a summer sun that blows my mind is falling down on all that i've ever known time will kiss the world goodbye we're falling down on all that i've ever known
is all that i've ever known
a dying scream makes no sound calling out to all that i've ever known here am i lost and found, calling out to all
we live a dying dream if you know what i mean
and all that i've ever known it's all that i've ever known
catch the wheel that breaks the butterfly i cry the rain that fills the ocean wide i tried to talk with god to no avail i call him up in and out of nowhere said if you won't save me please don't waste my time
all that i've ever known is all that i've ever known
oasis - falling down
i am almost there.
the usual suspect said::
4/28/2009 07:34:00 PM :D
Sunday, April 26, 2009
open.our.eyes. we must open our eyes and see that this is not just an attack the gays campaign. the threat is greater than that when it involves what i perceive as religious fundementalism. think jihad. think marx's opium for the masses. think suicide bombers of all ages and genders. altho thankfully here in sg we are not subjected to such extremist dangers my point is, the power of religion is way greater than any weapon of mass destruction. it is in the mind, it is potently persuasive and invisible, making it almost impossible to kill. we are a free society. it is a free world. people should be able to live the way they want to. if we cannot accept it, we should be respectful and civil enough to leave them alone. i cannot make this any clearer. it is not just about an attack on the gay-lesbian-bisexual-transgender community guys. it is not just about them. it is about religious freedom, it is about the sanctity of a public SECULAR space. preach to your own. why are you trying to encroach a neutral sphere that is all inclusive and embraces differences? the coup at aware is veiled religious fundamentalism, the act of taking over a secular platform and trying to mass convert people into your faith through the insidious mounting of a campaign of hate and discrimination. that, we cannot tolerate. here's an enlightening article to read.
Aware saga: A new militancy emerges Tolerance is critical in the public sphere in a multi-religious society By Chua Mui Hoong, Senior Writer
THE battle lines have been drawn. And it is not just between Aware's new executive committee and its old guard.The leading women's advocacy group saw a stunning leadership change when newcomers captured nine of 12 executive committee posts at the group's annual general meeting on March 28. Older members questioned their motives as well as the sudden influx of new members who joined Aware just months before the AGM.
Four members of the new exco held a press conference on Thursday evening. At the same time as the press conference was proceeding at Raffles Town Club, an exco meeting was called at Aware's Dover Road premises. The new team sacked the Aware centre's manager, a paid employee, changed the locks at the Aware office and had a stand-off with old guard members who turned up later.
Some see this episode as a 'catfight' among ambitious women. Others see it as a tussle for control of a prominent women's advocacy group, three of whose presidents have served as Nominated Members of Parliament.
With four of the new exco members attending the same church - and having the same 'feminist mentor' in the shape of lawyer Thio Su Mien - and all espousing 'pro-family', anti-gay sentiments, some are calling this a fight between the Christian Right and the Gay Lobby.There is also an intra-Christian element here. For even within the Christian community, there is concern about religious zeal spilling over into the public sphere and giving Christianity an unduly aggressive image in peaceful, multi-religious Singapore.
Some of the new exco members have been reportedly threatened, with one receiving a death threat. Even if that were the act of an eccentric, threats of violence against activists should never be condoned and Singaporeans must be firm in denouncing such behaviour.There is such a cauldron of emotions swirling over this issue that it is hard to take a cool look at it. But that is precisely what is needed - a hard-headed look at why this issue has roiled so many people.
At the risk of stating the obvious, religion mixed with socio- political controversies is always a combustible combination. Especially when faiths are interpreted in a fundamentalist way.Tolerance and accommodation are critical attitudes for people of different faiths to adopt towards one another in the public sphere. Religion can be divisive, especially when it insists on a religiously- informed view on any particular social, moral or cultural issue.
Secular, multi-religious societies must draw a line between what is acceptable and what is not in the public domain. There is nothing objectionable about zeal for one's faith per se. But action aimed at invalidating or challenging other religions or enforcing a particular religious view on everyone can have harmful social and political consequences in a multi-religious society.It is especially troublesome when people go beyond spreading their religious beliefs to attempting to legislate their preferred moral practices. For example, they may believe that the moral values their church subscribes to should govern civil law. So if their church says homosexuality and abortion are grievous sins, then the laws of the land should outlaw such practices, even if many other people do not agree.
The so-called Christian Right has made its presence felt in recent years: in opposing the setting up of casinos, and in lobbying against a motion to repeal section 377A of the Penal Code which criminalises sex between males.While other religions too have been vocal on these issues, they have adopted a live-and-let-live attitude, preferring to preach to their own flock than convert others. The Christian Right is more organised, vocal about claiming public space for debate, and savvy in using constitutional means to advance its causes.
Concern over just where religious and social zeal will lead the new Aware leadership is the reason many have reacted strongly to news of its grab for power. Many are concerned that this group has established a benchmark for religiously inspired activism that may well be emulated by people of other faiths.
It would have been different if the group and its mentor Dr Thio had been upfront about their association. It would have been even better if they had formed their own organisation to propagate their social plans.
But their decision, from the looks of it, to use Aware as a convenient organisation to launch their cause has raised eyebrows. While the new group was properly elected, its method has sown mistrust. They were not a model of transparent organisation.
In recent years, much attention, for good reason, has been focused on Islamic fundamentalism, given the violence of militant groups claiming Islam as their inspiration. But religious fundamentalism of all kinds can do harm - not necessarily to the physical body but certainly to the body politic of a multi-faith society - if it invalidates others' faiths and seeks to use the law to suppress the practices of minority groups.
Singapore has long guarded its public sphere and common space zealously to keep it free from religious strife. We should be no less vigilant in guarding against new forms of militancy that may harm the body politic.
the usual suspect said::
4/26/2009 11:59:00 AM :D
Friday, April 24, 2009
Lawyer's key role in Aware coup By Zakir Hussain
Dr Thio said she began monitoring Aware's about a year ago and was disturbed by what she saw as signs that it was promoting lesbianism and homosexuality.
SENIOR lawyer Thio Su Mien yesterday revealed the key role she played in bringing about the change of leadership at the Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware).
Appearing at a press conference called at short notice by some of the association's new leaders, she said she was alarmed to discover that Aware had lost sight of its original purpose and become pro-lesbian and pro-homosexual.
Dr Thio, 71, a born-again Christian who runs her own law firm, is the mother of Nominated Member of Parliament Thio Li-ann and her nephew, Dr Alan Chin, is married to new Aware president Josie Lau.
She was the first woman dean of the Law Faculty at the then-University of Singapore, from 1969 to 1971.
Introducing herself as a 'feminist mentor' to working women, she said she began monitoring Aware's affairs about a year ago.
Disturbed by what she saw as signs that it was promoting lesbianism and homosexuality, she began urging women she knew to challenge Aware's attempts to redefine marriage and families.
Yesterday, the new Aware leaders said that they and their families had been threatened and even received death threats, and they have reported them to the police.
Dr Thio said: 'I feel kind of responsible for these difficulties they are going through, because I was the one who mentored them over the years.'
She said she had been teaching and counselling some of them in different groups for up to 10 years.
She was 'absolutely outraged' that a group of women who just wanted to contribute to society are now facing 'ferocious attacks'.
'I don't understand what has become of our people,' she added.
Dr Thio explained that her concern about the direction that Aware was taking was partly prompted by a letter from a parent who was concerned that the society was promoting a homosexual agenda.
He wrote to the Today newspaper in 2007 to ask why Aware's choice of a movie for a charity show was Spider Lilies, about two lesbians who fall in love.
Dr Thio said she went on to discover that in Aware's comprehensive sexuality education programme, which is taken to schools, homosexuality is regarded as a neutral word, not a negative word.
'I started thinking, 'Hey, parents, you better know what's happening,'' she said.
'I talked to parents. I said: You better do something about this, otherwise your daughter will come back and say, 'Mum, I want to marry my girlfriend.'
'Or your son will say: 'Dad, I want to marry my boyfriend.''
These parents were flabbergasted, she said, adding that such sexuality education was taking place in the United States and Europe and was not new.
'What is happening in society is that we are redefining marriage, we are redefining families,' she said.
'So I'm a concerned citizen and if people are so ignorant, I think I want to teach them.'
Pointing out that Aware's programme was already in 30 schools, she said: 'The suggestion is that in this programme, young girls from 12 to 18 are taught that it's okay to experiment with each other.
'And this is something which should concern parents in Singapore. Are we going to have an entire generation of lesbians?'
Insisting that she was not anti-homosexual, she said: 'I have nothing against lesbians or homosexuals personally. On a personal front, I've ministered, I've counselled them.
'They are in pain. And very often from families where you have abusive fathers, they do things with their daughters and the daughters revolt, rebel against society.
'We understand this is what it's all about.'
Dr Thio said that Aware was formed 26 years ago by her contemporaries and friends, and had done great work in many areas.
But she noted that its membership had dropped from about 700 in 1998 to around 200 in 2006.
She was dismayed that at the annual general meeting in 2008, there was a move to give men the right to vote 'in a women's organisation where the objective is to represent all the women of Singapore'.
Only 25 people attended that AGM. The motion was defeated, but reappeared on the agenda at the AGM last month.
She then started looking into the affairs of Aware to see what was going on at the organisation set up by her friends.
She said that there were many women's issues that needed to be looked into, and cited the need to ensure that retrenched women are dealt with fairly.
'I find to my dismay that Aware seems to be only very interested in lesbianism and the advancement of homosexuality, which is a man's issue,' she said.
She felt this matter had to be discussed, but Aware should focus on going back to look after all women in Singapore.
'Can we re-focus on the excellent objectives of Aware? Go back to its original purpose for it being an NGO?' she asked.
OMG WHAT A DUMB ASS BITCH! i am so mad! this thio su mien is the mother of the infamous 'put straw in nose' nmp thio li ann during the 377A saga.
you know what really irks me about these ugly christians? its fucking intolerence. this mightier than thou attitude and trying to salvage an entirely ignorant public that is so beneath you?
and for the record, lesbianism is NOT a result of sexual abuse inflicted by fathers! besides being a horrible presumptuous thing to say, for the former Dean of NUS Law, it is certainly ill-informed. i for one have many friends who come from loving families whose parents love them for just the way they are. homosexuality is not a psychological disturbance you stupid old twat!
I am outraged. i really am, when it comes to intolerence.
we are all free to practise our beliefs in our respective domains, who are you to infiltrate an established secular organisation representative of all types of women from all walks of life and try to make it an offshoot of your beloved church?
once again i must assert that i have nothing against religions. certainly not christianity altho the aggressiveness of some churches and christians really freak me out becos i question their personal motives for such fanatism.
this world is different, biologically we are already segregated by our skin colour and gender.that is the first hurdle bestowed from the powers above, and here you can apply whatever religious context you like to it.the key thing is to recognise the differences and try to overcome it with tolerence, civility and mutual respect for each others cultural distinctions.the idea is to live with each others' differences, be it race, religion or sexual orientation. all the more so as we share the same geographical entity.
so dr thio su mien, i respect you, your church and what you believe in.good luck trying to fucking take over the world with your bible in tow okay? cos we, the public, are not ignorant citizens waiting to be taught by you.we have our own minds to help us deal with the cultural and social sensativities of living in multi-cultural singapore, we have been learning to co-exist with a burgeoning homosexual population in singapore. perhaps more people are empowered to come out now? i can't say for sure, but i doubt we can pin 'mass psychological trauma' on this one, just so you know.
hold on to your wonder bra and wonder woman suit. we dont need it.
many of us, without your great church's influence, have lead construtive meaningful lives without trying to change others to be just like us. despite your view of us being completely ignorant, surprise surprise! we actually do know that as individuals we are all different, but all of us singaporean women have been trying to get along and help each other out all this while without your devious efforts.
so really thank you, but NO THANK YOU.
bitch.
the usual suspect said::
4/24/2009 08:07:00 PM :D
Thursday, April 23, 2009
this is long overdue but its a little notation on how i spent my bollocks of a birthday. who cares about old age right?
the only and best(well since it was the only)birthday present i got, from ky ;)
oasis live in sg with the best friend
so i can die happy now that i've heard them play champagne supernova and dont look back in anger live
my final final exams in 2 days. cannot wait.
all in good time.
the shock of the lightning - oasis
the usual suspect said::
4/23/2009 05:02:00 PM :D
Sunday, April 12, 2009
this is so worth a listen!
i am listening to this while im cruising through my thesis. mo is shocked by the lack of the usual last minute panic. i just wanna cross the finishing line tomorrow.
sonically i am trying to quell the mounting panic with this very cool and romantical song. heh panic management 101 - play soothing tunes. preferably in a foreign language so you cant sing along therefore zero distraction.
righttt.
now back to work!
the usual suspect said::
4/12/2009 10:11:00 PM :D
Friday, April 10, 2009
so fuckin hilarious.
now ky wants one too.
great dj - the ting tings
the usual suspect said::
4/10/2009 10:11:00 PM :D
my world in a paper cup
gracie lou freebush
miss artful dodger
1986
st.nicks/cjc/nus theatre studies
//
Let each man exercise the art he knows.
Aristophanes
eclectic*psychedelic
The drama is not dead but liveth
and contains the germs of better things.
-william archer
