Word of the day...

mis-wave

To return a wave to someone you think is waving at you, but is actually waving to the person behind you. Usually results in embarrassment and introversion.

Damn...I thought that girl was waving at me :(

HHAHAHAHA MIS-WAVE!!!!!!

from UrbanDictionary

OCD

As I'm back in Heidelberg and have some time on my hands I visited Star Coffee, an old haunt, where I've squandered many a morning in the past. I took the chance to pander to my OCD and have the same thing I've been having in there for years. Medium cappuccino, manchego cheese bagel and double chocolate cookie...

I'm not entirely sure why I develop these routines, I have a similar one in Singapore (Triple grande low-fat cappuccino and an oatmeal raisin cookie). Perhaps it just provides a little island of stability in my day/weekend, perhaps I just don't have much imagination, perhaps I just like these things a lot. Perhaps I'm just plain crazy....

tribal thoughts

So the Olympics is finally over. Can't say that I really cared or watched, but the parts I found interesting were the commentary more than the sport. I was fairly depressed and embarrassed every time on of the commentators implied (or just plain said) that if the contestant was Chinese the would have got a better score (Diving) or that the Chinese officials were cheating (Womens Taekwondo), even though the 4 officials were from other countries.

My main problem is that I don't really see why people are so keen to discover who is the best at running round in a circle or jumping over something. When it comes down to it, how much is it a dispassionate interest in athletic achievement, and how much is it a matter of tribal pride. When it comes down to it, the don't want to see some one running the fastest ever, people cheer for their tribe, they want one of their own to run round in a circle the fastest. That's why governments put so much money into sport, it keeps the tribe happy, gives them something to feel good about....

I'm not sure if I find it disquieting because I don't have much tribal affiliation or just because I feel there might be better uses of the money... perhaps because it is the worry that some sort of tribal affiliation (we are better than them) seems to hold countries together so much....

just a quick ramble...

Random thoughts...

I think a great idea for a website/collective/meme is a random activity group. The idea goes like this. You go to the website, where there is an activity listed for Saturday (or Sunday). It goes something like this:

Meet 11am Buona Vista MRT station.
Aprox Duration (inc Travel): 4 hours.
Cost: S$50
Dress for outdoors.
Max persons: 15
Leader will be holding a red umbrella.
Click here for inclusion/updates

The idea is that having a free afternoon and no plan, you text the number to register, you turn up at the station, with no idea what you're going to be doing. You then follow the leader, whoever decided to organise this particular day and do something. The great part of the idea is that you go end up doing something you wouldn't otherwise have thought of. It could be Clay-pigeon shooting, it could be basket weaving, it could be wandering in the jungle for a couple of hours. Perhaps a lecture on ancient Chinese ceramics. In principle once you've turned up, go along and do it whatever. You might love it, you might hate it, who cares, it will only take a few hours. You'll end up doing new things.

Think the site should be called 'Something for the weekend'

Embellishments: No-shows get lower priority for future events, option of waiting lists etc. Possibly include a vague catagory of event i.e. sport, culture, random.

The world will look up and shout "Save us",
.....and I will whisper "No"

Rorschach

From Watchmen

A great graphic novel, soon to be a hopefully good/passable movie.
Kind of an analysis of underwear perverts (super heros), with lots of thoughts about why people would do it and why it interests the public.

Assumptions....

Assumptions I've discovered people make....

1. A white guy walking down the street must be looking for a taxi.

Not just walking somewhere, that would be foolish and pointless. After all, he's white, surely he can afford a taxi. Hey, guess what I'm a taxi driver, he mustn't have seen me, I'll slow down and honk my horn to helpfully let him know I'm there, just like the last three taxi drivers did. I'm sure he'll appreciate my helpful gesture and it won't freak him out in the slightest... (sigh)

2. Single white guys walking around the centre of town on a friday night clearly need a hooker.... (although thinking about it, this might be true)

Probably not walking home, or looking for the MRT station, they need a hooker. In fact, if you're in that profession, just go and grab the guy. If you hang on to his arm long enough he's sure to take you home...

(Ok, so point 2 only happened once, but I still found it strange)

Stupidity is spreading....

Saw this in Nature today...

Iraqi national challenges British government for right to study biology and chemistry.

A British resident who is under surveillance for suspected terrorist activities is being prohibited from taking secondary-school-level science courses by the government, Nature has learned.