The Beautifuk Triad
And as usual after a really long absence, I have another haul of things to write about. Apologies for another long absence. I think I will be only blogging weekly nowadays. Thanks to a daily 2 hours journey home, I doubt I will be able to blog much more often than that. Today, it seems that everything I am going to say will be of particular interest to Ms Beautifuk, or at least issues that she had first introduced to me. There are 3 issues to be discussed...happy reading all!
Issue 1-An Averted Ice Age?
I came across this article in the London paper Metro not too long ago. In its exact words, some experts reckon we may have unwittingly saved ourselves from a new ice age...by interfering with the Earth's climate. Without the greenhouse gases we pump out, the global climate would be almost 2 celsius cooler-and we would be well on the way to full glacial temperatures, researchers found.
And how about that! A blessing in disguise it seems. It seems to me the ideal solution is to ensure the earth's climate does not change. With all the theories in Science Fiction about the world ending when th sun burn out, the emission of everyday greenhouse gases seems to be able to extend its life. However, it doesn't seem practical or possible to effectively control the WHOLE world's emissions though does it? And even so, poisonous gases floatng about the place for the sake of keeping it hot doesn't seem my best idea...I suppose Carbon Dioxide is a relatively harmless greenhouse gas though, and perhaps may be ideal for this purpose? Hmm...
Issue 2-British's Harland Sanders-Colonel of Cruel or otherwise?
You may be familiar with my previous entries how KFC has been slammed by PETA for grossly mistreating their chickens. It was quite enough to put me off fast food for a while, but there was one night in which ALL they bought was KFC. So bearing in mind that what a single organisation says may not be the truth, I began to eat, wondering if I could glean something out of its taste, and I did.
Because London has a wealth of its own farms that can deliver to all its restaurants and supermarkets fresh chicken, it is understandable how the majority of the meat here, be it chicken, lamb, eggs or even Salmon (Sashimiiii.......) and LIVE MUSSELS (absolute HEAVEN!) that I eat here is much fresher than Singapore's. KFC proved to be no exception. It was even cooked in a different way. The health-conscious British, who prefer breast meat to thigh meat, have made their KFC with much less oil. The skin was excellently flavoured, although with lots of flour, had a lovely buttery kick to it and was very nicely salted, nicely complenting the meat-much unlike Singapore's chicken. Even the side dishes were much more well-made. But to sidetrack a tad, there are many other fast food outlets that sell more than chicken here. One beside my school has 2 pieces of chicken and chips at 1.50 pounds, which is considered cheap here. It tastes quite like Singapore's KFC, and I eat it on a regular basis.
But back to British KFC. What struck me most of it was the similarity it posessed to the chicken that my mother buys from the supermarket. Save the difference in taste caused by cooking method, it tasted just about to be from the same chicken, with the same texture and all, or least chickens that were bred in the same way. You see, PETA accuses KFC of having its own chicken farms where chickens are grossly mistreated. But if what PETA says is true and they are for example being stored in such overcrowded conditions that they suffer from ammonia burns is true, would the meat not have been affected as well? Even if KFC had their own farms and used only those that were good enough to be used, it seems doubtful that they would be able to have a profit margin large enough to cover up all this losses.So this either means British supermarkets, like KFC, also mistreat their chickens, OR that they both get their chickens from the same farm! So does this mean Peta's accusations are flawed? There may be more to it than this. In any case 12 pcs out of like a million also isn't a very good sample size. But unless evidence to the contrary emerges (like say I find KFC screws up its meat) I think PETA has blown this issue all out of proportion! At the very least, I think British KFC is fine. I still won't be eating it on my own though. It seriously is quite expensive, and only the family offers are worth buying.
Issue 3-Judgementalism
Judgementalism is defined here as being judging someone from immediate impressions. It may not be altogether desirable but we all do it. By my psychological theory that one need not be aware of ideas before they take root in your mind and start influencing your actions, whenever you see someone doing something, your brain is immediatly gonna associate that with an associated impression. In other words, judgementalism is everywhere. As I write this blog, you may, consciously or subconsciously, be inferring from it what kind of person I am. Which is obviously not wrong, of course, but it would help explain the need for facades in life. Because you are almost ALWAYS being judged. Simple fact of life.
However, I've found out that there is NEVER smoke without fire. Everyone has a reason for making such judgemets. However, if we want to be impartial, we ust be able to tell when that smoke really is smoke, and when it is simply a cloud.
I will take the example of homosexuality to illustrate my case. Since my introduction to the concept of the...alternate Tomoyo in CCS, I have been particularly wary of this group of people that I do not belong to. OK, now, most people's knee-jerk reaction to this is one of revulsion, right? And the homosexuals would subsequently scream UNFAIR JUDGEMENTALISM! Homosexuals are not more "dirty" than you or me! I have been wondering whether or not this is true. I still have no definite answer but I can see the smoke that caused he accusations quite clearly-after a visit to Soho Square, London's CHINATOWN.
Soho Square is also home to many homosexuals-something which I found out after seeing pictures in a newspaper of people there waving rainbow-coloured flags during their festival termed Gay Pride. Most importantly, however, Soho Square is also one of London's red-light districts! Is there supposed ot be a link, homosexual town and red light district? Perhaps this is what creates such impressions of homosexuals? But wait, there are more instances...
Because a Sunday Paper offered with it a CD that had some songs in it that I liked, I bought it. The CD was ok, but the paper was ABSOLUTE RUBBISH. Remember the name if you ever come here and do NOT approach at any instance without anything less explosive than a WMD-NEWS OF THE WORLD. Hah....I want REAL news man, do I look like I care who the heck SIMON COWELL is going out with, or pictures of women in hardly any outfit!? But anyway this paper had a story it it about a lesbian who was dating a transexual guy, ie a guy who wants to undergo a sex change to become a girl.
The idea of the relationship mentioned in the lesbian story is bizzare enough. Add that to the fact that it is placed in a tabloid intended mainly for gossip and deprived individuals and it does look like some kind of well...freak show! Now the paper promised cash rewards if people had their true story published. Evidently the girl sent that story in. And for 500 pounds, she would undubtedly be judged harshly by many, lost some dignity, and brought down the image of homosexuals one more notch. I suppose it's possible that all that matters to her is that she's happy with hereself, which is good. However, consider this-the paper also had a story of a vet who feels she can talk to her animal patients. Would the vet also bee seen as a "freak"? No-being able to heal animals with such skill would be admirable! But while both wanted to boast to the world "Look at me for being able to do this!", the lesbian seems to have forgotten that judgementalism is always at work. Does she really care that little about her dignity? I hope not...
Issue 1-An Averted Ice Age?
I came across this article in the London paper Metro not too long ago. In its exact words, some experts reckon we may have unwittingly saved ourselves from a new ice age...by interfering with the Earth's climate. Without the greenhouse gases we pump out, the global climate would be almost 2 celsius cooler-and we would be well on the way to full glacial temperatures, researchers found.
And how about that! A blessing in disguise it seems. It seems to me the ideal solution is to ensure the earth's climate does not change. With all the theories in Science Fiction about the world ending when th sun burn out, the emission of everyday greenhouse gases seems to be able to extend its life. However, it doesn't seem practical or possible to effectively control the WHOLE world's emissions though does it? And even so, poisonous gases floatng about the place for the sake of keeping it hot doesn't seem my best idea...I suppose Carbon Dioxide is a relatively harmless greenhouse gas though, and perhaps may be ideal for this purpose? Hmm...
Issue 2-British's Harland Sanders-Colonel of Cruel or otherwise?
You may be familiar with my previous entries how KFC has been slammed by PETA for grossly mistreating their chickens. It was quite enough to put me off fast food for a while, but there was one night in which ALL they bought was KFC. So bearing in mind that what a single organisation says may not be the truth, I began to eat, wondering if I could glean something out of its taste, and I did.
Because London has a wealth of its own farms that can deliver to all its restaurants and supermarkets fresh chicken, it is understandable how the majority of the meat here, be it chicken, lamb, eggs or even Salmon (Sashimiiii.......) and LIVE MUSSELS (absolute HEAVEN!) that I eat here is much fresher than Singapore's. KFC proved to be no exception. It was even cooked in a different way. The health-conscious British, who prefer breast meat to thigh meat, have made their KFC with much less oil. The skin was excellently flavoured, although with lots of flour, had a lovely buttery kick to it and was very nicely salted, nicely complenting the meat-much unlike Singapore's chicken. Even the side dishes were much more well-made. But to sidetrack a tad, there are many other fast food outlets that sell more than chicken here. One beside my school has 2 pieces of chicken and chips at 1.50 pounds, which is considered cheap here. It tastes quite like Singapore's KFC, and I eat it on a regular basis.
But back to British KFC. What struck me most of it was the similarity it posessed to the chicken that my mother buys from the supermarket. Save the difference in taste caused by cooking method, it tasted just about to be from the same chicken, with the same texture and all, or least chickens that were bred in the same way. You see, PETA accuses KFC of having its own chicken farms where chickens are grossly mistreated. But if what PETA says is true and they are for example being stored in such overcrowded conditions that they suffer from ammonia burns is true, would the meat not have been affected as well? Even if KFC had their own farms and used only those that were good enough to be used, it seems doubtful that they would be able to have a profit margin large enough to cover up all this losses.So this either means British supermarkets, like KFC, also mistreat their chickens, OR that they both get their chickens from the same farm! So does this mean Peta's accusations are flawed? There may be more to it than this. In any case 12 pcs out of like a million also isn't a very good sample size. But unless evidence to the contrary emerges (like say I find KFC screws up its meat) I think PETA has blown this issue all out of proportion! At the very least, I think British KFC is fine. I still won't be eating it on my own though. It seriously is quite expensive, and only the family offers are worth buying.
Issue 3-Judgementalism
Judgementalism is defined here as being judging someone from immediate impressions. It may not be altogether desirable but we all do it. By my psychological theory that one need not be aware of ideas before they take root in your mind and start influencing your actions, whenever you see someone doing something, your brain is immediatly gonna associate that with an associated impression. In other words, judgementalism is everywhere. As I write this blog, you may, consciously or subconsciously, be inferring from it what kind of person I am. Which is obviously not wrong, of course, but it would help explain the need for facades in life. Because you are almost ALWAYS being judged. Simple fact of life.
However, I've found out that there is NEVER smoke without fire. Everyone has a reason for making such judgemets. However, if we want to be impartial, we ust be able to tell when that smoke really is smoke, and when it is simply a cloud.
I will take the example of homosexuality to illustrate my case. Since my introduction to the concept of the...alternate Tomoyo in CCS, I have been particularly wary of this group of people that I do not belong to. OK, now, most people's knee-jerk reaction to this is one of revulsion, right? And the homosexuals would subsequently scream UNFAIR JUDGEMENTALISM! Homosexuals are not more "dirty" than you or me! I have been wondering whether or not this is true. I still have no definite answer but I can see the smoke that caused he accusations quite clearly-after a visit to Soho Square, London's CHINATOWN.
Soho Square is also home to many homosexuals-something which I found out after seeing pictures in a newspaper of people there waving rainbow-coloured flags during their festival termed Gay Pride. Most importantly, however, Soho Square is also one of London's red-light districts! Is there supposed ot be a link, homosexual town and red light district? Perhaps this is what creates such impressions of homosexuals? But wait, there are more instances...
Because a Sunday Paper offered with it a CD that had some songs in it that I liked, I bought it. The CD was ok, but the paper was ABSOLUTE RUBBISH. Remember the name if you ever come here and do NOT approach at any instance without anything less explosive than a WMD-NEWS OF THE WORLD. Hah....I want REAL news man, do I look like I care who the heck SIMON COWELL is going out with, or pictures of women in hardly any outfit!? But anyway this paper had a story it it about a lesbian who was dating a transexual guy, ie a guy who wants to undergo a sex change to become a girl.
The idea of the relationship mentioned in the lesbian story is bizzare enough. Add that to the fact that it is placed in a tabloid intended mainly for gossip and deprived individuals and it does look like some kind of well...freak show! Now the paper promised cash rewards if people had their true story published. Evidently the girl sent that story in. And for 500 pounds, she would undubtedly be judged harshly by many, lost some dignity, and brought down the image of homosexuals one more notch. I suppose it's possible that all that matters to her is that she's happy with hereself, which is good. However, consider this-the paper also had a story of a vet who feels she can talk to her animal patients. Would the vet also bee seen as a "freak"? No-being able to heal animals with such skill would be admirable! But while both wanted to boast to the world "Look at me for being able to do this!", the lesbian seems to have forgotten that judgementalism is always at work. Does she really care that little about her dignity? I hope not...
.
At least people here haven't started associating Chinese with lecher yet...can't believe Soho Square, the London Chinatown, could be so awfully dismal. The restaurants, especially, are particularly HORRENDOUS! What the heck...my mom can make quality food good enough to sell here I should think! Anyway...I don't think we will be able do judge this homosexuality issue, or indeed much else with any accuracy because we don't know enough about it. But to be honest, do we need to? We do not have enforce our morals upon others unless what that guy's doing is clearly wrong are we? Everyone will eventually have to answer to God-or if you're a free thinker, then at the very least their conscience. In other words, who cares if lesbians start dating transsexuals, or if that guy you saw is really an opium-smoking gangster? Avoid any unnecessary judging because we have little hope of getting an accurate picture. If you want to know more or try to help someone, you will need to do it slowly. If you don't never cross paths with him again. Simple as that. The world already has enough formal judgmentalism going on-what with exams, interviews etc. So let's just take a little break and not get involved in another unnecessary dilemma of judgementalism, shall we?
That's the end of it for now. I really have to hit the hay...it's like 3.20am now...and I need to go out tomorrow. At least the good news for me is that my Piano-a Yamaha Clavinova CLP150 is coming this coming Tuesday! WHOOOOOT!!! I await with growing impatience this much anticipated day...I have been dying to try out Andrew Lloyd Webber's songs for Phantom Of the Opera the Musical(It ROCKS this earth) which I just watched.
Right then, with my head full of the intoxicating Musics of the Night, I shall take my leave right now. Till I next blog about Christianity and the Da Vinci Code again, goodbye!
At least people here haven't started associating Chinese with lecher yet...can't believe Soho Square, the London Chinatown, could be so awfully dismal. The restaurants, especially, are particularly HORRENDOUS! What the heck...my mom can make quality food good enough to sell here I should think! Anyway...I don't think we will be able do judge this homosexuality issue, or indeed much else with any accuracy because we don't know enough about it. But to be honest, do we need to? We do not have enforce our morals upon others unless what that guy's doing is clearly wrong are we? Everyone will eventually have to answer to God-or if you're a free thinker, then at the very least their conscience. In other words, who cares if lesbians start dating transsexuals, or if that guy you saw is really an opium-smoking gangster? Avoid any unnecessary judging because we have little hope of getting an accurate picture. If you want to know more or try to help someone, you will need to do it slowly. If you don't never cross paths with him again. Simple as that. The world already has enough formal judgmentalism going on-what with exams, interviews etc. So let's just take a little break and not get involved in another unnecessary dilemma of judgementalism, shall we?
That's the end of it for now. I really have to hit the hay...it's like 3.20am now...and I need to go out tomorrow. At least the good news for me is that my Piano-a Yamaha Clavinova CLP150 is coming this coming Tuesday! WHOOOOOT!!! I await with growing impatience this much anticipated day...I have been dying to try out Andrew Lloyd Webber's songs for Phantom Of the Opera the Musical(It ROCKS this earth) which I just watched.
Right then, with my head full of the intoxicating Musics of the Night, I shall take my leave right now. Till I next blog about Christianity and the Da Vinci Code again, goodbye!
.
BTW: To my favourite blog links I've added a nickname of my own invention. Some names need changing; others need adding, but that will come another time. But if you don't like the name I've given you, please let me know.
posted by harry_kinomoto at 2:56 pm
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