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Sunday, Sep 18, 2011 - 21:12 SGT
Posted By: Gilbert

Short Bites

Some words from our sponsors/readers

The hotpot at the Magic of Chongqing was great. No, really.



Three Pair

My Absolados died after five years of service, several months after the sole of the Bracaras came off at the tip. Well, I had some good times in those boots - I can remember their nonexistent grip in wet conditions (which may be an unfair gripe), as well as tearing half of the nail on my big toe just trying to switch directions. Just as well that the most recent potential kickabout session was cancelled.

It was back to Queensway for a new pair of futsal boots, and after some browsing it was between the Nike5 Elastico and what I reckon was the adidas Top Sala, which ended up too tight in the midsection. Additionally, the Elastico had its sole sewn on at the front, a small detail that more shoes should really have (though I wouldn't be surprised if it eventually comes off at the heel)

Trouble was that they were out of the lime green-and-white that I had set my sights on in my size, but they did have another colourway:


Better get the footwork to go along with it


Well, as one of my old history teachers alluded to, if the shoe fits, wear it, or somesuch; I did manage a small discount on it.


Not So Straight Forward

The Rugby World Cup highlights show has informed me that a forward pass is defined as relative to the player throwing it, and not to the ground, which came as a complete surprise. As students forced to wade through Physics in school well know, the rugby ball has approximately the same velocity as the runner at the instant it is thrown.

Therefore, if the runner releases the ball laterally, the forward component of its velocity is unchanged, and it should (barring air resistance) travel forward at about the same speed as the runner.


O-Level Physics rears its ugly head
(See video illustration)


This does have some notable consequences - if a player running at full tilt (reasonably about 8m/s) flings the ball straight overhead (a perfectly legal if normally questionable move), and the ball stays airborne for, say, four seconds, it can comfortably travel forward thirty or forty metres whilst in the air, maybe more with a strong tailwind.

Then again, in such situations, it would generally be easier to just punt it instead.


Ten Nine Eleven

The tenth anniversary of 9/11 came and went, and it turns out that the Freedom Tower is still... not quite done (as often is the case, The Onion cuts to the bone of the matter). In a rare moment of concurrence with Donald Trump, I thought it most appropriate to simply rebuild the Twin Towers (but with an additional 50% in height or thereabouts - why one lousy extra floor only?). So much for symbolism.


Ah Ah Ah

Another void deck funeral has led me to marvel at how similar Buddhist chants are to, say, Catholic ones, or the Islamic call to prayer, which furthers my suspicions that there is something convergent in whatever inspires devotion. More examples are readily apparent to the open-minded, such as the not-uncommon practice of praying to saints in many of the elder Abrahamic religions, versus minor deities in the even older Oriental traditions.

This does make a lot of sense; wouldn't it be rather impolite always to bother the top guy in the organization, even if he officially says that his door is always open, with a "The Buck Stops Here" sign on his desk for good measure? That's just not done. Say you've misplaced a left sock in a hotel - would you ring up the CEO and demand satisfaction, or would you lodge your case with the Lost & Found Department, which in the Catholic frame, is good ol' Saint Anthony?

I have a personal theory that religions tend to mellow out and get less sensitive to perceived slights and less full of themselves as they get older (much like people). Heck, did Christians just a few centuries ago think that anyone could (in actuality) get away with something like Piss Christ? I daresay there may well be Muhammad cartoons without anybody dying, in several hundred years. Young gods and their followers tend to be the most troublesome ones...

No comment on contemporary Christian rock, though I wouldn't be averse to having some samples on my MP3 player if and when I ever get one.


By A Hair

My usual S$3.80 barbershop now has in place a package deal - for S$15 upfront, one is entitled to unlimited S$0.80 haircuts for a year. Since it is my custom to visit monthly, that comes out to a S$21 savings each year (assuming they don't close shop, and I don't gain a taste for more expensive fashions)

I'm unsure whether to be happy about this.


Politicologic

"Accordingly, the ISA in Singapore has evolved and is now different from that in Malaysia... [in Singapore, the period of custody is up to 30 days]... in Malaysia, the period of custody is up to 60 days."

- The Ministry of Home Affairs scrapes the absolute bottom of the barrel in justifying differences


"A decision was made to cancel the Halloween Horrors event because of the negative feedback received from corporations, friends of the zoo, the public and the media about the event, especially over the relevance in relation to conservation...

In place of Halloween Horrors next month, we will organise a special Deepavali experience at Jurong Bird Park and Singapore Zoo."

- In which the CEO of Wildlife Reserves Singapore reveals some hitherto unknown deep connection between Deepavali and wildlife conservation, and gives the newly-elected figurehead President something to do, while nullifying the hard work of dozens of students over the best part of a year in one fell stroke


I don't know about private correspondence, but where is the negative feedback in the media, which should be easily verifiable, coming from? (no, one forum opinion [if it even exists] doesn't count)

I seriously, seriously hope that it has nothing to do with the Halloween-devil worship crap that is rumoured, though with Harry Potter-witchcraft banners sighted previously outside certain houses of worship, I can't be certain. Not to mention, it's seriously bad manners to dig into the origins of festivals or holidays, as they so often turn out to be pagan.

[19/09 Update: I should have read the link above more closely - the CEO has outed herself as Buddhist, though she did refer to the Haunted House as "an infrastructure of devil worship" (what the... i don't even...) - somebody evidently hasn't visited Haw Par Villa...]




The stupidity burns.

As brainbleach, I offer Super Bunnies.


All Power To

The "Why didn't I think of that?" award of the week goes to:


The sliced bread of our time?



I'll Bet You

Mr. Ham (0/300 seeds): Can't go wrong for a fourth time, can I? 100 seeds on Fulham to beat Manchester City (at 6.50)

FAKEBERT: Eh, you sure or not.

Mr. Ham: You f**ker, us hamsters will have our day in the sun!

FAKEBERT (424/300 seeds): *shrugs* Have it your way. I'll lay you, then - 100 seeds on City to beat Fulham (at 1.40)



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