And it will be released theatrically in Japan next April.
So I can safely assume the movie has gained some popularity in Japan.
Like.. Wow. LOL.
Well written novel set in the Taliban period of Afghanistan and the lives of two different women living through a lengthy period of civil unrest and war. Mariam grew up as a harami, an illegitimate child of a small town businessman while Laila, a proud daughter of a progressive urban teacher. Difference in age by more than a decade, they were forced to marry an eldery shoemaker due to the unforseeable circumstances in life.
While, the author may be of Afghanistan origin, he have lived in US for most of his life. That may alter his worldview on Afghanistan as compared to a true local. He did went back of many occasions, and some parts of the novel were based on the stories he heard. Nevertheless, this is one of the best sources to understand the culture and history of Afghanistan.
This is one of the best novel I've ever read, so go ahead and get it.
Its the infamous "mandatory" Army Half Marathon Donation activity that required all NSF, like me, to find donations of at least $12 for us (and more for some other people). Officially, its not mandatory but its infamous for Units to pressurise their poor NSF to donate from their own pockets when they are unable to find any donations. And I am talking about $400 per month allowance NSF with no additional income.
Threats of disciplinary actions, black-list, lousy review and other lectures or even scoldings are rumoured. And a few of those were blatantly hinted to me. The money mattered not, but the fact that it has become socially "mandatory" to donate resulting from superiors' pressure. "Donation" has lost its meaning, and fear has taken its place.
I do not want to donate, I have donated much in the past to charity, charities that I believe make a difference and uphold their values and visions, and I do not wish to donate to an organisation that expected donations to cover their people's screw-ups when they take billions from public funds. Of course, given my financial situation, its not possible for me to be charitable about anything much nowadays.
But I had to ask - my mom, said, "No. We're not doing well as we are, why should we donate? They are bloody money cheaters." So I brought it back. I've tried, and I take the same stance as my family. Over my bloody dead body would I give a cent, and they can pry it out of my dead hands if they want to.
So I brought an empty card back, and told my superior, I've no money, my parents have no money. Frustrated, they offered a small donation from their part, and that is how $7 came to be. The people who came to collect those cards were naturally not pleased. The poor boy said the following to me, and our conversation goes roughly like this. Take note of how "disciplinary action" was mentioned, right in my face. So I just stared at him.
Boy: "You are the one who donated $7? Its required to donate at least $12."
Ito: "Is it required?"
Boy: "Yes, its required."
Ito: "I've no money."
Boy: "Then there will be disciplinary actions."
Ito: "Ok."
Boy: "Well, maybe not disciplinary actions. Actions will be taken, if you do not come up with $12."
Ito: "Ok. I've no money to give."
Boy: "Then I have to report to my mdm."
Ito: "Ok. Go ahead."
After a short while, baffled by my indifferent response.. he went to talk with my superior. Honestly, do they take me for a child that would quiver under such pathetic threats? Do they give a darn when my best opportunity to study was crushed by their incompetence?
Boy: "I've to explain, there will not be any disciplinary actions taken, you see, we have to achieve this target and if this target is not reached, than we will come back and ask you about it again."
Ito: "Ok. Thank you."
Later on, my IC whined about how much problems I caused, and how I will be summoned by all my superiors for questioning and I laughed lightly in return. I've taken enough salt in life to suffer high blood pressure.
Threats of disciplinary actions, black-list, lousy review and other lectures or even scoldings are rumoured. And a few of those were blatantly hinted to me. The money mattered not, but the fact that it has become socially "mandatory" to donate resulting from superiors' pressure. "Donation" has lost its meaning, and fear has taken its place.
I do not want to donate, I have donated much in the past to charity, charities that I believe make a difference and uphold their values and visions, and I do not wish to donate to an organisation that expected donations to cover their people's screw-ups when they take billions from public funds. Of course, given my financial situation, its not possible for me to be charitable about anything much nowadays.
But I had to ask - my mom, said, "No. We're not doing well as we are, why should we donate? They are bloody money cheaters." So I brought it back. I've tried, and I take the same stance as my family. Over my bloody dead body would I give a cent, and they can pry it out of my dead hands if they want to.
So I brought an empty card back, and told my superior, I've no money, my parents have no money. Frustrated, they offered a small donation from their part, and that is how $7 came to be. The people who came to collect those cards were naturally not pleased. The poor boy said the following to me, and our conversation goes roughly like this. Take note of how "disciplinary action" was mentioned, right in my face. So I just stared at him.
Boy: "You are the one who donated $7? Its required to donate at least $12."
Ito: "Is it required?"
Boy: "Yes, its required."
Ito: "I've no money."
Boy: "Then there will be disciplinary actions."
Ito: "Ok."
Boy: "Well, maybe not disciplinary actions. Actions will be taken, if you do not come up with $12."
Ito: "Ok. I've no money to give."
Boy: "Then I have to report to my mdm."
Ito: "Ok. Go ahead."
After a short while, baffled by my indifferent response.. he went to talk with my superior. Honestly, do they take me for a child that would quiver under such pathetic threats? Do they give a darn when my best opportunity to study was crushed by their incompetence?
Boy: "I've to explain, there will not be any disciplinary actions taken, you see, we have to achieve this target and if this target is not reached, than we will come back and ask you about it again."
Ito: "Ok. Thank you."
Later on, my IC whined about how much problems I caused, and how I will be summoned by all my superiors for questioning and I laughed lightly in return. I've taken enough salt in life to suffer high blood pressure.
- Daidomon Charcoal BBQ @ RM$68++.
Lot 4, Level 3, Great Eastern Mall
No. 303, Jalan Ampang
50450 Kuala Lumpur
http://www.daidomon.com.my/location.htm
Everyone needs a shopping list when they go holiday. So will I.
- Braun Buffel Wallet - $100
- DKNY Be Delicious Cologne - $70
- Handphone Casing x 3 - $10
- Presents for Friends x 2 - $100
- Bermuda (Black) - $70
- Snacks - $45
- Replacement Watch Strap - $15
- Meals - $200
We caught The Happening today. Basically, a doomsday masterpiece that ain't so doomsday. At first I thought the movie is about the infamous rapture where a large portion of Earth's population suddenly vanished one fine day and the remaining ones must prove their conviction to God, or so the tale goes.
But its nothing to do with any of that. It's about people dying mysteriously all over and our hero must steer his family to safety. The gory footages were just nice to bring chill to the plot and not too bloody to ruin everything. It's a thriller genre, not horror.
Go catch it if you want to, its worth the money.
The webhost really fucked up. Their payment gateway or whatever they call em nowadays, 2CO, actually thought my credit card was fraud just over I had accounts under different names and cards previously.
When I was working freelance, I helped several clients setup their websites, so on and so forth and naturally, I would sometimes use my credit card or use their names for their own websites. 3ix is one of the better choices for its budget hosting.
And what I get back in return? Suspicion and accusations. Their customer service simply pushed fault to one another until they decided they have to re-open my account so I could submit a second payment just to verify my information - which ironically, same as the first Credit Card I used.
That is more than a week's downtime. Unacceptable, but I am really too busy to switch for the next year or so. But I ain't gonna introduce any more people to this fucked up piece of shit.
When I was working freelance, I helped several clients setup their websites, so on and so forth and naturally, I would sometimes use my credit card or use their names for their own websites. 3ix is one of the better choices for its budget hosting.
And what I get back in return? Suspicion and accusations. Their customer service simply pushed fault to one another until they decided they have to re-open my account so I could submit a second payment just to verify my information - which ironically, same as the first Credit Card I used.
That is more than a week's downtime. Unacceptable, but I am really too busy to switch for the next year or so. But I ain't gonna introduce any more people to this fucked up piece of shit.
