[Update 26/01/06 4:58am: URL to LH's personal blog has been removed based on her request]
I received 200++ emails after the exposé but this one really got my attention so I thought I would share it with you guys...
Dear Xialanxue,
I am emailing you just for a long chat. You don't have to reply and I write with the assumption that you are the real deal in Singapore blogdom.
I am just amazed that outside of your normal job, you have the time, extreme patience and determination to set up this blog and painfully track blog entries relevant to an expose. I set up my own personal blog in July 2003 for many motives, one of which since I spent a lot of time online and I enjoy keeping a diary, I might as well start a blog. I also began to check out some famous blogs, including Xiaxue's. I remember distinctly that I was not impressed after reading it a few times and so I stopped. Then, I began to post and read less and less and finally took a hiatus from blogging in August 2005. You can check out, if you want, my silly blog at *[URL has been removed based on LH's request]. I'd rather you don't though heh, 'cos it is really history.
Anyway, I stopped because some Singaporean blogs were, in my opinion only, becoming overrated and sensationalised by the traditional press. Blogging is a publishing tool to be lauded but I felt disgust and ashamed at the sort of opinions some famous bloggers which includes Xiaxue, were dishing out, through this unedited, unfiltered medium. I was appalled that my peers and teenagers could not judge for themselves what was good personal blogging, what was pure nonsense and bordered on the offensive and what were meek attempts at satire. I was saddened. The worse part was that bloggers like Xiaxue proclaim loudly that if one did not like it, one did not have to read her blog, and she has the prerogative to say what she wants. As you, others and I know, this is hugely irresponsible and does not equate to freedom of speech. Were Singaporeans so poor in judgement? I guess, as a nation, we have a long way to go to maturity. By the way, I am not saying I am an extremely good judge of character nor extremely mature. Also, I do enjoy Sarong Party Girl's blog and I see little wrong with her published naked pictures, since her writing is relatively mature. Anyway, I was hoping my peers and youths would just stop patronising Xiaxue's blog, but of course, that did not happen.
Hence, I was afraid that I could be making this error if I continued personal blogging, though I refrained from putting up personal photos of me and acquintances and eventually disabled comment feature since I was writing for release, not for an audience. Having a comment feature would effectively refute the claim that I was not writing for an audience and so I could write whatever the hell I want about my personal life. This argument has been put forth by Xiaxue and some others, but I honestly feel that if you did not want to write for an audience, you can disable comments feature or only provide access to your friends, family etc. Besides, there is nothing wrong with writing for an audience, but it will be highly hypocritical when you make an evident proclaimation that you are NOT, and then you add a comment tool nor make your blog private.
I began to abandon patronising local, personal blogs. To inject fun into my mundane life and due to my unexplained passion for entertainment, I just patronised gossip cum entertainment blogs, mostly by Americans. There was the usual dumbass or uncalled for comment, but it was a pretty refreshing change. I also avoided news on Singapore blogs. Yeah, I guess Singapore blogdom irritated me to that extent. Inspired, I recently set up an experimental entertainment blog. I might not have time to blog, but I just did anyway.
And then, I returned to Singapore blogdom and was surprised little had changed. In fact, the scandals became worse. Xiaxue became unbearable. I was also confused about the XX-Sandra-Celly vs Blinkymummy feud since I was out of the scene. After a while, I got it and I was again freaked out and disgusted by Singapore blogdom. Then I came upon your blog. When I started reading your expose(s), I was honestly thinking, man you really have to get a life and not waste time on this. However upon further reading, I began to appreciate your motives and realised your importance in Singapore blogdom. My background in media, communications and cultural studies also increased my appreciation. Here, I wish to salute you for such proactive efforts. I also salute you for writing in a disclaimer style, because I try to do that myself, since some people like to recklessly jump at a comment. I think it's very tiring to write like that, but there is little choice, not only in blogdom, but in cyberspace.
Anyway the recent episode about Xiaxue impersonating you and Tomorrow's compromised judgement is hugely disappointing to me. I just want you to know that you have my support. You may close your blog one day, but the little you have done heartens me.
By the way has anyone asked Dawn Yeo outright whether she has had plastic surgery? I mean it's just a yes or no. I have nothing against plastic surgery and assuming she did, the end result looks good. I did try to search for a yes/no to that question, but she seems to digress to other stuff in her long posts. Oh well.
Cheers,
LH
*****************************
Work is really piling up so I shall concentrate on clearing my deadlines first before anything else. I am glad that people are finally taking the initiative to speak up against the racism that sparked all these in the first place and I am glad that I am able to help make the issue salient. Anyway, do continue to send in your emails - I won't promise I will reply but I do promise that I will read them.
Trackbacks:
Xiaxue - The Exposé [xlx]
Xiaxue - The Exposé Part 2 [xlx]
A Message to The Malingering [Nadia]
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/95394.asp
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/95806.asp
Online petition against XX
Decide for yourself [xlx]
We won't tolerate racists too [xlx]
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21 comments:
That was awesome.
Dawn Yeo was in the papers today!
The reporter asked her whether she had plastic surgery..
She replied: "Don't judge me by my appearance"
So Duh Right!
I think she did have plastic surgery.. more specifically a nose job chin maybe.. eye lids too
If she didnt she would have said no liao
Think both xx and Dawn v similar.. both guilty then don't dare outright deny
Of course Dawn is way prettier than xx no matter whether she had plastic surgery anot and whether xx photoshops herself until perfection
i like dawn better
Nice letter you wrote to yourself and paid another blogger to say they wrote it!
Of course with "comment moderation enabled" no one will ever see this but YOU, you big fat liar!
Nice try Wendy..
Next time don't leave such obvious comments okay?
Well..xiaxue supporter..you said that XLX wrote this letter to herself..but as far as I can see..not a substantial % of the letter is dedicated against XX ma..moz of it is abt the local blogsphere..so what's wrong with that? Isn't there suppose to be a freedom of speech around here? =)
don't think anyone will be as boliao as u leh xiaxue
stir up so much shit liao still want to come here and crap??
xx professional blogger? gimme a break...she is just a lazy bum who refuse to work
haha..the honorable do not need to resort to posting up "fan mail" to validate themselves.
xlx, are you sure you're at peace with yourself? haha.
to vic who commented, xiaxue is guilty of impersonation and stirring up hate, but why lump dawn with her? dawn is not guilty of anything... the fact is rather we are guilty of being busy-bodies, gossip mongers, & green-eyed monsters.
and yes i agree, xiaxue is no professional blogger, she's a has-been with a blind following.
wow... this is so hilarious. tsk tsk tsk... it's like "eat the cake forget to wipe the mouth"
i really think she should dig a hole and hide herself. no need to dig too deep cos she's so stout, maybe a bit wider can.
maybe there should be a petition for her blog to close down instead of the "ban aerosol" shit, so that Xiaxue can leave Wendy alone and let her find a proper job.
There comes a point where you know you should stop wasting your time because they'll never get it.
As for Dawn, give that girl a break. It's already pretty obvious that she's had plastic surgery based on her dodgy answers, but she's obviously not very comfortable with coming out into the open about it, so quit bugging her already. The more you guys harp on it, the more defensive she'll become, because you guys are attacking one of the biggest life choices she's made. It seems more of a cheap thrill than anything else that everyone wants her to say "yeah, I had a nose job/chin job/whatever" simply because she's unwilling to say it. She's getting too much fire for something so minor. Plastic surgery isn't a crime, people. Did people in the past get shot down because they applied some make-up to change the shape of their eyes, or plucked their eyebrows? Think about it.
Comment moderation was probably put in place to prevent useless flame posts that go "AAAHHHH YOU SUCK XX RULZ SHE IZ DE WIN EUU IS TEH LOSE" by XX's supporters. Flames hurt a discussion more than moderation does.
Dear XX,
please don't wrongly accuse others of doing what you have done.
http://writerjournal.com/?p=53
wah the ban xx petition got 400++ signatures liao. I read the comments there I want to laugh!!
I just bumped into her in the lift in Wisma Atria. Unlike what I thought, no she wasn't a loud person, although wow that was a chunk of makeup she put on. I had disliked her judging from her blog alone, but now that I've met her I realize she's a person... she's just like any other young adult lady... and many of us at this age are insecure of our looks, and how people look at us.
The thing is, I once supported a stand to get XX off TNP, and in fact I reported her to an editor who had been utterly clueless of her blog contents. While I may not have been the one who pointed out she had broken editorial standards in TNP, I believe I may have triggered the awareness of it.
While I still think that XX deserves to be censored, I think that the only way to rest this saga is simply to 1) leave her alone. After all, she's already digging her own grave, and with this blog set to point out at all her mistakes, the insecurity is just caving in. I'm sure any of you out there, once in the media, doesn't want to cave in and become old news. Looks make a celebrity, and while she may not be considered "beautiful" by many, pointing all that out is probably what is making her want to cover up everything on her blog. Look at how many of you comment on her looks. Desperation will claw in after a while, and I'm sure the intense scrutinization she's under is punishment for any anti-XX fanclub. Think she's delusioned? I don't think so. I think she's very much trapped.
Really... as adults... why make such a big fuss over her in the end? Having an anti-XX ban? Goodness, hasn't she ruined herself enough?
Then let this be a lesson to other hopeful blog celebrities ... people are critical, and there's plenty a bone to pick when you set up a website. If you're not mature enough to handle extremely harsh comments and try to make childish, ego-centred and immature defenses, what happened to XX is bound to happen to anyone. B.t.w XLX, why not just leave things be, especially when they're not direct affairs of yours.
Okay, time for me to scuttle off, shut up and finish typing the rest of my other 6 journalism class assignments. *sighs deeply*
I'd hate to appear as painfully patronising, but thank God for Xialanxue. Scandals and gossips aside, it's heartening to read something with value-add and common sense. Not some junk about orgasm and senseless whining just about everything under the sun; from foreign workers to banning foam sprays. Oh, and lets not forget meeting up with other bloggers to pen the most stupid poem (?) I have ever read in my entire life. How old is she again?
-Jo
i don think this entry is written by Xialanxue.The writing style is so diff.Anyway i love ur blog beta then XX.Jia You XLX :P
And I have to add that just because she has my small support and salute, it doesn't equate that I think of Xialanxue's blog as perfect journalism at work. I am not that intelligent enough nor accredited to rank her writing.
All I am doing is praising her refreshing and fairly mature style of blogging : ) Thanks!
dawn looked damn weird in FHM..totally unlike her blog pics.
wahahah my friend just showed me her new photo website http://clapbangkiss.shutterfly.com
damn chio man but yeah fhm quite weird.
and xlx, just do what you think is right. you may have haters but you have supporters as well
Erhm I wrote an earlier post BEFORE lh 031519. Where did it go? Anyway, Xialanxue, my email was for your eyes only. Please delete my previous URL address, 'cos it is very personal to me. I did not delete it, because it's a sort of archive for me. Thanks.
My email to Xialanxue was my own subjective, personal lament on the state of Singapore blogdom to one person, not to the mass audience. Hence the strong words on my part. I have never published comments on anyone's blog regarding any blogging scandal (please read this phrase carefully), because the commenting ping pong game is tiring and unproductive for me. That was my first email or comment on Singapore blogdom to a stranger.
There is no need for personal attacks on my part since I don't even know Xiaxue etc. But opinions are fine with me. Are we not capable of individual thoughts? Please don't misconstrue my lament as a malicious attack on Xiaxue etc. Please do not think I feel fun, personal, bitchy blogs are not intellectual reads or are worthless.
Besides, people are capable of thinking for themselves. Arguable, but let's just think positive. I just feel that dialogue, debate and opinions are still important.
I hope this is my last comment. Cheers, all : ). The Internet is just full of a lot of things. Life goes on. I and others who I repeat, DO NOT HATE Xiaxue etc., can write a whole academic essay and justify everything we say, but some will still not get it. At the same time, I and Xialanxue can appear physically in front of you and produce supporting documents, but you might still say Xialanxue wrote the email heh.
Hating/disliking/disagreeing with a blogger's writing is different from hating/disliking the blogger. Some choose to combine both. For those who HATE Xiaxue the person, then up to them lah.
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