I'm sorry for not writing. Been busy. Please come back after Christmas.
If you are trying to procrastinate, may I suggest you look at this page which contains a topical listing of my personal favorite posts.
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Thursday, December 01, 2005
sound bites
This is hilarious!
Today I asked myself if I would take a 25% pay cut if I could just work office hours. I would. Without hesitation. Because that would be a 33% reduction in working hours. And I'm sure I could easily earn the money back on the stock market if I was free every night.
Now 39, Mr. Stapleton has taken the lesson he learned that day - that children can hear sounds at higher frequencies than adults can - to fashion a novel device that he hopes will provide a solution to the eternal problem of obstreperous teenagers who hang around outside stores and cause trouble.
The device, called the Mosquito ("It's small and annoying," Mr. Stapleton said), emits a high-frequency pulsing sound that, he says, can be heard by most people younger than 20 and almost no one older than 30. The sound is designed to so irritate young people that after several minutes, they cannot stand it and go away.
I wonder if there is a model for annoying bosses.
Today I asked myself if I would take a 25% pay cut if I could just work office hours. I would. Without hesitation. Because that would be a 33% reduction in working hours. And I'm sure I could easily earn the money back on the stock market if I was free every night.
Friday, November 25, 2005
books and music
These are just a few comments on some of the books I've been reading recently. I wanted to call it a review, but I'm not really in the book review mood.
Blink : The Power of Thinking Without Thinking
This book is about the gift of intuition that everyone is supposed to have. The idea of "thinking without thinking" and making the best decision has immediate appeal. But while the book is full of lovely anecdotes and pscyhological experiments, it doesn't really prescribe how one might achieve this. It also gets a little weak towards the end when the author seems to be finding stuff just to make up volume. Overall, Gladwell is a talented writer and it is a fascinating book but don't expect it to change your life.
How Would You Move Mount Fuji? : Microsoft's Cult of the Puzzle -- How the World's Smartest Companies Select the Most Creative Thinkers
If you want to feel stupid, this is the book for you. This book examines the ethics and efficacy of the puzzle-solving approach used in modern interviews. It also includes a whole bunch of examples from "Why are manhole covers round?" to many others that don't really have answers.
Hard Sayings of Paul
I first picked up this book because an enigma raised the question of whether women should be allowed to teach men (1 Tim 2:12), a question that was raised again in church. The short answer is that yes, it is ok, and Paul's remonition to Timothy was targetted at some specific women at that time. Overall this is quite an interesting book addressing commonly debated issues. Most of the interpretations are quite liberal - i.e. they give more freedom, and don't pose any earthshaking theological positions.
The Sexual Life of Catherine M.
This is definitely the book for all fans of SarongPartyGirl. Catherine M. is the original bohemian artist - a celebrated art critic, not an aspiring art student. And she has simultaneous sex partners up to 2 digits and orgies up to three. Like SPG, it gets a little tiring after a while and I began to feel every page was more of the same, but it is certainly an interesting window into an alternative lifestyle.
The Crisis of Islam : Holy War and Unholy Terror
This is one of those "Why do they hate us?" books. I haven't read others so I can't make a comparison, but it gives a pretty concise overview of the history of Islam and the factors contributing to the mindset of current Islamic fundamentalists. Most importantly, it's quite a short little book, which is good for people who just want a quick overview.
On a lighter note, here are some of the CDs I've been checking out recently.
Blink : The Power of Thinking Without ThinkingThis book is about the gift of intuition that everyone is supposed to have. The idea of "thinking without thinking" and making the best decision has immediate appeal. But while the book is full of lovely anecdotes and pscyhological experiments, it doesn't really prescribe how one might achieve this. It also gets a little weak towards the end when the author seems to be finding stuff just to make up volume. Overall, Gladwell is a talented writer and it is a fascinating book but don't expect it to change your life.
How Would You Move Mount Fuji? : Microsoft's Cult of the Puzzle -- How the World's Smartest Companies Select the Most Creative Thinkers
If you want to feel stupid, this is the book for you. This book examines the ethics and efficacy of the puzzle-solving approach used in modern interviews. It also includes a whole bunch of examples from "Why are manhole covers round?" to many others that don't really have answers.
Hard Sayings of PaulI first picked up this book because an enigma raised the question of whether women should be allowed to teach men (1 Tim 2:12), a question that was raised again in church. The short answer is that yes, it is ok, and Paul's remonition to Timothy was targetted at some specific women at that time. Overall this is quite an interesting book addressing commonly debated issues. Most of the interpretations are quite liberal - i.e. they give more freedom, and don't pose any earthshaking theological positions.
The Sexual Life of Catherine M.This is definitely the book for all fans of SarongPartyGirl. Catherine M. is the original bohemian artist - a celebrated art critic, not an aspiring art student. And she has simultaneous sex partners up to 2 digits and orgies up to three. Like SPG, it gets a little tiring after a while and I began to feel every page was more of the same, but it is certainly an interesting window into an alternative lifestyle.
The Crisis of Islam : Holy War and Unholy Terror
This is one of those "Why do they hate us?" books. I haven't read others so I can't make a comparison, but it gives a pretty concise overview of the history of Islam and the factors contributing to the mindset of current Islamic fundamentalists. Most importantly, it's quite a short little book, which is good for people who just want a quick overview.
On a lighter note, here are some of the CDs I've been checking out recently.
the funny frenchman
One of my most memorable recent moments was a day spent hanging out with this French guy. He is really quite an amazing character; he is a father, he runs marathons, and as a history buff he actually gives tours of this castle near his home in the Loire Valley. More importantly, he has been working in and around Singapore for more than 10 years, and he knows food places even I haven't heard of. Here are just a few of the more interesting snippets:
On the weather
He related his conversations with the head of our own meteorological service. Apparently, after all these years of studying Singapore weather patterns, they have come up with only one conclusion: that weather in Singapore occurs in 5 day cycles. That means that if it rains in the East but not the West today, it will probably do so for the next 5 days. I'm going to test this one out!
On South Africa
He was working on a project to install CCTVs in the trains in South Africa. Apparently they have a problem with people getting murdered on the trains there. When more people take the trains, the taxi drivers don't get enough business. But when people are murdered on the trains, the passengers will switch to taxis. And apparently the taxi drivers are desperate enough for business to resort to murder.
French Food in Singapore
This started because I was eating a chicken liver pate and he asked if I had it before. Yes, I said, at the French stall. He went on to rave about how good and authentic the food there is. It's not fine dining, but it is certainly authentic French food. After raving about Tiong Bahru Market and some seafood place on Upper East Coast Road, he also went on to list his top French restaurants in Singapore:
1. l'Aigle d'Or
2. Hilton - Apparently there's a new restaurant in the Hilton but I can' find it online
3. Les Amis
4. Au Jardin - Food is superb, but price is even more superb
Air Chance
Apparently that's what they call Air France in private. And when they are flying to Lyon or Bordeaux for example, they have no choice but to take Air Chance because SQ doesn't fly those destinations. And on Air Chance, they only have about 6 movies, on the communal big screen, and half of them are in French so the Singaporeans are always complaining.
On the weather
He related his conversations with the head of our own meteorological service. Apparently, after all these years of studying Singapore weather patterns, they have come up with only one conclusion: that weather in Singapore occurs in 5 day cycles. That means that if it rains in the East but not the West today, it will probably do so for the next 5 days. I'm going to test this one out!
On South Africa
He was working on a project to install CCTVs in the trains in South Africa. Apparently they have a problem with people getting murdered on the trains there. When more people take the trains, the taxi drivers don't get enough business. But when people are murdered on the trains, the passengers will switch to taxis. And apparently the taxi drivers are desperate enough for business to resort to murder.
French Food in Singapore
This started because I was eating a chicken liver pate and he asked if I had it before. Yes, I said, at the French stall. He went on to rave about how good and authentic the food there is. It's not fine dining, but it is certainly authentic French food. After raving about Tiong Bahru Market and some seafood place on Upper East Coast Road, he also went on to list his top French restaurants in Singapore:
1. l'Aigle d'Or
2. Hilton - Apparently there's a new restaurant in the Hilton but I can' find it online
3. Les Amis
4. Au Jardin - Food is superb, but price is even more superb
Air Chance
Apparently that's what they call Air France in private. And when they are flying to Lyon or Bordeaux for example, they have no choice but to take Air Chance because SQ doesn't fly those destinations. And on Air Chance, they only have about 6 movies, on the communal big screen, and half of them are in French so the Singaporeans are always complaining.
Sunday, November 13, 2005
open source knowledge
My buddy is about to start her part time degree in Finance, and I have the open invitation to join her for lectures anytime. I'm kind of disappointed, however, that the other friend who was supposed to do Psychology has decided to go Down Under instead. Because universities offer a wealth of information- for free - to anyone who looks beyond the mere paper qualifications in the quest for knowledge.
And ultimately, it's what you know and can achieve that counts in life. Those few pieces of paper only help open the door to the first job.
In my student days, I visited many lectures. Law in NUS, Computer Engineering at CMU and even Nuclear Deterrence at Stanford, to name a few. I was also utterly intrigued touring the MIT Media Lab and a friend's robotics lab. Freed from the worried of exams, refreshed because I was on holiday, and motivated because I was there for interest and not credit, I gained a lot more from my visitations than my own classes. Steve Jobs made a similar point at his commencement speech at Stanford. The beauty of the system is that most colleges don't care who attends their classes, only who attends the exam. And since I attend mostly intro classes with large enrollments, the visitor does not really stand out.
Of course you need friends to help you navigate the system. How else would you know the interesting classes and the good professors? And since I started work, I could no longer drop in on the normal classes. But now with friends starting night school, a whole new world of opportunities is opening up, and I'm really looking forward to being a pseudo student again. Of course you might ask why not just read a book? But the best part about classes are that they spoonfeed you, and they usually give you a bibliography of interesting further reading to boot.
Everybody should go back to school for free.
And ultimately, it's what you know and can achieve that counts in life. Those few pieces of paper only help open the door to the first job.
In my student days, I visited many lectures. Law in NUS, Computer Engineering at CMU and even Nuclear Deterrence at Stanford, to name a few. I was also utterly intrigued touring the MIT Media Lab and a friend's robotics lab. Freed from the worried of exams, refreshed because I was on holiday, and motivated because I was there for interest and not credit, I gained a lot more from my visitations than my own classes. Steve Jobs made a similar point at his commencement speech at Stanford. The beauty of the system is that most colleges don't care who attends their classes, only who attends the exam. And since I attend mostly intro classes with large enrollments, the visitor does not really stand out.
Of course you need friends to help you navigate the system. How else would you know the interesting classes and the good professors? And since I started work, I could no longer drop in on the normal classes. But now with friends starting night school, a whole new world of opportunities is opening up, and I'm really looking forward to being a pseudo student again. Of course you might ask why not just read a book? But the best part about classes are that they spoonfeed you, and they usually give you a bibliography of interesting further reading to boot.
Everybody should go back to school for free.
Saturday, November 12, 2005
memories
I was always the kid that got smacked with the ruler for not remembering his times tables. I was also the kid who forgot when assignments were due, forgot to bring the right textbooks and always lost at those games that involved remembering which card was where. I never remember names or faces. When I ask people for directions, I usually follow through with the first three steps and then ask someone else. My memory is not very good. Things got better when I got a PDA, but perhaps it gets worse too because the device becomes a crutch. And sometimes I forget my PDA.
My memory is really not very good. It has something I have come to accept about myself.
But increasingly, I find that memory is perhaps one of the most important skills a person can have. Along with raw intelligence and good communication skills, a good memory is essential to success at work. Because if you forget to do stuff, you're not going to do a very good job. And when the boss says "I told you A" and you can't remember, you lose. And when the boss says "I told you A" and you remember he told you B, you don't trust yourself because you have poor recollection and so you still lose.
There's only so much you can write down or key in, and when it comes to following instructions it really helps to remember the instructions in as much detail as possible; which I do not. And so I have resolved that I should go read Mega Memory.
My memory is really not very good. It has something I have come to accept about myself.
But increasingly, I find that memory is perhaps one of the most important skills a person can have. Along with raw intelligence and good communication skills, a good memory is essential to success at work. Because if you forget to do stuff, you're not going to do a very good job. And when the boss says "I told you A" and you can't remember, you lose. And when the boss says "I told you A" and you remember he told you B, you don't trust yourself because you have poor recollection and so you still lose.
There's only so much you can write down or key in, and when it comes to following instructions it really helps to remember the instructions in as much detail as possible; which I do not. And so I have resolved that I should go read Mega Memory.
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
work dilemnas
On fine day, I arrived in the office to find this sign pasted on my cubicle wall ...
... apparently I was not the only one.
Since then, it has become common to refer to the day by how much work we're getting done.
Some examples:
"I think I'm doing too much work for 5% day" or "I think I'm doing too much work for 12% day"
"I'm not going to meet the 40% quota today"
The best part is that my boss joins in the fun. He also ridicules people for working on weekends.
And more interesting was last week, when we had holidays on Tuesday and Thursday. Clearly Wednesday was no longer 40% day, but was it 12% or 5%? We spent 50% of the day trying to figure that one out.
... apparently I was not the only one.Since then, it has become common to refer to the day by how much work we're getting done.
Some examples:
"I think I'm doing too much work for 5% day" or "I think I'm doing too much work for 12% day"
"I'm not going to meet the 40% quota today"
The best part is that my boss joins in the fun. He also ridicules people for working on weekends.
And more interesting was last week, when we had holidays on Tuesday and Thursday. Clearly Wednesday was no longer 40% day, but was it 12% or 5%? We spent 50% of the day trying to figure that one out.
Sunday, November 06, 2005
pro-death
Nov. 3 (Bloomberg) -- Singapore's government has rejected a plea from Australian officials to spare the life of an Australian facing the death penalty for drug smuggling.A friend asked me today if I supported the death penalty for drug trafficking. After a moment's thought I said yes, based on socio-economic considerations.
My assumption is that drugs impose a cost on society because they destroy the lives of those who become an addicted, increasing the crime rate, causing a burden to relatives and lowering the GDP. It follows logically then that all possible measures should be taken to keep drugs out of the country, and impose the maximum deterrant on drug traffickers.
The legal system seems to have come up with four main mechanisms for deterring criminal activities:
1) Fines - but this is not likely to work on people desperate enough for cash to be drug runners
2) Caning - this seems like a weak deterrent given the payoff to trafficking
3) Life imprisonment - but this merely creates a new financial burden on taxpayers to support the criminal for the rest of his life (to the order of a few thousand per year, I believe)
4) Death - short and sweet, assuming the guilt is fully established
Thus, in order to minimise the cost to society, it seems any rational economist would pick the 4th option.
Alternatively, Singapore could also legalise drugs and impose a heavy tax on it. The proceeds could go towards funding rehabilitation programs to minimise the negative social impact. This would also boost tourism (since we would become the Amsterdam of the East where everyone can come to snort) and create more employment. You got casino? So what ... we also got, and here can do drugs some more ...
Friday, November 04, 2005
buying a camera
My own experience with digital cameras is quite extensive across most of the popular brands. My own personal collection includes
Fujifilm MX-500 (1999) - My first camera was a free gift, not very picky there
Olympus C-3030 Zoom (2000) - First 3mpx camera with manual functions
Sony DSC-U10 (2002) - Tiny camera with near instant startup time for the Kodak moments
Pentax Optio S (2003) - Combined size of Sony with quality of Olympus in an Altoids can
Canon PowerShot S200 (2003) - A second compact camera for the family
Panasonic DMC-FZ20 (2004) - 12x Leica zoom lens with image stabiliser
Pentax Optio S (2004) - Because the first one fell into river and later models didn't fit into the Altoids can
Panasonic DMC-LZ2 (2005) - 6x zoom with image stabiliser
Informed observed many notice I have actually gone for increasingly simpler cameras. I got tired of fiddling with the exposure settings and decided to focus on composition, which I think is the most important skill in photography and can (and should) be done with any camera.
My philosophy is that all cameras are the same, it just boils down to design and price. All my cameras have excellent image quality and the only one I have been warned off is Casio. That said, there are just a few factors that I would consider.
Image Quality
Not many people realise that a 2mpx camera is all you need to print an 8R photo (A4 size). With a 3mpx camera, you can crop it artistically before printing the 8R photo. Anything more than 3mpx is overkill for the casual photographer.
The main thing to look out for is colour saturation and balance, especially in low light conditions. So you should try to find sample photos from the camera to see if the skin tones are nice and the lines are clear. I find that flash, especially at close range is very harsh, and this has developed a preference for slow shutter speeds in low light. This requires a steady hand; an image stabiliser is very useful as well.
Ease of Use
For slightly more advanced photographers, you will want to be constantly changing the flash mode, white balance, exposure and even the manual settings. It is much less painful if the camera has a good interface, and my experience is that Canon and Pentax have the most user-friendly designs. Nikon is good too; Olympus and Panasonic are pretty bad. (This is based on my experience with the models listed above.)
Zoom
For all-purpose use, your camera should at least have a zoom of 3x, which is the standard today. The more the merrier of course, depending on what size of camera you are willing to carry. If you expect to take a lot of group photos of large groups, it is also important to look at how wide the angle can go - about 28mm is a good start (usual is about 36mm).
Appearance
Above all, I think that appearance is most important. You must find a camera that you are happy carrying around, and can show off to your friends. The Panasonic DMC-LZ2 is the perfect example of a poor purchasing decision (by my Dad). It has excellent technical specifications but it's a lousy chick magnet. Form factor is also paramount if you intend to carry the camera with you everywhere. And of course the camera should also fit your wallet.
Where to Buy?
I only have two places to recommend:
John 3:16 in Funan Centre has helpful and knowledgeable staff, and excellent sales support.
Parasilk in Holland Village is unbeatable on price.
And finally, when in doubt just check DPReview and count the stars.
For myself, I now intend to move up the value chain into digital video. Does anyone have camera recommendations?
Friday, October 28, 2005
latest NUS ranking
Apparently the latest Times Higher Education Supplement rankings have been released.
yjblog says it best: So, umm. Didn’t progress up the charts, did we now. On the bright side, we no longer have to face the “difficulty of explaining why NUS is ranked 18th overall”, right?
Took the words right out of my mouth. Wath this space for updates.
Another random thought: notice how none of the UK universities have dropped in the rankings. I wonder if it is a scam to establish credibility before edging them gradually upward.
yjblog says it best: So, umm. Didn’t progress up the charts, did we now. On the bright side, we no longer have to face the “difficulty of explaining why NUS is ranked 18th overall”, right?
Took the words right out of my mouth. Wath this space for updates.
Another random thought: notice how none of the UK universities have dropped in the rankings. I wonder if it is a scam to establish credibility before edging them gradually upward.
taking stock
I'm going away for a while. So I thought this was a fitting time to ponder the fundamental question of existence. Why do I blog? I know why - it's a bite-sized outlet of creative relief from work. But what do I blog is a better question, and the answer is probably everything; or anything that comes to mind anyway, triggered by whatever external (or internal) stimuli I encounter during the day.
So I thought I would map out a directory of some of my more interesting posts to see what exactly the spread is like.
Relationships and People
what is an alpha male
engineering philosophy of friendships
my take on talent
Food
garden fare
food for thought
nights out
Psychology
rude awakening
the perfect crime
blast from the past
Leadership and Management
small group dynamics
Work
war and work revisited
towards total war and work
Religion
two tales
faithless
skipping church
the Da Vinci code
Economics
opportunity costs
efficient markets
Singapore
little ball bearing
singlish
fresh air at last
Technology
my dream mobyCar
Blogging and the Internet
tomorrow governance
tomorrow once more
information gateway
Personal
shits and giggles
helping others
the beginning of the rest of my life
And that's just 28 of my 68 posts ... gosh I must be a really confused person.
So I thought I would map out a directory of some of my more interesting posts to see what exactly the spread is like.
Relationships and People
what is an alpha male
engineering philosophy of friendships
my take on talent
Food
garden fare
food for thought
nights out
Psychology
rude awakening
the perfect crime
blast from the past
Leadership and Management
small group dynamics
Work
war and work revisited
towards total war and work
Religion
two tales
faithless
skipping church
the Da Vinci code
Economics
opportunity costs
efficient markets
Singapore
little ball bearing
singlish
fresh air at last
Technology
my dream mobyCar
Blogging and the Internet
tomorrow governance
tomorrow once more
information gateway
Personal
shits and giggles
helping others
the beginning of the rest of my life
And that's just 28 of my 68 posts ... gosh I must be a really confused person.
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
spark plugs
I have been giving some thought to what I want to do with the rest of my life lately. I think the answer lies in a futuristic sci-fi book I read more than 10 years ago, but which has evidently left an indelible mark on my pscyhe because I still remember the title and author to this day. The book is Dream Thief, by Stephen Lawhead. The person it describes is as follows:
I want my brain to grow big big, and besides this is a lovely reason to stay in school longer. One PhD after another ...
"You flatter me, Adjani," roared Packer, his teeth flashing white from out of the auburn tangle of his beard. He said to Spence, "Adjani here is under no one's supervision. The man has not yet been born who can keep up with him, and he does not know how to take direction" ... Turning once more to Spence he explained, "Adjani is our spark plug - and the best in the business."In a new world economy, Spark Plugs will become essential as human repositaries of knowledge. Some companies invest millions of dollars trying to structure their corporate databases to capture all the organisational knowledge. Others use search engines to harvest infinite streams of unstructured data like the internet. And finally, there is the human brain - the enigma, that intuitively cuts through the most complex problems, yet forgets the most miniscule details.
Spence looked at the slim Adjani with new respect. A Spark Plug, as they were called, was a member of an elite group of men and women so gifted as to be completely expert in numerous fields of study - as many as five or six. Whereas most scientists or thereticians were specialists, training their professional vision to ever narrower bands of the scientific spectrum, those like Adjani - and there were very few of them - worked in reverse, enlarging the scope of their knowledge wider and wider. In effect, they were specialists in everything: physics, chemistry, astronomy, biology, metallurgy, psychology, and all the rest.
... They acted as catalysts of creativity - spark plugs - providing those quick, dynamic bursts of creative insight for projects that had grown too complex to rely on the accidental cross-pollination of ideas from other disciplines.
I want my brain to grow big big, and besides this is a lovely reason to stay in school longer. One PhD after another ...
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
rude awakening
I discovered something very interesting today that I would like to share, but first you will have to watch a video. To view the video, you will need to have Java active in your browser. The video is fairly large (7.5MB) and it might take a while to finish loading. When viewing the video, try to count the total number of times that the people wearing white pass the basketball. Do not count the passes made by the people wearing black.
http://viscog.beckman.uiuc.edu/grafs/demos/15.html
Do not read on until you have watched the video and counted the number of passes.
So I wassleeping listening intently to the lecturer today as usual, with my eyes closed. Suddenly the voice stopped, so I opened my eyes, and there was this silent video playing in front of me. I didn't really have a clue what was going on, so I just watched as a bunch of kids threw balls back and forth.
Then the video ended and the lecturer asked, so how many passes did they make? (Ah eureka, now I know what we were supposed to do) 14? 15? 16? Who saw 17? Did anyone see more than 18? A bunch of hands went up?
Have you watched the video yet? If not you are going to spoil this for yourself.
Who saw the black gorilla? There was a stupefied silence; a few hands went up but most people just glanced around them in confusion. So the lecturer played the video again and lo and behold, the black gorilla walked into the centre of the screen halfway through the video, beat its chest, and calmly exited.
So he explained that this experiment showed how human beings can only focus on one thing at one time, and shut out everything else. Because we had been told to count the passes, we were so preoccupied that we failed to notice the ridiculous primate waltzing across the room.
I was rather ashamed, because I had watched the whole video, did not bother to count the passes (because I didn't know we were supposed to) and I still didn't see the gorilla.
I felt even worse because I read up on this exact experiment last week, had a good laugh at how blind some people are, and I still didn't see the gorilla. And in case anyone is wondering, it was definitely the same video he showed because this is actually a very well known pschological experiment.
A friend commented that he smelled a trick, so he counted the passes made by both teams. Well no wonder he didn't see the gorilla.
For a more complete explanation of the phenomenon of inattentional blindness, you can read here. You can also find out about the people behind this experiment and related research here.
This lecture was delivered by John Seely Brown, Chief of Confusion. He was formerly Chief Scientist of Xerox Corporation, lecturer at University of Southern California, and one of the most engaging speakers I have ever heard. From the time of my rude awakening, he succeeded in holding my attention for the next 90 minutes. I assure you that is no mean feat. (Click on his name for more material on related topics)
http://viscog.beckman.uiuc.edu/grafs/demos/15.html
Do not read on until you have watched the video and counted the number of passes.
So I was
Then the video ended and the lecturer asked, so how many passes did they make? (Ah eureka, now I know what we were supposed to do) 14? 15? 16? Who saw 17? Did anyone see more than 18? A bunch of hands went up?
Have you watched the video yet? If not you are going to spoil this for yourself.
Who saw the black gorilla? There was a stupefied silence; a few hands went up but most people just glanced around them in confusion. So the lecturer played the video again and lo and behold, the black gorilla walked into the centre of the screen halfway through the video, beat its chest, and calmly exited.
So he explained that this experiment showed how human beings can only focus on one thing at one time, and shut out everything else. Because we had been told to count the passes, we were so preoccupied that we failed to notice the ridiculous primate waltzing across the room.
I was rather ashamed, because I had watched the whole video, did not bother to count the passes (because I didn't know we were supposed to) and I still didn't see the gorilla.
I felt even worse because I read up on this exact experiment last week, had a good laugh at how blind some people are, and I still didn't see the gorilla. And in case anyone is wondering, it was definitely the same video he showed because this is actually a very well known pschological experiment.
A friend commented that he smelled a trick, so he counted the passes made by both teams. Well no wonder he didn't see the gorilla.
For a more complete explanation of the phenomenon of inattentional blindness, you can read here. You can also find out about the people behind this experiment and related research here.
This lecture was delivered by John Seely Brown, Chief of Confusion. He was formerly Chief Scientist of Xerox Corporation, lecturer at University of Southern California, and one of the most engaging speakers I have ever heard. From the time of my rude awakening, he succeeded in holding my attention for the next 90 minutes. I assure you that is no mean feat. (Click on his name for more material on related topics)
Sunday, October 23, 2005
two tales
I heard two very thought-provoking personal anecdotes today. I will try to reproduce them here as faithfully as possible.
An old friend Za was on the MRT, carrying out her daily routine of listening to mp3s and writing in her journal. As the Malaysian PM's wife had just passed away, the thought that came to mind was how the Muslims, being so closed to Christianity, would every have the chance to hear the gospel?
Hey musings were interrupted when she happened to overhead the girl across the carriage on her mobile phone. She was asking what was the holy trinity? What followed was obscured by the rumblings as the train entered the tunnel, but the next question Za caught was what are the ten commandments? Apparently this girl had an exam on cross-cultural communication in two hours, and she had no idea what these things were.
Za's mind was racing, because this seemed like a perfect invitation to share God's word. After all, we are called to be witnesses for God in season and out of season. But how do you start a conversation with someone by explaining that you were eavesdropping? Furthermore, at the next stop she had to change to the westbound line, and she really couldn't be late for the next appointment. So she prayed and told God that if the girl were to switch to the same line too, she would approach her.
Of course she did, and so Za had to stalk her across the platform, trying to catch up with her and desperately floudering to find the right words. She even made sure she approached from the side where the ear was vacant of earphones. Finally, she tapped her on the shoulder, admitted that she had overheard her questions, and offered her assistance. The response was extremely positive, and the girl was very welcoming of anything that would rescue her from the dreaded exam. So Za explained how the trinity was God in three persons, and even flipped through her bible to locate the ten commandments for her (so she could read it for herself and remember for the exam). The girl was extremely impressed that she could locate the right passage in such a thick volume, but Za explained it is one of the most important passages to Christians.
I lost the next few sentences because I was flipping through my own bible, ashamed that I didn't know where the ten commandments was. But I focussed my attention just in time to catch the punchline. Apparently this girl was a Muslim, although Za would never have guessed from her external appearance. She was in shock; in shock at the immediate answer that God had given to her earlier question, and glorifying God in the divine way in which he can make anything possible.
I can never do justice to the animated account that Za gave to the whole congregation in church today. But I'm sure everyone in the room was praising God. The next account is much shorter, shared during the sermon.
The speaker, M, related how she once had a conversation with her part-time helper, a Chinese national as they happened to be cleaning the house together. The helper commented that she had observed a very close relationship between M and her mother-in-law, which was something very rare among the other homes in which she worked. She also commented that M's family in general seemed to be very close and happy, and that she had seen similar patterns in other homes that she assumed to be Christian, because they had the cross somewhere on their walls.
At this open invitation, M went on to tell her more about Christianity, and gave her some Mandarin tracts to read. But to the rest of us, she told how encouraged she was that even someone as seemingly peripheral as a part-time helper could recognise a difference between Christians and others. And are you living a life that glows with the likeness of Christ, for all to see and wonder?
An old friend Za was on the MRT, carrying out her daily routine of listening to mp3s and writing in her journal. As the Malaysian PM's wife had just passed away, the thought that came to mind was how the Muslims, being so closed to Christianity, would every have the chance to hear the gospel?
Hey musings were interrupted when she happened to overhead the girl across the carriage on her mobile phone. She was asking what was the holy trinity? What followed was obscured by the rumblings as the train entered the tunnel, but the next question Za caught was what are the ten commandments? Apparently this girl had an exam on cross-cultural communication in two hours, and she had no idea what these things were.
Za's mind was racing, because this seemed like a perfect invitation to share God's word. After all, we are called to be witnesses for God in season and out of season. But how do you start a conversation with someone by explaining that you were eavesdropping? Furthermore, at the next stop she had to change to the westbound line, and she really couldn't be late for the next appointment. So she prayed and told God that if the girl were to switch to the same line too, she would approach her.
Of course she did, and so Za had to stalk her across the platform, trying to catch up with her and desperately floudering to find the right words. She even made sure she approached from the side where the ear was vacant of earphones. Finally, she tapped her on the shoulder, admitted that she had overheard her questions, and offered her assistance. The response was extremely positive, and the girl was very welcoming of anything that would rescue her from the dreaded exam. So Za explained how the trinity was God in three persons, and even flipped through her bible to locate the ten commandments for her (so she could read it for herself and remember for the exam). The girl was extremely impressed that she could locate the right passage in such a thick volume, but Za explained it is one of the most important passages to Christians.
I lost the next few sentences because I was flipping through my own bible, ashamed that I didn't know where the ten commandments was. But I focussed my attention just in time to catch the punchline. Apparently this girl was a Muslim, although Za would never have guessed from her external appearance. She was in shock; in shock at the immediate answer that God had given to her earlier question, and glorifying God in the divine way in which he can make anything possible.
I can never do justice to the animated account that Za gave to the whole congregation in church today. But I'm sure everyone in the room was praising God. The next account is much shorter, shared during the sermon.
The speaker, M, related how she once had a conversation with her part-time helper, a Chinese national as they happened to be cleaning the house together. The helper commented that she had observed a very close relationship between M and her mother-in-law, which was something very rare among the other homes in which she worked. She also commented that M's family in general seemed to be very close and happy, and that she had seen similar patterns in other homes that she assumed to be Christian, because they had the cross somewhere on their walls.
At this open invitation, M went on to tell her more about Christianity, and gave her some Mandarin tracts to read. But to the rest of us, she told how encouraged she was that even someone as seemingly peripheral as a part-time helper could recognise a difference between Christians and others. And are you living a life that glows with the likeness of Christ, for all to see and wonder?
what is an alpha male
Recently a friend and I were having one of those late night conversations about relationships. So it seems that girls are attracted to the alpha male, but I cannot understand why. After further discussion, we realised it boils down to the definitions.
To me, an alpha male is a muscle-minded tank brain with an over-inflated ego. Rambo comes to mind. They get through life through sheer brute force. I suppose they also exude a primal sense of desirability to the opposite sex, but obviously that doesn't particularly interest me.
Do I think I am an alpha male, she had asked? By my definition clearly not, and she agreed. But her definition is totally different.
To her, an alpha male is a perfectionist, someone that is good at school, at work and at sports. So why am I not an alpha male I asked? Because she says alpha males are very driven to succeed and I am just lazy. (I take this as a personal slight because actually I am very very driven to succeed. But since the government places such a strong emphasis on work-life balance and even gives us Saturday off now so that we can make babies, it would be wrong to focus too much on work in this new economy. I am simply following public policy like a good citizen.)
But apparently by the Wikipedia definition, we are both wrong.
To me, an alpha male is a muscle-minded tank brain with an over-inflated ego. Rambo comes to mind. They get through life through sheer brute force. I suppose they also exude a primal sense of desirability to the opposite sex, but obviously that doesn't particularly interest me.
Do I think I am an alpha male, she had asked? By my definition clearly not, and she agreed. But her definition is totally different.
To her, an alpha male is a perfectionist, someone that is good at school, at work and at sports. So why am I not an alpha male I asked? Because she says alpha males are very driven to succeed and I am just lazy. (I take this as a personal slight because actually I am very very driven to succeed. But since the government places such a strong emphasis on work-life balance and even gives us Saturday off now so that we can make babies, it would be wrong to focus too much on work in this new economy. I am simply following public policy like a good citizen.)
But apparently by the Wikipedia definition, we are both wrong.
An alpha male or alpha female is the individual in the community to whom the others follow and defer. Humans and their nearest species-relatives, the chimpanzees, show deference to the alpha of the community by ritualized gestures such as bowing, allowing the alpha to walk first in a procession, or standing aside when the alpha challenges. Canines also show deference to the alpha pair in their pack, by allowing them to be the first to eat and, usually, the only pair to mate. Wolves are a well known example of this.
The status of alpha is generally achieved by means of superior physical prowess. However in certain highly-social species such as the Bonobo apes, the alpha can use more indirect methods (such as political alliances) to oust the ruling alpha and take his/her place.
So actually it all boils down to leadership, however it may be obtained. I remember eternalbough wants an alpha male too. I wonder what her definition is? Maybe I can still be an alpha male. I also want to be the first to eat.
Saturday, October 22, 2005
the perfect crime
I've had a rather disturbing thought niggling me for the last week. It was especially annoying today since my mind was mostly idle, so I have decided to exorcise it once and for all by posting it online. The remainder of this post is rated X for deviant ideas, so please do not read on if you have a weak heart.
One of Roald Dahl's most memorable short stories, to me, was "Vengeance Is Mine Inc." from More Tales of the Unexpected. In this story, two buddies set up a business offering to exact vengeance on behalf of people who do not wish to get their hands dirty. They offer a range of services such as Punch in the nose, Black eye or Put a snake in car. The price varies with the difficulty of execution. But their business venture is cut short after the first mission, when a grateful client advises them to get out of town and lie low.
I shan't go into the graphic details of my deviant version. Suffice to say it involves sex and bondage. And animals. The more exotic the animal, the higher the price for giving someone a bad day.
This business model would be far more successful than Vengeance Is Mine Inc. for one simple reason. Rapists and sex offenders escape because their crimes are unreported - because the victim is ashamed to publicise their trauma. By exponentially increasing the level of trauma and shame through unspeakable acts of bestiality, this should reduce the likelihood of the crime being reported to near zero. Which means the act can be recycled, creating an indefinite source of income.
It seems like the perfect crime to me, so I keep asking myself how it could be prevented.
22/1/0/05: It seems that with all the detail stripped out, people don't really get my point. So I shall elaborate further.
The unsuspecting victim is grabbed, blindfolded, and bundled into a vehicle and taken to a dark room where he/she is stripped naked and tied up in spreadeagle fashion. Some viagra-crazed animal is loosed into the room. When the animal has satisfied itself, the victim is once again blindfolded and released.
The beauty of this model is
1) The whole thing happens in 2 hours, nobody realises the victim is gone
2) It is done by a third party, so the victim cannot identify the assailants
3) There is no human biological material to trace via DNA. You can even cull the animal.
4) The only person that knows is the victim, and do you think the victim will tell?
5) Can you think of a more mailicious and psychologically damaging act?
6) Someone pointed out that some people actually enjoy this sort of thing. It's all about choosing the right animal.
One of Roald Dahl's most memorable short stories, to me, was "Vengeance Is Mine Inc." from More Tales of the Unexpected. In this story, two buddies set up a business offering to exact vengeance on behalf of people who do not wish to get their hands dirty. They offer a range of services such as Punch in the nose, Black eye or Put a snake in car. The price varies with the difficulty of execution. But their business venture is cut short after the first mission, when a grateful client advises them to get out of town and lie low.
I shan't go into the graphic details of my deviant version. Suffice to say it involves sex and bondage. And animals. The more exotic the animal, the higher the price for giving someone a bad day.
This business model would be far more successful than Vengeance Is Mine Inc. for one simple reason. Rapists and sex offenders escape because their crimes are unreported - because the victim is ashamed to publicise their trauma. By exponentially increasing the level of trauma and shame through unspeakable acts of bestiality, this should reduce the likelihood of the crime being reported to near zero. Which means the act can be recycled, creating an indefinite source of income.
It seems like the perfect crime to me, so I keep asking myself how it could be prevented.
22/1/0/05: It seems that with all the detail stripped out, people don't really get my point. So I shall elaborate further.
The unsuspecting victim is grabbed, blindfolded, and bundled into a vehicle and taken to a dark room where he/she is stripped naked and tied up in spreadeagle fashion. Some viagra-crazed animal is loosed into the room. When the animal has satisfied itself, the victim is once again blindfolded and released.
The beauty of this model is
1) The whole thing happens in 2 hours, nobody realises the victim is gone
2) It is done by a third party, so the victim cannot identify the assailants
3) There is no human biological material to trace via DNA. You can even cull the animal.
4) The only person that knows is the victim, and do you think the victim will tell?
5) Can you think of a more mailicious and psychologically damaging act?
6) Someone pointed out that some people actually enjoy this sort of thing. It's all about choosing the right animal.
Thursday, October 20, 2005
garden fare
In my earlier post, I lamented the lack of food in the Northwest. I was accused of being too extreme in my geography, but I think my point that there is no good food still stands because I have yet to receive a suggestion of any good eating places in that vicinity. To prove another point - that not all ulu places have no food - I have decided to come up with the paddychicken guide to food in Serangoon Garden. This is one extremely inaccessible place which has pretty decent food. There is good food for any time of day - breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, supper and drinks. Here are just a few of my personal favorites:
Jeffrey Ho Char Kway Teow
Ban Heng Eating House, Farleigh Avenue
Not exceptional, but certainly very decent for lovers of fried oily stuff. He also has an equally good variation of char bee hoon. And the drinks stall also has a superb Teh Bing.
Po Sin Chicken Rice
Cardon Restaurant and Confectionary, 52 Serangoon Garden Way
My all time favorite roast chicken rice. The special marinade gives the skin a succulent and delicious flavor. And we all know the skin is the best part.
Dinner
Pow Sing Restaurant 65 Serangoon Garden Way Undoubtedly my family's favorite place for good value and better food. Reservations are a must for the weekends. Specialties include otah, shrimp-paste chicken, black pepper venison and deep fried tofu. (homepage)
Dessert
Ice3
11 Kensington Park
Decent homemade ice cream with alcoholic toppings and a delightful ambience. (picture)
Happy Daze Cafe
11 Maju Avenue
Bring your pets for 10% discount at this very chill al fresco cafe. Board games, video games and a big TV complete the set for an evening of relaxation.
Happy Daze Bar
9 Maju Avenue
Happy Daze stands out from the more than 20 other bars/pub/ktv establishments with its urban class and imported liquors. It feels like town, except for the pets in the cafe next door. It also has prices like town. Also check out Ambarella, a new snack bar on the rooftop directly opposite Happy Daze.
This brief survey is just intended as a starting point for what I consider to be some of the best food in this area, for residents and visitors alike. I have purposely left out franchises such as Katong Laksa, Sushi Tei, Cafe Cartel or Coffee Bean because if you've tried one you've tried them all; so why don't you try something new? Enjoy!
And if anyone knows of good food in the Northwest, please leave a note. Makansutra 2003/4 lists about 40 recommended establishments in the Bukit Batok/Chua Chu Kang/Bukit Timah region. Most of them are in Bukit Timah, concentrated in the 6th Avenue and Adam Road areas. There is one place in Chua Chu Kang, and seven in Bukit Batok. Pretty damn sad.
Breakfast
Soon Huat's Pig Organ Soup
Serangoon Garden Market Stall 42
This stall serves an excellent blend of pig organ soup, along with pig trotters and other offals. You can easily find it from the long lines during breakfast or lunch. Closed on Mondays and in the evenings.
Garden Street Kway Chup
Serangoon Garden Market Stall 21
Probably the best kway chup I've ever eaten, this moved here from Blanco Court after several years' hiatus, as attested b numerous articles on the wall. Labelled by Makansutra as a hawker legend. Closed on Mondays.
R. K. Eating House Prata
Farleigh Avenue
The normal range of mushroom, cheese or banana pratas, fried to a delightful crisp. Open 24 hours.
Jeffrey Ho Char Kway Teow
Ban Heng Eating House, Farleigh Avenue
Not exceptional, but certainly very decent for lovers of fried oily stuff. He also has an equally good variation of char bee hoon. And the drinks stall also has a superb Teh Bing.
Po Sin Chicken Rice
Cardon Restaurant and Confectionary, 52 Serangoon Garden Way
My all time favorite roast chicken rice. The special marinade gives the skin a succulent and delicious flavor. And we all know the skin is the best part.
Dinner
Pow Sing Restaurant 65 Serangoon Garden Way Undoubtedly my family's favorite place for good value and better food. Reservations are a must for the weekends. Specialties include otah, shrimp-paste chicken, black pepper venison and deep fried tofu. (homepage)
Dessert
Ice3
11 Kensington Park
Decent homemade ice cream with alcoholic toppings and a delightful ambience. (picture)
Happy Daze Cafe
11 Maju Avenue
Bring your pets for 10% discount at this very chill al fresco cafe. Board games, video games and a big TV complete the set for an evening of relaxation.
Supper
Chomp Chomp
If you don't know where this is, you don't know where Serangoon Garden is.
My favorite stall is the Hokkien Mee located at the rear of the centre. Beware the hoax - if they can deliver your food in less than thirty minutes between 7pm and 10pm, you're at the wrong stall. The chicken wings, satay beehoon and bbq seafood are also very good.
Happy Daze Bar
9 Maju Avenue
Happy Daze stands out from the more than 20 other bars/pub/ktv establishments with its urban class and imported liquors. It feels like town, except for the pets in the cafe next door. It also has prices like town. Also check out Ambarella, a new snack bar on the rooftop directly opposite Happy Daze.
This brief survey is just intended as a starting point for what I consider to be some of the best food in this area, for residents and visitors alike. I have purposely left out franchises such as Katong Laksa, Sushi Tei, Cafe Cartel or Coffee Bean because if you've tried one you've tried them all; so why don't you try something new? Enjoy!
And if anyone knows of good food in the Northwest, please leave a note. Makansutra 2003/4 lists about 40 recommended establishments in the Bukit Batok/Chua Chu Kang/Bukit Timah region. Most of them are in Bukit Timah, concentrated in the 6th Avenue and Adam Road areas. There is one place in Chua Chu Kang, and seven in Bukit Batok. Pretty damn sad.
Monday, October 17, 2005
small group dynamics
Every freshman in my school had to undergo a class in small group dynamics. In this class, we all learned the Bennis and Shepard theory of the Barometric Event. This is the event that pulls a groups together and forges the group identity. We all thought it was crap. But recent events in my Discipleship Group (DG) have made me realise just how telling this model can be, as I trace our transformation from a collection of individuals into parts of a whole. I couldn't find my old textbook, but an online article has outlined the theory quite succintly. This is going to be a super-long post ... you have been warned.
A sophisticated version of the developmental approach to understanding group process is the model of Bennis and Shepard. Bennis and Shepard adapted the ideas of Bion as a result of their studies of T-groups (a method originated by Lewin). They suggest that there is a progression between the different types of basic assumption group and that, in particular, the dependency and fight-flight groups tend to occur in the first part of a group's life while the pairing and work groups occur later and these two halves are divided from one another by what they call the "barometric event" which is an occurrence in which the relationship of the group to its leader/facilitator is irreversibly changed. Inter-member relations in the early phase are characterised by considerations of power whereas in the later phase the group becomes more personal (see table 2)
Table 2: Two main Stages of Group Development (Bennis & Shepard)
What Bennis and Shepard are saying, therefore, is that the group has two main stages which each have sub-stages. In the first main stage, the group members are preoccupied by their relationship to the group leader. At first the members feel dependent. They are anxious and in flight from responsibility, so they rely upon the leader to give them direction and provide nurturance. Inevitably, the direction, if any, given by the leader does not satisfy everybody and some resistance arises. The group moves into the phase that Tuckman calls storming. This is, in Bion's terms, a fight-flight mode. Bennis and Shepard call it counter-dependency or, simply, rebellion. A struggle ensues. Eventually some resolution to this tension is achieved and this is cathartic for the group. Bennis and Shepard believed that the resolution of this first half of the group was a crucially important event and so they gave it the portentous label "barometric". Ideally, the outcome of the barometric event is that the leader becomes, to a much greater degree, a group member, and the members assume enhanced responsibility for the group's behaviour and direction. The leader is dethroned.
Stage One
In the first six months that I joined this DG, almost all the large-scale events were initiated by the two leaders. While most members were strongly committed to Wednesday studies, their attendance of other events waxed and waned depending on their outside social lives. They are anxious and in flight from responsibility, so they rely upon the leader to give them direction and provide nurturance. This is the dependency stage.
The crisis developed with the approach of our group mates' wedding. The leaders, as well as some very enthusiastic members, made the decision that the group would handle the church aspect of the wedding. Other members, whether due to unfamiliarity with the wedding couple, lack of personal talents or overburdened from other work already, were more hesitant to commit. Thus we entered the fight-flight stage. Inevitably, the direction, if any, given by the leader does not satisfy everybody and some resistance arises. Each member was then faced with the dilemna of how much to contribute to this team effort, if at all. Remember that in a church setting, all contribution is purely voluntary. (This is why John C. Maxwell calls it the the highest form of leadership.)
To my mind, our barometric event started on the eve of the wedding. Although there was no compulsion, almost the entire group gathered in the church around 11pm, to see how they could help. Surrounded by flowers, satin, and other assorted decorations, we were finally faced with the full prospect of our responsibilities. In addition to the decorations, various members also had to coordinate the music, the ushers and the cars. The situation was not helped by the absence of the leader who was in Europe. Fatigued from a week of work, but comforted by each others presence and the sense of shared purpose, various talents began to emerge as we saw sides of each other that would never have been unveiled on a typical Wednesday night. The wedding itself was very poignant, and as we listened to the bride and groom on stage, each person was filled with the sense of shared joy and accomplishment that we had made this happy occasion possible. Ideally, the outcome of the barometric event is that the leader becomes, to a much greater degree, a group member, and the members assume enhanced responsibility for the group's behaviour and direction. We also had the chance to indulge in more intimate conversations with group mates we might not have spoken to before, over several glasses of wine. (Wine always helps.) And hence we passed into the second phase of the group's life.
In the second half of the life of the group, members are preoccupied with their relationships with each other. Immediately after the barometric event, the group is likely to settle into a degree of complacency. What they have been struggling with now no longer seems like an important issue. This roughly corresponds to Tuckman's "norming" phase. Members agree with each other more readily. The group feels smooth, agreeable and unpressured. Bennis and Shepard regard this as a "flight" phase, and it may well be, in Bion's terms, a time when the group is unconsciously working on the "pairing" assumption. Relationships have become more important than work.
Stage Two
The second stage for us is a direct outcome of the barometric events. Lunch gatherings after church began to see record numbers of attendance, as did our Sunday afternoon games which even include DG-mates from other churches. We also began hanging out far more on the weekends, forsaking relationships with other cliques. In the second half of the life of the group, members are preoccupied with their relationships with each other. We are revelling in our new-found togetherness, and indulging in other group activities such as the recent DG Sharing on Oct 16. In this cruising mode, there is a risk that our new friendships may overshadow the original purpose of the DG: as a support group for Christ-centred bible study.
As this goes on, however, time pressure once again begins to be felt. Members begin to be aware that they do not have forever to do things. The original goals and purposes of the group begin to be remembered. A new phase of struggle results. This time, however, members do not assume that it is the leader's responsibility to get things done. The consequence of the barometric event is now felt as "It is up to us". This then is a phase of inter-dependence, of work, and of reaching out: the most productive phase of the group life. Finally, if all goes well, the group reaches a phase in which there is a sense of completeness and mutual affirmation for work completed and the bitter-sweet feelings of parting have to be lived through.
And Beyond
The model seems to fit so far. If so, it should imply that we are finally ready to take on a greater participatory role in the larger church body. The original goals and purposes of the group begin to be remembered. Let us not wait too long to remember this. A cohesive team performs far more effectively than a collection of individuals, and could be a vital force in driving many ministries forward. We already see some of our members undertaking roles in the upcoming BB/GB and Children's Church camps. We also see many other members organising meals, and even chalets. The consequence of the barometric event is now felt as "It is up to us". This then is a phase of inter-dependence, of work, and of reaching out: the most productive phase of the group life. And if this is the most productive phase, we should give serious thought to what we want to produce, rather than random ad hoc events.
Not all groups achieve this, however. If, through the weakness of members or the intransigence of the leader, the barometric event is not achieved, the life of the group will stagnate and members will not find the group to be an environment in which they can mature. They will remain in a dependent condition and the group will never reach what Tuckman called the performing stage.
For Leaders
I think there are some clear lessons I have had the privilege of learning from being in this DG. First and foremost, if a group is 'doing ok', it may be time to initiate a crisis to move the group forward into the next stage. It will take a brave leader to initiate a change in direction and face up to the resultant rebellion, but it is through these shared hardships that friendships are forged. If not, the group will stagnate in the comfort zone until it withers away.
The full text of the Bennis and Shepard model may be found here. Search for "Barometric Event" on the page.
A sophisticated version of the developmental approach to understanding group process is the model of Bennis and Shepard. Bennis and Shepard adapted the ideas of Bion as a result of their studies of T-groups (a method originated by Lewin). They suggest that there is a progression between the different types of basic assumption group and that, in particular, the dependency and fight-flight groups tend to occur in the first part of a group's life while the pairing and work groups occur later and these two halves are divided from one another by what they call the "barometric event" which is an occurrence in which the relationship of the group to its leader/facilitator is irreversibly changed. Inter-member relations in the early phase are characterised by considerations of power whereas in the later phase the group becomes more personal (see table 2)
Table 2: Two main Stages of Group Development (Bennis & Shepard)
| Dependency -- Fight-flight | Power relationships |
| Barometric event | |
| Pairing -- Work group | Personal relationships |
What Bennis and Shepard are saying, therefore, is that the group has two main stages which each have sub-stages. In the first main stage, the group members are preoccupied by their relationship to the group leader. At first the members feel dependent. They are anxious and in flight from responsibility, so they rely upon the leader to give them direction and provide nurturance. Inevitably, the direction, if any, given by the leader does not satisfy everybody and some resistance arises. The group moves into the phase that Tuckman calls storming. This is, in Bion's terms, a fight-flight mode. Bennis and Shepard call it counter-dependency or, simply, rebellion. A struggle ensues. Eventually some resolution to this tension is achieved and this is cathartic for the group. Bennis and Shepard believed that the resolution of this first half of the group was a crucially important event and so they gave it the portentous label "barometric". Ideally, the outcome of the barometric event is that the leader becomes, to a much greater degree, a group member, and the members assume enhanced responsibility for the group's behaviour and direction. The leader is dethroned.
Stage One
In the first six months that I joined this DG, almost all the large-scale events were initiated by the two leaders. While most members were strongly committed to Wednesday studies, their attendance of other events waxed and waned depending on their outside social lives. They are anxious and in flight from responsibility, so they rely upon the leader to give them direction and provide nurturance. This is the dependency stage.
The crisis developed with the approach of our group mates' wedding. The leaders, as well as some very enthusiastic members, made the decision that the group would handle the church aspect of the wedding. Other members, whether due to unfamiliarity with the wedding couple, lack of personal talents or overburdened from other work already, were more hesitant to commit. Thus we entered the fight-flight stage. Inevitably, the direction, if any, given by the leader does not satisfy everybody and some resistance arises. Each member was then faced with the dilemna of how much to contribute to this team effort, if at all. Remember that in a church setting, all contribution is purely voluntary. (This is why John C. Maxwell calls it the the highest form of leadership.)
To my mind, our barometric event started on the eve of the wedding. Although there was no compulsion, almost the entire group gathered in the church around 11pm, to see how they could help. Surrounded by flowers, satin, and other assorted decorations, we were finally faced with the full prospect of our responsibilities. In addition to the decorations, various members also had to coordinate the music, the ushers and the cars. The situation was not helped by the absence of the leader who was in Europe. Fatigued from a week of work, but comforted by each others presence and the sense of shared purpose, various talents began to emerge as we saw sides of each other that would never have been unveiled on a typical Wednesday night. The wedding itself was very poignant, and as we listened to the bride and groom on stage, each person was filled with the sense of shared joy and accomplishment that we had made this happy occasion possible. Ideally, the outcome of the barometric event is that the leader becomes, to a much greater degree, a group member, and the members assume enhanced responsibility for the group's behaviour and direction. We also had the chance to indulge in more intimate conversations with group mates we might not have spoken to before, over several glasses of wine. (Wine always helps.) And hence we passed into the second phase of the group's life.
In the second half of the life of the group, members are preoccupied with their relationships with each other. Immediately after the barometric event, the group is likely to settle into a degree of complacency. What they have been struggling with now no longer seems like an important issue. This roughly corresponds to Tuckman's "norming" phase. Members agree with each other more readily. The group feels smooth, agreeable and unpressured. Bennis and Shepard regard this as a "flight" phase, and it may well be, in Bion's terms, a time when the group is unconsciously working on the "pairing" assumption. Relationships have become more important than work.
Stage Two
The second stage for us is a direct outcome of the barometric events. Lunch gatherings after church began to see record numbers of attendance, as did our Sunday afternoon games which even include DG-mates from other churches. We also began hanging out far more on the weekends, forsaking relationships with other cliques. In the second half of the life of the group, members are preoccupied with their relationships with each other. We are revelling in our new-found togetherness, and indulging in other group activities such as the recent DG Sharing on Oct 16. In this cruising mode, there is a risk that our new friendships may overshadow the original purpose of the DG: as a support group for Christ-centred bible study.
As this goes on, however, time pressure once again begins to be felt. Members begin to be aware that they do not have forever to do things. The original goals and purposes of the group begin to be remembered. A new phase of struggle results. This time, however, members do not assume that it is the leader's responsibility to get things done. The consequence of the barometric event is now felt as "It is up to us". This then is a phase of inter-dependence, of work, and of reaching out: the most productive phase of the group life. Finally, if all goes well, the group reaches a phase in which there is a sense of completeness and mutual affirmation for work completed and the bitter-sweet feelings of parting have to be lived through.
And Beyond
The model seems to fit so far. If so, it should imply that we are finally ready to take on a greater participatory role in the larger church body. The original goals and purposes of the group begin to be remembered. Let us not wait too long to remember this. A cohesive team performs far more effectively than a collection of individuals, and could be a vital force in driving many ministries forward. We already see some of our members undertaking roles in the upcoming BB/GB and Children's Church camps. We also see many other members organising meals, and even chalets. The consequence of the barometric event is now felt as "It is up to us". This then is a phase of inter-dependence, of work, and of reaching out: the most productive phase of the group life. And if this is the most productive phase, we should give serious thought to what we want to produce, rather than random ad hoc events.
Not all groups achieve this, however. If, through the weakness of members or the intransigence of the leader, the barometric event is not achieved, the life of the group will stagnate and members will not find the group to be an environment in which they can mature. They will remain in a dependent condition and the group will never reach what Tuckman called the performing stage.
For Leaders
I think there are some clear lessons I have had the privilege of learning from being in this DG. First and foremost, if a group is 'doing ok', it may be time to initiate a crisis to move the group forward into the next stage. It will take a brave leader to initiate a change in direction and face up to the resultant rebellion, but it is through these shared hardships that friendships are forged. If not, the group will stagnate in the comfort zone until it withers away.
The full text of the Bennis and Shepard model may be found here. Search for "Barometric Event" on the page.
Sunday, October 16, 2005
war and work revisited
Sometimes, your brain is so fried you can't string two coherent sentences together. So I'm going to try again, this time without all the academic references. My postulate is that war is like work, because both are inescapable downward spirals of misery.
The root of the problem is that war has no rules. In Arthurian times, knights were guided by a code of conduct. In modern times, we have learned that the victor writes the history books, and people will do whatever it takes to win a war. Snipers, land mines, asymetric warfare and terrorism are all examples that people no longer care about how a battle is won, as long as it is won. And faced with ruthless and unscrupulous adversaries, one has little choice but to follow suit or be destroyed. Thus, the conditions and atrocities of war get from bad to worse.
They say business is war, surely work is war too. In an environment where one aspires to outshine one's peers, people go to extreme lengths to curry favour with superiors. The worst symptom of this is the "if you're not working, you're not working hard enough" mindset. Efficiency and productivity are punished because your value to the organisation is measured in how late you go home, and whether you work on weekends, not how much work you actually produce. From the myriad of complaints I hear, this is a problem endemic to the entire country. And if this does not resonate with you, you probably get paid by the hour.
You work late; I work later. Like war, there are no rules at work. At least, there are no rules that say you have to leave by 7pm, if not you will get your pay cut for being inefficient. But if we do not correct this problem of work-life balance, we will never be able to stem the outflow of quitters searching greener pastures. But how does one reverse a trend that has almost become Singaporean culture?
I am thankful that for now, at least, I have a rare boss who does not subscribe to such practises. Sadly, he is an extremely capable man whose career advancement has obviously suffered because he dared to swim against the tide, and play by different rules. That's a whole problem on its own but for now, one gripe per post.
The root of the problem is that war has no rules. In Arthurian times, knights were guided by a code of conduct. In modern times, we have learned that the victor writes the history books, and people will do whatever it takes to win a war. Snipers, land mines, asymetric warfare and terrorism are all examples that people no longer care about how a battle is won, as long as it is won. And faced with ruthless and unscrupulous adversaries, one has little choice but to follow suit or be destroyed. Thus, the conditions and atrocities of war get from bad to worse.
They say business is war, surely work is war too. In an environment where one aspires to outshine one's peers, people go to extreme lengths to curry favour with superiors. The worst symptom of this is the "if you're not working, you're not working hard enough" mindset. Efficiency and productivity are punished because your value to the organisation is measured in how late you go home, and whether you work on weekends, not how much work you actually produce. From the myriad of complaints I hear, this is a problem endemic to the entire country. And if this does not resonate with you, you probably get paid by the hour.
You work late; I work later. Like war, there are no rules at work. At least, there are no rules that say you have to leave by 7pm, if not you will get your pay cut for being inefficient. But if we do not correct this problem of work-life balance, we will never be able to stem the outflow of quitters searching greener pastures. But how does one reverse a trend that has almost become Singaporean culture?
I am thankful that for now, at least, I have a rare boss who does not subscribe to such practises. Sadly, he is an extremely capable man whose career advancement has obviously suffered because he dared to swim against the tide, and play by different rules. That's a whole problem on its own but for now, one gripe per post.
Friday, October 14, 2005
towards total war and work
War didn't use to be so bad. In the feudal days, war was fought between knights (circa 1000 AD) or mercenary armies (circa 1500 AD), and peasants just got on with life and paid their dues to whoever happened to win. They also had a gentleman's code of conduct. Even in the hundred year's war between England and France, it was almost a side event between professional soldiers, as trading and diplomatic relations continued. But it gets worse.
During the French Revolution, Napoleon began the levée en masse (also known as conscription), and suddenly even unwilling people had to fight. In the American Civil War, Sherman laid waste to the South in his march to the sea, the first time a civilian population was targetted to starve the armies they supported. And with the firebombing of Dresden and the two atomic bombs, WWII employed the destruction of civilian population centres as a means to break the spirit of the nations. In the Iran-Iraq war, the Iranian army used mobs of children to clear minefields in advance of their ground troops.
This is total war - when every single person is thrown into the conflict, and life is a struggle for everyone, from the front line to the home front. There is no holding back. I sometimes feel that work is like total war.
For one thing, they are both downward spirals in the rat race for recognition and promotion. You work hard, I work harder. There are absolute gains in production (not productivity), but the relative standing is still the same. Everybody loses; but once you get caught in the trap, you cannot stop. You cannot work less hard. Instead, we compete to see who can stay in the office longer, who can handle the most projects, who can produce the most. And when it gets really bad, we start cutting each other down and stabbing backs.
And this problem is endemic to our Singaporean society and Chinese in general. We work so hard, but are we truly more productive or is it just blood, sweat and tears? Compare our official working hours with the Europeans, or even the Americans. Then compare the unofficial working hours to see how bad the situation really is. And yet they are still more productive than us! No wonder no one wants to work in Singapore, and everyone here wants to leave. But we have no natural resources and as Krugman puts it, we have run out of growth factors. So the only way to compete globally is to work ourselves into the ground.
In this total war, we are all losers.
During the French Revolution, Napoleon began the levée en masse (also known as conscription), and suddenly even unwilling people had to fight. In the American Civil War, Sherman laid waste to the South in his march to the sea, the first time a civilian population was targetted to starve the armies they supported. And with the firebombing of Dresden and the two atomic bombs, WWII employed the destruction of civilian population centres as a means to break the spirit of the nations. In the Iran-Iraq war, the Iranian army used mobs of children to clear minefields in advance of their ground troops.
This is total war - when every single person is thrown into the conflict, and life is a struggle for everyone, from the front line to the home front. There is no holding back. I sometimes feel that work is like total war.
For one thing, they are both downward spirals in the rat race for recognition and promotion. You work hard, I work harder. There are absolute gains in production (not productivity), but the relative standing is still the same. Everybody loses; but once you get caught in the trap, you cannot stop. You cannot work less hard. Instead, we compete to see who can stay in the office longer, who can handle the most projects, who can produce the most. And when it gets really bad, we start cutting each other down and stabbing backs.
And this problem is endemic to our Singaporean society and Chinese in general. We work so hard, but are we truly more productive or is it just blood, sweat and tears? Compare our official working hours with the Europeans, or even the Americans. Then compare the unofficial working hours to see how bad the situation really is. And yet they are still more productive than us! No wonder no one wants to work in Singapore, and everyone here wants to leave. But we have no natural resources and as Krugman puts it, we have run out of growth factors. So the only way to compete globally is to work ourselves into the ground.
In this total war, we are all losers.
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
all your questions answered
Every once in a while, I get asked what is a paddychicken?
Find the answer here!
Find the answer here!
Sunday, October 09, 2005
engineering philosophy of friendships
Having been through some emotional rollercoasters lately, I think it's interesting to correlate one's sense of wellness with the company one keeps. In particular, I think the presence of friends is a large component of happiness, and different types of friendships can be graphed where x is the amount of happiness and y is time.
Errata: y is the amount of happiness and x is time. Apparently no one is really reading my equations.
I'd do the graphs but I'm on a public terminal, so I hope you remember your math.
Old Friends
Old friends are always there for you. Not very exciting, but hanging out is always positive. This can be graphed as x = a where a > 0.
Hangout Buddies
Hangout buddies drift in and out of our lives, depending on time and space. The getting to know each other part is very exciting, and it can be plotted approximately as |a.sin(x)| where a > 1, for an indefinite time period, until you part ways.
Edit: I have to correct my equation to a[sin(x)+0.875] because there is a slight negative component at times when you feel your buddies don't care about you, although this is often due to misunderstandings. This isn't really noticeable unless too many people make you feel bad at the same time.
Long Distance Friends
It's hard to graph this because it's really erratic. Most of the time, x=0 but during those occasional telephone calls or visits, x can shoot up to astronomical values. It is best describes as a[sin(x)]^b where a and b > 1, and the value of b is correlated to the length of time between meetings.
Girlfriends
This one is simple. It is just a sinusoidal waveform, although the amplitude (both positive and negative) varies with time.
One Night Stands
This should be |-1/x|. If you catch something, you can remove the modulus.
So look at all the friends in your life, find the appropriate waveforms and add them all together. If you're at a point when the peaks coincide, hope it lasts! If you're in a confluence of valleys, hopefully someone new will come into your life. And thus ends the mathematical guide to navigating friendship's ups and downs.
Errata: y is the amount of happiness and x is time. Apparently no one is really reading my equations.
I'd do the graphs but I'm on a public terminal, so I hope you remember your math.
Old Friends
Old friends are always there for you. Not very exciting, but hanging out is always positive. This can be graphed as x = a where a > 0.
Hangout Buddies
Hangout buddies drift in and out of our lives, depending on time and space. The getting to know each other part is very exciting, and it can be plotted approximately as |a.sin(x)| where a > 1, for an indefinite time period, until you part ways.
Edit: I have to correct my equation to a[sin(x)+0.875] because there is a slight negative component at times when you feel your buddies don't care about you, although this is often due to misunderstandings. This isn't really noticeable unless too many people make you feel bad at the same time.
Long Distance Friends
It's hard to graph this because it's really erratic. Most of the time, x=0 but during those occasional telephone calls or visits, x can shoot up to astronomical values. It is best describes as a[sin(x)]^b where a and b > 1, and the value of b is correlated to the length of time between meetings.
Girlfriends
This one is simple. It is just a sinusoidal waveform, although the amplitude (both positive and negative) varies with time.
One Night Stands
This should be |-1/x|. If you catch something, you can remove the modulus.
So look at all the friends in your life, find the appropriate waveforms and add them all together. If you're at a point when the peaks coincide, hope it lasts! If you're in a confluence of valleys, hopefully someone new will come into your life. And thus ends the mathematical guide to navigating friendship's ups and downs.
Thursday, October 06, 2005
faithless
On Sunday, I heard a very thought-provoking story.
I forget the original takeaway of this anecdote, because the question that filled my mind was how amazing it was that someone could come to have such faith just from a few short sessions with the pastor. If I, who has have a lifetime to read the bible and the vastness of the internet and libraries to conduct my research, still struggle with this, how envious I was that he could be so easily convicted.
It’s easy to say I believe in God, but I often wonder if I could face the circus lions, burning at the stake or crucifixion on a cross for these beliefs. If I truly believed, such temporal suffering is merely a shortcut to the paradise beyond. And yet, the thought is still daunting.
Wouldn’t it be lovely if God would speak to me from a burning bush? Or write on my wall (whiteboard also can). Or even visit me in my dreams.
But if I knew, then that wouldn’t be faith, would it.
Our pastor shared how he had tried to share Christ with a man dying of cancer. He shared his frustrations in trying to teach this ‘man of few words’ – every question was always answered with a single word, until Pastor found himself supplying both the questions and the answers to an unreceptive listener. He came to dread the weekly sessions. Finally the introductory course was complete and the two did not meet for some weeks.
At his next visit, Pastor was overcome with anguish and guilt at his neglect, when he saw how the once stolid man had wasted to a shrunken frame. As he knelt beside the bed to pray, he choked as he could not find the words to express his pain and grief.
Instead, it was the man who placed a shriveled hand on his arm, and prayed. He prayed to God for the pastor to have the strength to carry on with his ministry, confident in the knowledge that he, the dying man, was going to heaven.
I forget the original takeaway of this anecdote, because the question that filled my mind was how amazing it was that someone could come to have such faith just from a few short sessions with the pastor. If I, who has have a lifetime to read the bible and the vastness of the internet and libraries to conduct my research, still struggle with this, how envious I was that he could be so easily convicted.
It’s easy to say I believe in God, but I often wonder if I could face the circus lions, burning at the stake or crucifixion on a cross for these beliefs. If I truly believed, such temporal suffering is merely a shortcut to the paradise beyond. And yet, the thought is still daunting.
Wouldn’t it be lovely if God would speak to me from a burning bush? Or write on my wall (whiteboard also can). Or even visit me in my dreams.
But if I knew, then that wouldn’t be faith, would it.
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
blast from the past
I just finished copying my DVD backups to my external hard drive. This makes it quicker and easier to access documents and photos from the last 8 years of my life. It's scary to think how long I have been accumulating this stuff ... it's a good thing I don't collect movies. I also have a backup of my very first blog, which was so archaic I actually ran it off my own web server and updated the html manually. Back then I was much more creative and passionate about life... I think you can see how the writing style has changed.
This entry was written one fine day in the library during exam week.
I've found a scientific reason for my lack of progress. It all boils down to Maslow's Heirarchy of Needs.
At the base of the pyramid we have the huge and most important bar which is some long P-word but most importantly it means food. Since I'm always hungry, it is impossible to surmount this barrier, how then can I progress up the pyramid to such abstract concepts like self-actualization which is the closest I can think of to 'mug-in-the-library'. I spend more time at Wawa, Dunkin Donuts or New Deck than in the library methinks. And eventually if I do eat enough, I can progress one step up the pyramid; it's probably labelled 'sleep' or 'food coma' but being a poor student I don't really remember. Moving up even higher is probably 'reply e-mail', followed by 'update website', so as you can see I'm gradually progressing but before I reach the top I'll probably find myself succumbing to the more important primal instincts again. It's like snakes and ladders.
This entry was written one fine day in the library during exam week.
I've found a scientific reason for my lack of progress. It all boils down to Maslow's Heirarchy of Needs.
At the base of the pyramid we have the huge and most important bar which is some long P-word but most importantly it means food. Since I'm always hungry, it is impossible to surmount this barrier, how then can I progress up the pyramid to such abstract concepts like self-actualization which is the closest I can think of to 'mug-in-the-library'. I spend more time at Wawa, Dunkin Donuts or New Deck than in the library methinks. And eventually if I do eat enough, I can progress one step up the pyramid; it's probably labelled 'sleep' or 'food coma' but being a poor student I don't really remember. Moving up even higher is probably 'reply e-mail', followed by 'update website', so as you can see I'm gradually progressing but before I reach the top I'll probably find myself succumbing to the more important primal instincts again. It's like snakes and ladders.
On a side not, Dunkin Donuts is selling 3 donuts for 99 cents now. So happy.
Sigh, re-reading all my old entries makes me really really nostalgic for school!
Sunday, October 02, 2005
the wedding dilemna
'Tis the season to tie the knot, it seems, and I have been getting quite a number of wedding invitations these past months. Most of them are from people I would not classify as close friends, and therein lies the dilemna: I don't want to go.
I ask myself if I am being invited
1) Because the couple genuinely wants me to attend for friendship's sake
2) Because the couple does not want to affront me by leaving me out
3) Because the couple wants me to attend for political reasons
If (1), then I should definitely try to go. Else I had better come up with some damn good excuse so that I don't hurt anyone's feelings. If (2), then obviously I should just inform them that I 'am busy' and that would happily close the matter on both sides. If (3), then I'd have to examine the political context to determine the optimal outcome, can't really come up with a general solution here.
These questions are also pertinent because these are people I would not have intended to invite to my own wedding. So if I ever do get married, should I invite them as well?
I ask myself if I am being invited
1) Because the couple genuinely wants me to attend for friendship's sake
2) Because the couple does not want to affront me by leaving me out
3) Because the couple wants me to attend for political reasons
If (1), then I should definitely try to go. Else I had better come up with some damn good excuse so that I don't hurt anyone's feelings. If (2), then obviously I should just inform them that I 'am busy' and that would happily close the matter on both sides. If (3), then I'd have to examine the political context to determine the optimal outcome, can't really come up with a general solution here.
These questions are also pertinent because these are people I would not have intended to invite to my own wedding. So if I ever do get married, should I invite them as well?
Monday, September 26, 2005
my wedding video
I see a trend in wedding videos. The groom pulls up at the bride's home with his merry men, only to be tekaned by the cronies jiemei of the bride. They are made to undergo all manner of humiliating acts, eat repulsive concoctions and even pay out obscene bribes, before the groom can life the veil and kiss the bride. Soon I will experience it firsthand myself.
This is my ideal wedding video:
The black car pulls up in front of the bride's house and the groom dismounts. He strides purposefully toward the front door, companions in tow. A glance at the windows reveals no gloating, giggling faces. An ominous silence hangs in the air; the house has the appearance of being deserted.
As the groom reaches the front door, it is opened from within by a gentlemen immaculately dressed in a tuxedo. He could not be mistaken for any sort of manservant, however, because of his athletic build, dark glasses, and the air of bravura radiating from him. This aura, in fact, is shared by the entire party of the groom, who is himself the epitome of sei.
Inside, the ladies aretrussed up like chickens gently bound to the dining room furniture. Their eyes are wide not with terror, but with wonderment at the finesse with which they were overcome. The warrior standing over them snaps a quick salute as the groom enters. A paperclip in the kitchen is the only evidence of the swift and silent entry made by the vanguard. With a flourish, the groom magnanimously whips out a sheaf of red packets and delicately tucks one each into the bonds of the incapacitated bridal party.
He then proceeds directly to that room, and throws the door open. These final moments trickle by like an eternity as he sets eyes upon the most beautiful ... ok I'll cut the romantic crap here. You get the general idea; why is it not done this way?
This is my ideal wedding video:
The black car pulls up in front of the bride's house and the groom dismounts. He strides purposefully toward the front door, companions in tow. A glance at the windows reveals no gloating, giggling faces. An ominous silence hangs in the air; the house has the appearance of being deserted.
As the groom reaches the front door, it is opened from within by a gentlemen immaculately dressed in a tuxedo. He could not be mistaken for any sort of manservant, however, because of his athletic build, dark glasses, and the air of bravura radiating from him. This aura, in fact, is shared by the entire party of the groom, who is himself the epitome of sei.
Inside, the ladies are
He then proceeds directly to that room, and throws the door open. These final moments trickle by like an eternity as he sets eyes upon the most beautiful ... ok I'll cut the romantic crap here. You get the general idea; why is it not done this way?
Sunday, September 25, 2005
opportunity costs
I'm glad my economics training has not completely gone to waste. Do you still remember?
via elia diodati:
via elia diodati:
You won a free ticket to see an Eric Clapton concert (which has no resale value). Bob Dylan is performing on the same night and is your next-best alternative activity. Tickets to see Dylan cost $40. On any given day, you would be willing to pay up to $50 to see Dylan. Assume there are no other costs of seeing either performer. Based on this information, what is the opportunity cost of seeing Eric Clapton?If you notice a disturbing trend on this blog to link rather than write, I'm sorry. I'm tired.
A. $0
B. $10
C. $40
D. $50
Saturday, September 24, 2005
little ball bearing
Singapore Angle has a really interesting piece on Patricia Herbold, nominated as the next Ambassador to Singapore. Here are a few of the more interesting things that jumped out at me:
And this bit is from Ms Herbold's testimony, which also contains a very concise summary of Singapore-U.S. relations for anyone who is interested.
The second point is the now oft-quoted statistic about the Straits of Malacca. Soon after 9/11, I was engaged in a study of Terrorist Threats to Singapore under one of the foremost terrorism experts in the U.S. This was one of our core findings, and to this day I still wonder if the media spotlight a year or two later had anything to do with our little school project. My professor was, after all, a CIA consultant and who knows whatever other government links he had. But so what if half the world's oil flows through our Straits? Let me try to elucidate its significance to Singapore and the world, with excerpts from our research.
And so that explains the significance of the Straits of Malacca. We also found some other less sexy and still unpublicised stuff, so I guess I will keep that to myself for now.
Frank Lavin, the current ambassador, has over twenty years of experience with Asia issues, a Lt Commander in the U.S. Naval Reserves, and not to mention a B.Sc.F.S. from SFS at GU, an M.Sc. in Chinese Language and History from GU, an M.A. in International Relations and International Economics from SAIS at JHU and an M.B.A. in Finance from Wharton. [all schools truncated from the original for your guessing pleasure]I am astounded. His educational qualifications read like the who's who of top institutions. And I don't mean top institutions in the generic sense - this guy studies at the top institution for each field. I don't know how he managed to accumulate such a wealth of academics but ... I also want!
There always has been a small collection of "plum" ambassadorships that U.S. presidents of both parties save for their closest friends and reliable contributors: Paris, London, Tokyo, Buenos Aires and Singapore.Why is Singapore considered a plum ambassadorship? I wonder what it takes to qualify to be a plum.
And this bit is from Ms Herbold's testimony, which also contains a very concise summary of Singapore-U.S. relations for anyone who is interested.
Singapore is a strong supporter of a U.S. military presence in the region. It is a critical logistics hub for U.S. forces transiting between the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Singapore boasts the only pier outside a U.S. base at which a U.S. aircraft carrier can dock, for example. Singapore is also an important partner in promoting maritime security in the Strait of Malacca, through which one-third of the world's trade and one-half of the world's oil transits.It brings to mind two fond memories. The first was when a bunch of friends were discussing regional militaries and someone joked that Thailand has an aircraft carrier and not enough aircraft. The comeback was: we have an aircraft carrier dock and no aircraft carrier. I didn't realise we were the only one in the world, though.
The second point is the now oft-quoted statistic about the Straits of Malacca. Soon after 9/11, I was engaged in a study of Terrorist Threats to Singapore under one of the foremost terrorism experts in the U.S. This was one of our core findings, and to this day I still wonder if the media spotlight a year or two later had anything to do with our little school project. My professor was, after all, a CIA consultant and who knows whatever other government links he had. But so what if half the world's oil flows through our Straits? Let me try to elucidate its significance to Singapore and the world, with excerpts from our research.
August 17, 1943. Bombers from the Eighth Air Force attacked ball bearing plants at Schweinfurt in a massive daylight raid. The allies had identified anti-friction bearings as a critical component of the German war machine and attempted to snap this weak link. Here is one example of input-output analysis [now more popularly know as Effects Based Operations], and how the destruction of something seemingly insignificant could have disproportionately large repercussions.I was offended when my professor approached the problem by asking, "How could Al Qaeda attack America through Singapore?" Ethnocentric b***** I thought - but no, he actually had a very good point because the ISD had already proven it could deal with JI - and the only thing that would entice the intervention of Al Qaeda in our lion city was the prospect of dealing larger damage to the U.S. We used input-output analysis to figure if any of the weak links might reside on our soil.
The Straits of Malacca is one of the busiest and most crucial shipping lane in the world. Every year, more than US$1 trillion worth of goods are transported through the straits and the volume of shipping traffic through the straits in 2000 amounted to 49,062 vessels. The use of the Straits saves the Japanese petroleum industry about $400m a year just on transportation cost savings. Much of the trade that takes place in the world relies heavily on the Straits of Malacca, a narrow 1.5 mile stretch between Singapore and Indonesia, and it is estimated that half the world’s shipping passes through this point. It is easy to envision the world economy being severely crippled if use of the straits is made impossible, even if for just a few months. Industries, being heavily dependent on oil, will come to a standstill, especially in the poorer countries in East Asia, leading to the lack of components critical in driving world economic production.There was little doubt in our minds of the magnitude of the problem should the Straits be blocked - we then spent a considerable effort researching dirty bombs, mines and RPGs on fast craft to determine how it might be done. Personally, I am very glad our respective governments have taken strict measures to control this threat even before any incident occurred.
And so that explains the significance of the Straits of Malacca. We also found some other less sexy and still unpublicised stuff, so I guess I will keep that to myself for now.
Thursday, September 22, 2005
i am who i am
I find the new meme proliferated by MercerMachine (via Tomorrow.sg) really cool. Here's my single contribution, because I'm way too tired to come up with literary epiphanies at this hour.
I am the student who always brought an inflatable pillow to sleep in the front row. And neither the light of knowledge nor the wrath of instructors could penetrate the darkness once descended.After scanning the trackbacks, the original on MercerMachine is still by far the best.
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
the kentang
One of my favorite humour blogs is The Kentang. I'd liken it to a Singaporean version of The Onion, with more dry wit than TalkingCock. Doesn't update very often, but the quality is consistently good.
Here's the latest post, which includes hilarious Singlish translations from Shakespeare and Catherine Lim.
Here's the latest post, which includes hilarious Singlish translations from Shakespeare and Catherine Lim.
"Translation into Singlish faces certain unusual difficulties. Firstly different races may not understand all the dialect included, especially Hokkien ones. Thus as far as possible we have tried to limit ourselves to an English and Singlish vocabulary that would be widely understood in Singapore, avoiding lengthy passages in any particular language or dialect, even in direct speech, when in all reality a local language is more likely to have been spoken than English or even Singlish" said Prof. Thamalingam. "For example, when translating the following passage:So check it out, guaranteed quite a sizeable chunk of procrastination pleasure.
'Ah, you’re not wearing the Jade Pendant! That’s a disappointment to me, for I had hoped to see it. I’ve heard so much about it.’ - Catherine Lim, "The Jade Pendant"
The initial suggestion of
'Aiyah, lu bo cheng lu eh pendant ah? Sad lor, kwa kwa ma buay sai'
was felt to be too inaccessible to readers from other races. Eventually we settled on
"Aiyah, never wear ah. Sad lor, actually wanted to see."
Monday, September 19, 2005
bible taboo
We have a new game. It's played like regular taboo, but all clues must include some biblical references, and delivered in a sermon-on-the-mount type voice. Here were some classics:
Clues
Clues
- Manna ... with toppings
- Burnt Manna
- If Jesus disciples had taken this in the Garden of Gethsemane, they would have stayed up with him
- Jesus' disciples fell asleep because they read this label wrong
- What was Wormwood?
- What did Potipher's wife do to Joseph?
- The remains of the leviathans in Job
- Pizza
- Toast
- Caffeine
- De-caf
- Meteor
- Kiss-and-Tell
- Fossil
Sunday, September 18, 2005
quidam and seperation
Here are my thoughts on two shows I caught recently: Quidam and Seperation 40. It is not a review or a summary, just some things that crossed my mind.
Circe du soleil's Quidam is an amalgamation of top cultural performances from around the world, repackaged in thematic costumes and performed against a terrific musical backdrop.
One performance that perfectly demonstrates this point was the ce3 ling2 (Chinese yo-yo) act. As a former practioner myself, I'm always interested to see what magic can be wrought from two sticks and a string, and Quidam's mix of tricks and acrobatic stunts was the best I had ever seen. I suspect this is more due to their showmanship than the actual difficulty of the sequence.
They also had two hilarious skits involving 'audience participation'. At the end of the show, I asserted that the participants were planted, while my friend disagreed. I then pointed out that the male performer was taking physical liberties with his 'volunteers' that would probably be a bit risky and offensive if they were not forewarned. To this she agreed - but I was amused to realise that her logic was "if her boyfriend was there, he would be offended", whereas I had thought the lady herself would be the affronted one. Maybe I have an overly conservative view of women in modern society.
Seperation 40 had a really good start and end, but the in-between was rather drawn-out and even painful at times. The first act was set in 200X with the Islamic Republic of Malaya celebrating its 50th Anniversary, while Singapore (now an independant country located in Suzhou Industrial Park) celebrated its 5th year of independance. In the Singapore celebration, the commentator declared, "... and now we will see a display of 120 colourful floats to symbolize 120 of our achievements in the last financial quarter ..." That really cracked me up, talk about hyperbole.
The rest of the show took place in various settings over the past 40 years, and largely fell under 3 different themes: "agree to disagree", "celebrate our differences" and various portrayals of "seperation personified". Of these, one particular sequence that stood out was the dialogue between a Malay mother and her son who was to be executed the next day. Half in English, half in Malay and crackling with emotion, it was very enjoyably piecing together all the meanings from the English bits and the body language.
Finally, the other really enjoyable part was the meet-the-cast section at the very end, where we had the chance to query the directors and actors on why things were and what the hell was going on. As one audience member succintly described, Seperation 40 was more humanistic than thought-provoking in any socio-political sense, leaving me mildly disappointed. After this weekend, they will be heading to KL to perform the exact same thing.
Circe du soleil's Quidam is an amalgamation of top cultural performances from around the world, repackaged in thematic costumes and performed against a terrific musical backdrop.
One performance that perfectly demonstrates this point was the ce3 ling2 (Chinese yo-yo) act. As a former practioner myself, I'm always interested to see what magic can be wrought from two sticks and a string, and Quidam's mix of tricks and acrobatic stunts was the best I had ever seen. I suspect this is more due to their showmanship than the actual difficulty of the sequence.
They also had two hilarious skits involving 'audience participation'. At the end of the show, I asserted that the participants were planted, while my friend disagreed. I then pointed out that the male performer was taking physical liberties with his 'volunteers' that would probably be a bit risky and offensive if they were not forewarned. To this she agreed - but I was amused to realise that her logic was "if her boyfriend was there, he would be offended", whereas I had thought the lady herself would be the affronted one. Maybe I have an overly conservative view of women in modern society.
Seperation 40 had a really good start and end, but the in-between was rather drawn-out and even painful at times. The first act was set in 200X with the Islamic Republic of Malaya celebrating its 50th Anniversary, while Singapore (now an independant country located in Suzhou Industrial Park) celebrated its 5th year of independance. In the Singapore celebration, the commentator declared, "... and now we will see a display of 120 colourful floats to symbolize 120 of our achievements in the last financial quarter ..." That really cracked me up, talk about hyperbole.
The rest of the show took place in various settings over the past 40 years, and largely fell under 3 different themes: "agree to disagree", "celebrate our differences" and various portrayals of "seperation personified". Of these, one particular sequence that stood out was the dialogue between a Malay mother and her son who was to be executed the next day. Half in English, half in Malay and crackling with emotion, it was very enjoyably piecing together all the meanings from the English bits and the body language.
Finally, the other really enjoyable part was the meet-the-cast section at the very end, where we had the chance to query the directors and actors on why things were and what the hell was going on. As one audience member succintly described, Seperation 40 was more humanistic than thought-provoking in any socio-political sense, leaving me mildly disappointed. After this weekend, they will be heading to KL to perform the exact same thing.
Saturday, September 17, 2005
meebo
(via yjblog and ) For those of you vegetating in the office with no one to chat with because your company's firewalls have blocked off all IM clients known to man, here's a chance for succor.
Meebo is a multi-protocol web-based IM client that connects to AIM, ICQ, Yahoo! and MSN. Web-based is especially cool for those who don't have administrator rights to install software on their own terminals. I love the simplicity of the interface but I haven't actually managed to chat on it yet due to server issues - it's that hot off the press.
And if you're not behind an IDA firewall, you might have a fighting chance of using it, for a while at least. These IDA people damn on the ball one, poor civil servants.
Meebo is a multi-protocol web-based IM client that connects to AIM, ICQ, Yahoo! and MSN. Web-based is especially cool for those who don't have administrator rights to install software on their own terminals. I love the simplicity of the interface but I haven't actually managed to chat on it yet due to server issues - it's that hot off the press.
And if you're not behind an IDA firewall, you might have a fighting chance of using it, for a while at least. These IDA people damn on the ball one, poor civil servants.
Friday, September 16, 2005
what word?
I have a friend that I will describe, at best, as an infrequent blogger. Her very last post was on a word she had come across - a term for that situation when you find yourself grasping for a word; you know the meaning, and sometimes you even know the first letter but you just can't articulate it. You know the feeling.
Since she posted that, I often went back to her blog because everytime I had that sensation I would think of the word, but I couldn't remember the word either because it has damn lot of letters and syllables. Almost as bad as decheemanise. I often think that whoever coined the term definitely had a wicked sense of humour with an overdose of irony.
Anyway one day the diaryland database suffered a catastrophic failure and her blog was wiped out. So now I have no recollection of the word, and neither does she. Would anyone in the know kindly enlighten me?
Since she posted that, I often went back to her blog because everytime I had that sensation I would think of the word, but I couldn't remember the word either because it has damn lot of letters and syllables. Almost as bad as decheemanise. I often think that whoever coined the term definitely had a wicked sense of humour with an overdose of irony.
Anyway one day the diaryland database suffered a catastrophic failure and her blog was wiped out. So now I have no recollection of the word, and neither does she. Would anyone in the know kindly enlighten me?
Thursday, September 15, 2005
decheemanisation
In a discussion over common lingo that are not proper English words, one friend came up with the ultimate example: decheemanise. To me that is the ultimate oxymoron; why do you need a word with 12 letters and 4 syllables that essentially means 'simplify'?
Quite coincidentally, I came across a global effort to decheemanise the English language. It is predicated on the assumption that clear communication is the responsibility of the speaker/writer, not the listener/reader. It is the responsibility of the more sophisticated linguist to convey concepts and ideas in a language that is easily understood by the intended audience.
The product of this is called Globish, and comprises 1500 commonly used words, which should be able to convey the same meaning as the broader English language, albeit in a less poetic way. Instead of being parsimonious with the prose, it pares down the necessary vocabulary to simplify communication. It would be pretty cool if someone could just program a Globish checker to highlight all the words in a speech/document not within this 1500-word subset, and suggest amendments. I know some people I would use it for.
I think this should be much more effective than other attempts to bridge global communication such as Esperanto. It is much easier to get experts to simplify their vocabulary than to expect beginners to pick it up at an impossible rate. And I wish someone would reduce Mandarin to 1500 words.
Quite coincidentally, I came across a global effort to decheemanise the English language. It is predicated on the assumption that clear communication is the responsibility of the speaker/writer, not the listener/reader. It is the responsibility of the more sophisticated linguist to convey concepts and ideas in a language that is easily understood by the intended audience.
The product of this is called Globish, and comprises 1500 commonly used words, which should be able to convey the same meaning as the broader English language, albeit in a less poetic way. Instead of being parsimonious with the prose, it pares down the necessary vocabulary to simplify communication. It would be pretty cool if someone could just program a Globish checker to highlight all the words in a speech/document not within this 1500-word subset, and suggest amendments. I know some people I would use it for.
I think this should be much more effective than other attempts to bridge global communication such as Esperanto. It is much easier to get experts to simplify their vocabulary than to expect beginners to pick it up at an impossible rate. And I wish someone would reduce Mandarin to 1500 words.
Sunday, September 11, 2005
music to my ears
I installed the latest version of Bittorrent recently, and discovered that the bittorrent scene has gotten a lot livelier since I last used it. Suprnova is still dead, but others like Mininova and The Pirate Bay have sprung up to take its place.
On a completely unrelated note, here are my brief reviews on some recent rock/emo album releases that I think are well worth buying.
After my disappointment with Coldplay's last release, Rush of Blood to the Head, I was a little reluctant to put more money down on X&Y. Especially after I tried it in the store and was not impressed.
But I finally got it and after further evaluation, it is good stuff. It does not have the anthem quality of Clocks or Yellow, but like DCFC, it is the perfect soundtrack for a miserable day in the office.
For other stuff I am listening to, check out My Music.
On a completely unrelated note, here are my brief reviews on some recent rock/emo album releases that I think are well worth buying.
If you're into the old Suede sound, like Animal Nitrate, Stay Together, The Wild Ones and the rest of DogManStar, this is the album for you. Dark guitar riffs married to androgenous vocals.
For indie-electronica, you can also download:
The Postal Service - Such Great Heights (4.07MB)
After my disappointment with Coldplay's last release, Rush of Blood to the Head, I was a little reluctant to put more money down on X&Y. Especially after I tried it in the store and was not impressed.But I finally got it and after further evaluation, it is good stuff. It does not have the anthem quality of Clocks or Yellow, but like DCFC, it is the perfect soundtrack for a miserable day in the office.
For other stuff I am listening to, check out My Music.
Thursday, September 08, 2005
on work relationships
A colleague sat down next to me and decided to give me his analysis on interpersonal relationships in the workplace.
Downward Relationships are the most satisfying because you have the joy of watching the people under you develop and mature under your guidance; perhaps even in your own image. If this is done well, you earn their love and respect and you feel damn good but you can't eat love and respect. You may achieve a lot through your team, but this will only be fully recognised if your upwards relationship is correspondingly sound.
Upwards Relationships can be extremely rewarding in the financial or career sense if managed well. However, this generally involves a lot of ass-kissing, which in turn is extremely tiring and takes its toll on the spirit. Even if you are incompetant, you can still get places if you get enough superiors to speak up for you. You can never bluff your peers, though.
Horizontal Relationships are basically the tradeoff between the two in terms of satisfaction and utility. In addition, you also need to measure the paradigm of lateral comparisons and jealousy if you are doing too well. This is why it is the easiest relationship to sacrifice.
Call me idealistic, but I am going to try for the triple anyway. I believe that my subordinates will give me trust and respect as long as I am sincerely executing my responsibilities as a leader, looking out for their best interests. I will earn the respect of my peers through my own competence, while at the same time offering the hand of friendship that does not conceal a knife that stabs the back or slits the scapegoat. And my bosses will have to respect me for my exceptional abilities, and not merely an ability to make them feel good.
In my own experience thus far, it is certainly easier to advance if you just kiss up. But what's the point of living if you cannot live with yourself?
There are three main categories of relationships: upwards (with your bosses), horizontal (with your peers) and downwards (with subordinates). Each person will have to choose one of these to sacrifice, because it is not possible to maintain all three. And citing anecdotal evidence from superiors we both know, he went on to press his thesis that for most people, it is most beneficial to sacrifice the peer level. This was not a statement I could easily accept, because I would certainly wish to manage relations on all three fronts. But as I tried to find examples of people who had successfully balanced them all, I had to conclude that a balance only occured when they had not truly mastered any.This led me to conclude that the satisfaction derived from a relationship is inversely related to its utility.
Downward Relationships are the most satisfying because you have the joy of watching the people under you develop and mature under your guidance; perhaps even in your own image. If this is done well, you earn their love and respect and you feel damn good but you can't eat love and respect. You may achieve a lot through your team, but this will only be fully recognised if your upwards relationship is correspondingly sound.
Upwards Relationships can be extremely rewarding in the financial or career sense if managed well. However, this generally involves a lot of ass-kissing, which in turn is extremely tiring and takes its toll on the spirit. Even if you are incompetant, you can still get places if you get enough superiors to speak up for you. You can never bluff your peers, though.
Horizontal Relationships are basically the tradeoff between the two in terms of satisfaction and utility. In addition, you also need to measure the paradigm of lateral comparisons and jealousy if you are doing too well. This is why it is the easiest relationship to sacrifice.
Call me idealistic, but I am going to try for the triple anyway. I believe that my subordinates will give me trust and respect as long as I am sincerely executing my responsibilities as a leader, looking out for their best interests. I will earn the respect of my peers through my own competence, while at the same time offering the hand of friendship that does not conceal a knife that stabs the back or slits the scapegoat. And my bosses will have to respect me for my exceptional abilities, and not merely an ability to make them feel good.
In my own experience thus far, it is certainly easier to advance if you just kiss up. But what's the point of living if you cannot live with yourself?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
