The unDEAD DC Boards Lounge version 7.1

[fifthfiend]

It lived on for like another 2 seasons on the Sci-Fi Channel. I don't like to think about that last season, though.

Two totally ******** seasons.

CROMAGS

 

[Watchman]

I finally got around to watching The Prisoner (bought the blu-ray set for a good price on eBay awhile back), and the first three episodes were bloody fantastic. Some of the effects and sets are dated, but besides that, holds up incredibly well for a show done in the '60s.

Nice to know. Mine just came in the mail today.

 

[twylight]

The only grudge I have against Fox is Sliders.

Man, I ****ing loved Sliders.

Frick. I remember watching Sliders with my mother when I was little. At least one of my parents appreciates sci-fi. I loved that show.

One of the biggest issues during my little country's Parliament elections was the issue of immigration, legal or otherwise, being out of control and essentially displacing the local population by being granted managerial positions, places in top tertiary education centers (to which they excel in I'll admit) and housing and so on.

This is especially dangerous for a guy like me, a mix of two NOW-minorities and part of a religion viewed as backward and extremist to deal with. In the 80s-90s, the ruling party espoused the 'Learn English' campaign and vehemently believed that the mastery of the English language would be important for future generations. Thus the official National Language which is Malay (despite the country being majority Chinese even back in the day) was no longer promoted even though all official Acts passed in Parliament are first drafted in Malay (more symbolism than anything). Hence while most minorities speak both English and their native language, the bigger criteria for employment back then was good spoken English.

These days, with the Chinese economy growing strong and essentially shaping the economic policies for most countries in the ASEAN realm, the ruling party was singing a new tune and Mandarin was now the focal language, either to attract more mainland Chinese investors or to make things easier to Chinese immigration to the country. A main criteria for most work places now is bilingual skills: English and...Mandarin. Which needless to say leaves a lot of us ***** out of luck. It isn't so bad yet but there was a time where the Malay population of the country stood at about 23% but now edges closer to 19%. The local Chinese population isn't exactly thrilled either. These PRCs (People's Republic Chinese) mostly converse in mainland Mandarin and most locals prefer speaking a mix of dialect and Mandarin.

Fears of Sinicization are abound, the minorities already feeling the pinch of higher numbers of unemployment and alienation by the majority who are also coping with the larger numbers of PRC immigration to the country.

Look to Europe and you'll see immigration fears stemming from Islamophobia, the belief that Northern African immigrant to these countries are slowly trying to displace the local population (either through alleged terrorism or a population explosion) despite these communities being mired in poverty, crime and low standards of living supposedly attributed to their backward culture and Islamic belief.

Immigration is a pretty difficult thing to argue for or against. I'm not happy that a job that I'm qualified for can't be given to me because I can't speak Mandarin especially since I was a by-product of the ruling party's previous policies (I scored A1 in my GCE 'O' Levels English) but I suppose I have to either adapt or be left behind. Not a lot of people can accept that though. Why should I let a foreigner who wasn't even born here take my place in schools, take my job and later let him/her be granted citizenship to better integrate them into the local society?

It's honestly really interesting to read the opinion of someone who's experienced immigration issues in another country and in a different capacity.
I guess my issue is, that their choice is military or college. I don't think people realize that college is a privilege. It's almost taken for granted, college isn't a right or a given, it's a privilege. Who would be paying for them to go to college? Would they be allowed to apply for scholarships and grants? Would there be grants/scholarships set up just for them? Getting those are as competitive as it is. Would they take out loans? etc etc

 

[Tron Bonne]

Nice to know. Mine just came in the mail today.

By hook or by crook, you'll like it.

 

[Watchman]

By hook or by crook, you'll like it.

Hope so. It looks like it's up my alley. I hear the ending is so bat**** crazy that it drove McGoohan out of the country.

 

[Tron Bonne]

Hope so. It looks like it's up my alley. I hear the ending is so bat**** crazy that it drove McGoohan out of the country.

Haha, seriously? I don't know much about it, only that it was referenced in The Invisibles at some point. I can't remember when, but it was something like, 'It's like how you feel when you saw the final episode of The Prisoner or something.' It stuck with me.

 

[Watchman]

The Invisibles just bleeds Morrison's love of 60's British spy shows which was also the first time that I've heard of the show.

 

[sandwraith]

Frick. I remember watching Sliders with my mother when I was little. At least one of my parents appreciates sci-fi. I loved that show.



It's honestly really interesting to read the opinion of someone who's experienced immigration issues in another country and in a different capacity.
I guess my issue is, that their choice is military or college. I don't think people realize that college is a privilege. It's almost taken for granted, college isn't a right or a given, it's a privilege. Who would be paying for them to go to college? Would they be allowed to apply for scholarships and grants? Would there be grants/scholarships set up just for them? Getting those are as competitive as it is. Would they take out loans? etc etc

Here in my country (which I will not name), National Service is the great equalizer for men of all races, languages, religions and social standing. Crapping in the same dug latrine and sharing toilet paper out in the field tends to create weird bonds of camaraderie among the locals. As part of their effort to integrate immigrants into society better, 2nd generation immigrants are required to complete the mandatory 2 years of service after which they can choose to be sworn in as citizens (elevating the whole family to the same status) or simply request for permanent residence status. I might have had issues with taking orders from a LT who wasn't born here early on but I figured if he had solid command, who was I to argue with his commission.

But the education bit is a little dodgy. Say for example a Chinese savant wants to study in the most prestigious university here, he/she will be required to sign a bond (or as I like to call it, indentured servitude) that post-graduation, he/she will need to become part of the local workforce for a number of years. She/He won't be required to sit for certain tests to determine his/her entrance and English which is still a major requirement for local students to gain entry is not enforced for these foreign students. Yes, they do pay higher fees but then the question is in the government letting these students enter universities just to fill the faculty's coffers at the expense of local students who are probably gonna be denied because they missed the grade by a couple of marks.

Thing is, these students won't go back to their homes after they graduate. Why would they? They have an education, a job and if they can marry local women, they can easily start a life as permanent resident, leaving the task of gaining citizenship to their poor firstborn son who'll probably need to serve the country in some capacity.

In the end, who wins?

 

[Darthphere]

I'm so angry or drunk or both!

 

[Tron Bonne]

No, you aren't

 

[Kane52630]

I NEED MORE ALLOWANCE, YODELAYEE!

 

[Tron Bonne]

You have allowance? How old are you?

 

[Darthphere]

No, you aren't

Yeah you're right. I've moved on to not giving a ****. Somethings will never change, that's just the way it is....

 

[Kane52630]

You have allowance? How old are you?

clearly, you are not a kid of the 90s.

 

[Kane52630]

Behold, Codename Sailor

 

[Colossal Spoons]

I NEED MORE ALLOWANCE, YODELAYEE!

Why? Because I doooooooooo

 

[Tron Bonne]

clearly, you are not a kid of the 90s.

I guess not. What the **** are you talking about.

Yeah you're right. I've moved on to not giving a ****. Somethings will never change, that's just the way it is....

Okay, Darth, I'm listening.

 

[twylight]

Yeah you're right. I've moved on to not giving a ****. Somethings will never change, that's just the way it is....

Curses. Foiled. Drunk guys are so easy. It's even better when they're angry.

 

[sandwraith]

8 more posts till the END!

 

[Tron Bonne]

Behold, Codename Sailor

Ah, well. I did watch some Doug back in the day but don't really remember that.

 

[Kane52630]

8 more posts till the END!

Lets make it worth it.

KILLER TOFU!!!

[YT]p7c3bQQmwVE[/YT]

 

[Tron Bonne]

Weren't they an actual band, too?

 

[Darthphere]

Curses. Foiled. Drunk guys are so easy. It's even better when they're angry.

We can still go to iHop.

 

[Anubis]

So, I miss anything important?

 

[Anubis]

Anything at all?