Last entry~

Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) allow access and interaction between people and database all over the world. CMC have change the understanding and perceptive of our human communication. In cyberspace, we adopt a totally new identity as no one knows we are which allow us to create a character we wish we could be.

MSN, facebook, friendster, myspace have now been a very popular platform for people from all over the world to come together and get to know each other. And it is now one of the most popular site one visit. Dates and outing is then form by the group of community who talk to each other often. But this can be a very dangerous act.

Cases of rapes and cheats have been heard around the world due to meeting up with the so call 'friends' online. I remember coming across an article in the Chinese news paper a few years ago. A man in china met 4 of his so call online 'buddy' out for a drink, and he was actually gang rape by the other 4. Pls there is no typo error there, he was really rape by the rest of the guys. He felt so betrayed by their action and wanted revenge. So he called them out one fine day and get the all four drunk, then he proceed to cutting off their 'male pride'... ouch...

He was caught later on by the police and which he then confess that he was actually rape. This shows that not only females are vulnerable as this not only happen on the female. A saying of 'do not judge a book by its cover' is very well said here. We can never know what a person think and the motive behind one's action. No one can escape when he/she is out numbered and in a well plan scam act.



There are rare cases that people that are being so obese with a person online that they will keep talking to their peer all day about this particular person and they will be mentally reliable on this internet friend. Treating him/her as her girlfriend/boyfriend when the person have no intention of doing back the same. Some may be so heartbroken and commit suicide due to the online 'partner' found a girlfriend/boyfriend.

This is not healthy at all. One should not take online dating/chatting so serious that it may change the your own personal life. It is best to leave what ever in the virtual world online. Never let it influence our life. As most of the time there is no honesty on the net.We reveal our pros hind our cons. When one cannot hide, they will just lie their way through... hoping people will take their lie into the profile.

Cultural imperialism

Cultural imperialism-define as promoting, distinguishing, separating, or artificially injecting ones culture or language into another. It is usually seen in the case of a large, economically or militarily powerful nation influencing a smaller, less important one. One way of influencing the citizen of other country is through media. Media have the ability to change a person's perception which slowly result in culture dilution.

It seems that cultural imperialism has always been related to the western part of the world. Showing the unjust world of political and economic structure stabilization. United State of America is one of the most influencing agent of cultural imperialism. Due to the fact that they have so many media production company, the amount of media works produce each year constantly influence the world with their culture and 'the American dream'.





As cultural imperialism becomes more and more common, the traditional cultural and perception of one has been decrease over the years. One example of these are the nonya in Singapore. Many have abandon their original way of living to adapt to a more technology and westernize way.

Government of many countries now try to stop cultural imperialism by setting up of a system that restrict the amount of non-local programs on air. They then provide subsidies to local media producer in making new program.

The American's cultural imperialism still continue to dominate Asian television and program flow and airtime. These is cause by some countries do not have enough technology ability to create programs in bulk. This result in the social gaps of developing and developed country.

Is cultural imperialism all bad? Or do they have their positive aspect? Please leave a comment ^ ^

Media Influence

With the introduce of technology, media influence and been growing more and more powerful. Debates on 'is media influence good or are they bad' have also been a topic? But some people could care less as they are obtrusive to them. As much as it is seen to be, media can sometimes be bias to a certain group of people. Singing words of praises as they are directly or indirectly benefiting from them.



Lets start from the positive media influence. Media helps you get in contact with the people and things you can never get in contact with. Example is a interview of a political or successful person. The other point is never brings in new knowledge for us. Documentary provides us with fascinating information and wonderful knowledge about nature, animals, technology and more. Media is very often use to promote campaign like ' Global Tree Campaign' , 'Save the World Campaign' and also political campaign. This is a very positive influence as it is trying to tell you necessary information that is leading to the survivor of human race.




Next, lets talk about negative media influence. Many studies have shown that when a violent program is being broadcast, and young children watched them, they have a very high tendency of imitating what is shown on the television. Commercial of newly launch product have also capture the eye balls of youngster. Branded goods like LV, Channel, Anna Sui, Gucci etc have been package and mold into a must have item for those who are 'in style'. Example, in Japan, it is a must for all young school girls to own a branded bag, clothes etc. When they have not enough money for their luxury items, they turn into becoming prostitute.

This is their easy way of earning money. Selling themselves to men, they quickly earn themselves quick money which it's use to buy luxury items. And many students will not denied the fact they hope to 'earn' money this way as its the fastest.



In my own perception, i feel that media have more negative influence to people then positive. Some may agree to what i say some may not. It is all about ones interpretation about media influence. What is your point of view? Is media a good influence or are they bad?

Forth Entry~

For many years Singapore government has came up with 'latest behavior modification campaign' - a wedding "punctuality drive" - to encourage guests to turn up on time for couples' big day. But till now, I still have not seen much effect yet. People still stroll in VERY LATE like nobodies business. These polychronic people have no sense of time at all. They feel that its ok to be late... no harm... but what about those being on time? Is it fair to them? Letting them sit there for hours when they made an effort to reach on time.

Is it because of the collectivist culture we are in? We learn from elder that 'the more important you are, the later u can arrive'? Have we actually picked up this bad beliefs our ingroup have portray?

Chinese being brought up in a collectivist culture, we tend to favour 'face-saving' , duty to parents, modesty and thrisft. Normally this culture is being think as one with interpersonal sensitivty and mutual sympathy, why are we still late for wedding? Isn't being late unfair to others? How can we have 'interpersonal sensitivty' and be late on the same time?

If one can be on time for work, schools and even a date, why can't they be on time f0r a couple's wedding? This is definatly not taught by the teachers and peers in school? Its the parents and relative being a bad influence to the youngster. They will always say 'don't need to hurry, never mind... they will not start before us... etc' what are these old hag trying to prove? Do they think that having so many people to wait for they give them the 'face' they want? Have they lost their mind some where? Do they even have any shame in them or they are just too thick skin for their own good?

How can one be so monochronic and yet so polychronic in time orientation at the same time? Culture of being late in a wedding is already being programed into the minds of people. Is it time for them to re-tuned their brain back into the correct path track? I believe that all people should un-learn what our elders have taught on time orientation and embrace a new one.

What are your views on this? Do you agree with what i have said? Or do you still think its perfectly fine to be late? Please leave a comment....

我在夢裡徘徊找不到出口，
找不到可以逃脫的路口；
那是抹痛徹心扉的傷口，
卻無法解脫、更無法灑脫。

Third Entry

SINGAPORE : The Singapore Department of Statistics said while incidents of divorce have increased over the last year, the rates of marriages and remarriages have also increased.

23,966 marriages were registered last year, up by 1.1 per cent or 260 from 2006. However, this was still lower than the annual average of 24,800 registered in the 1990s.

7,226 marriages were dissolved last year, up by 165 from 2006, and the largest divorce rate came from couples aged between 20 and 24.

Remarriage has become increasingly common, with 18 per cent of grooms and 15 per cent of brides remarrying in 2007. Those remarrying were an average of 7 to 13 years older than those contracting first marriages. - CNA /ls

This is a quote taken reported by Channel News Asia on 9 july 2008. Sometime i tend to wonder why go through all the trouble from coming together if it result in a divorce... Is the couple moving from the state of experimenting into intensifying too fast? Or id it bonding comes to early into the picture? As years go by, marriage is no longer a life long thing many people perception have change over the years. Even in the stage of integrating and bonding, people no longer think and say 'we'. Instead of 'we feel that this is not a good solution' it became 'i don't think this is a good solution'. Is this why people drift apart after the marriage?

As Singapore open herself up more, man is no longer the bread winner of the family. Women study like men does and they got themselves a paid job compare to what they used to be. In some families its the woman that call the shots and they earn more then the husband. Is this one of the other unseen reason behind? Men feel belittled by their wives which its just the problem of their ego. Or is it they no longer have much time to communicate and bond with their family due to work and stress?

Have not gone through marriage, but i can try feeling the awkwardness between 2 people when they no longer have any topic to chat about. Its uncomfortable silence. Is circumscribing the start of outside marriage affairs? Is this the another way of feeling love. People may think 'its ok i am just fooling around. What can go wrong?' Slowly this became stagnation. Big fuss about small stuff, couple having cold wars, giving each other disgust glares. It is not very healthy if there is a small kid involved.

Avoiding each other becomes very often. Going out early and coming home late, sleeping in different bedrooms, not communicating with each other normally ends up in terminating the relationship.

The largest divorce rate came from couples aged between 20-24 and people getting remarried around 7-13 years later. If it is the same group of people, they will be in their 30s. Is this showing that as years goes by, they have learn to compromise more or they just want to settle down for the sake of settling down? Is there really love? Or its just a mutual comfort of two broken soul?

What really went wrong in the relationship? Is it lack of communication in their relationship or its actually reciprocity and counterfeit liking in the first place?

上帝看得见。
谁和谁的纠缠不清,谁和谁的爱恨情仇。
这不是一幕肥皂剧。
是你,在用生命上演,悲伤的绝唱。

Second Entry

This movie is one of my favorite in the whole final fantasy series. Final Fantasy began in 1987 as an RPG video game. Currently having 13 different series, i can say that FF VII ran the longest and being the most successful of all. FF VII first started out in 1997 as a sony playstation game have now being turn into a must play video game for all gamers.

Japaneses are really talented in arts. The character the created look so 3d so alive. Each character have their own personal soul and the communication habit. Reno(red head) and Rude(bald guy)they serve more of a comical relief in Final Fantasy VII : Advent Children

Love the part when Reno step on Rude's sun glasses which cause rude to give a freak out and shock face trying to tell us that he is surprised that Reno did not see is glasses as a form of non-verbal communication. The big guy Barret(with a machine guy arm) looked so shock when his guy/arm is clot at 4.06. The widening of their eyes is a form of non-verbal communication known as Oculesics.

In 4.36mins the girl, Tifa is displaying a form of Kinesics non-verbal communication as she use her body as a shield to protect the little boy. At 6.32mis, the big monster is shown clinging on to the metal piller look alike. It gives off a slightly high pitch roar which tell us that he is in pain and angry. This is known as Paralinguistics.



This is another part of the video. After Sephiroth is defected, at 4.57mins Cloud was shown catching onto the fallen Kadaj. In this study of touch also known as Haptics and the study of Proxemics for space, we can tell that Cloud have forgiven Kadaj. One will not let their enemy or someone he dislike to come to close to their body as personal space is invaded.

Over all I cannot help but praise Nobuo Uematsu the composer for the sound and music effects. His most recognizable contribution in the whole Final Fantasy series is '片翼の天使' or 'One-Wing Angel'. This latin choral track is the main theme character song for the infamous Sephiroth in FF VII. This music will be played in battles when sephiroth is involved praising and singing his name as he fought. This is also heard as the background music of the second video.

片翼の天使
Estuans interius
ira vehementi
Estuans interius
ira vehementi
Sephiroth
Sephiroth

Estuans interius
ira vehementi
Estuans interius
ira vehementi
Sephiroth
Sephiroth

Sors immanis
Et inanis
Sors immanis
Et inanis

Estuans interius
ira vehementi
Estuans interius
ira vehementi
Sephiroth
Sephiroth

Veni, veni, venias,
Ne me mori facias
Veni, veni, venias,
Ne me mori facias

Veni, veni, venias,
Ne me mori facias
Veni, veni, venias,
Ne me mori facias

Veni, veni, venias, (Gloriosa)
Ne me mori facias (Generosa)
Veni, veni, venias, (Gloriosa)
Ne me mori facias (Generosa)

Veni, veni, venias,
Ne me mori facias
Veni, veni, venias,
Ne me mori facias
Sephiroth
Sephiroth

Sephiroth

movie

Red Cliff, an old historical novel bought to life by the director John Woo. I never actually have any interest on what happened in the era till i watch the movie. I am so fascinated by the magnificent war scene that i started digging into books trying to know the background and the people.

The more I read about it, the more i cannot imagine myself living in that period. They have no tv, no computers, no games, no phones and the worst thing of all is women are treated so lowly...

Under the "Four Periods of Rhetorical Study" by Francis Bacon, AD 208 belongs to the classical period. Birds like pigeon and hawks are used to send important documents as a form of communication carrier. I find that this is a very risk way...

Imagine the General in the front line having a important message that needs to be send back to the King/Prime Minister but half way through, the poor bird was shot down by a hunter or even the enemy. Many life will be lost dun to the broken communication line.

Even if the message is delivered, the time needed for the decoder to decode the message and send back to the encoder may takes up to months. That is definitely too long to wait.

We need to be grateful that we are not living in that point of time but in modern time or else you will not be reading my blog and posting comments~ To sum up, red cliff is a really nice and meaningful movie. Not only it teaches us history, it also remind us to treasure of technology more ^ ^ So what are you waiting for? Go catch the movie now if you have not watched it :)

<<短歌行>>

对酒当歌，人生几何？譬如朝露，去日苦多。
慨当以慷，忧思难忘。何以解忧？惟有杜康。
青青子衿，悠悠我心。但为君故，沉吟至今。
呦呦鹿鸣，食野之苹。我有嘉宾，鼓瑟吹笙。
明明如月，何时可辍？忧从中来，不可断绝。
越陌度阡，枉用相存。契阔谈宴，心念旧恩。
月明星稀，乌鹊南飞。绕树三匝，何枝可依？
山不厌高，水不厌深。周公吐哺，天下归心。