I think so, and so do many netizens too. The recent newspaper article (The Sunday Times, Nov 20, 2005, pgs 8-9) shone light on pianist Melvyn Tan, who has defaulted his NS 28 years ago. The 49-year old pianist, who has lived in UK for the past 37 years, paid a fine of $5,000 after the court hearing. According to the Enlistment Act, "those who evade national service can be fined up to $5,000 or sent to jail for up to three years, or both." The pianist has about 30 recordings to his name and a regular touring schedule in Europe, and made his mark in the classical world with his performances on the fortepiano.
So, a guy with a successful career, by escaping the country, work/live/study overseas, and come back to pay an interesting $5k fine. 
In my opinion, he has set a precedent to all. The fact being, you can go overseas when young, default NS, not return to Singapore, earn a big living, and then return, just to pay a fine. And $5,000 is not that much compared to the thousands he earns in his touring performances, and it would be peanuts.
Thus, why the precedent?
Avoiding 2.5 years of NS with 9 cycles of reservists, plus staying overseas, certainly is tempting. Basically, it seemed like you can "get out of NS with cash". And if that's the case, why wouldn't other parents consider this for their child, who have to surrender 2.5 years (now 2 years) of their life serving NS? They might consider migrating overseas, using Melvyn's case as an example.
Indeed, I fear for the lashbacks and after-effects of such a precedent being set. That being said, there might be more parents sending their kids overseas to study and work, and ensure that they make it big overseas. Work hard there, do not come back.
A wrong message sent, indeed.
A good thing would be to update the law, increase the fine or jail term, to prevent people from having thoughts of defaulting NS! If NS can be defaulted so easily, I'd bet it's an easy way out for a lot of people.
All people are equal? Maybe not, after all. 
Current Music: S.E.N.S
Based on the MTV animated series created by Peter Chung, "Aeon Flux" is set 400 years in the future, when disease has wiped out the majority of the earth's population except for one walled, protected city-state, Bregna, ruled by a congress of scientists. The story centers on Aeon Flux (Charlize Theron), the top operative in the underground 'Monican' rebellion - led by The Handler (Frances McDormand). When Aeon is sent on a mission to kill a government leader, she uncovers a world of secrets.
Man...this is a movie worth waiting for and looking forward to, esp after exams
Charlize Theron looks damn cool (not to mention chio) in the poster and trailers!Links:
Lycos Aeon Flux Slideshow
Yahoo! Movies
Rotten Tomatoes
Current Music: S.E.N.S.
U've seen the A380, now...meet this new replacement for the Super Guppy, the A300-600ST Super Transporter (Beluga).
The cockpit of the A380, looks damn cool, here.
1 down, 4 more to go...
Current Music: Liang Jing Ru - Si Lu
*lol*
Just less than a month ago, my CTW project group had just finished an article regarding MP3 piracy affecting consumers. Now, it seems like Sony (which has a record of shipping audio CDs with copy-protection software), has made a terrible flaw in its copyright protection software which creates security weakness in computers. Better still, it is impossible to remove, according to this Windows expert, who discovered it all. Part I Part II Part III Part IV
News also available on other sites: CNN BBC USA Today
Thanks to them, now other viruses are using the software that Sony distributes to hide themselves: CNN News Report
So moral of the story is, it is safer to download MP3s than to buy CDs, cos you'll still be backstabbed by the evil "copy protection software" which the CD comes with, giving you a free dosage of virus or allowing your computer to be taken over by hackers. 
Seems like my essay should have changed. 
Current Music: Zhou Jie Lun - Ye Qu
You know you hate mugging or studying for exams when:
1) You enjoyed a swim, regardless the company
2) You enjoyed a run, regardless of the distance and tiredness you've to overcome
3) You enjoyed a night's out with friends to catch the latest movies
4) You forget when your tutorial timeslot (I remember who laughed at me!)
5) You can't get yourself in the mood of constant revision at 2am at night
6) You enjoyed killing people in Counter-Strike *hahaha*
There's more, but I kinda forget. Haha!
Watched Sky High with Jiahui yesterday, it was a cool movie! But, it's just the atypical Super-hero family sort of story, can't be compared to The Incredibles, which I would always remember as one of the best...and of course, Spiderman 2 and Daredevil.
Dinner @ The Pepper Place (was it that?), at Taka, the supposed "fast-food" restaurant, but it wasnt. The hamburger and chicken combo was nice, portions too much for one person (i think!) and they have a lot of 豆芽 inside it! Following which, we headed down to Far East to get the watch she wanted, only for her to mull over it still. Guess when you look at it the second time, the feelings for the watch is totally different already. Then, we went back to Taka to get some Venezia ice-cream, which was simply delicious!
It was a great night out, really enjoyed the company ^_^ At least it's a break from studying. Haha.
Current Mood: 
Happiness
Current Music: Zhou Jie Lun - Mai Ya Tang
Was a really great weekend (not so great cos exams are looming, but THAT can wait, haha), and I din really have time to blog all these while. So let me revert back to story-telling mode, shall we?
Haha. Oh man, I sure love to do 1-post-per-week blogs already, maybe this oughta be weekly instead of daily, considering that I do not ramble on and on now.
Just returned home from Alvin's birthday celebration, and now resting after a great night. Amelia was kind to give Enping, Meilin, Selina and me for a ride from Bishan, considering that all of us were staying in that area. I also learnt one thing whilst there: That someone is habitually late (or so I heard). Off to the PIE we went, and we reached Lakeside (or so I thought) earlier than expected, 'cos we were supposed to meet Wee Kwok, who was fetching Daniel and Wai Keong.
And I need to brush up on my Western MRT Line. We waited at Chinese Garden instead of Lakeside! Argh. Mistake of the day. Anyway, managed to convoy to Summerdale, where the party was held.
Dawn, Ghim Song, Minchen, Welly and Zhan Sheng were already there, together with Andy and Junjie. Saw Mingyi and Bingkai at the party also, and Jiaxin came along shortly after. A small world indeed.
Well, the highlight of the day, was not the food, not the birthday boy, but the "celebrations" we did for him. Well, a picture speaks a thousand words, so I should just show the pictures and it'll all do...I hope.
The 'director' (right) and the 'producer' (left)...You'll know why...scroll down
(clockwise from left-most) Daniel, Wai Keong, Ghim Song, Jiaxin, Enping, Gong Yu, Wee Kwok, Meilin, Amelia
(L-R) Junjie, Andy, Me
(clockwise from bottom left) Selina, Dawn, Welly, Meilin, Minchen
Alvin with his coke (Seems like ready to fight sia)
After water dunking...Round 1!
Round 2!
Round 3!
Round 4! (This is when he went in himself. Haha)
A botched Round 5 though...but we had a substitute.
Class Photo 1!
Class Photo 2!
Whose legs are those?! 180 deg water dunk!
Despite changing out, he cant get dry...haha.
Now on to the previous days....
Friday
Wanling's birthday was on the 5th, but Jorin and I decided to give her a surprise the night before, hence...the 4th was chosen. Managed to totally 'smokescreen' the entire surprise till the last minute, despite having a few possible times when we almost let the cat out of the bag. All it started out, was a Batu meeting. And she was baited instantly. Haha.
She was totally surprised! A 3-staged surprise, started with a sumptuous dinner meal at Holland Village's Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao, then a cheesecake at Coffee Bean, and finally, a Nalgene waterbottle to (hopefully) 'replace' the one she lost!
How did we know what colour of the bottle to get? Well...just crap out a discussion and ask. And there you go. Instant answers. Dang, we are good. Haha.
And we just talked and talked and talked till it seemed pretty late, and we bade farewell to our wonderful birthday girl...After letting her see the great HV night-life, that is.
Saturday
Well, it all started the day with a rushing of tutorial from 1am-3am, 'cos I just got home from WL's birthday surprise, and I was talking to Gek Puay regarding the tutorial. Which I nearly forgot anyway. Haha.
Managed to snooze for 4 hours, and woke up in time for the 9am tutorial. In fact, reached a little too early to see a deserted NUS. (Other than the YIH you see) The tutorial was okay, the presentations were fine, but I realised that every group now started with a SWOT analysis framework after what Team 2 and our team did. Geez.
Evening was Grace's birthday. Another 21 year old! Met up with Genevieve, Hark Kah, Huijunand Junhong at Bishan, as Junhong was driving. Reached her chalet a little late, and we saw Guanyu, Shuwei and Weichuan there.
It's a pity that I've no pictures to show for this, 'cos we took a lot of pictures, including one with the birthday cake! (not the girl. Haha!)
Well...*yawn* Cant get into the studying mood. Geez....another late night. 夜猫子俱乐部 still in action...Disbanding due on 23rd November...so...watch out!
Current Mood:
HyperCurrent Music: Zhou Jie Lun - Ye Qu
These days, trying to glean more information from my marketing textbook sure is hell. And I just came across the newer, updated look of Tiger Beer's logo (I'm not a Tiger Beer fan myself!)
versus
And I happened to come across this 'ad'...Enjoy!
from http://www.rockson.blogspot.com
Seems like Tiger Beer is seriously intent on having an image makeover, possibly making it younger to be in line with attracting the segment of younger customers? Changing of focus in terms of market segments, and to displace brand loyalty of other customers. Having a 'modern' and 'hipper' look would surely help in projecting its brand and image to the younger crowd.
And no, I still dun like Tiger, but no beer for me too haha.
Yesterday was an outing with the Fuego guys as well as our Fuego councillors (and their class). First, I was late in reaching Bugis, as I had stayed overnight with Danny and Peiyu in school for overnight studying. Plus, I had to go home and wash up, but afresh nonetheless!
Sleeping in YIH study room is cold and almost impossible! And sleeping on the benches outside make you vulnerable to falling stuff from above!
Met up with Jingyao, Mark and Qingyi for Anqi's (upcoming) and Weili's (overdue) presents. Walked round and round Bugis, and finally settled on some neat gift. Hehz.
We then trooped down to PS for lunch @ Cafe Cartel with the rest of QY's class. And time simply just passed as by with fun at the cafe, chomping down bread (free flow wat).
There was this shoe store which had a non-stop Asics sale, right? The second level one. Well, the store's there, the internal layout the same, but now it carries Saucony shoes, with a 20% discount. Pricing definitely comparable with that at Queensway, but I'd still prefer the prices at Queensway. Met up with Zhihan there for a short while as he had to get new running shoes...the old ones just gave way during IPPT (lol!), and I had told him barely a week prior to his ICT!
After that short meetup, joined the rest of the guys (Jian Bang, Jiaquan, Jinyao, Jon, Junjie, Qixiang, Wellian) , who had moved to Paradiz (SOP) for a game of LAN (initially meant to be pool, but totally full). Good 'ol old-school Counterstrike, and a round of DOTA, wrapped up 2 plus hours of solid gaming. Great stress-reliever indeed!
Note to self: The computers were simply laggy though, playing DOTA, you really ARE afraid of dying due to lag. HAHA. But I finally got to play DOTA already, a lil' like WCII and FT :P
After leaving JB and Jon at Paradiz, the rest of us took a ride down to Thomson for some prata at The Prata Place. Nice crispy pratas there, and the Paper Prata with Ice-cream was simply delicious! JY they all took the Bomb Prata, and it was a sweet tasting prata which...I dunno how to describe it anymore. Haha. Moreover, just realised the place is now 24-hours already, simply great! Somewhere near my home, within cycling/jogging distance. A place to note for future Bike2Bite events ;)
Current Mood:
SingingCurrent Music: T.M.Revolution - Vestige
Yea, you did not read wrongly. Listening to 933FM, and trying to finish up physics tutorial 5, while trying to ensure that the upcoming events are planned for.
Oh well...time really flies. And physics really suck.
Dang, I wasted the whole night on it. ARGH!
Peiyu and Danny sitting opposite me, good company for studying, since both still awake, haha. Well, the whole place full of people awake and mugging...so...*lol*
Current Mood: 
Studying
Current Music: Li Ming - You Qing Lang
A simple convo on MSN, on a very simple email, sent by our common friend...
你不想去認真知道他有沒有另一伴，因為你會很傷心，可是你卻又要裝很大方的祝他幸福。
but then again, i've this niggling feeling...it's juz one-sided
haha not v flowing also lar
true la,因为害怕，我们宁可或在不明不白中。
WELL...
but i feel that 暧昧的存在，是要看双方面对彼此的感情。。。
当然，你感觉他与你很亲切的时候，可能是你自作多情？
ai mei is when both RECOGNISE it is happening. rite
but got irony leh
其实，感情的事，不能三言两语而说出的。。。
it may be one-sided. cos u never can totally judge and be sure of the other party's thinking
haha yes, cannot..
hard to express
the thing abt ai mei-ness is that u dun have the answers, it's irritating
暧昧其实是没有答案的。。。
it's not just ai-mei times tat u dun have the answers, but what makes it EVEN more irritating is that there is this extra tinge of POSSIBILITY lurking around somewhere but u dunno if it really exists or where it belongs
所以说，要看缘分。两人可能有缘无份，或者是当时的情形， 使得彼此不能对彼此坦白多一点。
看他的email时候，让我想起我对别人的感受。。。
sure.. but abt yuan fen.. well.. 相识已经是一种缘份。
我比较相信， 更多时候。。。你需要其他元素。才会圆满。
当然。。。
听过这句话吗：。。
“缘是天意， 份时人为。”
我觉得，当你真正喜欢一个人的时候，你会很留意她的一举一动，对于她于你交谈时，也有不一样的感觉。
Well...what transpires out of this? Just feel that there's always a part of us who wants to drum up the courage to tell the other half what you feel strongly of him/her, yet, you might not be able to do so.
Current Music: 范玮琪-如果的事