Governments, Not Mushrooms

Good, qualified governments do not pop up like mushrooms after continued rainfall. This seems to be the apparent belief of some people who think toppling an authoritarian regime by protests for democracy will automagically result in the formation of a new democratic government. In any country larger than a city, such an outcome is highly unlikely.

However, it must also be understood that the capacity of human endurance is incredible. In the absence of agents of change, a move towards more humane conditions for the citizens of a country can take centuries or even longer. History will attest to the propensity to the ability of humans to tolerate authoritarian regimes for hundreds or even thousands of years as long as their lives are afforded some modicum of peace and stability.

Still, it should be made clear that no amount of generalizing will help what goes on in the real world. This is not a matter of democratic, asian, western, authoritarian or any number of value systems and ideologies out there. In just about any modern government, the authorities hold significant power by virtue of their office, and it is as likely to be an "asian" value as it is a personal value.

I believe it is a personal value, given that claiming to represent christian or democratic or asian values is a gross oversimplification and is likely to be no more than subverting a categorical group's credibility as your own. An immense number of atrocities have been committed under the banner of higher morals or ideals.

So, when a situation emerges that requires a government to step up atop an existing one that is making the people in general suffer? It becomes a matter of whether the people feel they are suffering, which is not something that can be viewed under the lens of ideology. And when those people feel that they need a new leadership, it matters little how much pain and suffering will result. This will be a move for the future generations. Good governance simply does not pop up like a mushroom, allowing the current generation to enjoy its heady shade.

Those Crazy Monks!

I am so amazed and extremely proud of these monks. http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/F649F281-F993-41BD-AF9F-11C1552CCACB.htm Myanmar is probably one of the worst countries on earth to have a march like this, especially since they are moving for a change in the political regime. I think this is perhaps one of the best calculated and beautifully orchestrated pro-democracy event I've seen in a long time.

Myanmar is a largely Buddhist country, resulting in great respect for the monks. This means the monks already have popular support. Monks also have a reputation for non-violence. Were people like myself to march on the streets, the government could easily put us down as violent or potentially violent protesters. Unarmed monks? That would cause not only a huge uproar locally, but would also create an internationally recognizable human and civil rights violation.

There is also the shock value to such a move. Monks are perhaps not expected to be politically motivated. I personally did not think they had it in them. At worst, the Burmese government may label them as radicals and not monks since they have given up their religious inclinations in favour of political motivations. I don't think many would buy such an excuse, tho. Overall, I think their rallying call is powerful and the people finally do have a precedent for a movement against the oppressive leadership. It is my hope that others living under similar regimes all over the world to do likewise, should they feel that their leadership does more harm than good.

Eating What You Kill

This just reminds me about how far humans have been removed from nature and their food sources. http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070916/hl_nm/locavore_dc. It is one thing to say that meat is just meat. The separation between meat and killing has made many humans rather callous about just how the meat comes about. What? Kill animals for food? That's just cruel. But thank goodness I get my meat from a supermarket.

I think it's sad when people say to me that they're thankful that they have someone else to kill the animals so they can have the meat. It's a certain sort of disconnect whereby the guilt is transferred to the butchers and there is no longer any sense of responsibility for the life that was sacrificed to bring meat to the table.

Still, all of this isn't nearly as bad as humans who kill for sport. That is hardly sporting, and really rather wasteful. I'm not saying that pests can't be killed to protect one's crops. It's just that one really shouldn't go around filling random animals with lead just for the heck of it, or just 'coz someone wants another stuffed head in the cabin.

Loneliness In The City

I cannot help but conclude that loneliness in urban environments is self-inflicted. Modern big cities have an incredible population density per square mile, with enough people within a stone's throw to completely invalidate any argument of "loneliness". Yes, you can hit at least a hundred people within a stone's throw, even if you throw like a girl.

What is it about cities that makes people feel lonely? There are millions of people rushing about at any one time, with apparently nobody feeling the urge to stop and chat. Does this imply that the lack of small talk with random people is what causes loneliness? I think small talk is perhaps one of the biggest time wasters in the social context. Yet if one feels sufficiently inclined to crawl out of the self-inflicted morass of loneliness, one only has to grab the neighbour on the train or bus and irk the poor fella with small talk. Loneliness in a crowd of thousands? I hardly think so.

Urban Machismo

Some things really make me pity urban men and their machismo. One of them would be the “macho” field trip. First, they try to be rough and tough, climbing (and thus conquering) tall mountains. Of course, this would have been particularly heroic (and quite foolhardy) if they were to go it alone and carry their equipment while they were at it.

The reality is quite different, though. Those macho, macho men will find themselves shrugging those incredibly heavy equipment off to sherpa "guides". I think perhaps those urban dwellers should realize that the guides are merely there to keep the men from hurting and/or embarrassing themselves. It's one thing to carry comparatively light equipment up a mountain while being decked out in all sorts of fancy mountaineering gear. It's quite something else to be able to trudge up the mountain in ordinary kit while carrying the tents and stuff of the urban dwellers. So...who's macho, again?

A Loss

I am slightly upset over losing a necklace today. Granted, it didn't cost me very much. However, I hate losing stuff and especially the only black cord accessory I have. Of course, this is also an excuse for me to go jewelery shopping. Still...if anything of mine decides to leave, I guess I'll have to respect its wishes. Even companions go away from time to time, I guess...

My Night Visitor

I managed to catch a glimpse of the night visitor as it decided to pose for me in midair. Those things are fast! Aaaanyway, the bat turned out to be a fruit bat, and not of the vampire variety. What a pity. I would've thought one of my friends decided to drop by. Still, this flying furball decided that the bananas we hung up near the window were yummy and good for her tummy, so we regularly had half-eaten bananas in our bunch.

I suppose I blinded the poor thing with my camera's flashes, seeing as how the bat was in a terrible panic, flying all over the apartment. Well...I can't help it if someone invades my sanctum, dear =p

Going Batty

It's especially interesting to have bats fluttering into your apartment...two nights in a row. I was watching TV this evening when the bat flew past me and then back out the kitchen window. Mom noticed, too, and told me that a bat did the exact same thing in the middle of last night, except it beat its wings against the window in an effort to get out. This would be odd, since my apartment also happens to be on the 12th floor, and bats aren't terribly inclined to get into my nice, dark, dank place. Oh wait...perhaps that's why...

Besides, that could've simply been one of my vampire friends, so I'm not about to complain. Perhaps they'd stop by for tea this time, or something.

As a side note, I felt something I didn't feel for some time: My animal side emerging some. It's just that time period where awareness is enhanced, every sense just seems to come alive, and suddenly being around humans becomes something alien. It's a bit like walking amongst potential threats, having to be on edge at all times. Interesting feel, that.

The Scope

Another piece of the puzzle: A scope for the E510. Its specs are nice enough. Actually, I was agonizing over whether to get this one, or the newer kit lens with the same focal length range. I settled on this after finding out that it had a full f-stop of aperture above and beyond that of the new kit. I later realized that it had a metal mount, weighed nearly twice as much and was Made In Japan. Now, I fully understand that products made in China can potentially be every bit as good as one made in Japan, but cost of production is higher there and overall I feel that I got better value for money with this item. I mean, it's new after all and what more can I want for my current budget (short of them risky second hand stuff).

I really needed a zoom because there are some things that I just can't reach with an 84mm lens. That's especially so if I'm trying to hit something that isn't right in front of me. There are just some things that are pretty necessary 'coz you'd lack the capabilities without them, and there are other things that are "nice to have". A macro lens would be nice-to-have, but hardly something a student with my pathetic skill level would really need. I feel that quality macro shots are really quite gimmicky, specialized and have requirements for equipment beyond what I have and would get on a student's budget. For near-essentials, the final thing I'd need is a proper flash unit. That is, when I exhaust the capabilities of the body flash. I suspect the body flash can be pushed beyond its current limits were I to fit it with a suitable diffuser or a reflector. Experimentation time.

Lost

Despite having a syllabus that looks positively kickass this semester, I feel strangely lost. Or perhaps it's a lack of drive. I'm not entirely sure. I think there's just so much I can do with my time, and no amount of work I do within the day can amount to what I expect of myself. I know this sounds silly, but the feeling was only reinforced when I missed a lecture today. It's like...I may not pay attention during the lecture, but I feel that I have achieved *something*. That something which I do not have when doing research for this and that. Time to buck up, strap myself in and be antisocial?

The Martian

I got myself a Martian...tripod, that is. The new tripod is a Velbon Ultra Luxi-F. I think it suits my purposes just fine. The tripod is light (1.38kg), folds down small enough to fit in my regular backpack, can extend to reach at least my eye level, highly flexible and is quite sturdy. Then again, my entire camera rig is only 500g and tripod is rated for 2kg so I presume it will hold up. Of course, it also cost me, and I've probably run out of cash for the month.

But of course, this is probably the only tripod I am willing to lug about. Frankly, I feel like a dumbass dragging a huge tripod around exclusively because I'm on a photo expedition. With a tripod that fits in my pack, I can basically go everywhere with it and deploy whenever I feel it's necessary to make a great shot.

I especially like the pan head, even though it is frowned upon by some photographers. I feel it is nice to be able to selectively swivel the camera while locking the tilt. Of course, since everything's so light, I can just lift the whole thing and sprint to the next location if I spot a good shot nearby. That's something I wouldn't do with a heavier, more cumbersome tripod.

Finally, I wound up forking out twice as much as I would for the Manfrotto 485. But then the deal-breakers for the 485 were that I heard the lever locks broke easily, flimsy-feel, not having the ability to work at low angles and the low height of the overall tripod. Moreover, it was rated for less weight than the Luxi. It was a pity, since I really loved the pistol grip adjustment ball head on the 485. Then again, that was a fixed head and I couldn't change it even if I wanted to. Basically, I was getting what I paid for. So here's hoping that it all works out =p