HAPPY 2007! (Oops)

OOPs...sorry for

Not posting during
i) Christmas
ii) New Year
iii) When I returned..

Eh?
"No need for the apology, I don't read your blog anyway....you smug idiot"

Well..you just read this! Muahahhaha...ok...I'm sorry I had to do that..
Any ways...in accordance to tradition..I shall start a new blog to mark the beginnings of the new year...

Go to

Onward to 2007!!!

It happened the SAME night we were out

Three people arrested at homicide scene, neighbours say

Where is Botany Downs? VERY close to my place. What were me and my friends doing out on a Saturday night? Well..only we shall know, but...its scary just thinking about a guy being murdered in front of his family. That's as evil as it gets!

What's all the hype?

Why is there still a hoo ha about evolution? So often you hear "I don't believe in God, evolution brought us here"
Evolution this, evolution that. Do we actually know what it is?

check out these links

Evolution is a Fact and a Theory

Top Evidences Against the Theory of Evolution

That being said (or read) I'm sure there are many many many more wordy arguments stemming from both sides of this topic. Thing is...when it comes to convincing people, no one ever changed their way of thinking after losing an argument. Especially an argument such as this.
An analogy? Would you buy a car you didn't really want if a salesman argued you into it? e.g. he points out all the good things about car A, when the fact is, you'd rather bus than buy car A. Sure, you try to defend why you don't wanna buy the car, and you lose, BUT would you buy it? Some people are so set in their ways, they may never give themselves a chance to undo their lines of thought.

TaUUUUUUUUUUUUUpo

Heya hiya hooya.
Life is good (and my tummy proves it)

How was taupo? Heh..the drive was good, the company excellent so I won't complain.
BUT BUT BUT..the fooood...mmm....
I'm sorry I didnt take any photos of the lake itself..but I DID take pics of the food..lol..I know in so many ways..I cannot compete with food blogs out there..but I'm just excited..so there...

What did we eat on the way there?

Didn't get a good look? Here's another angle


:) 1 kg of fat juicy prawns.

Later that night we made fondue!!! We only coated the traditional strawberries and marshies though...


I didn't take any pictures of the steak we ate. Might insult some cow lovers...but I did take a pic of our final farewell breakfast to Taupo.


Sigh...holidays.....

PS: As a tribute to the Huka Prawn Farm, I'd like to have a Did You Know Session.

DID YOU KNOW?...
The prawn breeds at a ratio of 7 females to 1 male?
The male prawn has 2 'thingys'
The golden claw male puts all his energy into fighting and if he wins, often enough he turns into a blue clawed male (Think Dragonball!) and puts his energy into mating.
The male prawn has an average lifespan of 2 years and fathers up to 36,000,000 babies.

So there....the summary?
Prawns are tastier when you have knowledge of them. :P

Who wants to go to Prison?

National News (New Zealand Herald)
Prisoners play X-Box, Playstation on taxpayer


Prisoners are being provided with taxpayer-funded X-Box and PlayStation consoles as a "reward for good behaviour".

Just weeks after revealing flat-screen televisions were fixtures in some New Zealand prisons, the Corrections Department has confirmed that games consoles and "sports and motor racing-themed titles" had been bought out of operational funding and were available for use by inmates in prisons around the country.

In a bid to stem public outcry over the provision of games consoles for inmates, Corrections Minister Damien O'Connor has stepped in and ordered them to be removed until a national policy is developed around their use. However, Acting General Manager Public Prisons Service Paul Monk said the consoles could be reintroduced once guidelines were established.

National's law and order spokesman Simon Power has demanded O'Connor explain to taxpayers why "precious funds" are being spent on "expensive toys for prisoners".

"Corrections' admission that some prisons have bought PlayStations and X-Boxes out of operational funding is unbelievable," he said......................

The use of games consoles is just one of many privileges offered to the nearly 8000 inmates in the country's 19 public prisons. Prisoners are also being rewarded with trips to the beach, telephone calls, movies, CDs and electronic equipment.

The latest furore comes just months after Corrections was forced to fend off criticism over the installation of under-floor heating in Northland, Auckland Women's, Springhill and Otago prisons - plus claims that a prostitute had been found with an inmate in Wellington's Rimutaka prison. Monk said most of the consoles were located in youth units but some had also been available to older prisoners.

So many times,..I think of bringing it down. Cos it wasn't real. It was a good play....with scenes of kindness/forgiveness etc.....but I can't do it.
To delete it, would be a total waste of time, because effort was already shed in the process, and to spare anymore on it..would be an even more waste of time.
Can't do what was experienced. Should make it a point here to not repeat what was done.

"Hi Kevin

I didn't assume to know who your posts refer to, I was just trying to be helpful. As your friend, it concerns me that you should have these conflicts, because feeling so negatively about someone is not good for your own peace of mind. My comments are meant to be general and I offer the same advice whether or not I know the antagonist, (who I still think must be a guy!). If your previous conflicts with people i know can be sorted out, perhaps this one can be too. While I understand your need for an outlet, bear in mind that what we say in public can have repurcussions.
Arjie"

***********************************************************************************************************
Arjie,
The very fact that you took the time & trouble to read the posts, contemplate on your replies, and post them does show your level of concern as a friend and I appreciate it. Very few people would do such a thing, some might even shrug it off, or even worst, take it to heart and bear a grudge.

I feel like explaining more about the posts, but I think I shall leave it as that unless you ask me in person, whereby I'd be more than happy to tell you....yes...I am a troubled individual with issues, and I do wish that all conflicts can be as easily sorted out as before. But not everyone has that kind of diplomacy or openness to discuss things...(this includes me) And yes, I do realise that I have to be ready to accept the consequences of what is published for public view....I had not had this problem before because this blog wasn't read by that many people. (I used it to update my friends in Malaysia whereby they'd ask me about my rants, etc) I think the solution to this, because I appreciate your comments, is to start a seperate, private blog for myself...or maybe until people start to lose interest in this blog. I had really hoped it wouldn't come to this as I thought this blog should reflect a timeline of my life..e.g. 30 or 50 years from now, I could read it and see where I was happy/annoyed/disgusted/moody/stupid/irrational/sensitive/mad/hyper/.... and perhaps see the change in me.

PS: Stop guessing the gender of the person/persons/animal/plant(ok this last one makes no sense, I'm back to my stupid self).

Clarification & Thanks

A previous comment:
Kevin

For a few weeks I have been reading your blog and it’s been interesting and amusing. However, I’ve noticed that some of the posts are very hostile towards someone. I’m still not certain who this is and I don’t know any details of your conflict so I can’t really comment. But for what it’s worth I’ll offer a few thoughts, take them or leave them. Please don’t misunderstand my intentions, I’m not trying to be judgmental, I’m just offering suggestions. I’ll assume your antagonist is a guy, since I know you’re too nice to girls to have a fight with them!

In your posts you take the stance of moral righteousness, that you have done no wrong and the your antagonist is “evil” and a “wrongdoer”. In truth, no conflict is ever as one sided as that, despite what George Bush may claim. Maybe your antagonist has done wrong things, but have you been so perfect yourself? Maybe you misinterpreted some of his actions. You make a lot of allegations about the bad intentions of your antagonist, but how do you know you just haven’t misunderstood him?

I don’t think your blog is an appropriate forum for posting these grievances. Everyone needs to express their feelings at times, but the internet is a very public place and you must be careful not to say something that is unfair or could hurt someone. Otherwise you’re just as guilty of spreading scandal as you claim your antagonist is. Posting your complaints will not help to resolve your conflict. It would be more constructive to bring up these issues with your antagonist himself. Better to be up front and open about it with him than complain about him behind his back to others. That doesn’t mean having a fight about it. Have a frank discussion about how you feel, but be prepared to admit your mistakes too. Most likely, both sides have done things to hurt each other. Approach the issues with conciliatory intentions rather than angry ones.

A wise man once said, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone” and “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you…If anyone hits you on one cheek, let him hit the other one too.” In his poem If, Rudyard Kipling advises that when “being hated, don’t give way to hating.”

I’m sorry if I’m getting too preachy. Again, I don’t really know your circumstances and I’m not trying to judge you at all. It just saddens me that you should have such conflicts and I hope that you can sort them out.

Your friend
Arjie

Response:
Dear Arjie,

Thank you, finally for the comment. Trust me when I say, that the only post of anger related to what you're mentioning about (that person e.g. 'he' in your comment) has been removed. These recent posts do not concern anyone you know. Bear in mind that my life does not revolve around university only.

As for the internet being a public place..I know that, but I also believe that this being my blog, and that the initial reason for this in the first place was to have a rant, I don't feel it important to censor what I say. I do not mention names in my blog for one...and yes, I do not wish to be branded a hateful hypocrite, but realise that when something is troubling you within, each individual has his/her way of dealing with it. I suppose this blog has been my outlet (for the last 3 years) So please, respect my wishes.