An interesting article in today's straits times interactive:
English up with which I will not put
It discusses the eternal question: What, exactly, is "proper" English?
An excerpt from the sidebar:
Let's face it - English is a crazy language. There is no egg in eggplant nor ham in hamburger; and neither apple nor pine in pineapple. English muffins weren't invented in England or French fries in France.
And why is it that writers write but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groce and hammers don't ham? If teachers taught, why don't preachers praught? And if Dad is Pop, how come Mom isn't Mop?
The plural of box is boxes, but the plural of ox is oxen not oxes. One fowl is a goose, but two are called geese, yet the plural of moose should never be meese. You may find a lone mouse or a nest full of mice; yet the plural of house is houses, not hice.
If the plural of man is always men, why shouldn't the plural of pan be pen? If I spoke of my foot and show you my feet, and I give you a boot, would a pair be called beet? If one is a tooth and a whole set are teeth, why shouldn't the plural of booth be beeth?
We speak of a brother and also of brethren, but though we say mother, we never say methren. If the masculine pronouns are he, his and him, why aren't the feminine she, shis and shim?
Doesn't it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend, that you can comb through annals of history but not a single annal?
Sometimes, I think all English speakers should be committed to an asylum for the verbally insane. What other reason could there be for saying that people recite at a play and play at a recital? Or ship cargo by truck and send cargo by ship? Or have noses that run and feet that smell?
How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy opposites? How can overlook and oversee be opposites, while quite a lot and quite a few are alike? How can the weather be hot as hell one day and cold as hell another?
Have you ever seen a horseful carriage or a strapful gown? Or met a sung hero or experienced requited love? Have you ever run into someone who was combobulated, gruntled, ruly or peccable? And where are all those people who are indeed spring chickens or who would actually hurt a fly?
You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out and in which an alarm goes off by going on. English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race (which, of course, isn't a race at all).
That is why, when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible. And why, when I wind up my watch, I start it, but when I wind up this essay, I end it.
Sunday, July 27, 2003
The Truman Dark|ighter Show
mood: not half bad
music: hanson - i will come to you (acappela version)
last time on thetruman dark|ighter show, we saw gav hard at work on the new sam website while also helping out with the new semester's orientation programme. join us now, as we look into the life of our valiant hero after one week of the new term...
well, orientation's come and gone. pretty much without a hitch, which is obviously good. a lot less organised this time, though the new intake was a lot smaller than first semester too (250+ compared to 800++). so anyway, it was a fun week of boring administrative duties mixed with other, less boring duties like scavenger hunt and the city trip. oh yeah, and all the returners are back, which is both good and bad, if you catch my meaning. ;) (yes, i'm talking about you)
so...one week into uni and the workload ain't letting up none. got my results back, and wasn't too happy about it. one near-pass, 3 passes, 2 distinctions and a high-d. really crappy, considering what i got last year, but i guess i'm lucky i "passed" everything (we're allowed one near-pass in second year).
so, after that fiasco which was the examinations, i decided i'd really better start studying early this sem. like now. so far, i'm a wee bit behind, but i guess that's what sundays were meant for. :)
in other news, we're trying desperately to sell tickets for the singapore ball. so far we've sold around 15 tickets, largely thanks to the good people at muiss. thanks guys! : ) only another 5 tables to go. *sighz*
in related news, the club is off skiing at falls creek for the weekend. they left on thurs night, and should be back tomorrow night. i was supposed to have gone with them, but i find out on wednesday that my design tute on friday was worth 5% of the subject grade that would be lost by default in the event of absence. that was a really tough decision: skiing vs 5%. but design I was the unit i near-passed last sem, and design II is supposed to be even more difficult, so there wasn't much choice, really; i need all the marks i can get. so i just lost $420. dammit.
a relatively good weekend (so far) compensated for it, though. we celebrated allan's birthday on friday night at brian's place over in glen waverly, and that was definitely a blast even though no one remembered to bring alcohol. ;) and i went and got a new mobile with edwin today. it's on the new three thing, and after playing with the handest for a few many hours like a kid with a new fisherprice, i have to say it's pretty nifty. the wonders of technology these days. :) only negative: there went the study plans for tonight. ::)
so....yep, guess that's pretty much what i've been up to lately. will honestly try to update more frequently, when i can. off to evelyn's place to study tomorrow, then back to uni on monday. ::)
(p/s: if you're anywhere near melbourne, come for the kriffing ball!!! ;) )
tune in next time for more misadventures of a curious character...
music: hanson - i will come to you (acappela version)
last time on the
well, orientation's come and gone. pretty much without a hitch, which is obviously good. a lot less organised this time, though the new intake was a lot smaller than first semester too (250+ compared to 800++). so anyway, it was a fun week of boring administrative duties mixed with other, less boring duties like scavenger hunt and the city trip. oh yeah, and all the returners are back, which is both good and bad, if you catch my meaning. ;) (yes, i'm talking about you)
so...one week into uni and the workload ain't letting up none. got my results back, and wasn't too happy about it. one near-pass, 3 passes, 2 distinctions and a high-d. really crappy, considering what i got last year, but i guess i'm lucky i "passed" everything (we're allowed one near-pass in second year).
so, after that fiasco which was the examinations, i decided i'd really better start studying early this sem. like now. so far, i'm a wee bit behind, but i guess that's what sundays were meant for. :)
in other news, we're trying desperately to sell tickets for the singapore ball. so far we've sold around 15 tickets, largely thanks to the good people at muiss. thanks guys! : ) only another 5 tables to go. *sighz*
in related news, the club is off skiing at falls creek for the weekend. they left on thurs night, and should be back tomorrow night. i was supposed to have gone with them, but i find out on wednesday that my design tute on friday was worth 5% of the subject grade that would be lost by default in the event of absence. that was a really tough decision: skiing vs 5%. but design I was the unit i near-passed last sem, and design II is supposed to be even more difficult, so there wasn't much choice, really; i need all the marks i can get. so i just lost $420. dammit.
a relatively good weekend (so far) compensated for it, though. we celebrated allan's birthday on friday night at brian's place over in glen waverly, and that was definitely a blast even though no one remembered to bring alcohol. ;) and i went and got a new mobile with edwin today. it's on the new three thing, and after playing with the handest for a few many hours like a kid with a new fisherprice, i have to say it's pretty nifty. the wonders of technology these days. :) only negative: there went the study plans for tonight. ::)
so....yep, guess that's pretty much what i've been up to lately. will honestly try to update more frequently, when i can. off to evelyn's place to study tomorrow, then back to uni on monday. ::)
(p/s: if you're anywhere near melbourne, come for the kriffing ball!!! ;) )
tune in next time for more misadventures of a curious character...
Saturday, July 12, 2003
Quick Update
Hey everyone-who's-interested,
Part of the new Sam website is up. Go to http://sam.lightingthedark.org to check it out and let me know what you think. :)
I know it looks a little plain at the moment; hopefully I'll have time later to do up some banners of some sort for the different sections etc.
Oh yeah, and I changed my email addy to gav@lightingthedark.org, just so you know. :)
Part of the new Sam website is up. Go to http://sam.lightingthedark.org to check it out and let me know what you think. :)
I know it looks a little plain at the moment; hopefully I'll have time later to do up some banners of some sort for the different sections etc.
Oh yeah, and I changed my email addy to gav@lightingthedark.org, just so you know. :)
Friday, July 11, 2003
"Gone Fishing"
hey guys,
i've just bought some webspace and am really busy now trying to set it up, and also the club webpage. plus orientation, that means this will have to stay unmaintained for the while. sorry bout that, and thanks for visiting. :)
gav out, for now.
i've just bought some webspace and am really busy now trying to set it up, and also the club webpage. plus orientation, that means this will have to stay unmaintained for the while. sorry bout that, and thanks for visiting. :)
gav out, for now.
Thursday, July 10, 2003
Beer Logic
Dear all,
looks like we shd drink to this right now....seriously
cheers....
"Sometimes when I reflect back on all the beer I drink I feel shamed. Then look into the glass and think about the workers in the brewery and all of their hopes and dreams. If I didn't drink this beer,they might be out of work and their dreams would be shattered. Then I say to myself, "It is better that I drink this beer and let their dreams come true than be selfish and worry about my liver."
~ Jack Handy
"I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day. "
~Frank Sinatra
"When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading."
~ Henny Youngman
"24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence? I thinknot."
~ Stephen Wright
"When we drink, we get drunk. When we get drunk, we fall asleep. When we fall asleep, we commit no sin.When we commit no sin, we go to heaven.
Sooooo, let's all get drunk and go to heaven!"
~ Brian O'Rourke
"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."
~ Benjamin Franklin
"Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza."
~ Dave Barry
BEER: HELPING UGLY PEOPLE HAVE SEX SINCE 3000 B.C.!!!~ "Unknown"
To some it's a six-pack, to me it's a Support Group, Salvation in a can!
And saving the best for last, as explained by Cliff Clavin, of Cheers.
One afternoon at Cheers, Cliff Clavin was explaining the Buffalo Theory to his buddy Norm. Here's how it went:
"Well ya see, Norm, it's like this... A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first. This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members. In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells.
"Excessive intake of alcohol, as we know, kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine.
"That's why you always feel smarter after a few beers."
looks like we shd drink to this right now....seriously
cheers....
"Sometimes when I reflect back on all the beer I drink I feel shamed. Then look into the glass and think about the workers in the brewery and all of their hopes and dreams. If I didn't drink this beer,they might be out of work and their dreams would be shattered. Then I say to myself, "It is better that I drink this beer and let their dreams come true than be selfish and worry about my liver."
~ Jack Handy
"I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day. "
~Frank Sinatra
"When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading."
~ Henny Youngman
"24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence? I thinknot."
~ Stephen Wright
"When we drink, we get drunk. When we get drunk, we fall asleep. When we fall asleep, we commit no sin.When we commit no sin, we go to heaven.
Sooooo, let's all get drunk and go to heaven!"
~ Brian O'Rourke
"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."
~ Benjamin Franklin
"Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza."
~ Dave Barry
BEER: HELPING UGLY PEOPLE HAVE SEX SINCE 3000 B.C.!!!~ "Unknown"
To some it's a six-pack, to me it's a Support Group, Salvation in a can!
And saving the best for last, as explained by Cliff Clavin, of Cheers.
One afternoon at Cheers, Cliff Clavin was explaining the Buffalo Theory to his buddy Norm. Here's how it went:
"Well ya see, Norm, it's like this... A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first. This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members. In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells.
"Excessive intake of alcohol, as we know, kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine.
"That's why you always feel smarter after a few beers."
Sunday, July 06, 2003
No new shelf for Gav
mood: alright
music: david tao - liu sha
went down to the new ikea at richmond today. after travelling all the way there and walking through the whole store, i finally picked a shelf i liked that was going for $79, so went over to the self service section to get it. and lo and behold, it was out of stock. in all colours. so typical, *sighz*. deciding whether i should go back again some other time and try my luck.
besides not being able to get a new shelf, the day was otherwise a good one. mostly due to good company. :)
music: david tao - liu sha
went down to the new ikea at richmond today. after travelling all the way there and walking through the whole store, i finally picked a shelf i liked that was going for $79, so went over to the self service section to get it. and lo and behold, it was out of stock. in all colours. so typical, *sighz*. deciding whether i should go back again some other time and try my luck.
besides not being able to get a new shelf, the day was otherwise a good one. mostly due to good company. :)
okay, okay ; )
mood: really, really good
music: sammi cheng - hen ai hen ai ni (canto version)
alright, i know i haven't updated in a few days. stop yelling at me, already! ;)
so...where was i? hmmm...lessee...guess i'll start with wednesday...
...only i can't remember what happened...
oh yeah. had a meeting at the muiss lounge in the afternoon with renald and ellyne for orientation city trip. managed to get the plan and most of the details squared away, which was a good thing (obviously). it was a pretty short meeting and i just hung around after, reading the straits times and catching up with news from home.
thursday we went to catch charlie's angels 2. as usual only a few people turned up: tone, evelyn and jo. not too bad a film; the plot was predictably predictable, but nonetheless it was pretty entertaining. one of those mindless fun kinda films, yeah? after that the four of us headed to chinatown and went for karaoke, before we headed back to an apartment for another drinking session. it ended up as a sob-story session...a little depressing, but still, overall a good night. plus something great occurred, and i'm quite happy 'bout it. :) if you know me well enough, ask me over icq/aim and i might tell you 'bout it. ; )
friday morning, had mac's for breakfast (typical) then headed home and slept most of the day away. nothing really eventful. worked a bit more on the website. was really hoping that the new credit card would come in the mail so i could get started on buying the webspace, but it didn't, so guess i'll have to wait for next week. :-/
today, slept most of the day again (bad trend) and went to edwin's place for dinner with vic. he's a really good cook; too bad he cooks so rarely. the last time i had his cooking was a couple of months ago. seven of us tonight: edwin, amelia (wife), tony (housemate), candice (tony's gf), mayumi (housemate), vic and i. still, there was so much food we were all really full. had rock melon for dessert, which was good. then later we chilled out in edwin's room and i read an article in air forces monthly about exercise cope tiger (annual tri-lateral air force exercise between usa, thailand and singapore) in thailand which my old air defence unit attends yearly. it was nice to just read up on what the guys back home are up to. apparently they did quite well in the exercise. :)
later on headed over to mcdonald's for our daily hangout. read the age a wee bit, before they shut at midnight, then headed back home. not sure why, but i've been really into reading the papers lately. guess that's a good thing.
heading out to the new ikea at richmond tomorrow. thinking about getting a new shelf for all my school books. hopefully it'll be a good day. (please don't let it rain) i'll let you know what happens. :)
gav out.
music: sammi cheng - hen ai hen ai ni (canto version)
alright, i know i haven't updated in a few days. stop yelling at me, already! ;)
so...where was i? hmmm...lessee...guess i'll start with wednesday...
...only i can't remember what happened...
oh yeah. had a meeting at the muiss lounge in the afternoon with renald and ellyne for orientation city trip. managed to get the plan and most of the details squared away, which was a good thing (obviously). it was a pretty short meeting and i just hung around after, reading the straits times and catching up with news from home.
thursday we went to catch charlie's angels 2. as usual only a few people turned up: tone, evelyn and jo. not too bad a film; the plot was predictably predictable, but nonetheless it was pretty entertaining. one of those mindless fun kinda films, yeah? after that the four of us headed to chinatown and went for karaoke, before we headed back to an apartment for another drinking session. it ended up as a sob-story session...a little depressing, but still, overall a good night. plus something great occurred, and i'm quite happy 'bout it. :) if you know me well enough, ask me over icq/aim and i might tell you 'bout it. ; )
friday morning, had mac's for breakfast (typical) then headed home and slept most of the day away. nothing really eventful. worked a bit more on the website. was really hoping that the new credit card would come in the mail so i could get started on buying the webspace, but it didn't, so guess i'll have to wait for next week. :-/
today, slept most of the day again (bad trend) and went to edwin's place for dinner with vic. he's a really good cook; too bad he cooks so rarely. the last time i had his cooking was a couple of months ago. seven of us tonight: edwin, amelia (wife), tony (housemate), candice (tony's gf), mayumi (housemate), vic and i. still, there was so much food we were all really full. had rock melon for dessert, which was good. then later we chilled out in edwin's room and i read an article in air forces monthly about exercise cope tiger (annual tri-lateral air force exercise between usa, thailand and singapore) in thailand which my old air defence unit attends yearly. it was nice to just read up on what the guys back home are up to. apparently they did quite well in the exercise. :)
later on headed over to mcdonald's for our daily hangout. read the age a wee bit, before they shut at midnight, then headed back home. not sure why, but i've been really into reading the papers lately. guess that's a good thing.
heading out to the new ikea at richmond tomorrow. thinking about getting a new shelf for all my school books. hopefully it'll be a good day. (please don't let it rain) i'll let you know what happens. :)
gav out.
Tuesday, July 01, 2003
ê?С´º - Éñ°¡ ¾È¾ÈÎÒ Jordan Chan - God Help Me
bah, since i'm so bored, i'll provide a literal translation of the song i was listening to. it's a good song.
ê?С´º - Éñ°¡ ¾È¾ÈÎÒ
Éϵەþ±£ÓÓÎÒµÄ ?ÛÇé¿‚•þ?íµÄ
ÎÒÔÚ‰ôÖÐÒ»Çж¼ÓÐ
¿Éϧ¬FŒ?ѽ ³£³£ÊÇÏà·´µÄ
?ÛËýµÄÄÐÈ˺ܶà ÄÇÎÒÓÖËãʲüN
ÎÒÔÚÓêÖкÈÖø?ž¾Æ
·´ÕýÐÒ¸£Ñ½ Œ¦ÎÒÊÇÉݳ޵Ä
ÐÄÀíÌ«Çå³þÁË ÆäŒ?Ëý²»?ÛÎÒ
Ææ¹Ö µØÇòÉÏÔõüN•þ›]ÓÐÈË ¿´ÉÏÎÒ
Éñ°¡ ¾È¾ÈÎÒ°É Ò»°ÑÄê¼oÁË
Ò»‚€?ÛÈ˶¼›]ÓÐ
¹ÂªšÊÇ¿É‘zµÄ Èç¹û›]?Ûß^
ÈËÉúÊǺڰ׵Ä
Éñ°¡ ¾È¾ÈÎÒ°É
Ò»‚€ÈË»ÎÁË°ëÝ…×ÓÁË žéʲüN
ÎÒß@˜ÓµÄÄÐÈËÄÄ ¾Í¿ìÒª½^·N
ËýÄØ ÓÖÔÚÄăº
Jordan Chan - God Help Me
God will protect me; love will eventually come
In my dreams, I have everything
But reality is often the opposite
The men who love her are many; what do I count for?
I drink away my sorrows in the rain
Anyway happiness is sparing with me
The heart is too certain; she doesn't actually love me
It's curious why no one in the whoe world will love me
Oh God, please help me; getting so old
I don't even have one lover
Loneliness is pathetic; if you haven't loved before
Life is black and white
Oh God, please help me
Why have I been alone for half my life?
Guys like me are nearly extinct
Yet where is she?
okay, had my fun and desecrated a good song. i'm off to dinner.
later, people.
edit: dagnabbit, why doesn't this thing allow for chinese characters?!
Éϵەþ±£ÓÓÎÒµÄ ?ÛÇé¿‚•þ?íµÄ
ÎÒÔÚ‰ôÖÐÒ»Çж¼ÓÐ
¿Éϧ¬FŒ?ѽ ³£³£ÊÇÏà·´µÄ
?ÛËýµÄÄÐÈ˺ܶà ÄÇÎÒÓÖËãʲüN
ÎÒÔÚÓêÖкÈÖø?ž¾Æ
·´ÕýÐÒ¸£Ñ½ Œ¦ÎÒÊÇÉݳ޵Ä
ÐÄÀíÌ«Çå³þÁË ÆäŒ?Ëý²»?ÛÎÒ
Ææ¹Ö µØÇòÉÏÔõüN•þ›]ÓÐÈË ¿´ÉÏÎÒ
Éñ°¡ ¾È¾ÈÎÒ°É Ò»°ÑÄê¼oÁË
Ò»‚€?ÛÈ˶¼›]ÓÐ
¹ÂªšÊÇ¿É‘zµÄ Èç¹û›]?Ûß^
ÈËÉúÊǺڰ׵Ä
Éñ°¡ ¾È¾ÈÎÒ°É
Ò»‚€ÈË»ÎÁË°ëÝ…×ÓÁË žéʲüN
ÎÒß@˜ÓµÄÄÐÈËÄÄ ¾Í¿ìÒª½^·N
ËýÄØ ÓÖÔÚÄăº
Jordan Chan - God Help Me
God will protect me; love will eventually come
In my dreams, I have everything
But reality is often the opposite
The men who love her are many; what do I count for?
I drink away my sorrows in the rain
Anyway happiness is sparing with me
The heart is too certain; she doesn't actually love me
It's curious why no one in the whoe world will love me
Oh God, please help me; getting so old
I don't even have one lover
Loneliness is pathetic; if you haven't loved before
Life is black and white
Oh God, please help me
Why have I been alone for half my life?
Guys like me are nearly extinct
Yet where is she?
okay, had my fun and desecrated a good song. i'm off to dinner.
later, people.
edit: dagnabbit, why doesn't this thing allow for chinese characters?!
Break, Schmeak.
mood: bored
music: chen xiao chun - shen ah jiu jiu wo ba
boring day today. went to c&s to check about club policy and the constitution, then hung out at the muiss lounge reading the straits times. the muiss guys were in the office having a meeting, probably about mmn (monash multicultural night). edwin came along after a while with amelia, but he was heading to the comp labs and we split after a cuppa caf, so i headed home.
think i'll go through more of the php tutorial.
break, schmeak.
music: chen xiao chun - shen ah jiu jiu wo ba
boring day today. went to c&s to check about club policy and the constitution, then hung out at the muiss lounge reading the straits times. the muiss guys were in the office having a meeting, probably about mmn (monash multicultural night). edwin came along after a while with amelia, but he was heading to the comp labs and we split after a cuppa caf, so i headed home.
think i'll go through more of the php tutorial.
break, schmeak.
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