Humanities, Internships and the Polls

Hmm... its been a long time since i have written anything on this blog. I dun know why but i just dont seem to want to do so. I really wonder how do people actually dutifully keep up and update their blogs regularly. I guess i am just a science guy; writing just aint my forte. But i do want to improve my language skills. Not to improve my english or to take up another language because english and my grasp of it is good enough (its not great but good enough nevertheless). Anyway, i am not talking about language here, i am talking about making use of it: To be more persuasive in writing and speech.

I just read a book named "Thank You for Arguing" and honestly it was great. It was about the art of rhetoric and its usefulness. Rhetoric is the art of persuasion and while people naturally poses the instinct and ability to persuade, some are undoubtedly better than others. And this is a skill that can be honed and learned. And even if you are not a naturally gifted rhetorician/ speaker, it helps to know about it to guard yourself from the persuasive tactics of others. A skill that will prove useful no matter what our jobs may be.

Anyway, before i drag on, i am saying all these simply because i am at a cross road. Ok, let me set the background, next year i will have to take 1 or 2 humanities/business course. And although i have decided on a business course already, i am considering taking another humanities course. Given that i come from a pure science background and that the last and only human sub i took was O lvl Geography, i am not too sure if i should take the risk and give it a whack. This is because i am pretty sure that i will be able to do alot better on a engineering course instead.
Anyway, i have till 6th may to think, so i've got time.

BTW, i just finished my management course exam and well, it went ok. Everything turned out as expected. No hiccups or anything. Still, i have no idea how i did for it. thats another problem with non-science courses, its so bloody subjective. Theres no right or wrong answers, just good or bad ones and honestly, who has the right to determine whats good or bad?? the examiner?? what if he is wrong or mistaken?? if i disagree with the examiner and the grades i get, can i make an appeal?? No. So thats why I am praying that the examiner is in a good mood when he sees my paper. Once again, so subjective!!

Oh, i will be flying back on the 13th june. and yes its a friday. Friday the 13. Perfect! I hope the flight will be slightly under-booked than normal.

Also, i got a reply from DSTA and i will be doing my summer internship from 14july to 12sept. And i will be going to air systems in DSTA. Which isnt too bad, the prob is that i had initially wanted to go to DSO to test the waters and take a look at the culture there but no. Due to a policy change, i will be at air systems dsta. Although the newer policy actually makes more sense and is better, i just feel cheated at the fact that they had initially given me a choice for my internship placement only to take that choice away. Oh well, at least things are changing and moving forward. and its no big deal, i could very well enjoy air systems a lot more than dso. But of course, that i will never know.

Oh yeah, something interesting: do you know that i am actually eligible to vote for the london mayoral elections come May Day? But of course, i wont be taking the time to go to the polls. I have better things to do than deciding the fate of such a great city. Haha. Nah... I honestly dont see myself as having any moral right to vote at all. Although it was nice to feel included by the electorate. In fact, all commonwealth citizen living in london are eligible to vote which is something quite foreign to a Singaporean like myself. Anyway, judging singapore's political landscape, this could well be the only time i will be eligible to vote. Assuming that election walkovers continue to be part of singapore's heritage. And its not as if its gonna make any difference anyway, i will still vote for the PAP until the opposition parties actually start fielding better candidates than the PAP. And that would take a while. Anyway, democracy is overrated. With all the protesting, work strikes, media trash and millions of dollars spent/wasted on election campaigns in self-acclaimed highly-democratic nations, i am starting to see that there is actually very little between democracy and mob rule. Very very little.