Personal Blather!

As I read His word, I come across this verse which really encourages me.

For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold, From those who walk uprightly.
Psalm 84:11

Is THIS a good thing? What would it take for it to happen? I really don't know, but if I treat this as every other area, then I think...

After all, God desires for us to have the good things in life...

"Do everything humanly possible, and leave the impossible to Him."

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Exams coming again.

This time I'm not too worried. I need to buck up even more, but having not much of a heavy exam timetable is not helping.

Some things have been happening lately that makes me a bit unsure of what to do. I could very well just sit back and do nothing, but perhaps I really shouldn't. I don't know. I really wished there were SOME help on what I ought to do... if anything. Being unsure is really irritating.

Anyway, I think tomorrow's service will be exciting. Will try to get more rest for it tonight.

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Yes, if you're wondering about the lack of updates, it's largely because I'm swamped by work. I have many deadlines to meet and I've been doing what I can to complete the projects and assignments before the deadline. Thankfully, I've actually managed to progress quite a bit and hence I can afford a short hiatus to just put down a few thoughts.

I've been thinking lately about my future, what I want to do and all that. It's pretty exciting yet depressing at the same time, knowing that I'll be leaving studying for good in a couple of months and venture out into the working world. I'm all for progress, but it can be a little daunting to take such a big leap. Transitions are never easy, especially if you want to ensure that you take all the good positive things you've learned with you and try to leave all the bad behind. It's all in the process of growing up, I guess, but just because you know it happens to everyone doesn't make it any easier to face.

In any case, here's an interesting article I found. It's really insightful and definitely worth the read. Clickey. I'm definitely going to try to apply this as often as possible. Passion is a really good motivator.

The final years in hall have come together again to put up a little event to make hall life a little more exciting. ΤaλaΝΤο (Pronounced Ta-lan-tou) has been ongoing for a while and the preliminaries are over. The grand finale will take place this coming Monday. *shrug* The six grand finalists will be performing as will some of the final years. That means I have to finish all my work by this weekend, and THAT'S why I'm so busy... with so many things to submit.

Here's to a productive weekend and a great week ahead!

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I'm guessing everyone's expecting some comments about concert since it's over. I don't really know or bother much with the opinions of others, but here's my 2 cents.

Acting
Since it's a musical, acting should logically come first. Admittedly, the cast were not perfect, and I'm guessing there are many criticisms from different parties. I personally believe that the acting was pretty good. I might be biased because I DID see how abysmally they performed at the initial stages of preparation, but I won't deny them the credit due to them. It was a job well done, and no matter what anyone else says, I truly think their acting was acceptable. Not perfect, but good nonetheless.

Singing
Who can deny the strength in this year's cast's ability to sing? Compared to ANY OTHER YEAR, I'd say this year the singing was as close to perfection as we can get. The music itself was pretty amazing, and the fact that the leads were really talented made it come out that much better. I'd give them a 9/10 minus one because of projection issues. Still, I can't get so many songs out of my head! Soundtrack please!

Dancing
I don't think there was all that much dancing this year. What little they had though, was pretty astounding, although I'm unsure whether that was because of the costumes. Sad to say, I cannot help but feel this is the one area which could've been much much better. It was more than acceptable, we had the talent! It's just sad that we didn't manage to really capitalize on that. Still, this isn't a dance production, so we can't be having too high an expectation can we?

Script
It was short and sweet. True, it's not perfect, and there were a few 'loopholes', but it was done not by a theatre major, or an experienced writer, but an ordinary student struggling with his ideals, ALONE. It might've been lacking in some areas, but it managed to carry the main theme across very well, and the writer's message was communicated clearly enough. That in itself is testimony of its strength.

Music
Like singing, music was exceptional this year. We really did a good job in this department this year. 'Nuff said!

Sets
The sets were worryingly simple, but somehow managed to pull through with the help of very good lighting effects. It conveyed the correct setting where necessary, and that's all that really matters actually. Past sets teams might complain of the lack of quality, but I think the final effect was adequate if not acceptable.

Costumes
When they were first revealed during Comm Hall runs, I was worried as it seemed utterly plain and dull. True, clothes at that setting were probably a dull white/gray/brown combination, but following that would've been disastrous. Thankfully, there were many different bright shades at the final show, which really spiced things up. I wouldn't say it was superb, but the costumes were certainly not shabby.

Conclusion
While it may seem that I approve of everything, it must be noted that there were MANY areas which could've been improved on. Projection was only one of them, something which were told to all cast members from the very beginning. Most of the things mentioned above are actually only at the 'acceptable' or 'barely adequate' level, and failed to really impress. The lack of a really STRONG scene was also a minus point, as people came away not really having any part of the show making a very lasting impression. Overall, I'd say it didn't turn out bad, but IMHO, it still wasn't the best that could've been achieved based on the talent we had. For this reason, I'd have to give it an above average rating.

Of course, these are just my opinions and thoughts about the concert, from my perspective.

Technorati Tags: Raffles Hall, Filodoksia, Concert

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The past weekend was very exciting, with a lot of things being shared about the church vision. I think it's pretty amazing the amount of things that are being done in church. The various efforts by the different ministries in church are truly astounding. It's not just about the amount of money we use to help the community and all the people around, it's also the amount of EFFORT put in by the various members which really got me thinking.

Today's combine CG was really good, and pastor really shared his heart out. I was just thinking about this issue when he brought it up in his sharing. He didn't say anything about finances, which is what I guess we were expecting to hear with building fund around the corner. Instead, he talked about making a decision to serve and to be a participant in God's purpose for the church and for ourselves. It was short but very powerful.

I really felt that I was starting to be too comfortable where I am. I really ought to start considering doing more. It's not that I'm looking for things to 'fill up my time', but more of I really want to do more for God and to be in His service in any way possible.

I'm not really sure how yet, but I DO believe in doing whatever I can, whenever I can.

Hopefully, I'll start walking more and more towards the purpose He's called me to.

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Comm Hall week is over. A lot of things happened. At this point, I guess I'm looking forward to seeing how everything will turn out. As mentioned in my past two posts, It's been pretty much up and down for concert, with a very interesting climax last Friday. Apparently the first run was disastrous. Again, after much rebuking and encouragement, they managed to put up a spectacular second run. A lot of drama was involved, and I'm not sure if it's suitable to be shown here. Do ask if you want to know what happened exactly.

In any case, it's finally UCC week. There are many things which should happen and it's going to be a busy, tiring week for everyone. Still, I don't see why I can't look forward to an exciting show this weekend. I've seen what these bunch of people can do, and I have every faith in them that they can put up a good show. No one can deny that they've put in a lot of sweat and blood, and if nothing else, I believe in them.

Here's to a great show this weekend!

PS: Cast people, please do get rest so that you can be focussed this weekend.

Technorati Tags: Raffles Hall, Concert

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After posting last night, I went down again to take a look see at how the Comm Hall run was going to be progressing. My initial fears were coming true... and I was worried... really worried...

The first run was horrible to say the least. I didn't even need to be watching them to know they did possibly one of their worst performances. There was absolutely no energy or projection and not a soul was remotely interested to watch. People who came for supper never once looked up to find out what was happening... it was THAT DEAD...

The run ended at about 12... and we were contemplating just going off. Things were NOT working out... and both me and JJ decided to talk to some people. Obviously, the stage manager was not happy. Apart from the dismal performance, sets had literally no sense of urgency in their sets changes. There would have to be another run, starting at approximately 1215 am.

As usual, we made the cast see how disappointed we all were. It wouldn't have been very appropriate to be pissed, but I really felt that they needed to wake up... Their director was absolutely devastated at the incredibly sub-par performance. He gave all of them his 2 cents and told them to do a better job this time.

And then they all drew together and did a 'cast whoosh'.

So the act began again, with some seniors watching from the front waiting to see how it would turn out. I had the intention of leaving if they didn't put up something decent.

Fortunately, I didn't have to. SOMEHOW they managed to pull together and really spike up the energy level. The whole act became alive and interesting, with many scenes done to the best I've ever seen ANY of them perform. They managed to build on each other's reactions and the result was something short of a miracle. I'd almost given up hope on them.

In any case, at the end of the run, the director was almost reduced to tears and we could see that they KNEW IT! They KNEW it was a good run, and I certainly hope they keep maintaining this level of energy and acting, because...

IT'S ABOUT BLOODY TIME!

What this shows, is that they DO have the talent and ability to perform well. Now all that's left is to see if they can improve on the minor stuff and capitalize on this experience to continue performing at this level, or at an even HIGHER level. I'm pretty sure they could, if they ALL really wanted it and worked for it. All that remains to be seen is whether they can actually sustain their performance.

Concert is next weekend, things are finally looking up...

Technorati Tags: Raffles Hall, Concert

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Concert this year seems to be shaping up a little worryingly. I'm in no position to say anything, but it's always been an activity that I feel strongly for, and it's just been interesting to see how it has progressed this year. There were problems at the initial stage with many problems cropping up which was nobody's fault. The inability to form the entire CCC before the holidays was IMHO one of the biggest factors to the problems. I credit this more to the fact that we have a relatively 'less committed' batch taking over. The people who remained are really good, but as a whole, there just isn't enough manpower for them to be able to cover all the important roles necessary in hall.

In any case, Comm Hall run is ongoing this week. As of now, projection seems to be the biggest problem for cast. Sets wise, it's a bit worrying that a lot of sets are simply too 'big' to be put into the Comm Hall, making the run less efficient. Costumes have yet to come into the picture but that will change as the days progress. In fact, so many people have mid terms today from 830 to 930 that the run had to be pushed to 10. I'm assuming this means they'll be ending a little later than usual.

That aside, ticketing has been a slight headache as we're buying for a huge number of people. Fortunately, we still managed to procure relatively good seats, but it did come with a rather steep price.

In any case, I'm looking forward to seeing how things shape up. More updates are to come I imagine.

Technorati Tags: Raffles Hall, Concert

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It seems that I keep getting a lot of cool offers for freelance work. Not that I think I'm all that great, but it just goes to show that there really is demand for this type of thing.

I'm very keen and interested in web programming. It's really cool to look at your work and see the results of the effort you put in almost simultaneously. It's a very rewarding sort of thing to do and I feel that that's the direction I'd be heading to in the future.

That said, it's going to be a long tiring weekend, so that's all for this short random post. Going back for the holidays next weekend, so hopefully I finish the rest of my work by then.

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I just caught Ratatouille recently, and I must say, Disney Pixar has done it again! If you haven't watched it, it's still showing and really worth the watch.

The show is about a little rat that just wants to cook. Remy turns out to be an amazing chef with a keen sense of smell. He is, however, a rat, and no sane person would let a rat in a kitchen.

The premise of the show is simple, and so is the rest of the plot. Watching the trailer would give you an idea of what the show is about. Fortunately, despite being relatively linear, the show is filled with a lot of interesting, detailed scenes which really flesh out the show. The scenes are laid out nicely and the dialogue is as witty as ever.

Some 'problems' I see with the film include the lack of development between the other protagonist and his love interest. Somehow, the concept of 'total loser gets the babe' seems a bit far-fetched. Then again, the whole premise of the show is really the same. There were many times I caught myself thinking "if this were real life..." It's not! Rats don't understand English and they carry diseases which kill. They're also not as cute as the show portrays them. Little kids might not be able to make that distinction (think Finding Nemo) and start having their parents get rats, or try to catch one themselves. White mice are bound to be in short supply with the potentially ensuing "rare a cute rat" craze.

Disney Pixar stays true to it's reputation of delivering wholesome family entertainment. The moral story is basically to not let being different be something that stops you from striving for your dreams. The audience certainly gets that message and the happy ending is bound to be welcome. It really reminded me somewhat of Cars, and they're both equally good IMHO.

So if you haven't watched this show, and you're wondering if you should, I'd recommend that you do. It's fun, it's cute and it'll capture your heart within 2 hours. Did I mention that it's also long enough to make it worth your money?

Technorati Tags: Ratatouille, Disney, Pixar

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I've always wondered why things seem so complicated sometimes. No, this isn't going to be an unhappy post, but more of a self reflection type of post.

Let's get it off my chest. The issue of relationships has been popping up very often recently. Conversations with people around me seem to indicate that my status is... 'surprising'.

I guess it needs to be said. I somehow just don't feel the motivation or urge to get attached. I'm just not looking. Of course, I'm open to the idea, and I can't say for sure what's going to happen in the weeks or months to come, but in no way am I feeling urgent about it. Perhaps I feel I'm not ready, or perhaps I just set too high a requirement (whether or not I consciously admit it). I'm doing pretty well as it is, and I'm enjoying what life has to offer everyday.

Sometimes I wonder if all those warnings about getting into relationships prematurely have gotten to me. I understand why it was all done, and I can see the logic behind telling us to watchful and to avoid such heartaches. However, as I look back, I realise that personally I haven't had very good relationships with people of the opposite sex, and by relationships, I mean friendships and the like. I just didn't know how to relate to them. There were many great friendships I could've had, but don't simply because I always kept my distance from people of the opposite sex. My mindset was that we can't be more than acquaintances if you were a girl.

Naturally, that perception has changed. I'm no longer so narrow minded, but I can't go back and change all those things.

In any case, maybe I'm just tired. Tired of thinking about finding that 'someone'. Tired of wondering if 'that person' suited me. Tired of the mixture of anticipation and dread if the relationship progressed. Tired of the emotional roller-coaster I'd experience. It takes effort, it takes patience, and it takes perseverance, and that's something that I think I'm not ready to sacrifice at this time.

I think I need a break from all this. I don't foresee myself staying this way, but at least for now... not having any of these worries is a relief.

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To the original C&C fans, head down to this site to download the exclusive, original, FULL version of the very first C&C!

I remember playing this in MS-DOS, so it's a pretty old game admittedly. Still, it's really good and absolutely addictive. Downloading the ISO would be something worth your time!

Technorati Tags: C&C, Command, Conquer

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Life has never been better! I know that in the past, I've blogged about feeling down, or unhappy, or not as excited about life. Well, this period of my life has been almost the exact opposite! I think I'm finally experiencing the breakthrough I've been looking for. Life is once again exciting and there's so much to look forward to when I get up each morning. Spiritually, I think I've finally broken through to a new level, and I've never been this close to God before. My studies are doing fine and so are the various things I'm involved in.

It's as I'm in this position that I realise God has brought me here for a reason. The past few days, the cell has been doing really well, and I'm quite happy for it. I'm very burdened by the fact that I myself personally didn't manage to contribute to the growth of the cell, although I do what I can to facilitate and help out with friends. As things are beginning to happen, I felt God leading me to a place where I have to step out of my comfort zone... and it's not easy.

I know that this 'stepping out of your comfort zone' phrase is overused that it can be cliched, but I've never felt it more consciously than now. I've always been thinking about being 'practical' and doing only what I THINK I can manage, but that's just an excuse I've been using to stay in my comfort zone, doing the same things I've been doing over and over, day in and day out. I'm very comfortable with routines, and although some excitement once in a while is expected, I've very much been stuck in a rut because I've never strayed too far from the routines in my life.

I've settled a lot of things in my life these past few weeks. Things have been going swell, and I'm pretty sure the excitement is oozing out of the words written here. It's excitement coupled with many things to think about. These decisions aren't very small decisions... they're decisions which have an impact in my life, and the lives of those around me.

I've really been crying out to God everyday, asking Him whether this is His plan for me. There have been times I've been doubtful, and rightfully so because what I "THINK" God is telling me must be tested, but there have also been times when He reassures me, telling me that He will be with me if I walk this path.

The bible tells us that God looks not at your talent, or your abilities, but at the willingness of your heart. It's sometimes not so easy to determine what His calling for you really is, which is why this is not an easy thing for me. However, I am able to say now, that I'm willing to go where He leads me. If it's this path that I must thread, then I will walk with Him, with the assurance that He will be with me all the way.

I can truly, honestly and wholeheartedly say, that I'm willing...

Being challenged like this is an experience in itself. It's serious, but I somehow have the assurance that He'll see me through this... and I'm liking this closeness to Him!

Lord, help me, I pray, to follow You, and to fulfill Your calling for my life! Lead me not to the left or to the right, but to stay focus on the narrow gate, and to bring me to the place where I know and I KNOW I'm walking in your will. Amen.

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It's funny. I've always thought I'd really be into gaming. Recently however, I've started to lose a lot of passion for this once extremely addictive past time.

It all started back a year or two ago. I've always tried playing a lot of cool games, and I enjoyed them even if I'm probably not as strong in any of them. Games like Warcraft 3 and Ragnarok Online seem to be the only two games I can remember in the past 2-3 years that ever really caught my attention. Till this day, I still do not see much attraction from most PC games on the market. There isn't a SINGLE game that I'm looking forward to release save one, and I'm not particularly worried about it.

It's either I've outgrown games, or the games that are released nowadays are totally unappealing to me.

I understand that a lot of focus have shifted to console gaming, which I'm really quite fine with. Final Fantasy is still one of the BEST series out there, and regardless of what anyone tells you, it's best enjoyed on a console. For the PC however, I've yet to find a game that can truly catch my attention with either its plot or gameplay. I gave C&C3 a try, but lost interest in it barely a week after. First Person Shooters (FPS) have been lost since Half-Life (although HL2 was not bad, multiplayability was an issue). I gave Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion a try only to also give up not too long after. Never Winter Nights 2 was riddled with problems from the release, and Heroes 5 lost it's charm to me. Halo for the PC didn't appeal to me much as I felt it was a souped-up, repackaged, Unreal Tournament. Bioshock, which was just released, seemed to gain a lot of good ratings, but I've yet to try it out, so I can't say much about it.

The point is, I tried to get back into gaming, but I ended up being disappointed and giving up half-way through just about all of them. There just wasn't enough 'pull' to keep me playing till the end. It might just be me being extremely picky or fickle, but I don't remember being this way when I used to play games. Moreover, I STILL don't feel that way even when I replay FF7 for the 8th or 9th time.

I must admit, the direction that gaming is going, both on the PC and on the console, isn't very appealing to me. I'm not a big fan of war games, so Medal of Honor and all the 'war' games including those console ones have ZERO appeal to me. Maybe I've just grown sick and tired of all the mindless shoot shoot shoot reflex games. Maybe I'm just looking for more intellectual stimulation instead of mindless violence. I'm also not very inclined to 'Sims' style games. I could sleep through playing Civilization, so those are out too.

So I tried re-playing old classics. I got a hold of really good old games, like LucasArts adventure games, and Prince of Persia. Surprisingly, those games seemed refreshing and addictive, but they ended pretty quickly because I sort of knew how to finish it already. That's the problem with point and click adventure games... there's simply very little replay value.

Fortunately, there's a brand new game coming to town. It's a remake of a LucasArts classic, and it comes in various episodes. Yes, I'm finally looking forward to ONE game, and it's none other than Sam n Max! I'm hoping it doesn't disappoint.

In the mean time, I'm keeping occupied with the occasional DotA game. PerfectWorld seemed like a good choice too, but it had better be released soon or risk losing a lot of potential players. All in all, perhaps it's a good thing gaming has become so tedious and uninteresting... at least I can concentrate on studying. Maybe my grades will improve...

Maybe...

Technorati Tags: PC, gaming, LucasArts

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So after using my 1 gig card on my phone for a while, I seem to encounter a slight problem with its usage. Every time I tried to copy a file into the phone / card, it complains with some 'writing' error. I was wondering if that card had a "write protect" button or setting I accidentally tripped.

Thankfully, I did a quick Google and found the source of the problem. It seems that 1 gig Sandisk MicroSD card can't accommodate more than a certain number of file names in the root. I formated the card to FAT32 (I believe the original was FAT) and transferred the files into folders, which made it easier to organise anyway.

Result: I can fully utilise my 1 gig card!

Things I wanted to put in? Indiana Jones theme in anticipation for the latest Indy movie coming out soon. It somehow amazed me a little that some people just don't know WHO or WHAT Indiana Jones is. Perhaps I AM getting just a bit older... either that or the young-ens are deprived. They couldn't even recognise R2-D2's beeps, calling it "Teletubbies".

Or perhaps it's just because I'm too geeky.

Anyway, my phone is working fine now, so I won't be complaining anymore.

Technorati Tags: Motorola, V3x, MicroSD

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There was a very interesting article I read today. It seems to explain a little about piracy, Microsoft and Linux.

I'm very inclined to agree with what's said.

Check it out here.

Not much to say except I more or less totally agree with the author.

Technorati Tags: software, piracy, Microsoft, Linux, Windows

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I was at a bookstore a couple of days back and saw this little book which caught my attention. I don't remember exactly the title, but it was basically about the possible flaws and problems with Web 2.0. While I believe Web 2.0 isn't perfect, something about the book just didn't seem to add up for me. It concentrated on the social aspect of Web 2.0 rather than the technological aspect so I'm not looking at it from that perspective. The problems stated are 'social' or 'ethical' issues which I somewhat disagree with.

For starters, Web 2.0 refers to a change in the internet scene. Previously, it was all about content providers which supplied data in one direction; regular people accessing the internet for data got it from the 'source'. Web 2.0 however, places the ball in the court of the average internet user. It's a community based approach, and 'content' can be provided by any user. While Web 2.0 is referring specifically to the internet and the web-based communities as well as hosted services that surround it, there's also a 'broader perspective' with which one can view this strange phenomenon.

In the beginning, end users had to wait for the source to produce something before they could use or consume it. This happened just about everywhere, because unless manufacturers produced a brand new product, end users or consumers would not be able to see it. Let's say that as an end user I suddenly have this brilliant idea, but unlike the established manufacturers, do not have the ability to produce it. I could try to sell the idea to the manufacturer, but even then, it was technically still a one way flow of the ideas, with the manufacturer again being the one having the responsibility to produce better ideas and products. With this new community based approach, the end user or consumer community can effectively contribute towards an idea or project. This is the core for which Web 2.0 based software and products work on. Websites like Digg and Wikipedia rely on the collective community intelligence instead of just one person or entity.

The book I read basically focussed on one important aspect of Web 2.0 and expounds on why it is potentially problematic. The book gives an example of blogging, where every end user is now a journalist, without qualifications possibly, writing whatever they want about any topic out there. The problem is that with so many sub-standard blogs out there, one has to crawl through all the garbage in order to find the one or two rare gems that are actually good blogs worth the time reading, or so the book claims. It equates this to giving an infinite number of monkeys an infinite number of typewriters, and finding, finally, a Shakespearean piece somewhere.

While I can see where the author's coming from, there is a very significant difference that Web 2.0 has from that analogy. The main complaint seems to be that a very high percentage of those who contribute content in a Web 2.0 platform contribute rubbish. Substandard journalism or ideas without any verification plague the sea of information and without a body to determine the quality or validity of this content, it is inherently garbage. This seems like a valid complaint, until one takes into account the fact that this 'body' which determines whether or not the content is of a certain standard, consists ALSO of monkeys. Putting it into the monkey analogy, whether or not a 'product' is of Shakespearean standard would be determined by a monkey, or an entity comprising of monkeys as well. Furthermore, the only reason Shakespeare's pieces are recognised to be of high quality, is because the MAJORITY of consumers deem it to be so.

The fallacy here is to assume that group intelligence, that is the collective thoughts of the community, is lower than that of an exceptional individual, or group of individuals. While this may appear to be true, the Web 2.0 communities are by and large, scientific, inquisitive people who question everything critically and analytically. This very important trait makes the group intelligence actually much better than what any individual or smaller group can achieve.

This group intelligence is NOT the same as the mindless 'herd mentality' projected by certain groups. Ignorance is at the heart of this apparent stupidity of the group; They accept everything shared wholesale without critically thinking through each and every issue involved. When group intelligence is coupled with this kind of thinking, a robust platform for quality content is established.

The book expounds further about how Wikipedia is essentially a huge fallacy because there is no neutral governing body determining what goes in and what doesn't. The claim is that since any average user can make changes to it, it is therefore unreliable and 'garbage'. This is not quite true, because the MAJORITY of people listen to facts and reasons, not blatantly accept what is shown. Having millions of people patrol it makes it more reliable than any quality control 'body' can ever establish. Sure, you could try to change an entry in Wikipedia, which may be motivated by biasness, but who is to say that having a 'governing body' determine content would absolutely ensure that there would be no partiality or fallacies in the content? In the end, any unproven 'fact' would be viewed skeptically, and any verifiable fact would be accepted as mainstream, further increasing the collective intelligence.

Assuming in the worst case that collectively, people believed the 'wrong' thing, and evidence proving the contrary is found, then collectively, the community would 'learn' and adapt, because again, it's not about the size of the group, but the level of critical thinking that determines the intelligence level of a community.

Web 2.0 is an online realisation of democracy, where the majority has the right to determine and share content. The truth is, low quality content would be largely maligned and forgotten in the huge mass of other more interesting, quality content, contrary to what some people would like to believe. Sure, there are asinine content which interest a lot of people and become popular, but end users are not as stupid as to believe that every popular news or story or content is one with significance or of great quality. Sure, there are some important content which may slip through the cracks of the democratic system and remain buried never to be found. However, it is by and large a better system which promotes more quality content than a singular directional system. Plenty of established content providers have produced crap content before, and there's no doubt that plenty of average users managed to produce quality content.

Undoubtedly, having a governing body would impose responsibilities on them which need to be taken seriously, something that is largely ignored in the Web 2.0 platforms. This issue however, can be looked at from a different perspective. It is now throwing the responsibility of accepting or using content onto the end user's lap. This gives the consumer the prerogative to determine what he/she wants to accept / use. They have the right to ignore those things which they deem wrong or fallacious. It also helps when the reputation of any content provider in the community who contributes content which are 'garbage' drop drastically in the eyes of the community itself.

The long and short of it, is that the community takes care of itself, with democracy having the final say. You can't really force everyone to believe you're right when the whole world accepts that you're not, and you wouldn't be very wise to try.

So, is there really a big problem with Web 2.0? Perhaps my views are a little too optimistic or I might be overlooking some other aspect of it. I would be the first to admit that Web 2.0 isn't perfect. However, it seems to be a very solid platform and I'm more inclined to believe that in it. Like it or not though, it's here to stay, at least for a couple of years.

Technorati Tags: Web 2.0, problems, internet, web-based communities

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Ok, it's not exactly the slew of posts I thought it'd be. It's been way to hectic to actually have the time to sit down and write something decent.

As usual, a lot of interesting freshmen stories. Some nick names have cropped up, including banana / 'hor hor girl' and 'plaster', which seems kinda familiar IMHO. *shrug* There are also siblings, but they're all sisters, which explains why we don't bully them as much this year, or perhaps it's just that we're not that mean.

Orientation has been tiring, from Initiation to Courtroom Games, to Raffles Day. At this point, I've got a sunburn so bad, it would rival Dr Zoidberg. I guess being in the water is really bad since it washes off the sunblock and amplifies the damage done. =(

In any case, Raffles Day yesterday was uber fun, and rightfully so, because we worked for it. WWW and RHOC slam turned out pretty well, or at least much better than what we've seen previously. Interestingly enough, the freshmen seem quite enthusiastic about everything, often taking the initiative to go and hype themselves up, instead of waiting to be hyped. You could go as far as saying they're a tad bit crazy. Island princess turned out a tad bit scary. The 'crazy' year ones got too much into it that they did some things which cannot be mentioned up here. The drag queens turned out to be either a dominatrix, or an over-enthusiastic 'partner' to their 'ka kia'. A little disgusting, but as long as they enjoy themselves...

So keeping this post a little short, we're all recovering from the long day yesterday, and thankfully all made it back in once piece. Now the only problem is to survive the pain for the next few days...

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