Well, we all know that some criminals are extremely smart, they get away with millions of dollars in embezzlement, loot, etc. These are normally white collared criminals who are educated and charismatic. What about the common people? The less educated and financially destitute who are just desperate to make some money through crime? Let me list 15 of the dumbest crime stories I've ever heard/read about.
1. Two men tried to pull the front off a cash machine by running a chain from the machine to the bumper of their pickup truck. Instead of pulling the front panel off the machine, though, they pulled the bumper off their truck. Scared, they left the scene and drove home. With the chain still attached to the machine. With their bumper still attached to the chain. With their vehicle's license plate still attached to the bumper.
DM's comment: This is called bad planning. Really bad planning.
2. In December 1994, Winston Treadway took two live lobsters from a tank in a Boston, Massachusetts supermarket and stuffed them down his trousers. The lobsters fastened onto his manhood and refused to let go. Doctors reportedly said the result was "a do-it-yourself vasectomy" and told him he might never be a father.
DM's comment: Serves him right. To fellow Singaporeans, please do not try to stuff crabs from Seng Siong down your pants or bras. It's not healthy nor safe.
3. Klaus Schmidt, 41, burst into a Berlin bank in August 1995, waved a pistol, and screamed "Hand over the money!" When staff asked if he wanted a bag, he replied "Damn right it's a real gun!" Guessing Schmidt was deaf, the manager set off the alarm, saying later, "It was ridiculously loud, but he didn't seem to notice."
After five minutes punctuated by Schmidt occasionally shouting "I am a trained killer!" police arrived and arrested him. Schmidt then sued the bank, accusing them of exploiting his disability.
DM's comment: This is so cute, a deaf robber who can't even hear the alarm nor guess that people are no longer afraid of his "gun".
4. Joyce Lebrom fainted at a supermarket checkout counter in Berne, Switzerland, in September 1991. Staff thought she'd had a heart attack, but when paramedics arrived they found a stolen chicken stuffed down her bra. The cold from the chicken had caused her to pass out. After recovering in the hospital she was charged with theft.
DM's comment: Is the chicken a spring chicken or a kampung chicken? If its the former, she would need one heck of a huge bra to stuff that fella into. Besides, wouldn't one of her "tits" look morbidly bigger than the other???
5. Purse snatcher Daniel Pouchin ended up in the hospital when he tried to rob two women in a street in Nice, France, in August 1993. The victims were "burly" transvestites who beat him up and left him with broken ribs.
DM's comment: I have a soft spot for trannies, they are so useful at crime prevention. After this, I would say, never judge a "woman" from the back view. I still can't stop laughing when I think of Abigail Chay turning around to stare at the wolf whistling men around her and saying "mei you kan guo mei nu ah??"
6.A man successfully broke into a bank's basement through a street-level window, cutting himself up pretty badly in the process. He then realized that (1) he could not get to the money from where he was,(2) he could not climb back out the window through which he had entered, and (3) he was bleeding pretty badly. So he located a phone and dialed "911" for help . . .
DM's comment: People do a lot of stupid things and have to bury their embarrasssment when they are reduced to calling the authorities for help. Reminds me of how a few guys around this world who had to call an ambulance when their "little brothers" got stuck in bottles during masturbation.
7. Travion Davis, 19, suspected that Los Angeles police would recognize his distinctive clothing if he robbed a bank. So he stripped naked before his July 1993 raid, and made off with $15,000 in two shopping bags. Not surprisingly, the sight of a naked man running down back alleys with bags stuffed full of cash was distinctive enough to attract the attention of sheriff's deputies, who pursued him over several fences before grabbing him (by what we're not told) and taking him into custody.
DM's comment: Wouldn't it occur to most people that you might be attracting more attention naked than dressed?
8. Mugging people in one of the UK's most popular jogging locations is asking for trouble. Experienced marathon runner Glyn Roberts came to the aid of a victim on Hampstead Heath in north London and gave chase - for two miles. The bewildered mugger eventually fell to his knees and begged for mercy. He didn't get it.
DM's comment: This is called "lack of foresight".
9. Two men in a pickup truck went to a new-home site to steal a refrigerator. Banging up walls, floors, etc., they snatched a refrigerator from one of the houses, and loaded it onto the pickup. The truck promptly got stuck in the mud, so these brain surgeons decided that the refrigerator was too heavy. Banging up *more* walls, floors, etc., they put the refrigerator BACK into the house, and returned to the pickup truck, only to realize that they locked the keys in the truck -- so they abandoned it.
DM's comment: I have no idea why they had to put the fridge back into the house... Very considerate but not very efficient of them.
10. In Modesto, CA, Steven Richard King was arrested for trying to hold up a Bank of America branch without a weapon. King used a thumb and a finger to simulate a gun. Unfortunately, he failed to keep his hand in his pocket.
DM's comment: I guess he got a little too excited and forgot himself.
11. Police in Los Angeles had good luck with a robbery suspect who just couldn't control himself during a lineup. When detectives asked each man in the lineup to repeat the words: "Give me all your money or I'll shoot", the man shouted, "that's not what I said!".
DM's comment: This is what I call a "Freudian Slip".
12. A man walked into a Topeka, Kansas Kwik Stop and asked for all the money in the cash drawer. Apparently, the take was too small, so he tied up the store clerk and worked the counter himself for three hours until police showed up and grabbed him.
DM's comment: If he was going to man the counter for 3 hours for a little more money, he should have gotten a proper job right?
13. A man walked into a Circle-K (a convenience store similar to a 7-11), put a $20 bill on the counter and asked for change. When the clerk opened the cash drawer, the man pulled a gun and asked for all the cash in the register, which the clerk promptly provided. The man took the cash from the clerk and fled-- leaving the $20 bill on the counter. The total amount of cash he got from the drawer? Fifteen dollars.
DM's comment: This guy's CBA (cost benefit analysis) sucks, he will never make it as a financial investor.
14. Not long ago a man from Grand Forks North Dakota traveled to Fargo North Dakota to rob Community First Bank. He scribbled his ransom note and gave it to the teller. The quickly gave him the money and watched him run out the door. Attempts to search the surrounding area were unsuccessful. Upon review of the ransom note it was revealed that the man wrote the ransom note on his personal bank deposit note. Police traveled to the man’s home to arrest him.
DM's comment: Next time, please note which "scrap" of paper did you grab.
15. Sacramento, California, December 1995: Burglar Brett Woolley, 25, had a stereo and other items from the home he'd broken into, lined up by the front door and all ready to go. He was then struck with the desire to take a bubble bath. He fell asleep in the tub, the owner returned, and the police were called to wake Woolley.
DM's comment: If you have issues controlling your impulses, never be a burglar, you might end up cooking a full meal and cleaning up your victim's house as well.
Taken from:
http://www.caderbooks.com/exstupid.html
http://funnystufflol.tripod.com/id41.htm
http://www.tiscali.co.uk/news/stupid-criminals.html
http://www.freemaninstitute.com/hall_of_shame.htm
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Monday, August 10, 2009
De Maitre’s list of 10 important inventions across time Part 2
This is a continuation of another 10 important inventions to me. You can read part 1 here: http://contemplasian.blogspot.com/2009/06/de-maitres-list-of-10-important.html
1. Toilet Paper
As a clean freak, I get very upset when there’s no toilet paper around after I’ve conducted my business. Our toilet paper today are nicely soft and smooth, they won’t cause any abrasions. In the 15th centuries, sailors out at sea had no toilet papers to use. So they had a rope hanging down from the ceiling of their “toilet” (it’s just a huge gap at the side of the sea. By the end of the voyage (normally about 3-6motnhs), you can image how the rope looked and smelt like. Most of our landlubber ancestors used leaves- it’s a trial and error thing that certainly taught them some leaves are poisonous and cause severe inflammation/itching. So be thankful for your toilet papers today.
Read more here for other methods of cleaning asses in history: http://regretfulmorning.com/2009/02/9-bizarre-methods-once-used-to-wipe-ass/
2. The Sewing Needle
This is what an ancient needle looks like. It’s pretty big compared to our modern needles, so it always brings this question to my mind- are they sewing up the hole or making even more holes?
3. The Wheel and axle
Without them, there would have been no carts, therefore no chariots, therefore no bicycles and therefore no cars today. They were the first in our step towards automated transportation and contributed greatly to the great human migration. It is also the basis of modern machinery (i.e. cogs) due to its nature as the foundation of all moving parts.
4. Trepanation
Most of you never heard of this, it is the drilling or scraping of a hole in a human skull. It is done for a few reason- releasing “bad vapors” in the head (i.e. migraines and headaches), to release the soul (through a hole in the head) so the person can commune with the Gods better, or surgery to reduce remove excess bone/bleeding from a head injury. Most people do survive this surgery. In the cave man era, they normal use obsidian chips to scrap out a hole in the skull. It was a pretty messy and painful business.
5. The Oven
I love food- baked chicken, bread, cookies, pizza, etc. The oven was an improvement over the common cooking methods of roasting. It was typically a small little clay/brick dome where a fire was lit inside (around the edges) and the bread was placed in the center. I think food tastes better when cooked over wood or charcoal because they are a lot more aromatic.
6. Ink (Pigment)
Nothing much remains of our caveman ancestors’ way of life except the paintings left on the walls. They depict stories of the hunt, village life and their reverence for Nature. From them, we know that our ancestors hunted in groups and they liked to engage in body painting. These cave paintings were the stepping stones for the transition from oral to written history. Do note that these two forms of history are by no means exclusive as they go hand in hand together.
7. Aqueduct
If you thought the Romans were the first people to construct aqueducts, you were wrong. Our ancestors have been doing there for a looooooooooooooooong time. The Romans only deserve the credit for building Mega-Aqueducts that stretch over huge distances. Even “backward” civilizations like the Aztecs had a sophisticated system of aqueducts bringing in water from the mountains down to their valleys.
8. Ships/ Log Boats
Our ancestors spread out from Africa thousands of years ago by foot and water. Did you know that the indigenous population in South America had aboriginal ancestry? Unfortunately, this has been bred out over the generations. That would mean the Aztecs, Incas, Moche, etc were survivors of people who crossed the entire Pacific Ocean from the Pacific Islands on primitive ships!
9. Basket Weaving
Now that we have plastic bags and plastic containers, the modern world has relegated baskets to trivial use such as floral arrangement and presentation at bread shops. In the past, they were the shopping and storage bins for people. They were used to hold fruits, grain, eggs, bread, etc.
10. Pottery
Pottery was important to our ancestors because they allowed us to store liquids for prolonged periods without having to worry about them going bad. Animal skins could only hold so much, and water or wine turned stale in them. Furthermore, pottery allowed our ancestors to eat and drink in a “civilized” manner through the use of bowls, cups, etc. It also allowed our ancestors to cook stews, lentils, soups, etc over the fire, providing them a change in diet.
1. Toilet Paper
As a clean freak, I get very upset when there’s no toilet paper around after I’ve conducted my business. Our toilet paper today are nicely soft and smooth, they won’t cause any abrasions. In the 15th centuries, sailors out at sea had no toilet papers to use. So they had a rope hanging down from the ceiling of their “toilet” (it’s just a huge gap at the side of the sea. By the end of the voyage (normally about 3-6motnhs), you can image how the rope looked and smelt like. Most of our landlubber ancestors used leaves- it’s a trial and error thing that certainly taught them some leaves are poisonous and cause severe inflammation/itching. So be thankful for your toilet papers today.
Read more here for other methods of cleaning asses in history: http://regretfulmorning.com/2009/02/9-bizarre-methods-once-used-to-wipe-ass/
2. The Sewing Needle
This is what an ancient needle looks like. It’s pretty big compared to our modern needles, so it always brings this question to my mind- are they sewing up the hole or making even more holes?
3. The Wheel and axle
Without them, there would have been no carts, therefore no chariots, therefore no bicycles and therefore no cars today. They were the first in our step towards automated transportation and contributed greatly to the great human migration. It is also the basis of modern machinery (i.e. cogs) due to its nature as the foundation of all moving parts.
4. Trepanation
Most of you never heard of this, it is the drilling or scraping of a hole in a human skull. It is done for a few reason- releasing “bad vapors” in the head (i.e. migraines and headaches), to release the soul (through a hole in the head) so the person can commune with the Gods better, or surgery to reduce remove excess bone/bleeding from a head injury. Most people do survive this surgery. In the cave man era, they normal use obsidian chips to scrap out a hole in the skull. It was a pretty messy and painful business.
5. The Oven
I love food- baked chicken, bread, cookies, pizza, etc. The oven was an improvement over the common cooking methods of roasting. It was typically a small little clay/brick dome where a fire was lit inside (around the edges) and the bread was placed in the center. I think food tastes better when cooked over wood or charcoal because they are a lot more aromatic.
6. Ink (Pigment)
Nothing much remains of our caveman ancestors’ way of life except the paintings left on the walls. They depict stories of the hunt, village life and their reverence for Nature. From them, we know that our ancestors hunted in groups and they liked to engage in body painting. These cave paintings were the stepping stones for the transition from oral to written history. Do note that these two forms of history are by no means exclusive as they go hand in hand together.
7. Aqueduct
If you thought the Romans were the first people to construct aqueducts, you were wrong. Our ancestors have been doing there for a looooooooooooooooong time. The Romans only deserve the credit for building Mega-Aqueducts that stretch over huge distances. Even “backward” civilizations like the Aztecs had a sophisticated system of aqueducts bringing in water from the mountains down to their valleys.
8. Ships/ Log Boats
Our ancestors spread out from Africa thousands of years ago by foot and water. Did you know that the indigenous population in South America had aboriginal ancestry? Unfortunately, this has been bred out over the generations. That would mean the Aztecs, Incas, Moche, etc were survivors of people who crossed the entire Pacific Ocean from the Pacific Islands on primitive ships!
9. Basket Weaving
Now that we have plastic bags and plastic containers, the modern world has relegated baskets to trivial use such as floral arrangement and presentation at bread shops. In the past, they were the shopping and storage bins for people. They were used to hold fruits, grain, eggs, bread, etc.
10. Pottery
Pottery was important to our ancestors because they allowed us to store liquids for prolonged periods without having to worry about them going bad. Animal skins could only hold so much, and water or wine turned stale in them. Furthermore, pottery allowed our ancestors to eat and drink in a “civilized” manner through the use of bowls, cups, etc. It also allowed our ancestors to cook stews, lentils, soups, etc over the fire, providing them a change in diet.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
44 Facts about Singapore!
Well well, NDP is here! Happy 44th birthday to Singapore. Ironically, I only realized Singapore was 44 earlier on thanks to Evone. So much so for being a history monster...
1. Mosquitoes
We are never short of these infernal beasts. But it’s ok, treat each feeding session as a karma reaping session.2. NeWater
It’s always nice to know the water you drink might contain a little of your piss as well as everyone else’s.3. Raffles is our founder
That’s wrong, it’s Sang Nila Utama. I guess it’s because we can’t find a nice picture of Utama (a myth) to carve a likeness of him and place in front of our Victoria Theatre.4. Our national anthem is in Malay
Well, not many people know what the lyrics mean, but heck, we all know how to sing it.5. We have the highest execution rate per capita in the world! It’s ok when it is traded for the lowest crime rate in the world!
6. Our universities do not have an on-campus bar and they do not have enough hostel rooms for everyone. It’s ok, the cleaners are happy less people to scrap off the campus floor when they get drunk and barf everywhere.
7. Singaporeans cannot aim- the rubbish bins have rubbish everywhere but in them and the toilet bowl is cleanest inside the basin. No worries, we have an army of cleaners to maintain our “clean and green image”.
8. We train our smokers to be nice and considerate! We just ostracize them to the corner table at the koptidiam to be exposed to the sun and rain.
9. Alcohol and cigarettes are ridiculously expensive! No matter, under aged kids still smoke and drink anyway. They are affluent and devious enough. Isn’t that a sign of our thriving economy and first class education system?
10. We pay a lot of GST, service charge, road tax, parking fine, library fine, littering fine, spitting fine, etc. to the government so that they can pay the thousands of useless employees who mess up the bureaucracy more everyday and our extremely expensive ministers. Ah well, at least we can confidently say have one of the lowest income taxes in the world, so can’t complain.
11. Durians- some people love them, some people hate them. For the consideration for all, they are banned from entering all public transports. No worries, you can still eat them at the stalls! We have high-class sounding Durian sellers who call their shop "Durian Cafe".
12. Middle Age Crisis is very common among Singaporeans. They are typically serial nose pickers, quarrelsome, aggressive, naggy and extremely Kiasu. They spend half of their time being inconsiderate and the other half nagging at inconsiderate people around them. Aren't they such precious treasures?
13. Our ministers are among most highly paid politicians in the world! PM Lee Hsien Long makes 6x more than Obama (USD 400,000). It's nice to know that we are one of the least corrupted countries in the world too. We have a Corruption Perception Index of 9.2 and we rank 4th in the world, only because the top 3 countries- Demark, New Zealand and Sweden share the same 9.3 index! Taken from:http://theonlinecitizen.com/2009/04/pm-lee-tops-list-of-10-best-paid-world-politicians/ & http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption_Perceptions_Index
14. We still practice Judicial Caning! We are one of the few secular states that administer caning to social deviants. The cane is about 1.2m long and about half an inch thick. Many countries criticize us for violating the UN Convention Against Torture. Guess what? We didn't sign it and we have the lowest crime rates in the world!
15. Sarong party girls- many Singaporeans hate them because these girls only have eyes for caucasians. Don't worry though, our local men also know how to import "foreign talents", mainly from China and Vietnam to restore homeostasis.
16. We have a different meaning of racial harmony through tolerance. Tolerance stems from "don't talk about it at all and don't even be a kaypoh about other cultures and religions". Fair price to pay for the peace we get eh?
17. We are suspicious people. Why shouldn't we? Even charities are conspiring against us. First it was NKF, now it is Ren Ci. Good for Reverend Ming Yi who has 9 credit cards, bought and sold 6 private properties at a profit, bought and sold 3 BMWs, a pet horse and an expensive pet called Yeung who has a penchant for branded stuff and 3 supplementry cards from boss. I guess monks have to violate the "abstain from material wealth" code in order to be generously contribute to the economy. =) His self sacrifice will be appreciated by all the needy poor and doners who surely must realize he was doing it for the benefit of all in the long term.
18. We are a paternalistic society where dad/governement will make sure you behave very well. Even to the point of nailing a notice on your bedpost "NO ORAL OR ANAL SEX FOR HOMOSEXUAL PARTNERS". It is an attempt to maintain our image as a conservative society. There is always a lovely cane hanging within sight and the threat of being grounded or having your pocket money revoked hanging above you. So we should all BEHAVE; no wonder that we have the lowest crime rate in the world eh?
19. We are the only country in the world (to my knowledge) that actually banned the import and sale of chewing gum. Unfortunately, they relaxed that rule a little and allow pharmacists to sell certain gums that have health benefits. If they relax it a little more, we'll have a multitude of idiots stuffing gum into mailbox keyholes, lift buttons and pasting them under tables and chairs. Disgusting inbreeds.
20. We are a "fine" country. People like to criticize us for being a nanny state where spitting, toilet flushing and jaywalking are considered punishable offenses. All I can say is shut up. =D We are a lot more cleaner and safer than our critics.
21. Singapore don't give a hoot about international pressure- the LAW prevails. That's one thing I like about Singapore, we don't bow down to international pressure to remove our capital punishments like hanging and caning and fairly punish foreigners who violate our laws! E.g. the idiot Michael Fay who was so cocky of his immunity as a citizen of mighty America- he got caned anyway when found guilty of theft and vandalism. When he got burnt while abusing butane later in life, he had the cheek to blame the Singapore judicial system for emotional trauma. He was a kid with serious issues, we should have given him the full 12 strokes instead of 4, maybe he would have crawled out of prison a better person.
22. Based on estimates in the 2008 World Drug Report, published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Singapore has one of the lowest prevalence of drug abuse. So we should execute all the drug traffickers regardless of nationality once they are caught in order to keep this up. In the sensationalized trial of Van Tuong Nguyen, Australia tried to pressurize Singapore into blocking the death penalty. We executed that criminal anyway. It's good that we treat criminals and criminals regardless of their background, reasons or nationality. They were apprehended in their attempts to cause harm and they will be punished for it.
23. We are a nation of common sense and reason. Unlike USA or Australia, we certainly didn't hold virgils or organize protests to burn the opposing countries' flags nor did we boycott their products in order to show our disfavor whenever our citizens are punished overseas for their wrong doing. When you're wrong, you are wrong, you should be punished.
24. Singaporeans make the worst hostages because the government won't contribute a single cent of ransom to save their citizens. I honestly like this because you won't encourage the terrorists or kidnappers. The means justify the end. That's why terrorists networks worldwide hate us and love American hostages.
25. We are a certificate country, no certs means no future. We can't have that now can we? So our students are the most obscenely hardworking bunch of monsters, bar the social deviants who drop out and make parasites out of themselves. Your future boss looks at your certificates before he looks at you.
26. We are one of the most realistic group of people in this world. We openly admit that being a construction worker is a terrible job, unlike our American counterparts who zealously call it a professional occupation. To us, it is a low skill labor that pays poorly, they just don't see that don't they? Every job is professional, it is how professional it is that matters.27. We are very ambitious people, we want the 6Cs- cash, credit cards, condominiums, cars and certificates. That's gooooood, it motivates us to work hard for what we want. It deters people from sitting at home and waiting for their monthly social security handouts.
28. We have the best propaganda machine in Asia- because almost everyone doesn't realize it exists! Ok, we know it exists, but most can't pinpoint where or what it is. A good example would be Social Studies! It has almost nothing to do with sociology but it has everything good about Singapore.
29. The Singapore government even regulates how you rear your pets. For those staying in HDBs, only toy dogs are allowed and apparently no private fish bonds outside your apartment either (apparently, you upset the weight per sq inch ratio). You are not allow to breed dogs for sale at home either! You need a license and a farm to do that.
30. We don't have strikes and protests every alternate day unlike Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, France, etc. This is because you need a PERMIT. Since no one can be bothered to think of a justifiable reason of holding a protest in order to apply for a permit, nor wait for the permit to be approved, no one has organized a successful protest so far. Thank goodness for that! We have a very stable economy because man hours are not wasted on pointless marchess requesting for more pay and holidays. In Singapore, you'll just get sacked. There are other people out there waiting for an opening...
31. We are a city of misers and workaholics. We hate to pay fines and neither do we relish holidays behind bars. So no one breaks the law just to attend a strike or protest because everything they hold dear is in jeopardy.
32. Our politicians have cat fights now and then. Classic example: MM Lee & SM Goh vs Mr Chee. MM Lee and SM Goh won not because the law was on their side, but because they makes more sense than Chee.
33. We are the only country with the post minister mentor. People insist that MM Lee refused to relinquish his political power. I think they are wrong- we can't drop him after all he has done! He has a lot of experience and he was the hand that shaped Singapore. His guidance has been proven to be the most sound leadership in SEA.
34. I fully agree with Kumar when he said this "(Every NDP)everytime the fireworks go, I cry. That's not because I'm patriotic, that's my income tax".
35. The Merlion will most likely sink head first if it tries to swim. If you look closely, it only has a claudal fin, it doesn't have a anal fin, dorsal fin, pectoral fin nor a pelvic fin. So it shouldn't be able to balance nor steer.
36. Singapore is an ungracious country. Smile at a stranger and they'll start to think there's something wrong with your head. No one bothers to ask you polite stuff like "how are you" or "how was your day". We don't have that culture.
37. Singaporeans have a penchant for queueing up! As long as there is a looooong queue, they'll queue up even if they don't know what its for. They are even to queue up overnight and over the weekend for free stuff or special discounts.
38. Singaporeans are unfriendly. They bitch a lot and they don't smile a greeting when they walk by you and the men don't open the door for the ladies at all.
39. Singaporeans always complain that the influx of foreign talent has been depriving them of jobs. Well, serve the Singaporeans right, they didn't want those jobs when times were good. Now that times are bad, they whine about it louder.
40. We're probably the only country that drills its people for all kinds of emergencies- war, fire, air raid, etc. Students and workers alike are timed and evaluated for their response level and efficiency.
41. Singaporeans are so crazy about food that they are willing to travel from one end of the island to the other just to eat their favorite dish. Some even go out for suppers way after midnight to satisfy their insatiable cravings.
42. Singaporeans depend on the government for everything. When they can't handle their children, they throw the problem to the government. When they can't get along with their neighbours, they scream for the government. When they have a major disagreement in an association like AWARE, they scream for the government.
43. We have a wierd way of drawing up our "maps". You might be staying in Paya Lebar, but you're under the Marine Parade Constituancy. Wierd...
44. Singapore has one of the worst script writers to me when it comes to serial dramas and "comedies". They are so embroiled with moralistic overtones that you can pretty much guess what will happen next.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Good Old Movies- Boring to most, but rewarding if you watch
I'm a great fan of old movies before of their more in-depth dialogue and better acting skills. There's very little CGI to cover up bad acting or distract me from the skills of the main actors. =)
I'll share a few good classic shows with you guys here:
Magic Voyages of Sinbad (1953)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAmev0oYg1c&feature=channel
This show is very cute. If you notice, the costumes don't look as middle eastern as what Sinbad would typically wear. Instead, the costumes have a very distinctive Viking/Russian in design. This show was released in 1953, it was filmed in Russia and the original story was about a Norse legend- Sadko. Unfortunately, the US released it as "Magic Voyages of Sinbad" after dubbing it in English and editing the original video. If you guys recall, the Cold War was in play at that point in time, so the US would do anything to degrade a Russian film.
The Hunchback Of Notre Dame (1923)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7boNOrs-v4g&feature=related This is a silent film. I know many people at this age have never experienced the joy of silent movies. It's called silent because there's no dialogue, not because there is no sound... It is a good experience because the actors have to rely a lot more on body language to express their feelings. Just to let you know, I hated the disney cartoon about this story. I think it didn't cover Quasimodo's feelings enough.
The 300 Spartans (1963)
Part 1: http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/rrzmOVdNO6c
Part 2:http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/Ek0VQqtVYnM
This is my favorite quote from the show "The Gods have a sense of humor, they make pretty girls and turn them into wives". Hehehehe, the death of the honeymoon period. Unlike the new version "300", it is a lot less graphic as it deals more with the political aspects of prior to the battle. How the Spartans would reject one of their own just because that man's father was assumed to have less than honorable dealings with the Persians, and his journey to prove himself as a capable Spartan regardless of his father's deeds.
Hercules (1958)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSSVvEz-hAI
This movie features Steve Reeves, Mr. Universe (1950). He was one of the body building icons made of 100% natural muscles without the help of drugs. This is a rather interesting movie that focuses on Hercules' sturggle between the choice to be human or immortal, and how he learns that being a mortal only meant pain and suffering but he chose to be human rather than a cold blooded immortal, immune to time and feelings. I particularly like this movie because it dwells on concepts such as how difficult it is to be "special", how positive encouragement can motivate a person to belief himself more than any criticism, etc.
Jason and the Argonauts (1963)
http://www.supernovatube.com/play.php?viewkey=c694cd0fd49e71249d61
I'm not sure if this show is a public domain film, but it is a definite must see due to its then "state of the art" stop motion feature than generated the fight scene between Jason and the Skeletons. =)
Cleopatra (1963)
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzruB19CFgI
I'm not sure if this show is a public domain film (so please search for Part 2-25 on youtube by yourself). I can never get enough of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Not because they're sex icons, but because of the way they delivered their lines! Taylor is always brimming with sensuality and suppressed emotions, whereas Burton delivers his lines with confidence and authority. The effort channeled into creating the costumes and sets were simple breath taking! Remember, they didn't have CGI to create the fake landscapes at the background.
The Ten Commandments (1956)
http://static.youku.com/v1.0.0052/v/swf/qplayer.swf?VideoIDS=cc00XMTUyNzM0MzI&embedid=-&showAd=0
This is another breathtaking costume drama movie that stars Yul Bryner (I can never get enough of his intense gaze), Charlton Heston and Anne Baxter. I really enjoyed this show because it examines the Journey of Moses as he progresses from being a prince to a commoner, how he struggles to adapt to his new role as a spiritual leader and his secret doubts and fears.
Ben Hur (1959)
http://static.youku.com/v1.0.0052/v/swf/qplayer.swf?VideoIDS=XNDYzNzY3NTY&embedid=-&showAd=0
This is another breathtaking costume drama movie that stars Charlton Heston and examines the whole notion of faith, integrity and revenge. Will revenge help to quench the fire of vengence? The setting is in classical Rome under the reign of Emperor Tiberius.
The King and I (1956)
- no links -
I find this movie really unique because it reflected the white man's superiority mentality at that point in time. Yul Bryner adopted one of the most disgusting oriental accents I have every heard for this movie. Beyond that, it was a good show that shows the learning journy of Anna, her son, the King and his children/wives.
The Sound of Music (1965)
http://static.youku.com/v1.0.0052/v/swf/qplayer.swf?VideoIDS=cc00XMzAwOTIzODg&embedid=-&showAd=0
I adore Julie Andrews, period. =D Boy can she sing... This is one of my all time favorites because of it's light hearted tone. How a scruffy girl learns her place in her world by filling everyone around her with joy and laughter, how a stiff Captain von Trapp learnt how to bend a little and love his children with a lot more flexibility, communication, hugs and laughter.
Ulysses (1955)
http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/entertainment/watch/v14079501ksfsyets
I can only find this on veoh, so just sign up for a free account or something. It's pretty good film based on Homer's Odyssey. The story of a man who pit himself against the Gods and lost, how his love for his wife guided him back home after being seperated for 1o years. It's a good movie, but I prefer the 1997 version with Armand Assante though.
I'll share a few good classic shows with you guys here:
Magic Voyages of Sinbad (1953)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAmev0oYg1c&feature=channel
This show is very cute. If you notice, the costumes don't look as middle eastern as what Sinbad would typically wear. Instead, the costumes have a very distinctive Viking/Russian in design. This show was released in 1953, it was filmed in Russia and the original story was about a Norse legend- Sadko. Unfortunately, the US released it as "Magic Voyages of Sinbad" after dubbing it in English and editing the original video. If you guys recall, the Cold War was in play at that point in time, so the US would do anything to degrade a Russian film.
The Hunchback Of Notre Dame (1923)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7boNOrs-v4g&feature=related This is a silent film. I know many people at this age have never experienced the joy of silent movies. It's called silent because there's no dialogue, not because there is no sound... It is a good experience because the actors have to rely a lot more on body language to express their feelings. Just to let you know, I hated the disney cartoon about this story. I think it didn't cover Quasimodo's feelings enough.
The 300 Spartans (1963)
Part 1: http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/rrzmOVdNO6c
Part 2:http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/Ek0VQqtVYnM
This is my favorite quote from the show "The Gods have a sense of humor, they make pretty girls and turn them into wives". Hehehehe, the death of the honeymoon period. Unlike the new version "300", it is a lot less graphic as it deals more with the political aspects of prior to the battle. How the Spartans would reject one of their own just because that man's father was assumed to have less than honorable dealings with the Persians, and his journey to prove himself as a capable Spartan regardless of his father's deeds.
Hercules (1958)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSSVvEz-hAI
This movie features Steve Reeves, Mr. Universe (1950). He was one of the body building icons made of 100% natural muscles without the help of drugs. This is a rather interesting movie that focuses on Hercules' sturggle between the choice to be human or immortal, and how he learns that being a mortal only meant pain and suffering but he chose to be human rather than a cold blooded immortal, immune to time and feelings. I particularly like this movie because it dwells on concepts such as how difficult it is to be "special", how positive encouragement can motivate a person to belief himself more than any criticism, etc.
Jason and the Argonauts (1963)
http://www.supernovatube.com/play.php?viewkey=c694cd0fd49e71249d61
I'm not sure if this show is a public domain film, but it is a definite must see due to its then "state of the art" stop motion feature than generated the fight scene between Jason and the Skeletons. =)
Cleopatra (1963)
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzruB19CFgI
I'm not sure if this show is a public domain film (so please search for Part 2-25 on youtube by yourself). I can never get enough of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Not because they're sex icons, but because of the way they delivered their lines! Taylor is always brimming with sensuality and suppressed emotions, whereas Burton delivers his lines with confidence and authority. The effort channeled into creating the costumes and sets were simple breath taking! Remember, they didn't have CGI to create the fake landscapes at the background.
The Ten Commandments (1956)
http://static.youku.com/v1.0.0052/v/swf/qplayer.swf?VideoIDS=cc00XMTUyNzM0MzI&embedid=-&showAd=0
This is another breathtaking costume drama movie that stars Yul Bryner (I can never get enough of his intense gaze), Charlton Heston and Anne Baxter. I really enjoyed this show because it examines the Journey of Moses as he progresses from being a prince to a commoner, how he struggles to adapt to his new role as a spiritual leader and his secret doubts and fears.
Ben Hur (1959)
http://static.youku.com/v1.0.0052/v/swf/qplayer.swf?VideoIDS=XNDYzNzY3NTY&embedid=-&showAd=0
This is another breathtaking costume drama movie that stars Charlton Heston and examines the whole notion of faith, integrity and revenge. Will revenge help to quench the fire of vengence? The setting is in classical Rome under the reign of Emperor Tiberius.
The King and I (1956)
- no links -
I find this movie really unique because it reflected the white man's superiority mentality at that point in time. Yul Bryner adopted one of the most disgusting oriental accents I have every heard for this movie. Beyond that, it was a good show that shows the learning journy of Anna, her son, the King and his children/wives.
The Sound of Music (1965)
http://static.youku.com/v1.0.0052/v/swf/qplayer.swf?VideoIDS=cc00XMzAwOTIzODg&embedid=-&showAd=0
I adore Julie Andrews, period. =D Boy can she sing... This is one of my all time favorites because of it's light hearted tone. How a scruffy girl learns her place in her world by filling everyone around her with joy and laughter, how a stiff Captain von Trapp learnt how to bend a little and love his children with a lot more flexibility, communication, hugs and laughter.
Ulysses (1955)
http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/entertainment/watch/v14079501ksfsyets
I can only find this on veoh, so just sign up for a free account or something. It's pretty good film based on Homer's Odyssey. The story of a man who pit himself against the Gods and lost, how his love for his wife guided him back home after being seperated for 1o years. It's a good movie, but I prefer the 1997 version with Armand Assante though.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Study Tips for Students out there!
Hi Guys!
I've decided to post some study tips that have worked effectively over the years for me when I actually bother to study instead of getting distracted by much more interesting history book or computer game. =P Personally, I use mind maps a LOT. That works the best for me... =D
Taken from http://www.forooz.net/forooz/index.php?view=article&catid=4:scientific&id=6:secrets-of-the-brain-the-mystery-of-memory&tmpl=component&print=1&page= on 8 July 2009 @ 0932 hours.
I've decided to post some study tips that have worked effectively over the years for me when I actually bother to study instead of getting distracted by much more interesting history book or computer game. =P Personally, I use mind maps a LOT. That works the best for me... =D
1. Your brain loves color. Use colored pens – good quality, not gel pens – or use colored paper. Color helps memory.
2. Your brain can effectively focus and concentrate for up to 25 minutes (adults). Take a 10-minute break after every 20-30 minutes of studying. Go do some chores: rake the lawn, iron a shirt, vacuum. Come back after 10 minutes and do another focused, intense session.
3. Your brain needs to be rested to learn fast and remember best. If you are tired take a 20-minute nap first otherwise you are wasting your study time.
4. Your brain is like a motor: it needs fuel. You wouldn’t put dirty fuel in your Lamborghini (if you had one) or you wouldn’t put low quality fuel in a rocket, would you? Well, your brain is a much more valuable, intricate machine than either of those so feed it properly. Junk food and imitation food and all the chemicals and preservatives weaken both your body and your mind. In fact, a recent study in England showed that your IQ is affected by your diet.
5. Your brain is like a sea of an electro-chemical activity. And both electricity and chemicals flow better in water. If you are dehydrated you just don’t focus as well. Drink enough water (colored liquids – pop, juice, coffee, etc. – are not the same). Often times headaches are connected to dehydration, too.
6. Your brain loves questions. When you come up with questions in class or when reading a book, your brain automatically searches for answers, making the learning faster. A good question has more than one answer.
7. Your brain and body have their own rhythm cycles: there are times during the day when you are more alert than others. You will save time learning if you study during your peak periods. If you have a part-time job that happens during your peak period you may wan to reconsider if it is wise to be giving your employer your best learning time.
8. Your brain and body communicate constantly. If your body is slouched down, the message the brain gets is that “this is not important” and so it doesn’t pay as close attention. In any learning situation, sit up and lean forward to help keep your mind alert. Buy a good quality, adjustable office chair.
9. Your brain is affected by smells. Use aromatherapy to keep your brain alert. Peppermint, lemon and cinnamon are good ones to experiment with.
10. Your brain needs oxygen. Get out there and exercise.
11. Your brain needs space. Be sure that you are not trying to study in a small cramped area.
12. Your brain needs your space to be organized. One recent study showed that kids who grow up in tidy, organized homes do better academically. Why? Because by being trained to organize the outside environment, the brain learns to organize the internal knowledge…which makes recall faster. Buy a 4-drawer legal-sized filing cabinet.
13. Your brain cells in the hippocampus, a part of the brain that deals with putting information from short-term to long-term memory, are destroyed by cortisol, which is created when you are stressed. So, yes, stress affects memory. How do you get rid of cortisol? Exercise.
14. Your brain doesn’t know what you can’t do until you tell it.
What are you telling it? Listen to your self-talk. Stop the negativity. Replace it with more positive, encouraging talk.
15. Your brain is like a muscle: it can be trained and strengthened, at any age. No excuses. Stop being a mental couch potato. Professional athletes practice every day; you can practice homework everyday. If “you don’t have any”, make some up for yourself. Read ahead, review…do SOMETHING.
16. Your brain needs repetition. It is better to do short frequent reviews than one long review because what counts is how many times your brain sees something, not how long is sees it in one sitting.
17. Your brain can understand faster than you can read. Use a pencil or finger to “lead” your eyes. By doing so you help your eyes move more quickly.
18. Your brain needs movement, especially if you are mostly a kinesthetic (body movement) learner instead of a visual or auditory learner. You might find your productivity go up if you have a standing desk. Buy one or make one by raising your desk/table on blocks. This allows you to move more easily and stay more alert.
19. Your brain seeks patterns and connections. When you are learning something, ask yourself, “What does this remind me of?” This will also help your memory because it connects the new knowledge to something you already know.
20. Your brain loves fun. We learn in direct proportion to how much fun we are having. Learning is life. Live it up!
Taken from http://www.forooz.net/forooz/index.php?view=article&catid=4:scientific&id=6:secrets-of-the-brain-the-mystery-of-memory&tmpl=component&print=1&page= on 8 July 2009 @ 0932 hours.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
De Maitre’s list of 10 important inventions across time
Just a little post about many inventions that we take for granted today. =) I hope you will enjoy them!
1. The Ball Point Pen
This is the most important invention to avid writers like me. Imagine using the old fashion quail pens during exams. They get blunt easily, so you need to sharpen them every 20 minutes or so. They break easily, so people like me will need a pen full of live quails nearby for the sake of easy supply. Spillages occur easily and the ink takes a long time to dry up. So clumsy people like me will probably submit illegible answers by the end of the exams, half the paper will be covered in ink blotches and the other half would be covered with barely legible words where the wet ink has been smeared by a stray hand or arm.
2. The Toilet Bowl (aka, flushing system)
I have a sensitive nose, it hates foul smells. I will just die if we have to go back to the chamberpot days... For those who don't know what it is, you do your business in a "golden" pot and stuff it under your bed. The next morning, the stool collector will make his rounds along the street. You bring your chamberpot out and empty its contents into the gigantic vats in his cart. The smell would have been awful. Alternatively, there was the pre-sewage European practice of emptying one's chamberpot out of the window literally. If you get hit by a "shower of blessings", too bad, luck isn't on your side today.
3. Light Bulb
I’m night blind. Seriously. A candle is just too dim, so I will love Thomas Edison to the day I die. He created light that won’t extinguish just because I sneeze on it and a light that doesn’t flicker when I’m trying to read something. Thanks to him, I can run with a torch lighting the way instead of having to move slowly with a hand cupped around a candle flame.
4. Bricks
Good old solid bricks make up a strong house that doesn’t get torn down by the elements easily. Remember the story of the 3 little pigs and the big bad wolf? Similar concept brick houses are much more secure than those made up of straw or wood. There are many methods of creating brinks-using red clay or straw and mud, baking them in ovens or drying them under the sun, etc.
5. The Spear
The spear was important throughout the course of human evolution. It was the best weapon for hunting game by our ancestors. It had a longer reach that a common dagger, putting some distance between the hunter and the cornered prey. It can also be thrown effectively and accurately, allowing the hunter to bring his prey down from a safe distance.
6. The Wig
A woman’s crowning glory is her hair. Come to think of it, it’s the clowning glory for most men too. I’m going to be evil and say the men are more prone towards baldness. Unfortunately, baldness is normally correlated with ageing. So wigs are the perfect cover up as long as they are made of human hair (horse tail hairs are so much coarser, don’t try it).
7. Soap
Given my obsession for clean smells, hygiene is an important factor. To our ancestors, bath was a luxury rather than a necessity. Showers were normally limited to quick splashes of river/well water. Naturally, you won’t smell very good, nor will most of the dirt and grime be removed. In ancient Rome, bathing was considered the activity that all civilized men should engage in. As they didn’t have soap, you had to sweat it out in the Caldarium (hot room) and scrape off the dirt and grime using a strigil (a type a scrapper). It’s quite painful, so yes, soaps are very important.
8. The Comb
I think the difference between a civilized person and a barbarian lies between grooming. The comb certainly did a good job with de-matting messy hair that most barbarians braid up as a control measure.
9. Paper
In History, before the discovery of paper or papyrus, people wrote on clay slates, wax tablets or animal skins. Clay tablets were fragile and heavy, wax was easily damaged and animal skins tend to rot and absorb the ink. They aren’t friendly for when it comes to portability and storage. Paper was a much better alternative. It was light, easy to make and can be easily bound into books. Most importantly, paper had another function, as toilet paper. =) I can’t live without my toilet paper (one of the reasons why I hate China).
10. The bra
Love them or hate them, they are important in history if you are going to compare them to the torture device called the corset.
1. The Ball Point Pen
This is the most important invention to avid writers like me. Imagine using the old fashion quail pens during exams. They get blunt easily, so you need to sharpen them every 20 minutes or so. They break easily, so people like me will need a pen full of live quails nearby for the sake of easy supply. Spillages occur easily and the ink takes a long time to dry up. So clumsy people like me will probably submit illegible answers by the end of the exams, half the paper will be covered in ink blotches and the other half would be covered with barely legible words where the wet ink has been smeared by a stray hand or arm.
2. The Toilet Bowl (aka, flushing system)
I have a sensitive nose, it hates foul smells. I will just die if we have to go back to the chamberpot days... For those who don't know what it is, you do your business in a "golden" pot and stuff it under your bed. The next morning, the stool collector will make his rounds along the street. You bring your chamberpot out and empty its contents into the gigantic vats in his cart. The smell would have been awful. Alternatively, there was the pre-sewage European practice of emptying one's chamberpot out of the window literally. If you get hit by a "shower of blessings", too bad, luck isn't on your side today.
3. Light Bulb
I’m night blind. Seriously. A candle is just too dim, so I will love Thomas Edison to the day I die. He created light that won’t extinguish just because I sneeze on it and a light that doesn’t flicker when I’m trying to read something. Thanks to him, I can run with a torch lighting the way instead of having to move slowly with a hand cupped around a candle flame.
4. Bricks
Good old solid bricks make up a strong house that doesn’t get torn down by the elements easily. Remember the story of the 3 little pigs and the big bad wolf? Similar concept brick houses are much more secure than those made up of straw or wood. There are many methods of creating brinks-using red clay or straw and mud, baking them in ovens or drying them under the sun, etc.
5. The Spear
The spear was important throughout the course of human evolution. It was the best weapon for hunting game by our ancestors. It had a longer reach that a common dagger, putting some distance between the hunter and the cornered prey. It can also be thrown effectively and accurately, allowing the hunter to bring his prey down from a safe distance.
6. The Wig
A woman’s crowning glory is her hair. Come to think of it, it’s the clowning glory for most men too. I’m going to be evil and say the men are more prone towards baldness. Unfortunately, baldness is normally correlated with ageing. So wigs are the perfect cover up as long as they are made of human hair (horse tail hairs are so much coarser, don’t try it).
7. Soap
Given my obsession for clean smells, hygiene is an important factor. To our ancestors, bath was a luxury rather than a necessity. Showers were normally limited to quick splashes of river/well water. Naturally, you won’t smell very good, nor will most of the dirt and grime be removed. In ancient Rome, bathing was considered the activity that all civilized men should engage in. As they didn’t have soap, you had to sweat it out in the Caldarium (hot room) and scrape off the dirt and grime using a strigil (a type a scrapper). It’s quite painful, so yes, soaps are very important.
8. The Comb
I think the difference between a civilized person and a barbarian lies between grooming. The comb certainly did a good job with de-matting messy hair that most barbarians braid up as a control measure.
9. Paper
In History, before the discovery of paper or papyrus, people wrote on clay slates, wax tablets or animal skins. Clay tablets were fragile and heavy, wax was easily damaged and animal skins tend to rot and absorb the ink. They aren’t friendly for when it comes to portability and storage. Paper was a much better alternative. It was light, easy to make and can be easily bound into books. Most importantly, paper had another function, as toilet paper. =) I can’t live without my toilet paper (one of the reasons why I hate China).
10. The bra
Love them or hate them, they are important in history if you are going to compare them to the torture device called the corset.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Historical figures hated by De Maitre
** I decided to move my list to the main blog itself **
1. Caliph Umar -for burning ALL the contents in the Library of Alexandria.
2.Empress Dowager Cixi -for her stupidity at believing the Boxers' claims of being bullet proof
3. Francisco Pizarro - for ordering the mass cremation of the Incan Royal Mummies and destroying the Inca culture
4. George Bush -for being such a lousy liar and for being so stupid
5. Hernán Cortés -for destroying the Aztecs and his treachery
6. Ilse Koch - for killing concentration camp inmates to keep their tattoos as souvenirs
7. Joseph Fritzl -raping your children is really beyond screwed-up
8. Mao Zedong - for starting the cultural revolution which led to children turning on their parents
9. Maximilien Robespierre - for killing off so many French aristocrats and innocent people
10. Pol Pot - for killing peoople who were smarter and richer than him
11. Pope Leo X - for using the Sale of Indulgances to support his extravagent lifestyle
12. Sarah Palin - for being making bimbos look clever and for being a complete geography idiot- Afganistan and Russia are NOWHERE near the USA
13. Stalin - for killing people who were smarter than him and dislike him
1. Caliph Umar -for burning ALL the contents in the Library of Alexandria.
2.Empress Dowager Cixi -for her stupidity at believing the Boxers' claims of being bullet proof
3. Francisco Pizarro - for ordering the mass cremation of the Incan Royal Mummies and destroying the Inca culture
4. George Bush -for being such a lousy liar and for being so stupid
5. Hernán Cortés -for destroying the Aztecs and his treachery
6. Ilse Koch - for killing concentration camp inmates to keep their tattoos as souvenirs
7. Joseph Fritzl -raping your children is really beyond screwed-up
8. Mao Zedong - for starting the cultural revolution which led to children turning on their parents
9. Maximilien Robespierre - for killing off so many French aristocrats and innocent people
10. Pol Pot - for killing peoople who were smarter and richer than him
11. Pope Leo X - for using the Sale of Indulgances to support his extravagent lifestyle
12. Sarah Palin - for being making bimbos look clever and for being a complete geography idiot- Afganistan and Russia are NOWHERE near the USA
13. Stalin - for killing people who were smarter than him and dislike him
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Top Twelve Most Hate-able People in History
When people talk about the hated people in history, people always talk about mass-murderers, dictators, or people like that. But actually, why don’t we consider other people who did other forms of damage, such as those CEOs who fatten their own wallets while destroying the jobs and livelihoods of millions, MPs who squander public money during an economic crisis, and to re-interpret those mass-murderers for what they did, by bringing their verdict to a new level beyond just “they killed a lot of people.”
So here’s my own list, in response to De Maitre’s list of hated figures. Some names overlap, goes to show how hated they are, but there are also some new people, who are not very likeable either. And of course, the list differs for each individual, so this is just my own take on the most ”hate-able” (meaning you’ll have reasons to hate them) people.
12. Bernard Madoff - Criminal Executive Officer
Here I quote from the Time website:
“Next to Bernie Madoff, the rest of the sticky-fingered CEOs on this list seem like dime-store shoplifters. Madoff's decades-long, $65 billion Ponzi scheme, which came to a screeching halt with his Dec. 11, 2008 arrest, is perhaps history's biggest financial swindle, and his trademark thin-lipped smile became the defining image of the avarice that last fall nearly brought the global financial system to its knees.”
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1903155_1903156_1903160,00.html
Those CEOs who live opulent lives while many others lose their homes to foreclosures or their jobs due to the recession are hardly likeable.
11. George W Bush – President of the US (2001 – 2008)
He’s hate-able for reasons we are all too familiar with: Iraq. Iraq was illegitimate, it was poorly planned, and the post-war crisis and the torture incident proved to be an embarrassment at best and a scandal at worst. The US’s relations with the world were at an all-time low, not to mention a whole host of other problems, international and domestic. North Korea, hurricane Katrina, etc. People would probably remember him as the most incompetent president in US history.
10. Mao Zedong – Leader of the Peoples' Republic of China (1949 – 1976)
Whose Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution more than just killed and ruined lives, it almost destroyed a civilisation. The Chinese are still suffering from its effects today.
09. Zhu Yuan Zhang – Founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644)
Scholars hate him. They hate him for his literary inquisitions. Hundreds of scholars died under him for writing poems that left him feeling offended. You see, in Chinese, there are different characters that sound the same. So the emperor hated the use of words like sounded like “monk”, “beggar”, because that’s what he was before becoming emperor. But surely he’s a little too paranoid? But more importantly, the impact on Chinese literature and culture? Honestly, as a member of the modern literati, I hate him too.
08. Tomás de Torquemada - High Inquisitor of the Spanish Inquisition
Actually, not just him, but all the inquisitors before and after. It’s one thing to kill, but to kill and then say “it’s for your own good” is just so hypocritical, not to mention being so religiously intolerant. This is the problem with some religious people like him: they believe in something so strongly that they simply don’t care about the human costs while trying to realise that goal. His actions and those of many other inquisitors remind us of the inhumanity and bigotry of religious intolerance.
Rather than say: “Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!” we should say: “Nobody desires the Spanish Inquisition!”
07. Dick Cheney – Vice President of the US (2001 – 2008)
You might wonder, why is the vice-president above the president in this list? That’s simply because he’s more responsible than Bush for the US’s predicament. Arguably one of the most powerful VPs in US history and the defining figure amongst the neo-conservatives, he’s the real architect behind US policy in Iraq, and in North Korea. The trouble is, he has such a narrow world-view that his foreign policy becomes more than just conservative, it becomes very unrealistic. Proof? Still defending Guatanamo when it has become a source of international anger and symbol of US double standards. And in a way, the thousands of American casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan, the countless civilians in both countries, the messy situation in the Korean peninsula were pretty much his doing.
06. Kim Jong Il – leader of The Democratic Peoples’ Republic of Korea, otherwise known as North Korea.
People hate him, not just because he has done so little for the poor North Korean people, who starve as I write this post, but because he continues his opulent, decadent way of life as it happens. Haven’t you noticed he’s the only fat person in North Korea? All the fine food, prepared by chefs from all over the world he recruited, plus the fine wine, plus the collection of Hollywood movies, and how he kidnapped a director and actress to build his own movie industry.
And of course, there the nuclear weapons, missile tests, detained journalists… you get the drift. North Korea is a state run not by politicians and statesmen, but by criminals.
05. Jim Jones – leader of the Peoples’ Temple
He’s not the ordinary murderer. He’s a mass murderer. Another one of those who would kill for the sake of a utopia. The story goes like this. He founded this cult called the Peoples’ Temple, and took his followers to the jungles of Guyana to set up a utopian community called Jonestown, with himself as the spiritual and nominal leader of the community. All was fine until some wanted to leave. Jones wouldn’t let that happen, so he orchestrated a mass suicide, which was actually mass murder, because the victims were fed the cyanide. How many people did he kill?
900 people, including himself.
04. Osama bin Laden – Leader of the Al Qaeda terror network
Well, I don’t have to tell you what he did. But what I want to say here is what his actions meant for the world. He sparked the greatest conflict since World War 2, in which many countries now face the threat of terrorism, religious extremism, and religious conflict. His act inspired many other groups to follow, and resulted in terrorism becoming the most serious international problem of the 21st century.
03. Adolf Hitler -Fuehrer of Nazi Germany (1933 – 1945)
He’s too-talked-about. So I’m not going into detail. I’ll just address the issue: why third place? In my opinion, he’s like Torque and Alexander the Great combined. Religious and racial hatred mixed with a thirst for world domination. That’s him. But true mass murderers have this special quality, which is a sheer sense of inhumanity. That’s for the top two places. Besides, even if we take the game of numbers, the top two would have killed more than he did (unless we take the total casualties for the European and North African theatres of World War 2, then he’s unmatched.)
02. Pol Pot – leader of the Khmer Rouge regime of Cambodia
Why him? Two reasons. First, because he’s another one who killed remorselessly in his attempt to create a utopia. When the Khmer Rouge gained power in Cambodia, everyone from the cities was “evacuated” to the countryside to start collectives. They were so determined to create that new society; they called that year, Year Zero. But dissent and resistance was ruthlessly crushed. People were tortured and killed for the slightest dissent. Thousands, hundreds of thousands, then millions, died in the hands of the regime. Schools became prisons and torture centres, and the people lived in five long years of fear and inhumanity.
Second, it was his own people he killed. Many mass murders killed the “other”, but he targeted his own Khmer people. That goes to show his sheer inhumanity.
01. Josef Stalin – Leader of the Soviet Union (1924 – 1953)
Like Hitler, he’s too talked-about. I’ll just use one line. He killed, he killed by the millions, and he kills at a rate of hundreds a day. He signs death warrants every night, and decides who not to kill (yet) at a whim. No one was safe in Soviet Russia.
So here’s my own list, in response to De Maitre’s list of hated figures. Some names overlap, goes to show how hated they are, but there are also some new people, who are not very likeable either. And of course, the list differs for each individual, so this is just my own take on the most ”hate-able” (meaning you’ll have reasons to hate them) people.
12. Bernard Madoff - Criminal Executive Officer
Here I quote from the Time website:
“Next to Bernie Madoff, the rest of the sticky-fingered CEOs on this list seem like dime-store shoplifters. Madoff's decades-long, $65 billion Ponzi scheme, which came to a screeching halt with his Dec. 11, 2008 arrest, is perhaps history's biggest financial swindle, and his trademark thin-lipped smile became the defining image of the avarice that last fall nearly brought the global financial system to its knees.”
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1903155_1903156_1903160,00.html
Those CEOs who live opulent lives while many others lose their homes to foreclosures or their jobs due to the recession are hardly likeable.
11. George W Bush – President of the US (2001 – 2008)
He’s hate-able for reasons we are all too familiar with: Iraq. Iraq was illegitimate, it was poorly planned, and the post-war crisis and the torture incident proved to be an embarrassment at best and a scandal at worst. The US’s relations with the world were at an all-time low, not to mention a whole host of other problems, international and domestic. North Korea, hurricane Katrina, etc. People would probably remember him as the most incompetent president in US history.
10. Mao Zedong – Leader of the Peoples' Republic of China (1949 – 1976)
Whose Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution more than just killed and ruined lives, it almost destroyed a civilisation. The Chinese are still suffering from its effects today.
09. Zhu Yuan Zhang – Founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644)
Scholars hate him. They hate him for his literary inquisitions. Hundreds of scholars died under him for writing poems that left him feeling offended. You see, in Chinese, there are different characters that sound the same. So the emperor hated the use of words like sounded like “monk”, “beggar”, because that’s what he was before becoming emperor. But surely he’s a little too paranoid? But more importantly, the impact on Chinese literature and culture? Honestly, as a member of the modern literati, I hate him too.
08. Tomás de Torquemada - High Inquisitor of the Spanish Inquisition
Actually, not just him, but all the inquisitors before and after. It’s one thing to kill, but to kill and then say “it’s for your own good” is just so hypocritical, not to mention being so religiously intolerant. This is the problem with some religious people like him: they believe in something so strongly that they simply don’t care about the human costs while trying to realise that goal. His actions and those of many other inquisitors remind us of the inhumanity and bigotry of religious intolerance.
Rather than say: “Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!” we should say: “Nobody desires the Spanish Inquisition!”
07. Dick Cheney – Vice President of the US (2001 – 2008)
You might wonder, why is the vice-president above the president in this list? That’s simply because he’s more responsible than Bush for the US’s predicament. Arguably one of the most powerful VPs in US history and the defining figure amongst the neo-conservatives, he’s the real architect behind US policy in Iraq, and in North Korea. The trouble is, he has such a narrow world-view that his foreign policy becomes more than just conservative, it becomes very unrealistic. Proof? Still defending Guatanamo when it has become a source of international anger and symbol of US double standards. And in a way, the thousands of American casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan, the countless civilians in both countries, the messy situation in the Korean peninsula were pretty much his doing.
06. Kim Jong Il – leader of The Democratic Peoples’ Republic of Korea, otherwise known as North Korea.
People hate him, not just because he has done so little for the poor North Korean people, who starve as I write this post, but because he continues his opulent, decadent way of life as it happens. Haven’t you noticed he’s the only fat person in North Korea? All the fine food, prepared by chefs from all over the world he recruited, plus the fine wine, plus the collection of Hollywood movies, and how he kidnapped a director and actress to build his own movie industry.
And of course, there the nuclear weapons, missile tests, detained journalists… you get the drift. North Korea is a state run not by politicians and statesmen, but by criminals.
05. Jim Jones – leader of the Peoples’ Temple
He’s not the ordinary murderer. He’s a mass murderer. Another one of those who would kill for the sake of a utopia. The story goes like this. He founded this cult called the Peoples’ Temple, and took his followers to the jungles of Guyana to set up a utopian community called Jonestown, with himself as the spiritual and nominal leader of the community. All was fine until some wanted to leave. Jones wouldn’t let that happen, so he orchestrated a mass suicide, which was actually mass murder, because the victims were fed the cyanide. How many people did he kill?
900 people, including himself.
04. Osama bin Laden – Leader of the Al Qaeda terror network
Well, I don’t have to tell you what he did. But what I want to say here is what his actions meant for the world. He sparked the greatest conflict since World War 2, in which many countries now face the threat of terrorism, religious extremism, and religious conflict. His act inspired many other groups to follow, and resulted in terrorism becoming the most serious international problem of the 21st century.
03. Adolf Hitler -Fuehrer of Nazi Germany (1933 – 1945)
He’s too-talked-about. So I’m not going into detail. I’ll just address the issue: why third place? In my opinion, he’s like Torque and Alexander the Great combined. Religious and racial hatred mixed with a thirst for world domination. That’s him. But true mass murderers have this special quality, which is a sheer sense of inhumanity. That’s for the top two places. Besides, even if we take the game of numbers, the top two would have killed more than he did (unless we take the total casualties for the European and North African theatres of World War 2, then he’s unmatched.)
02. Pol Pot – leader of the Khmer Rouge regime of Cambodia
Why him? Two reasons. First, because he’s another one who killed remorselessly in his attempt to create a utopia. When the Khmer Rouge gained power in Cambodia, everyone from the cities was “evacuated” to the countryside to start collectives. They were so determined to create that new society; they called that year, Year Zero. But dissent and resistance was ruthlessly crushed. People were tortured and killed for the slightest dissent. Thousands, hundreds of thousands, then millions, died in the hands of the regime. Schools became prisons and torture centres, and the people lived in five long years of fear and inhumanity.
Second, it was his own people he killed. Many mass murders killed the “other”, but he targeted his own Khmer people. That goes to show his sheer inhumanity.
01. Josef Stalin – Leader of the Soviet Union (1924 – 1953)
Like Hitler, he’s too talked-about. I’ll just use one line. He killed, he killed by the millions, and he kills at a rate of hundreds a day. He signs death warrants every night, and decides who not to kill (yet) at a whim. No one was safe in Soviet Russia.
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