If there are any lingering doubts about the power of new media, one just had to review the role it played at the conclusion of the AWARE saga yesterday.

Weeks before, Singaporean bloggers had a field day dissecting, de-constructing and spinning conspiracy theories about the AWARE takeover. Emails supposedly confidential (and understanbly ignored by the mainstream press) found its way to the net. During the EGM yesterday, it was Twitter that was on centre stage. Twits (is that what they call them?) provided a second by second account of what was happening in real time. And since mainstream media was initially barred from entering the premises,  twitter was the only source of real time information for those who were not there. Later on, people started uploading video clips on youtube. Go see how the ringleader screamed "you have no repect for your elders" or "I am on page 73." It was such a reversal of roles that guards had to stand by to prevent the tigers from pouncing on her.

To be sure, the ex-exco was already dealt a deathblow when the fundamentalist agenda was pried out of them, but it was new media that fanned the flames and mobilised the forces of the old guard. It is the collective power of individuals, busy typing away on their phones or their laptops flooding the invisible broadband highway with blog entries, forum comments and twits. These are the kingmakers of the future. But just like in any environment where the voice of the majority becomes the word of truth, the truth may not always be the truth but a matter of values or opinion. God forbid the day when new media becomes nothing more than mob rule gone legit.

Adam Lambert is off his comfort zone. Perhaps the purple hair effect is kicking in already?

The world is on the verge of a pandemic flu. Why do I get a feeling that this is being blown out of proportions? Except for Mexico, most cases recovered spontaneously. My suspicion is that the original pig-human transmission was the more virulent, re-assorted strain, getting weaker as it passes from human to human but retaining its contagiousness. We shall see.

2 exams down, one paper to write. As far as I am concerned, this journey is almost over. Hiatus almost over. Work is beckoning. I just hope this swine flu dies down before I return.

Just my luck that the deadline for turning in my final paper falls on the day when I am supposed to be overseas. Earlier than that, my supervisor is overseas and cannot endorse it. Aggravations are such a pain when you already think you have this in bag. Just another way of making me work harder for that trip. Ditto with a coming trip to the US. This swine flu swirling the northern hemisphere has certainly put a spanner in my plans. Another photo finish or no finish in the works. 

Oh wow. This came in the mail today.

Watching it reminds me how raw the actual show is. Never mind the movie adaptation that juxtaposed profanity, drugs and HIV with cheery, Hollywood slick. The film version made cursing and doing drugs look ... wholesome.

Kismet is when the touring company plays in Boston when I land there in July, with the original Mark and Roger playing. What an extra treat.

I was watching Colin Farrell act as the deliciously adorable hit man in In Bruges when it occured to me that people who want to visit Belgium should see this movie first before going. For that matter, people who don't particularly like reading those finely printed travel guide books should pick up a movie instead; the same way when people tell you to read a novel about a city just to get the flavour in your mouth, only that you get the deliciously adorable hit man Colin Farell instead of the alphabet. Somehow, when everything goes right, the places you see in a movie almost assumes a character of its own.

You want to visit Edinburgh? Go see Trainspotting, which I did, and left me on the look-out for Ewan McGregor look-alikes. Tokyo? How about Lost in Translation and then go see the New york Bar on the 52nd floor of the Shinjuku Park Tower. Buenos Aires? How about Happy Together and dance the tango with a fat lady. Toronto? How about catching Queer as Folks where all the scenes were shot in the gay district of Church Street. Rome? Go catch the up and coming Angels and Demons. Vicky Christina Barcelona, Love Actually, Manhattan Murder Mystery, Bugis Street (oh how the street has changed), Sex in the City, Slumdog Millionaire, The Host, City of God, Mama Mia... and you don't even have buy one of those expensive travel guides.

I may be headed to New England soon so I am catching up on The Departed, Mystic River and Blown Away. And maybe some more Lost in Translation and some Rocknrolla.

2008 was, for me, like getting a new pair of shoes.

First I had to break-in the new pair, with the initial wear bringing sore feet, blisters and callouses. I felt constricted and bound. It was like walking with 2 left shoes. I wondered if I got the right fit in the first place. Transitions and adjustments had to be made. I found myself wearing more suitable socks. Escapism came in the form of wearing flipflops at every opportunity.

But gradually they grew on me, and I felt more comfortable, strutting around with renewed confidence (of not tripping) and began to see them as part of myself and not just some footwear. It became comfortable enough to run 2 full marathons and 1 half marathon, and take an unexpected stroll back to school.

Eventually, all the walking wore them down. I had to get extra arch supports to avoid sore calves. I figured there was no point suffering for something out of my control anyway, but to derive whatever enjoyment I can manage from the pair. I brought out my trusty flipflops or resorted to walking barefoot altogether.

But the time has come. Time to get a new pair and hopefully, get the fit right this time.

Between the 5 and 10 seconds it takes for me to log in to my yahoo email account, I always have this brief chance to glance at the yahoo news sidebar. I few days back, I chanced upon this very strange news report about the possibility of snap elections happening in Singapore soon. Apparently, there has been some unusual activity reported at the elections office recently.

I can't recall now where the news report originated and oddly, I can't seem to find the exact news report from yahoo when I tried today. All I get now are reports from channelnewsasia on why snap elections will not happen at all, which upon closer look was actually the same article but retitled to reflect the negative possibility instead of the positive.

What made my spidey sense tingling was not so much as the change in the title of the article (which the local press is very fond of doing anyway) but that it comes so close in the heels of the PM's "apparent" needless harping on how Singapore will benefit more from a 1 party system and not 2. Perhaps this was in response to the keen interest shown by many Singaporeans to the recent US presidential elections but really, the PM does not say anything for nothing. And when they say something like this, you can't help but think that this is what spin doctors would refer to as "preparing the ground".

Of course calling for an snap elections now seem counter-intuitive. Surely the men in white recognise that Singaporeans are reeling from the creeping effects of recession and will take it out on the existing power structure given the chance. I'm not being cynical (liar, liar, pants on fire) but somehow all the steps the government are taking to help Singaporeans during the recession feel suspect. Soon they will be lowering PUB tariff rates to pre-October level. COE is down. ERP rates are to be lowered (if not suspended temporarily). Everything that Singaporeans complained about immediately after the recent elections are being reversed.

Preparing the ground? Your guess is as good as mine.

With the StanChart marathon just a few month from now, I've been trying hard to find time to get some training done. Having to attend night classes 5 days a week has put a spanner in my runs as I now have to run in the morning, which is not really my best time of the day. Muddynights is definitely not a morning person.

Having said that, the iconic New York Marathon kicks off on 2 Nov. The largest marathon in the world (with more than 37,000 marathon runners) covers all 5 boroughs of New York City which makes it a good tour of the city as well.

This year, a number of W hotels in New York are offering marathon deals, including carbo loading meals, a one night stay and foot massages. Wouldn't it be so nice to be pampered silly after a long gruelling marathon run?

I wonder if there any such deals for the StanChart run. Nothing to spur you to finish the run than fresh sheets and a full body massage in a posh hotel.

(And BTW, after gleefully spending some cash at Borders last week because of a 30% discount for members, now I receive another email saying there'll be a 40% discount for members. What? they want me to spend some more?)  

I probably spent way too much time thinking of how to plan my time that I end up doing less than I wanted; all of which I mostly blame on the weather. Chilly mornings are for extra time in bed. Blistering noonday sun is for taking cover. I find it very ironic that with so much free time, I actually haven't been going out much, prefering to stay sequestered at home and watch the sun creep across the slumbering cat.

But as most things go, the world spins on its relentless axis, whether you do anything or not.

The US elections have gone completely nuts (McCain sputters, Black man walks to the White House). Milk comes fortified with melamine (no more need for plastic surgery because you are now... plastic). Britney is on the comeback trail (again).

Tina Fey turns out to be a better Sarah Palin than the real deal (glorious). The world economy has been turned on its head (nothing surprising). And this just in - Sticky and Sweet is no longer sticky, or sweet (just 'love does not live here anymore').

JBJ is dead (what now?). Obama is an Arab (duh?!!). The Noose is actually getting better (who knew tangential sarcasm can be so effective?). Is LJ actually slower and more annoying lately? (or is it just me?)

So you see. While I've been in hiding. I have also been everywhere.

One thing that continues to irk me about this talk of legalising organ trading is not so much as putting a price tag on human organs, but the arguments some people have used to justify such a practice.  

I find it worrisome that people advocate the buying of organs by saying that we are doing these poor chaps a favour anyway. Had they not sold their organs, they would still be in abject poverty with nothing to feed their children. This same argument had been used for not allowing day-off for domestic helpers, or the abuse some foreign workers have to deal with everyday. 

The argument may not be entirely without merit. But such reasoning makes me sad. It's sad because it reflects people's values; because it is ethnocentrism at its worst and condenscending - as if the only reason for the existence of these poor chaps is to provide for the those who have the money to pay.