"That which does not kill me makes me cuter." - tele Nietzsche
Sunday, August 31, 2003
Phew! Last night came back damn tired! But most fulfilling. I loaned a heavy bulky video camera from school to film down Wendy's private cosplay with Mai, this yando guy called Totchi and Ah Boon. Supposed to record up to two hours of footage from this event, then edit it and present 10 minutes of it to my Visual Ethnography module class. Visual, you know the meaning. Ethnography from dictionary.com means "the branch of anthropology that deals with the scientific description of specific human cultures". So it was my job to present in visual form what a simple private cosplay is about.
Wendi left us at the Esplanade in the afternoon, and we were also joined and left by various groups of friends.
There's also that "Mana" person and her companion as well as Mai's sister and another friend (sorry i don't know the names) who joined along the whole thing and participated in my filming process.
So what's my work about? According to my lecturer and the few ethnographic films we have watched so far, it has been discussed that most or all TV documentaries focus on the subject/s while the filmmaker or video cameraman is always invisible in order to attain the as much objectivity as possible. But yet again, full objectivity is an almost impossible task because in simplest thought what the viewers see is still what the video cameraman wants captured on screen, so what's being left out is also part of the objective truth but that which viewers do not get to see. There are also issues about the one-sidedness of interpretation due to commentaries being added in with the visuals, clouding out the ability of viewers to form their own opinions or ideas on what they see.
As such, my module's work is not to keep myself invisible and to pretend I'm not there, but to include myself as part of the story which I'm trying to paint with what is captured in and out of the camera. While objectivity today is a near impossible thing as every cameraman/anthropologist who wishes to study about/observe a certain culture will inevitably come up with different interpretations and different footages, I shall paint a clearer picture of this private cosplay as a culture with what I have subjectively captured on film, to offer a better understanding of what cosplay is generally about compared to the degrading comments made on the news. That is, if my work is worth using as a project in this module, harharhar...
So what did i do? I filmed and talked and interacted with my subjects at the same time, recorded various processes such as photo-takings, preparations (we went to Wendy's house in the morning), chats (not that much though) as well as puri print-taking. The problem i encountered mainly was with security guards approacging me telling that I'm not allowed to film within certain compunds such as City Link, Esplanade and Heeren... but no matter for by the time I was approached, I had already captured to my heart's content ^^.
Okay, if this whole thing doesn't work out, I'll just treat it as something I did out of fun. I'll convert the entire close to 2 hours worth of raw footage into MPEG or AVI format and distribute a few to some kids in CD. Heh heh (^-^)v
Wendi left us at the Esplanade in the afternoon, and we were also joined and left by various groups of friends.
There's also that "Mana" person and her companion as well as Mai's sister and another friend (sorry i don't know the names) who joined along the whole thing and participated in my filming process.
So what's my work about? According to my lecturer and the few ethnographic films we have watched so far, it has been discussed that most or all TV documentaries focus on the subject/s while the filmmaker or video cameraman is always invisible in order to attain the as much objectivity as possible. But yet again, full objectivity is an almost impossible task because in simplest thought what the viewers see is still what the video cameraman wants captured on screen, so what's being left out is also part of the objective truth but that which viewers do not get to see. There are also issues about the one-sidedness of interpretation due to commentaries being added in with the visuals, clouding out the ability of viewers to form their own opinions or ideas on what they see.
As such, my module's work is not to keep myself invisible and to pretend I'm not there, but to include myself as part of the story which I'm trying to paint with what is captured in and out of the camera. While objectivity today is a near impossible thing as every cameraman/anthropologist who wishes to study about/observe a certain culture will inevitably come up with different interpretations and different footages, I shall paint a clearer picture of this private cosplay as a culture with what I have subjectively captured on film, to offer a better understanding of what cosplay is generally about compared to the degrading comments made on the news. That is, if my work is worth using as a project in this module, harharhar...
So what did i do? I filmed and talked and interacted with my subjects at the same time, recorded various processes such as photo-takings, preparations (we went to Wendy's house in the morning), chats (not that much though) as well as puri print-taking. The problem i encountered mainly was with security guards approacging me telling that I'm not allowed to film within certain compunds such as City Link, Esplanade and Heeren... but no matter for by the time I was approached, I had already captured to my heart's content ^^.
Okay, if this whole thing doesn't work out, I'll just treat it as something I did out of fun. I'll convert the entire close to 2 hours worth of raw footage into MPEG or AVI format and distribute a few to some kids in CD. Heh heh (^-^)v
Friday, August 29, 2003
alo alo r u ok? y my blog so kok one, take so long for changes to take effect.
testing testing go n die
testing testing go n die
Wednesday, August 27, 2003
argh, something's wrong wif my Internet Explorer - when i try to highlight web page text or type anything, there is a slight lag causing me lotsa precious time trying to get most things done (it takes about 1/2 a second before the highlighting appears).
tried many means to remedy this but all attempts have been futile.
- scanned the com with Norton Antivirus
- ran AdAware to remove foreign programs/spywares
- performed error checks with Norton
- tried tweaking some IE settings
- repaired and even re-installed IE6
Result: zero zilch nil >:|
Last resort will be to format the entire com, maybe i'll do that some time later. For now, i'll have to rely on Netscape for any heavy highlighting/ browsing work on the net. Gourd dam sheet chao cheese bom @##!~!@#$!?!!?!@#
tried many means to remedy this but all attempts have been futile.
- scanned the com with Norton Antivirus
- ran AdAware to remove foreign programs/spywares
- performed error checks with Norton
- tried tweaking some IE settings
- repaired and even re-installed IE6
Result: zero zilch nil >:|
Last resort will be to format the entire com, maybe i'll do that some time later. For now, i'll have to rely on Netscape for any heavy highlighting/ browsing work on the net. Gourd dam sheet chao cheese bom @##!~!@#$!?!!?!@#
Monday, August 25, 2003
Tuesday, August 19, 2003
testing testing...
new look, but not yet complete... gotta completely remove all the RPG elements to make way for this hellraising experience... heheheh >:D
new look, but not yet complete... gotta completely remove all the RPG elements to make way for this hellraising experience... heheheh >:D
Cinderella!
What movie Do you Belong in?(many different outcomes!)
brought to you by Quizilla
Monday, August 18, 2003
Ah, haven't been updating my blog for some time. Nothing much interesting except that my school has started for a week, damn sian.
Today I spent a bomb. I won the auction on Yahoo for Hellraiser Series 1 figures at $125, and found out that the seller has a toy shop at Far East Plaza. So I went down there to collect the toys, but unexpectedly, what I thought was as good as impossible to get was actually there as well - the exclusive limited-to-10,000-pieces-worldwide Wire Twins just arrived at the shop - $55! ARGHHHH!!! What to do!?!?! I agonized over the idea of having to spend way more than I've mentally prepared for while zipping to different shops looking for a new shirt. I bought a shirt (my usual style :p) for $39.90 at 77th Street. Then I made my way back to the shop and decided to get the exclusive Wire Twins set as well. The seller gave me a $5 discount from it - it isn't much, but hell it'll do! So in the end, Hellraiser Series 1 cost me $175 which was still well worth the price for an entire complete set. But I'm gonna turn into a super-stinge for the rest of the month - I've overshot my monthly allowance! GARHHHGH!!
Oh, here's a pic of the full set ^^v
Today I spent a bomb. I won the auction on Yahoo for Hellraiser Series 1 figures at $125, and found out that the seller has a toy shop at Far East Plaza. So I went down there to collect the toys, but unexpectedly, what I thought was as good as impossible to get was actually there as well - the exclusive limited-to-10,000-pieces-worldwide Wire Twins just arrived at the shop - $55! ARGHHHH!!! What to do!?!?! I agonized over the idea of having to spend way more than I've mentally prepared for while zipping to different shops looking for a new shirt. I bought a shirt (my usual style :p) for $39.90 at 77th Street. Then I made my way back to the shop and decided to get the exclusive Wire Twins set as well. The seller gave me a $5 discount from it - it isn't much, but hell it'll do! So in the end, Hellraiser Series 1 cost me $175 which was still well worth the price for an entire complete set. But I'm gonna turn into a super-stinge for the rest of the month - I've overshot my monthly allowance! GARHHHGH!!
Oh, here's a pic of the full set ^^v
Thursday, August 07, 2003
You come from the Middle Ages. Your soul came from
a time when dragons, knights, war and
Princesses ruled the land.
Where Did Your Soul Originate?
brought to you by Quizilla
am i flouting some rule here if i put this up my blog? o well, i got it from here anyway...
http://www.carnatic.com/www/index.php?why=a&offset=500
******
The Human Rights Declaration: Hypocrisy of a barbarous society: One of the most fundamental things to be always remembered is that we are living in a hypocrite society. Once, a great philosopher was asked: "What do you think of civilization?" The philosopher said, "It is a good idea, but somebody has to change the idea into a reality. Civilization has not happened yet. It is a dream of the future." But the people who are in power -- politically, religiously, socially -- are in power because civilization has not happened. A civilized world, a mature man, needs no nations -- all those boundaries are false -- needs no religions, because all those theologies are simple fictions. The people who have been for thousands of years in power -- the priests, the politicians, the super-rich, they have all the powers to prevent human evolution. But the best way to prevent it is to convince man, "You are already civilized," to convince man, "You are already a human being. You need not go through a transformation, it is unnecessary." And man's weakness is that knowing perfectly well there exists no such thing as civilization, there exists no such thing as human sensitivity, still he starts believing in all the lies that the politicians have been speaking, the priests have been preaching, the educationists have been teaching -- because it seems simpler to just believe, you don't have to do anything for it. To recognize the fact that you are not yet a man creates fear. The very ground underneath your feet disappears. Truth makes you utterly naked -- naked of all lies, naked of all hypocrisies. That's why nobody wants truth; everybody believes that he has got it.
******
http://www.carnatic.com/www/index.php?why=a&offset=500
******
The Human Rights Declaration: Hypocrisy of a barbarous society: One of the most fundamental things to be always remembered is that we are living in a hypocrite society. Once, a great philosopher was asked: "What do you think of civilization?" The philosopher said, "It is a good idea, but somebody has to change the idea into a reality. Civilization has not happened yet. It is a dream of the future." But the people who are in power -- politically, religiously, socially -- are in power because civilization has not happened. A civilized world, a mature man, needs no nations -- all those boundaries are false -- needs no religions, because all those theologies are simple fictions. The people who have been for thousands of years in power -- the priests, the politicians, the super-rich, they have all the powers to prevent human evolution. But the best way to prevent it is to convince man, "You are already civilized," to convince man, "You are already a human being. You need not go through a transformation, it is unnecessary." And man's weakness is that knowing perfectly well there exists no such thing as civilization, there exists no such thing as human sensitivity, still he starts believing in all the lies that the politicians have been speaking, the priests have been preaching, the educationists have been teaching -- because it seems simpler to just believe, you don't have to do anything for it. To recognize the fact that you are not yet a man creates fear. The very ground underneath your feet disappears. Truth makes you utterly naked -- naked of all lies, naked of all hypocrisies. That's why nobody wants truth; everybody believes that he has got it.
******
Wednesday, August 06, 2003
The NUS module selection now functions through the system of bidding. Each student is allocated a certain number of bid points to bid for the modules they want. There are two types of bid points - one is from the Programme Account and the other from General Account.
The Programme Account is for bidding of modules within the student's own Faculty.
The General Account is for bidding of modules outside the Faculty.
This system is pretty fair, with limited vacancies, modules are only successfully allocated to students according to how much bid points they are willing to sacrifice.
But the people who handle the allocation of bid points are flawlessly skewed in their idea of what is called "fair". For some reason or another, different Faculty students receive different numbers of bid points.
I have no idea how this system is really run, so I have no comments about it.
But I do have comments about this...
I have about 470 General points to bid for modules outside the Faculty. My friend from another Faculty has only about 190 odd to do the same.
The students from this unfortunate Faculty were called to attend a talk this past Monday to hear out the explanations for this vast difference...
- they mentioned it's meant for us to take unpopular modules
- the deans refused to transfer pts from Programme account over to General, reason unclear
- for popular modules, they said just try but most probably have to try again in further rounds
Although I'm not from that Faculty, and based on only these info here...
without. all. due. disrespect.
fuuuuuuuuuucccckkkk............ _|_ off la
The Programme Account is for bidding of modules within the student's own Faculty.
The General Account is for bidding of modules outside the Faculty.
This system is pretty fair, with limited vacancies, modules are only successfully allocated to students according to how much bid points they are willing to sacrifice.
But the people who handle the allocation of bid points are flawlessly skewed in their idea of what is called "fair". For some reason or another, different Faculty students receive different numbers of bid points.
I have no idea how this system is really run, so I have no comments about it.
But I do have comments about this...
I have about 470 General points to bid for modules outside the Faculty. My friend from another Faculty has only about 190 odd to do the same.
The students from this unfortunate Faculty were called to attend a talk this past Monday to hear out the explanations for this vast difference...
- they mentioned it's meant for us to take unpopular modules
- the deans refused to transfer pts from Programme account over to General, reason unclear
- for popular modules, they said just try but most probably have to try again in further rounds
Although I'm not from that Faculty, and based on only these info here...
without. all. due. disrespect.
fuuuuuuuuuucccckkkk............ _|_ off la
Tuesday, August 05, 2003
I made a mistake of a mistake. School starts next week Aug 11. Just recovered from a fever, and now my ulcer is taking its place to torment my last moments of freedom. ARGHH!!!
Other than that, i'm in the Hellraiser mood along with Jojie, right Jojie (^-^)? He's got all 6 movies which i'm gonna download slowly from him and burn them into CD.
For those curious enough to solve or tinker with the puzzle box... oooohhhh..."We have such sights to show you..." HEEHEEEHAHAHHAHA
Other than that, i'm in the Hellraiser mood along with Jojie, right Jojie (^-^)? He's got all 6 movies which i'm gonna download slowly from him and burn them into CD.
For those curious enough to solve or tinker with the puzzle box... oooohhhh..."We have such sights to show you..." HEEHEEEHAHAHHAHA
Friday, August 01, 2003
I made a mistake. For almost this entire week, i thought i had only until next week before my school starts... I have two more - school starts 18 August. That means two more weeks of holiday, not one. Suddenly i don't feel so sian anymore. HOHOHOHOHO. x(^-^)v
But holiday too long can get sian also. Been digging up my age-old games to play. Yesterday tried Tomb Raider 2, I'm surprised I'm still used to the default control keys instead of my custom ones - I tried to customise my keyboard movements but couldn't get used to it even though it seemed more organised, so i switched back to the old default keys - surprising that I'm more "skillful" with it. After a while i deleted the game - too damn boring.
Also downloaded the zipped up 176 SEGA Genesis ROMs from Kazaa... 80% of the games are horrible. The graphics made me sick. I realised the best quality graphics and gameplay that SEGA 16-Bit can provide are among those like Bare Knuckle 2 & 3, Shinobi 3 and Street Fighter 2. Most of the others have colours and resolutions too primitive and irritating for my eyes today when I would not have minded as much in the past. Games have come a long way... I think i need new games.... arghhhhhh >__<
Just now i tried playing the first Command and Conquer game. Installed the Covert Operations extension and jumped straight in to play the extra missions... and got thrashed big-time by the com AI. Aiiii... I thought i've improved my C&C skills through the other sequels, but in the end had to resort to the same old sandbag barrier cheat to block all available movement space and slowly confine the enemy in their own bases.
I've also been trying out Heroes of Might & Magic IV but the game starts to get laggy after a while of playing and simply crashes after abt one hour plus. (It's only a turn-based game but it eats up so much of my com's resources! GHARRGH!) So what do i do? What i do best - play cheat. Type in the codes to create unbelievably huge armies of dragons, skip all combat screens and let the com do quick and guaranteed successful battles for me while i rush through the game just to follow the campaign storyline. It's very tempting to try out the 5 other campaign stories in the game, but i deleted it cos the lag is such a pain.
My psyche is currently dominated by the RPG mood. I need games! I neeeeed new RPG GAMES!!! ARGGHHH!!! Two more weeks holiday... no money to upgrade or get a new com and the current one is too slow for the good RPGs today...
( ;x; ) Neverwinter Nights
(>O<) Icewind Dale 2
( -x- ) Morrowind (I have this wonderful RPG but i can't play it... !@#@###!??!)
But holiday too long can get sian also. Been digging up my age-old games to play. Yesterday tried Tomb Raider 2, I'm surprised I'm still used to the default control keys instead of my custom ones - I tried to customise my keyboard movements but couldn't get used to it even though it seemed more organised, so i switched back to the old default keys - surprising that I'm more "skillful" with it. After a while i deleted the game - too damn boring.
Also downloaded the zipped up 176 SEGA Genesis ROMs from Kazaa... 80% of the games are horrible. The graphics made me sick. I realised the best quality graphics and gameplay that SEGA 16-Bit can provide are among those like Bare Knuckle 2 & 3, Shinobi 3 and Street Fighter 2. Most of the others have colours and resolutions too primitive and irritating for my eyes today when I would not have minded as much in the past. Games have come a long way... I think i need new games.... arghhhhhh >__<
Just now i tried playing the first Command and Conquer game. Installed the Covert Operations extension and jumped straight in to play the extra missions... and got thrashed big-time by the com AI. Aiiii... I thought i've improved my C&C skills through the other sequels, but in the end had to resort to the same old sandbag barrier cheat to block all available movement space and slowly confine the enemy in their own bases.
I've also been trying out Heroes of Might & Magic IV but the game starts to get laggy after a while of playing and simply crashes after abt one hour plus. (It's only a turn-based game but it eats up so much of my com's resources! GHARRGH!) So what do i do? What i do best - play cheat. Type in the codes to create unbelievably huge armies of dragons, skip all combat screens and let the com do quick and guaranteed successful battles for me while i rush through the game just to follow the campaign storyline. It's very tempting to try out the 5 other campaign stories in the game, but i deleted it cos the lag is such a pain.
My psyche is currently dominated by the RPG mood. I need games! I neeeeed new RPG GAMES!!! ARGGHHH!!! Two more weeks holiday... no money to upgrade or get a new com and the current one is too slow for the good RPGs today...
( ;x; ) Neverwinter Nights
(>O<) Icewind Dale 2
( -x- ) Morrowind (I have this wonderful RPG but i can't play it... !@#@###!??!)
