so here i am. illegally updating using my mom's laptop which was not supposed to have internet connection [sure.] i'm fatigued and a bit miserable but i'm still here. so.

right.

hmm. CJC sports carnival today. don't want to talk about the soccer event. it was SO reminiscent of the inter-class soccer competition in MacPherson. sigh. feel so LOUSY. nothing but lose, lose, lose, lose. hee.

anyway, watched the final instalment of the Star Wars Saga today. have to say that it's leaving me pretty miserable and sad. the whole film is just so sad. i don't know about anyone else, but in spite of all the awesome graphics and battle sequences, Anakin's submission to the Dark Side just pulled a gloomy curtain over the entire film. have to say that hayden christensen really did a good job to make Anakin the tortured soul he is. really. Elsa was like all raving and swinging her imaginary lightsaber all over the place after it but i was just so affected by the film's sadness. what a way to end a saga. one thing the film DID do was answered all the questions prior to Episode 4: A New Hope. like how Vader became Vader, how Luke and Leia came about and what happened to the Jedi. ANOTHER really cool thing for me [and for all the fans of the Star Wars vehicles] was seeing the predecessors of the ships shown in Episodes 4, 5 and 6. you got to see the early TIEs and early X-Wings [which had 6 foils that made them look like insects]. in the end, all droid forces got shut down, which explains the absence of any droid presence in Episodes 4 to 6. anyway, great film but it is truly, truly sad. if you have a little Star Wars fanaticism in you, you'd be feeling miserable after you watch it. or maybe it's just me.hee.

ANYWAY, looks like my little post about the NKF ruffled some feathers. well, to the one being offended, please let me apologise for offending you. i ad intended no malice in the entry, i was merely speaking my mind. last time i checked, what i did wouldn'tve gotten me thrown into jail under the ISA.

let me provide an analysis of that post and conclude if it warrants a lawsuit for slander. :D.

paragraphs 3 and 4 are merely implying the indifference and apathy towards the stunts or acts these charity shows are instilling. by constantly showing stunts or performances that remain at a certain level of technicality or difficulty, the audience would become desensitised to its supposed awe. paragraph 4 also states that the charity shows are becoming more like their name suggests, SHOWS. they become more like entertainment programs rather than the awareness they are supposed to inculcate. because of this transformation into an entertainment program, indifference rears its ugly head again. people would ultimatey get bored again and those who donate because of the stunts would stop calling. the simple fact is this: if a kid like me is not entertained by inter-lorry tennis, would the majority of people be? we are at an age where mass media makes everything possible. we have soaked up almost every 'impossible' stunt. would a locally produced stunt be any more entertaining?

again, up to here, no 'slander' is present. i was merely stating the effects of the stunts performed. IS THAT A CRIME?

okay. paragraph 5: "another thing is, how genuine is the whole affair?" this paragraph was stating concern over the authenticity of the intentions behind the performers' actions. if you read the entire paragraph, no accusations are thrown, no absolute terms were used and no sweeping statements were made. [thank you GP teacher] the paragraph merely entertained notions.

"what makes us so sure that they aren't secretly getting paid to perform or that they do it just to gain publicity?" is there an accusation here? did i make a well-concluded statement that the celebrities ACTUALLY get paid to perform or ACTUALLY do it for publicity? no. the fact is, i merely asked if we can be sure if their intentions were genuine.

"then again, they might be counting on you to have that mentality so that you do not suspect such deeds." notice the use of the word 'might'. what it implies is that there is a POSSIBILTY that it may be true. the sentence's implication had no fingers pointed saying, "THEY are using our no-one-would-exploit-charity mentality to suck our money!" once again, no accusation here.

the subsequent 2 paragraphs are just supporting examples to the earlier two points.

paragraph 8 seems to have been the main feather-ruffler. upon reading it again, i can understand why a pro-NKF person might feel offended but fret not, it is actually quite harmless.

"they have the collection from the students, private companies as their benefactors, government subsidies, people who give part of their wages to them every month and overseas donators. and they still need money?!" this statement is merely an expression of concern as to how genuine the call for donations is. it just expresses the need to know where the money goes, and how it flows. it wouldn't hurt to know such things and would greatly put the donors' mind at ease if they know how their money can help.

"it leaves me to suspect that there might be some major embezzling operation going on." though this might seem like an accusation at the NKF, it is not. i was merely entertaining the notion of embezzlement in the case of excess money. i don't think notions come under 'slander'. do they? then if i suddenly have the notion that the president is an alien, would i get arrested? don't think so. satire was intended for this statement but i guess in words, it just doesn't look funny. so, my bad.

"what makes you so sure that the figures they flash on the TV aren't the real amount collected to make you feel that you should call more to add more digits?" in this age, the media holds a very large influence on our lives, it educates us, shapes our perception of reality. is it wrong to challenge what we always believed in? is it wrong to think differently, to not conform? truth and reality blur in this century and it is important not to always believe what they tell you. [once again, thank you GP]

"are their costs really that high? no one knows. and why does it have to be so hush-hush all the time? you never know." these are further expressions of concern as to why donations are needed. it is testimony to the fact that there is more entertainment than education going on in these shows.

"call me cynical if you want but it doesn't hurt to fathom such thoughts, so that you won't be surprised if such things are true. if anyone is offended or disagree, just take it that i sometimes get really paranoid and i have a serious perception problem. maybe I need donations for treatment." this paragraph was a disclaimer of sorts. it was a warning. i was aware that people might get offended, so i declared my abnormal thinking as the root cause and that no one should get offended. the last line was an intended pun. if you get offended by that, PISS OFF LOSER.

the last paragraph contained some suggestions of mine to help improve the cliche-ness of charity shows. at LEAST i offer some suggestions and not just bitch about a lot of stuff and not offer any positive input at all.

so please, to my 'victims'. please don't get offended. i truly am sorry, i didn't mean to deliberately tread on toes. i don't see a need to trouble the higher autorities of NKF just because a 16 year old kid thinks the NKF charity show is just one bit scam. seriously, WHY THE HELL DO YOU EVEN CARE. i'm just a dumb, insignificant little student. so what if i think this way? why should you let it affect you? it's not like i'm telling the world that the NKF is an evil organisation. SHEESH.

i suggest relaxation. a spot of tea? a couple of scones, you know? sit down with a good book. i recommend "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff...And It's All Small Stuff" by Richard Carlson, Ph.D. the little sub-title says it all: "Simple ways to keep the little things from taking over your life." or perhaps you'd like "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren. you know, good reads to get you over this little tiff. please, look at the bigger picture. i'm just a kid. straightnening me out doesn't prove anything. i'm at a stage in my life where i'm supposed to rebel and question authority. can't i enjoy my days of rebellious behaviour and thought? do i have to conform so quickly? i'll leave it to adulthood. but for now, just let me be. hee.

"haven't we met before?
well it doesn't seem like we did anymore"