So Heath Ledger won an Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
It is as expected and rather predictable. Why do I say that? Well, people tend to honor the dead (and those who died prematurely) more than the living. As the old saying goes, artists only get rich after they're dead.
What is it with this screwed up world that prevents artists from getting paid their dues before they die?
The NYC medical examiner's office "concluded that the manner of death is accident, resulting from the abuse of prescription medications". It's quite contradictary that an abuse of perscription medications can be deemed "accidental". I find it quite funny actually.
Okay, it makes sense that he didn't intend to die but isn't it quite obvious that when a person abuses something, it's usually bad in the first place? When the substances being abused are drugs, in large amounts aren't they usually fatal?
Okay so he wasn't suicidal but he was definitely self-destructive. Obviously he can't handle the pressure (whatever pressure it may be) and therefore in my books doesn't deserve even a pity vote.
Well, I suppose he paid for it with his life. He could've had so much more. Too bad then.
All that talent's just been flushed down the toilet.
Back to my point, why don't they honor the living as much as the dead?
Humans are selfish by nature and in their selfish manner, the want to make themselves feel better by honoring those that they feel have "sacraficed" for the art/cause/whatnot.
If you ask me, wanna honor someone? Do it while he/she is ALIVE! Then at least it's appreaciated.
Well, Mr Ledger, you can bury your award statue with you now. RIP.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Sunday, February 08, 2009
The automotive debate
I'm a snob. Oh I'm sure many people have had those thoughts about me before. Here I am admitting it.
Why the sudden admission? Well, I've come to realise that there isn't a single Japanese car that I'd really really really want.
Now by saying that I like the car, it just means that I'm okay with it, I can live with it but it's still not the driving machine that I'd really want.
So that's the reason why I'm admitting that I'm a snob. Let me explain.
I've had may debates with a number of people regarding this issue; a Japanese car, like a Korean car, Chinese car, Indian car; Russian car...oh you get the picture, will NEVER EVER, in my opinion be anything close to being luxurious.
First and foremost, luxury items are not mass produced. They are hand-built for the select few. Examples that comes to mind would be:
1) Rolls Royce
2) Bentley
3) Maybach
Now obviously these are really exclusive cars reserved for the very elite. What about for the millionaires out there? The corporate chiefs and directors?
Well, there you have Mercedes, BMW, Aston Martin, Maserati, Porsche, Ferrari, Jaguar etc.
For the junior executive (people that generally make more than S$100K annually)? Well, now comes the Volvos, Saabs, Volkswagens, Audis and continental cars priced within say S$100K-$250K. Why didn't I mention a single Japanese car then?
Here's the reason.
Although the Japanese have their own so-called "Luxury" brands; Lexus being the first to pop into your mind I assume, to me (and YES this is a personal view), they are not luxurious.
They are corporate and efficient, well engineered vehicles but they do not make me enjoy driving. Of course not every car in my junior exec. list will make me enjoy driving either but it's different.
What then defines a luxury car to me then? Passion.
Ever wonder why the Japanese have yet to come up with a car that's remotely close to the emotions that a Ferrari or Lamborghini brings to a person? Why most dream-cars are the likes of th F-word and the L-word?
You might wanna argue "What about the new GT-R?" Oh it's a wonderful car. Marvelously engineered. Brilliantly hand-assembled. But it's designed and built by a bunch of engineers whose passion is not really the whole package of how the car looks, handles, drives and is engineered but rather whose passion is "Lets bring engineering to its limit" or "Lets see if we can come up with the best-handling, fastest car".
In North America, Japan, China; the new automobile manufacturing countries, it's all about making money. They've applied Ford Model-T's principle of "Lets bring cars to everyone". Therefore, they build cars that are reliable, fuel-economical, reasonably comfortable and nice to look at.
But that's it. And I dare say that Lexus is just another one of these. It's still just a Toyota with better handling, a better engine, slightly more comfortable leather seats but it's still just a Toyota.
The designers didn't put any passion into the car. Thus, to me, they're just boxes on wheels, some better equipped than others, but not something that I'd really really want.
Why the sudden admission? Well, I've come to realise that there isn't a single Japanese car that I'd really really really want.
Now by saying that I like the car, it just means that I'm okay with it, I can live with it but it's still not the driving machine that I'd really want.
So that's the reason why I'm admitting that I'm a snob. Let me explain.
I've had may debates with a number of people regarding this issue; a Japanese car, like a Korean car, Chinese car, Indian car; Russian car...oh you get the picture, will NEVER EVER, in my opinion be anything close to being luxurious.
First and foremost, luxury items are not mass produced. They are hand-built for the select few. Examples that comes to mind would be:
1) Rolls Royce
2) Bentley
3) Maybach
Now obviously these are really exclusive cars reserved for the very elite. What about for the millionaires out there? The corporate chiefs and directors?
Well, there you have Mercedes, BMW, Aston Martin, Maserati, Porsche, Ferrari, Jaguar etc.
For the junior executive (people that generally make more than S$100K annually)? Well, now comes the Volvos, Saabs, Volkswagens, Audis and continental cars priced within say S$100K-$250K. Why didn't I mention a single Japanese car then?
Here's the reason.
Although the Japanese have their own so-called "Luxury" brands; Lexus being the first to pop into your mind I assume, to me (and YES this is a personal view), they are not luxurious.
They are corporate and efficient, well engineered vehicles but they do not make me enjoy driving. Of course not every car in my junior exec. list will make me enjoy driving either but it's different.
What then defines a luxury car to me then? Passion.
Ever wonder why the Japanese have yet to come up with a car that's remotely close to the emotions that a Ferrari or Lamborghini brings to a person? Why most dream-cars are the likes of th F-word and the L-word?
You might wanna argue "What about the new GT-R?" Oh it's a wonderful car. Marvelously engineered. Brilliantly hand-assembled. But it's designed and built by a bunch of engineers whose passion is not really the whole package of how the car looks, handles, drives and is engineered but rather whose passion is "Lets bring engineering to its limit" or "Lets see if we can come up with the best-handling, fastest car".
In North America, Japan, China; the new automobile manufacturing countries, it's all about making money. They've applied Ford Model-T's principle of "Lets bring cars to everyone". Therefore, they build cars that are reliable, fuel-economical, reasonably comfortable and nice to look at.
But that's it. And I dare say that Lexus is just another one of these. It's still just a Toyota with better handling, a better engine, slightly more comfortable leather seats but it's still just a Toyota.
The designers didn't put any passion into the car. Thus, to me, they're just boxes on wheels, some better equipped than others, but not something that I'd really really want.
Saturday, February 07, 2009
The Game of LIFE
The problem with life is that when the Almighty created it, for whatever reason, he forgot to "Enable Cheats" and include a "Reset" button.
It's a journey that all of us have to take no matter what. Some attempt to shorten their miserable lives by ending it prematurely and most succeed. Those that don't, well, their misery lives on (pun intented).
If a person/animal's consciousness is nothing but energy, what happens when we die?
Does it get dissipated slowly? After all, the amount of matter and energy in the universe remains constant. That, is a scientific fact. However, have you ever wondered about the energy which makes up our soul?
It has to be energy since we consume food to remain conscious and alive.
Someone mentioned to me before that if a person's spirit or soul goes someplace, then that place would be over-crowded with the spirits and souls of countless individuals.
I'd probably think that it'll all dissipate into space. After all, it's the one place that no one really knows what goes on in. I'd like to think of my soul, when I die as becoming a space dwelling free-spirit.
Different people have different opinions about what happens when they die so, lets hear your belief.
It's a journey that all of us have to take no matter what. Some attempt to shorten their miserable lives by ending it prematurely and most succeed. Those that don't, well, their misery lives on (pun intented).
If a person/animal's consciousness is nothing but energy, what happens when we die?
Does it get dissipated slowly? After all, the amount of matter and energy in the universe remains constant. That, is a scientific fact. However, have you ever wondered about the energy which makes up our soul?
It has to be energy since we consume food to remain conscious and alive.
Someone mentioned to me before that if a person's spirit or soul goes someplace, then that place would be over-crowded with the spirits and souls of countless individuals.
I'd probably think that it'll all dissipate into space. After all, it's the one place that no one really knows what goes on in. I'd like to think of my soul, when I die as becoming a space dwelling free-spirit.
Different people have different opinions about what happens when they die so, lets hear your belief.
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
I may have gone slightly mad...
Right after a 45-day wait to get the ride back, I'm surfing the internet for water injection kits.
You think I'm mad, don't you? Well, the ironic fact of the matter is; is that water injection actually prevents pre-detonation caused by fuel starvation and cools down the air going into the combustion chamber.
Okay, that sounded like a whole bunch of geek talk but in essence, it prevents the engine from 'knocking' when boost is being increased.
Yes yes yes, the draw of increasing boost is still there and will probably never go away. But. Lesson learnt. Will do it a little more carefully.
In any case, it might not be that bad an idea to head to some accessories shops to look for a gear knob. The stock one's beginning to look a little aged. Of course I can't forget about my matt black racing stripes as well.
It'll come together in time...slowly, but surely. Meanwhile, I'm still considering buying a Made-in-China car, pay for it upfront and mess around with the engine after that. Then we'll see what the limits of those engines are before they break apart.
Heh heh heh.
You think I'm mad, don't you? Well, the ironic fact of the matter is; is that water injection actually prevents pre-detonation caused by fuel starvation and cools down the air going into the combustion chamber.
Okay, that sounded like a whole bunch of geek talk but in essence, it prevents the engine from 'knocking' when boost is being increased.
Yes yes yes, the draw of increasing boost is still there and will probably never go away. But. Lesson learnt. Will do it a little more carefully.
In any case, it might not be that bad an idea to head to some accessories shops to look for a gear knob. The stock one's beginning to look a little aged. Of course I can't forget about my matt black racing stripes as well.
It'll come together in time...slowly, but surely. Meanwhile, I'm still considering buying a Made-in-China car, pay for it upfront and mess around with the engine after that. Then we'll see what the limits of those engines are before they break apart.
Heh heh heh.
Monday, February 02, 2009
45 days and a few hours away...
It's been a record for me since my drivers licence got suspended 9 years ago...
That was well...a valid reason as to why I didn't own a car. But I didn't own a car back then for only a couple of weeks.
That was when I was changing the Accent to the 6.
Now...45 days later, I'm a few hours away from getting my ride back. I don't think I've been this excited since...gosh...I bought my first car.
It's probably because of the piece of crap that I've been driving around which was loaned to me.
I mean, I'm paying premium repayments for my ride and yet I have to settle for the crappy cheaper version. Gawd! How can anyone be attached to something that's substandard I have no idea.
In any case...I'm just waiting and waiting...for the time to pass quickly!
Oh and 45 days is half the time it takes to hand-build a Rolls Royce from time of order to date of delivery...
Or I could get an Aston Martin hand-built for me already...
That was well...a valid reason as to why I didn't own a car. But I didn't own a car back then for only a couple of weeks.
That was when I was changing the Accent to the 6.
Now...45 days later, I'm a few hours away from getting my ride back. I don't think I've been this excited since...gosh...I bought my first car.
It's probably because of the piece of crap that I've been driving around which was loaned to me.
I mean, I'm paying premium repayments for my ride and yet I have to settle for the crappy cheaper version. Gawd! How can anyone be attached to something that's substandard I have no idea.
In any case...I'm just waiting and waiting...for the time to pass quickly!
Oh and 45 days is half the time it takes to hand-build a Rolls Royce from time of order to date of delivery...
Or I could get an Aston Martin hand-built for me already...
Sunday, February 01, 2009
Questions...
When energy is expended to do something, it's converted from one form to another. Simply put, potential energy is converted to kinetic energy.
Now, if I travelled from point A to point B. The energy used to travel the distance is used up over time.
Where does the energy go?
It's converted to travelling between point A and B in that given time of course.
So the energy is forever used up and no longer exists.
Or does it?
If there's a way to "see" energy, it would make things alot simpler. However, even if we can 'see' this energy, once it's gone through time, it's over.
Since time is linear and eternal. I often wonder, when I began to type this entry to this point in time now. The beginning time is gone. Is there absolutely no way of getting it back?
Okay...this is getting too heavy for me at 29 minutes past midnight. I'll sleep on it and ponder again some other time.
Now, if I travelled from point A to point B. The energy used to travel the distance is used up over time.
Where does the energy go?
It's converted to travelling between point A and B in that given time of course.
So the energy is forever used up and no longer exists.
Or does it?
If there's a way to "see" energy, it would make things alot simpler. However, even if we can 'see' this energy, once it's gone through time, it's over.
Since time is linear and eternal. I often wonder, when I began to type this entry to this point in time now. The beginning time is gone. Is there absolutely no way of getting it back?
Okay...this is getting too heavy for me at 29 minutes past midnight. I'll sleep on it and ponder again some other time.
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