(Untitled Post)

I ish a fruffay ball of fur.

Everything Melted

I had a real date with Terence today. Real, as in we purposely prepared for it, I got dolled up for it, we made plans for a nice dinner and money wasn't an issue. Got dolled up, was driven around, sweetie bought me a leather diary for 2011 that cost $60 (fucking idiot, by so expensive for suah) and went to look for my Christmas present sponsored by mum but we've got to wait for another three months for it to arrive.

Shan't bore you with our conversation details but it was light, fluffy and butterflies in my stomach appeared. I love how T always makes me feel, ahhhhhhhh MELTSZXZXSAASDAZX like zee ice-cream ball dhat I ams.

We had a pricey dinner at Prego and I had an excellent post Christmas, Pre New Year dinner. The first in 21 years of my life. No more loneliness and dejected holidays for me any more.

PS. Tried those ultra doll lenses, took me at least 15 minutes to get them into my eyes and I'm still having mixed feelings about them. Terence likes them but I think I look awfully weird. To the point, I felt ah-lianish.

Predictably Irrational

By: Dan Ariely

Why do our headaches persist after taking a one-cent aspirin but disappear when we take a 50-cent aspirin?
Why does recalling the Ten Commandments reduce our tendency to lie, even when we couldn't possibly be caught?
Why do we splurge on a lavish meal but cut coupons to save twenty-five cents on a can of soup?
When it comes to making decisions in our lives, we think we're in control. We think we're making smart, rational choices. But are we?
In a series of illuminating, often surprising experiments, MIT behavioural economist Dan Ariely refutes the common assumption that we behave in fundamentally rational ways. Blending everyday experience with ground-breaking research, Ariely explains how expectations, emotions, social norms, and other invisible, seemingly illogical forces skew our reasoning abilities.
Not only do we make astonishingly simple mistakes every day, but we make the same types of mistakes, Ariely discovers. We consistently overpay, underestimate, and procrastinate. We fail to understand the profound effects of our emotions on what we want, and we overvalue what we already own. Yet these misguided behaviours are neither random nor senseless. They're systematic and predictable—making us predictably irrational.

I would say this title was rather inappropriate. The title was after all the first thing that made me intrigued.  I disagree when he says that we are irrational, I take the stand of classical economists rather than the modern behavioural economists. This book really makes me feel as if they've got it all mixed up and over analysed.

I'm not sure that I really agree with the arguments that he has laid out to us about our behaviour, more so why it is IRRATIONAL in the first place when it is pretty rational why people do what they do.

His social experiments are overly simple - while they always say experiments should be simple but I really think that in certain cases they provide no depth to it. They are mostly done using students in prominent universities and therefore, can not be spread on the entire society  due to the restraints based on demographics. Most of all, these promising young students? Totally have a mind of their own and live in a idealistic world (how would I know? I am one of them, DUH.).
The experiments are also very artificial and limited in magnitude. It seems as if he draws conclusions upon limited experimental worth.
In other words his experiments were completely facile and did not add weight to his arguments leading to well, possibly excellent social science without substance.
Lastly some of the experiments he has listed to reference his arguments to are common and found in several other books I've read before giving no new information or possible thought process.

For example:

• In "Break the Cycle of Relativity", he states that we are often influenced by what is around us rather than making a decision rationally. I doubt human beings have the power do to so without reference. How we make decisions always weighs upon pros and cons, and what is that? Comparison.
So it is only natural that comparison becomes a rational thing to do because we cannot "live in a world of our own" as the "world does not revolve around us" and what's bad about that? Would you rather live in a world built up and habited by brats in a 5:1 ratio? I would think not. But I did find a comic worth in this first chapter: Always have similar looking/behaving friends but are just slightly less attractive than you are because after all people use comparisons and all of a sudden you're always the most attractive person among that specific group of friends due to relativity.

• In "The Cost of FREE!" he describes an experiment going about a stand of chocolates. Hersey's are free and Lindt chocolates are at a huge discounted price, most people go for free. Well firstly the sample group might have little or no knowledge of the worth and quality of Lindt, therefore falling back upon the principle of no loss of freebies.
  Notice as well that free normally works for convenience goods or (still cheap) shopping goods such as shampoo and computers because the decision is likely not to be extremely important thus they can be swayed towards temptation of "no loss". I'm sure you wouldn't be all easy when it comes to buying an education, a house or even a wife.

• In "Emotion in Decision Making" he tests how arousal changes our decisions we have previously made the the 'cool - rational state'. So they set up a questionnaire to be answered in a normal state and again when men have a copy of Playboy on hand. Using the data, Ariely argues that other high-emotion situations such as anger, frustration, and hunger have the potential to trigger similar effects on decision-making. In such situations our behaviour is fully controlled by emotions.
  It would be true that we change our decisions when we're "Ooh, baby. Yes, Yes, YES!" but we all know we're kinda lying to ourselves that we can still be rational. Who you men kidding about the condoms? However, I strongly disagree that this relation can be made with other emotions. Emotions such as anger, makes us more critical of things. It enables us to see more fault and critically analyse the fault in things. Notice how when you get angry at your significant other you realise a lot of things you hate about him and how you're able to make cause and effect relations at the snap of your neck? Not rational, it clears our smoke screen of sometimes blinded rationality.
  

Some topics are worth reading about, such as dishonesty, over-valuation and the fragility of social norms VS market norms.

Worth your time if you have an easy read and probably need at least one other person (a professor, I might add) to reinforce the ties you've made just by living your life as a normal human being with what most people coin "have a life".

Orgasm Via Doctumentary

Documentary porn

Well for men at least, whatever's there we women already know.

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/female-orgasm-explained/

Telephone Operators

I think you're never absolutely unhappy until you become a telephone operator. Every time you call them you can hear them scoffing at you under their breath and just waiting to get their souls back after hours. But I rather get these dead tree types any day than the other kind.

The other kind? I think most of the time they just deserve it. You got the worst job ever, because you didn't want to be a cleaner instead; not my fault shit-face. It's the same thing as a handicapped guy who's an asshole, he's still an asshole and I will treat him like an asshole.

These uneducated imbeciles who can't even pronounce let alone spell a common name right. The other day, I ordered in from Canadian Pizza, I repeated by name 5 times and even spelt it for her and the bill came to... Ms Sharo.

Why is it they have a template greeting but can't tell you that they first need your telephone number or postal code. But of course, when you know what they want and you tell them straight they go "huh".

Ooooh

Jeannette and I visited the tattoo parlor today to finally get our infinity sign tattoo that we've been pushing away for so long. Timely enough before the year ends at least. We both got the same font and size as well but she had hers on her hip and mine on my back.

I predicted that I would be going first, needless to say I really did; I bet that was due to warped expectations and the incidental power of attraction.

The pain was bearable, wasn't as painful as I had expected to be but I did react in the stillness of my body via facial expressions at certain points when the needle seemed to jolt into nerves/bones.

What's a bigger concern for me was the sore in my back after that and hoping that my body would still remain as the temple Terence would worship.

(Good)Christmas

Oh I dread Christmas. I can't stand the commercialisation of it, half the time people buy things that aren't useful at all. I understand the angel and mortal but never the random lots of draw.
Why on earth would you want to get presents that are unisex and potentially lethal to the tight body chocolate or what-the-fuck-am-I-supposed-to-do-to-that-even-mother-nature's-not-gonna-be-pleased-by-me-burning-it.

Nah, it's really not that I suffer from receiving crappy gifts but gift-giving is really much like an obligation to me.
Plus I don't see the point in an obligatory date, creativity and expertly marketed by Coco-Cola (especially). When I see something that reminds me of someone I get it, on the obvious condition that I have the financial means and my good friend didn't just insult me in the face.

However, the bitter side is that I have spent years - consecutively - spending it alone, often angry and terribly upset to tears. Nonetheless, I appreciate the time I've had alone at home without having to shovel through the crowd.

This year, it was simple and sweet. Unlike the other years I was with my significant other, happy and euphorically tingled.
Thank you 2010 for ending well, thank you God or the silly sick-mind cosmic forces for giving me a good last quarter of the year.

Box 21

By: Anders Roslund and Borge Hellstrom

Three years ago, Lydia and Alena were two hopeful girls from Lithuania. Now they are sex slaves, lured into Sweden with the promise of better jobs and then trapped in a Stockholm brothel. Suddenly they are given an unexpected chance at freedom and with it the opportunity to take revenge on their enslavers and reclaim the lives and dignity they once had. What will happen now that the tables are turned and the victims fight back?

This is probably a third in the fastest book I've finished this year. I loved the character development. A wide enough spectrum but not over powering number of main characters. The scenes are vividly described and compelling enough to bring emotions of disgust and shame. Emotions that are not easily felt else by experience. While the environment is artfully described and cinematic and scenes and actions are blunt and graphic.
The sensations felt will twinge at your spine, nauseate and enrage you.

Even though several editorials have noted the book to "take on a surprising number of twists", it could still be predictable for some of you. Still the message is clear and harsh as the book takes on the heavy guilt of 'shame'. A cop-whore-pimp-gangster novel with aged or fetal underlying personas.

It ended too abruptly, in despair and absolutely ugly. I wished for more to go on, what else happened afterwards? I had too many questions.

Maybe Roslund-Hellstrom wrote more than just a literary entertainment, it left me thinking a lot about the little known undergrounds.
The Washington Post left it was "a vehement reminder how brutal men can be".

The Real Adventure

I cannot imagine going back to how living was back then. As he appreciated my features and flaws, almost as if my hair always falls into place or that I am abstract piece waiting to be interpreted in many ways. I've never felt this beautiful being with someone.

We enjoy moments of silence and other times we keep reminding each other to hush our voices.

If I put all the qualities I'm looking for in a Venn diagram it'd be too small for anyone to be there, but there you are. There you are with that bold smile probably on stilts even with your lack of balance determined to be perfect for me. There you are with open arms, driving every inch of me towards you.

This is more than warmth and it's definitely more than a thrill. Every step of the way I actually exist in the feeling of love - I find it in everything we do and never so easily have I been able to transmit it through my words, eyes and even my toes.

I like it when my body is with yours. My sense of touch is heightened, my muscles relax and my nerves respond better. I like the way you feel my spine, a little twisted and cocked as it is. I like the way you feel so squishy in my arms, like a little girl and her favourite stuffed animal. I like kissing this and that of you, it gives such an electric twist, it kicks and it tastes like honey.
Like a substrate and enzyme, our skin touching becomes the active site. And when my body leaves you I'm no longer the same substrate, I'm a product; part of which I think you have secretly absorbed behind all biochemists.

It amazes me how I've teared in panic out of my own silly insecurities because you weren't there. It amazes me that I teared. As I was grasping the reason why these droplets formed. I knew then how afraid I was of losing you.

And sometimes pain still comes to me, never because you were inadequate but it comes to me in small estimations of the blows of anguish if you were gone.

Promise you'll stay and never go?

Songs of Our Childhood

Sometimes I like to stream on youtube songs of our childhood we've forgotten. Most of my early musical influence is credited to my brother's love for grooves and good beats. So here are a couple you might enjoy remembering in order of genre:




PS. I was a 911 girl true blue. No blackstreet boys, nsync, boyzone or westlife could beat that.

(Untitled Post)

One of my most prized possessions is my tiny library.
Clockwise from top left: Autobiographies and non-categorised, teenage fiction (HEH), mystery/thrillers, non-fiction (mostly economics), fantasy/sci-fi, chic-lit.

(Untitled Post)

Did a little dressing table revamping.

Who's Afraid of a little Terra Incognita

My family has gone into baby making mode for the past few years. The newly weds and the young marriages are all involved, the natural turn of the generation but they are springing up like daisies.

You hear the same worries and responsibilities every time you meet them. The most thought of is the one about education and enrichment classes. They pity their children at the same level of continuously pushing them towards excellence. Nevertheless, they always complain about how their children will never get a real childhood because of the social expectations and leverage - but at the end non - supplements.

Some noble father will say that he will never put his kids through that and just go for the bare minimum. He obviously does not understand social progress or what it is being a parent.

As if we got the same childhood our parents did. (In all general terms)
We barely had to take care of a handful of younger siblings, we had cool computer games to play instead of working our asses off to help feed the family, we went to school in buses and not walked for miles, meat was often seen on your plates and not rice with black sauce.
Most of all, we had so much free time to wonder about the universe, question physics, greater forces and authority. Sad to say that at our age, while our parent's minds were preoccupied with survival, we searched for "love" and ended up challenging the morals taught to us by engaging in one-off hot sexual activities in large numbers. This was not the outlier they had once in a while.

They will never ever be able to have the same childhood as us. What's a norm to them is bugging their parents to play games on the iPhone, being driven around, constant air-conditioning, 100 over channels at our finger tips and trying to get pass the parent guard on the computers.
Technology has been embedded in them like never before and this will not be the limit.
What's more is the pop-culture. The East becomes more democratic, the West well - may experience several worries.

While it is normal for the older generation to always compare and say that the past was better, simpler, free and more respectful; change is still the only constant (hahaha, I am so motherfucking cheesy).

How come we're not seeing that this race to get our kids to the top by looking upon their competition as a social help.
We've always said progress came from a more educated population. What's different now?
A more educated population gave us financial institutions, stocks and shares, longer lifespan, innovation and invention, medical breakthroughs, participatory nations, a way for us to help others better and globalisation.
This demographic quality has a bigger multiplier effect than we recognise.

Parenting is passing on skills for them to survive the coming future.
I would say the progress of mankind be comparable Brownian motion and with each generation a steady and compounding amount of heat will be applied upon us - we will also experience exponential heat increase in bedlam or the environment that will lead to our tragic fiery or ironically icy death... but I digress.

It isn't to say that it will be a happy thought hauling our future offspring into tuition centers, dance halls, community clubs, music schools and what not. I'm more concerned of how tiring it will be for myself and my kid than any "childhood" - that would be unbeknownst - he'll be missing out.

(Untitled Post)

Things to do:
Buy 2011 weekly diary, notebook and post-its
Alter more clothes
Buy cheap tripod
Put up never worn out before or pre-loved clothes for sale online
Get ears pierced

The Dreamers (Novel Series)

Well it really took me a year to finish it mostly because of finding the next book with the same cover artist. 

BY: David and Leigh Eddings (Sadly deceased)

1. The Elder Gods (2003)
2. The Treasured One (2004)
3. Crystal Gorge (2005)
4. The Younger Gods (2006)

David and Leigh Eddings introduce readers to their newly minted Land of Dhrall. Dhrall is under the gentle rule of four gods representing the four compass points. These gods are reaching the end of their terms of power when the god of the North brings four children who are destined to take over for them into his siblings' lairs. The children are dreamers and able to see the possible outcome of battles in a coming war with the evil creature that controls the wasteland at the center of Drahll's map. Thus, the gods and their young charges undertake quests to hire mercenary armies and thwart the invasion into their lands. The Vlagh is a creature whose more remarkable power is the ability to consciously direct the evolution of its minions, adapting them to the situation as required (the evolution is not instantaneous, but it takes months or even just days, as it is seen in the second book, The Treasured One). Most of Vlagh's creations are vaguely insect-like, venomous and violent, although some creatures have been bred human-like enough to pass as humans (and are used as spies). The creatures also share an Overmind, through which each of them knows and sees what the others do.

The last novel series before their death. Not as promising as their previous work, some of the books were extremely dull in the beginning.
Battle scenes were not as tactical as compared to his old work, they seemed lazy and it always seemed to be an unfair battle with the deus ex machina around. With too many characters springing about at different times and the use of civil names and real names for the younger Gods it was quite difficult to recognise whom was whom.

Usual style of immaculate writing was effortlessly devolved with juvenile dialogues that made me irk in disgust. Many predictable and redundant scenarios of repetition made me think if he had really forgotten what he had previously written. 

Some characters were fun to read, as usual there was good character development (for some of them at least) and associable on some points. The input of relationships, has still dramatically softened the hardness of the story line; some merriment from harshness.

The concept was excellent but it David and Leigh sadly, had not executed them well. And it was fun having a twist towards the usual God-over-man fantasy but it was very tiresome. I found myself buying the last book only on the thought of having a complete set and the last 10 chapters.

I guess it was hard to write as they both slowly withered away and wanted to leave something before they parted from us. With the lack of time I guess it would explain the make up of this series. It was rushed and utterly confusing. Mrs Eddings pass on a while after the last book "The Younger Gods" in 2006 and Eddings followed after her in 2009.

Eyeliner In Tears

Jeannette is going through something I recently had too. I call it the foster home and it took me a longer while than I had expected to get over. Someone we thought was something came into our lives and made days sweet, funny, enjoyable and interesting; yet in the end they left because we weren't something to them.
They took what they needed from us and they left.

It is certainly strange that we thought things were going places, progress is made, feelings are stirred but at the end it falls back to us being not good enough or not what they were looking for.
We are left insecure, questioning what went wrong, angry and yet upset but most of all, wondering if we did mean anything to that someone at all.
Were they blind or there was something but someone in their past already set the bar higher than we ever could achieve. 

So we're kinda sounding like sore losers in the dating game that went wrong. Even so I would think, we were kinda cheated into believing; we are not blank, inexperienced slates after all.

Digress: Out of my worried and slow state I threw a "Don't find love, love finds you." and at the instant I hit the send button. What the fuck does that mean at all? Things don't drop onto your lap just like that. :End of digression

I would think then that dating makes it all the more confusing. Makes you less confident in finding someone, it has been the reason after all why I don't date much, limited ex boyfriends and my relationships have been significantly longer than my peers.
Dating is pish posh.

I remember displaying things I am extremely regretful of: hope, drunk texts, over excitement and "maybe we can really be friends" even right after. My subconscious seemed to be stuck on him even though I consciously knew what to do and made effort to drift away.
After a bit, I managed to find cracks I hadn't before and I got over. I got - SO - over and well, realised that someone had more foresight than I did. Whatever greatness in that feeling I had back then was the maximum, it wouldn't have been more for a series of different permutations of actions, beliefs and measures.

So I kept calm and carried on. Apprehended these truths.
Waited for something bigger to drop onto my lap - well not really, I earned it.

Could Have

I don't know where I'm going to go with this I just want to write to feel better.

I don't regret where I am right now, where I came from and most of all what I am. Still, it lingers to me how it could have been much better and I still think I would have been the same person I am right now. I could have had a better foundation, planned time better, stayed away from wanderlust, be a better friend, be my mum's bestfriend, gone to a foreign university, explored something I never expected, fallen in love with a science, knew when to get out, stopped falling into holes and secure a better life for myself and the person I love.

Right now I'm feeling insecure for something that shouldn't even exist.

Like A Mother

I haven't had cramps that made me feel like I got food poisoning until now. Cramps with violent expulsion and vomiting.
I was having tummy problems earlier as well with indigestion. I really have forgotten how to enjoy food.
Life's good...

Well, Terence is keeping up with my awful groaning and has been trying to overdose me via self-medication armed with my huge medic drawer (I never knew I had so much unfinished medication!) so that I will stop trying to get his attention.
Heh, but I love my boy. I had about 5 different pills in case it was something else.
I made him lay with me in bed while we watched a couple of movies.
There's this great comfort when I lie on his chest. Very much different than the other men I've been with for some reason. The best I can explain in my limited vocabulary; I just feel myself being engulfed whole, shielding me with a fuzzy feeling.
Life's great.

Okay, so there's no direction in this entry I just wanted to go Amy whinehouse about my mother of all cramps.

(Untitled Post)

I'm currently in the midst of my exams and I can predict that this semester has been another wasted one. I have been very tired this year and need a good break. Unfortunately, I (and Terence) lack the financial funds or sponsors to go on a short holiday; so it's nowhere this year.

But I am earnestly looking forward to:
Going to museums, the pool, late-night movies, thieves' market, Haji lane with my love or friends.
The annual Christmas party at Jeannette's -  tradition.
Giving Terence his present. I actually spent more time on it than I normally would and the idea just keeps expanding to ridiculous proportions which make it fun but I knew I had to stop, else I'd look silly or those monomaniacal girlfriend types.
I want to read my books, tidy my room, paint my nails, consult a plastic surgeon.

Envi

Open publication - Free publishing - More wind turbines

This is our journalism project - to create a newspaper. Envi is a green paper that encompasses environmental issues into all aspects of alert. I really enjoyed this project and working with my group mates and we are quite proud of it.

Commentary on the Public Relation Efforts on the Chilean Miners Incident

 Miners are highly paid to compensate the daily dangers and health hazards they meet daily. However, a certain death is never to be taken lightly. The recent San José Mine collapse has come to the attention of the media and information distributors worldwide; extending the full coverage from start to finish. Many people around the world hold onto the hope for the survivors to make it until rescue and make a full recovery physically and mentally.
On the face of it, the handling of international media relations following the Chilean mining disaster has been a triumph and in depth, it appeared to strike the perfect balance between factual considerations, progress and a human touch.

In this essay, the public relation (PR) efforts discussed will be limited to the ones by the government as the owners were unable to respond and later filed for bankruptcy. The essay will proceed in the natural order of the crisis: introduction to the crisis, finding the survivors, contact with survivors, contact with survivors’ loved ones and other publics, the rescue, the aftermath of crisis and the conclusion.
In each part there would be some critique of one or more of the following: the media was used in favour, the organisation of the crisis management, keeping the involved parties and spectators pacified and the public speeches made.

On 5 August 2010, a cave-in occurred at the San José copper-gold mine, Chile. 33 men were trapped 700 metre underground. The miners survived underground for a record 69 days before being rescued to the surface.
The total cost of the rescue operation was estimated at US$20 million; a third covered by private donations with the rest coming from state-owned mining corporation Codelco and the government itself.

The trapped men were discovered 17 days later, as the government continued to search for them even though it was predicted that the miners would not have been able to survive such a period. It was an intelligent move to drill into the mine to probe into different parts of the mine where they were suspected to be at. As part of the crisis management philosophy (CMP), they analysed the situation well and from their previous experience - of trying to reach the miners via the ventilation shaft – knew that they had to use ways of minimal movement else the mine will crumble with instability.
When the miners had heard the drills approaching days earlier they were quick to prepare notes which they later attached to the tip of the drill with insulation tape when it poked into their space. President Sebastián Piñera showed the media a note written on a piece of paper with a red marker that confirmed the miners were alive. This was a great opportunity for PR as it enabled to move sympathy and hope onto the public watching by assuring the public that the miners were found and alive and that the president had great personal concern for his people.

Whilst the government made plans for a rescue they immediately formulated a way for them to send supplies to aid the miners until their rescue. Using the drilled hole that they had already made to locate the survivors, the government turned it into a medium for them to send down plastic capsules bearing essential items. Doing so, they also had help from NASA – astronauts potentially face similar situations with the miners – and called in experts to ensure that they are able to maintain physical and mental stability. The government were humble and open as part of the CMP, which enabled them to get expert help which could be crucial to their survival.
When the miners had reported of the lack of air, they also immediately drilled two additional holes; one for air flow and the other for communication equipment. It was commendable that the government had met more than just the necessities of the survivors but also took initiative to enable the survivors to have ready contact with them as well as their loved ones; to keep their spirits alive.

Camp Hope was originally set up when the word of the cave-in travelled to keep the hopes of the miners’ relatives alive as Chile is a religion ingrained republic. It became a place of worship and prayer but notably, became a place were the officials were able to spread word and inform them of any progress. The encampment grew larger and became more united as the arrival of friends lifted more optimism into the worried. Rescue and construction workers and members of the media also regularly visited the camp. As part of CMP, the government is able to readily and easily contact affected members extending from the miners themselves to those who are indirectly but strongly affected by the situation.
When workers felt stressed out or needed the strength they moved with the people’s prayers, while government ministers held regular briefings for journalists at the camp. They will be able to pacify them and give them information that they crave for. Camp Hope also served as a medium that allowed the government to keep in contact with national and international media parties so that their progress and efforts can be seen by all publics.
However there was speculation made by family members who began accusing Sebastian Piñera of politicizing the miners' plights. As his popularity was surging the family members felt that he did not actually care about the miners but rather was using the situation to gain good standings from the public. This would be a case of bad PR since the spokesperson seemed to lack humanity as deemed by the secondary audience.

The rescue mission involved not just one but three plans. This is praiseworthy as time was of the essence in this crisis. Initially the rescuers had been content with just one plan but when it failed they realised they had to do more and place back-ups for any failure. This is a firm stable structure in crisis management as the situation is frail there must be more support to salvage the circumstances. This rescue mission has once again showed humility and openness as suggested by the CMP. Companies and individuals from around the world, including Latin America, South Africa, Australia, the United States and Canada came to the Chilean miners with resources, technology and cooperation.
Apart from that, even though the rescue team were open to suggestions and ideas they remained firm on decision making and leading the rescue. This is a sign of great responsibility as a PR effort.

When one of the plans had succeeded in breaking into the survivor’s site with a hole large enough for extraction, the government took steps to prepare for it. This is important as any slight mishap could cause disastrous effects. Nobody wants a crisis within a crisis because of the lack of due diligence whilst pressed for time.
The rescue team also gave an estimation of the duration of the extraction; approximations are good PR as it helps to give the government foresight into the situation.

The rescue operation was named operation St. Lawrence a title that appropriately embedded the hope of the miners and the people after the patron saint of miners. Such titles are little things that PR efforts could come up with that could beautify and seemed to make best out of such calamity.
When the rescue team saw that it was safe enough to expedite the operation, they did so swiftly so as to complete the operation before the previously estimated duration. This was good PR was rapid response is essential to damage control.
The order of the miners rescued followed a three step of the most skilled, poor physical condition and lastly, the mentally tough. This was a good sequence as the first ones would be able to help in case any problems should arise whilst among the rest the mentally tough and spirited would have little qualms to giving way to those who are in greater need of resurfacing due to physical or psychological issues. However, Minister Mañalich had blatantly referred to the final group of mentally tough men "they don't care to stay another 24 hours inside the mine" because they were the ones who would be able to endure the anxiety of the wait. It was rather crudely put and gave the impression that Mañalich had no regard or thanks to those gracious enough to give way to those who in greater in. Even if, they “don't care to stay another 24 hours inside” their families would. It would have been much better if Mañalich had expressed his thanks and gratitude to the final group. After all if any misfortune should befall on the trapped miners again, the final group would be the ones to receive it.
Oakley had sponsored high quality sun glasses to aid in the rescue since the prolonged darkness may equate to a shock when the miners resurface. This was another good example of being open, instead of purchasing shady sunglasses, the government accepted Oakley’s donation that would effectively help the miners. However, Apple had also made a donation of iPods to the miners. It would puzzle most people that the government accepted the donation as iPods have no relevance to the rescue operation. Instead it degrades the human element in the operation and makes the event seem like a form of publicity. This is bad for both Apple and the government.
As the operation was filmed, it was a phenomenal sight for viewers especially those in Chile. It warmed hearts, brought people together, informed people and was rather life-changing for the locals. The leader in the surviving group had a brief but moving conversation with Piñera. After the last person was out, President Piñera personally covered the top of the rescue shaft with a metal lid indicating the completion of the extraction operations. Such dramatic and stirring events captured the efforts the government has made. All the previous PR efforts have led to this day; therefore it is essential that everyone witnesses the government leading up to the final moment of crisis management. Crisis recovery has thus been broadcasted to the public.

The miners were brought straight to the hospital were they were observed until they were stable enough to be discharged. While at the hospital the government guarded them with care to allow them to get enough rest whilst in the mass of media frenzy. The government kept caring for the miners even though the crisis was over, this follow-up improves their image and does not make them appear shallow.
The miners were also invited to a variety of activities, including a multi-denominational memorial mass led by an evangelical pastor and a Roman Catholic priest at Camp Hope, participating in a soccer match against their rescuers and most remarkably, the suggestion by Piñera to turn Camp Hope into a memorial or museum to honour the men. These activities of thanks and honour would keep the men’s spirits up.

Immediately following the San José mine collapse, Piñera gave notice to the top officials of Chile's mining regulatory agency and vowed to commence a major overhaul of the department. So far 18 mines have been shut down in the days following the accident and a further 300 may follow the same fate. It is uncertain what would become of San José mine; it is currently closed and will remain in oblivion for an extended period as judicial processes are followed. The government had followed the CMP of admitting their faults conversely, this was too much of a clear cut move that was needed to be made therefore this PR effort is not as laudable. The government had allowed this to happen in the first place because a simple inspection or stricter rules were not made. The government department had allowed the mine to be reopened even though it was unstable and also did not carry out follow-up regular investigation on the owner’s safety standards and emergency procedures.

Although a lawsuit has been filed against San Esteban Mining Company, it has been said that US$2 million in assets have been frozen and a lawyer for several of the miners' families described this as a denial of the company's declaration of not having even enough money to pay salaries. The government has still failed to tell or release information of what would happen to the owners. With such serious consequences it would be reassuring to hear of efforts of keeping them within police custody or guard, should they decide to flee from the country to avoid charges.

There has also been comparison of the PR of this incident to the Chilean earthquake. Some sceptics have felt that the efforts have been carried out only for Piñera’s political movement as previously the Chilean earthquake - that had affected many other people, some with adverse or even fatal effects – had not received such applaudable PR efforts.

There are never absolutes to anything. Albeit the loopholes and some disappointing or short-lived PR efforts the whole crisis management lead by the Chilean government were good. They had managed to cover the key aspects which are to admit their faults, know the involved parties, planned for the recovery, responded rapidly, were consistent, remained humble and open, showed concern to affected parties first, spoke with one voice, were “human” and remained in the limelight thereafter.
Perhaps there were some hiccups but overall they had managed to recover from the crisis successfully and without any casualties in the process. Another noteworthy effort was how they managed to make the crisis so life changing and left a great social impact upon the republic. Overall, it was a great success in terms of PR.

Shanghai No More

Today's my final day at Shanghai Jazz. I've decided to quit for a spectrum of reasons that pointed me to moving on for better good.
I will really miss my colleagues and my time working for Raymond.
Meanwhile, I'm a jobless broke fille.

Icecream men, Yoghurt Girls

Jeannette recently joined the Udders team as an ice-cream scooper.

Nigel had joined Ben and Jerry's quite some time ago as an ice-cream scooper as well. Since Nigel and I have a long history of tummy-kicking funny but high in sexual content conversations, I obviously came up with some sort of a correlation between genders and ice-cream scoopers.

Girls sell frozen yoghurt, men sell icecream; according to wrist muscle density. This is HRM for optimum capacity.

Men have more wrist muscle density because they jerk-off (although if this was a conversation I would blurt out "PUA CHU CHENG" now) more frequently and vigorously than women. Thus it is much easier for them to swiftly scoop out roll out a perfect ball of delicious creamy goodness. Women may find some difficulty in that and may look as though they are shoving into the bins. Slight mishaps could mean scoops flying into the glass window or psychological tick-off from frustration.

Women are more apt for frozen yoghurt because their elegance and dexterity allows them to gracefully pull of the perfect swirl as the yoghurt twirls into perfect pyramid. Look at Frolicks, all their employees are girls and they are also using sex appeal to sell a tasty healthy treat; how clever!

Whenever Jeannette tells me about her tired arm or sweating even in an ice-cream shop I remind her she's doing the wrong job.
HAHAHA.

(Untitled Post)

Why do schools want you to know everything at a brief level for 1000 modules instead of some but in great understanding? Now I don't know how to study. If I understand I'll know better and be peachy about it but there's no time to read in detail for that.

I'm having a lot of confusion especially for modules like Macroeconomics (and I already hated macro since A levels) which require deep understanding or a huge memory capacity for regurgitation. 

Most of all, TMD. Solutions are not supposed to be "refer to lecture slide/text pg/tutorial"