Happy Feet

Would you want Happy Feet?

To my RH/NUS Friends

To you my friend who are still in RH and/or NUS and undergoing the many stresses of this exam period (if any at all):

All the best in your preparations and the exams!
While you stay up late studying really hard, do remember to keep yourself hydrated, well fed, and fit (exercise a little) to keep illness away!

Till i see you again soon... jiayou!

Layman: "Navy vs Commando"

I heard this from colleague HongTat who read it on the Internet,
the amusing perspective of the layperson:

What is the difference between
Navy Sailors and Commandos
during war?

"Commandos - When the war bell sounds, the Commandos get recalled and rush to their camps within 2 hours, pack their heavy bags, ready their powerful weapons, load up onto their sophisticated transports, get briefed in their well-equipped staging area, board their sophisticated helicopters, rappel down their specially constructed rappelling ropes, looking through their technologically advanced night vision goggles... then plunge bravely into battle, get shot and die heroic deaths.

Navy Sailors - When the war bell sounds, the Navy sailors get recalled and rush to their camps within 2 hours, pack their heavy bags, embark their sophisticated (and some say stealthy) ships, then watch CNN: watching the Commandos rappel down their specially constructed rappelling ropes, looking through their technologically advanced night vision goggles... then plunge bravely into battle, get shot and die heroic deaths."

Is this your version?


If it is, i recommend some general articles (on Wikipedia):
Navy, Naval Tactics, Singapore's Navy,
Commando, Singapore Armed Forces

Other sites that might be of interest to you:
> Republic of Singapore Navy (click)
> Singapore Commandos Formation (click)
> "1969 - Elites of the SAF", Straits Times article (9 Aug 1989) (click)

Take a Fix

Bearing from a buoy? No
Bearing from a beacon? Yes
Range from a beach? No
Range from a cliff? Yes
Angle between two trees? No
Angle between two points? Yes
Elevation of the rooftop? No
Elevation of the sun? Yes
Criss cross forming a triangle? No
Criss cross at a point? Yes
Time elapsed exceeding 3min? No
Time elapsed within 1min? Yes

Take a fix...

First Ride in the Rain

It started raining sometime last night and it was still pouring at wakey-wakey, but work wasn't going to be cancelled just because of rain, and i still had to get to work on time.

After donning everything under shelter, and looking like some alien creature with plastic skin and a breathing tank on my back, i trudged out into the rain. I proceeded with extreme caution: Slow and steady all the way...

The raindrops pattering against the body, even against double-layere of raincoat and t-shirt underneath could be felt (quite painfully) and by the time i arrived at work, my bag was all wet. Fortunately it was relatively water resistant and my laptop was aye-okay.

Glad it was an incident-free trip during my first encounter with rain... a hassle of course, but it shouldn't be a problem once i get used to it. =)

It's Smokin'!

While on the way back today, as i stopped at a red light, i saw thick white smoke coming from below!!! Alarmed and quite nervous as to what to do (and with the other vehicles next to me wondering whether there was a fire or BBQ or something) i turned off everything and strained to figure out the source of the smoke.

Looked left, looked right...
but cannot see anything 'cos the thick white smoke was too thick.

Unable to ascertain the problem, i started up and carried on the short remaining journey back. I had a suspicion it was a plastic bag that had gotten incinerated on a metal partalong the highway but i wasn't going to take any chances, and i decided to go to the workshop to have it checked out.

Michael "eh, smells like plastic... ya lah, it's a plastic bag"
Me "oh, err, oops! -blush- Does this happen often?"

At least i learnt something new today.

Quick

Just a quick shout out before her birthday is over...

Happy Birthday Mich!

All the best with all your extra curricular projects!

Injured, again

Everything was ok today... woke up late, washed and waxed the bike, read about one of America's pivotal naval battles, enjoyed the company of old friends over tea and dinner, then i got injured at 2230H.

When you're injured, again, for the second time in two weeks, you might think that your leg is telling you something, that your friends don't love you anymore, or that you might just be jinxed.

10 things to do you do when you get injured on multiple occasions at the same area/region within a short period of time and you can't take it anymore:
1) Cut/Amputate the injured part to prevent further injury
2) Inject morphine as and when required
3) See the doctor and get an MC; skip work the next day
4) Apply emergency leave on account of being unable to bear the pain
5) Do one/none of the listed and wear protective gear for life
6) Cry and run to your parent/guardian/girlfriend/boyfriend/pet dog
7) Commit suicide; life doesn't want you in it
8) Commit suicide; the injurer/s don't want you alive
9) Combine two or more of the above 8 options
10) Reconsider one of the above nine options

I'll be wearing an ankle guard for the next few months.
...but on which ankle, or both?

What do you say to this..?

"very hurt, hope you come back for my funeral"

Context:
Mr A hasn't gone home for the past 8 months.
Mr A hasn't seen anyone from home for the past 8 months.
Mr A replies SMS/emails occasionally.
One week ago, Mr A gets sms "hope you come home this weekend"
Mr A didn't reply immediately; hasn't replied.
Two days ago, Mr A gets sms "hope to see you on saturday"
Mr A didn't reply immediately.
Today, Mr A sends his sister an sms "won't be home today"
Just, Mr A gets sms "very hurt, hope you come back for my funeral"

Do you:
1) get frustrated, and walk away?
2) ignore the sms and just carry on?
3) reply, if so, reply what?

Mr A's in a fix and i don't want to give him any advice 'cos i know the advice i give him won't be good advice.

CB101: "How to Crash Your Bike"

That's the 4hr lesson i'll be going through starting 6hrs from now.

CB101 = Crash Bike 101
The only lesson you'll ever need to crash a bike.

Step 1: Ride (really) fast fast
Step 2: Ride towards something
Step 3: Ride on, unwavering and holding on tight
Step 4: Crash

Note: CB201 isn't available 'cos CB101 ensures you crash, only once.

Updates to follow (if i'm still alive)...

Update 13th Nov 2005, 1am
I was mistaken; it is not a "how to crash your bike" course.
It is a "Defensive Riding Course".

The 4hr course teaches you defensive techniques when riding...
1) how to negotiate tight corners - we did tight cornering maneouvres around strategically placed cones with the lean-out posture and at the end of it we were timed to see how fast (and stable) we could complete the cone-circuit
2) how to negotiate corners fast - we sped around the circuit performing high speed turns with lean-in and lean-with postures, scraping the kerb and side of the bike at times
3) how to control skidding - patch of ground was deliberately made wet and we were to go over it real fast then jamming on the rear brakes, causing the bike to fishtail; we were given the chance to experience and control actual a skidding fishtail
4) other relevant stuff related to safety while riding

It was a good course and i'd recommend it to you if you want to experience riding at a higher skill level. Through the 4hrs you will learn your limits to the certain situations, enabling you to ride safer because you will understand what you can and cannot handle.

BBQ Dinner

Hilarious!
Dinner with Clare, Sam & Audrey, Justin & Daisy, Tommy & Minh.

Sumptuous!
Ate a buffet-load of Pineapple, Banana, Apple, Tomato, Cucumber, Brinjal, Zookini Zucchini, Mushroom, Chicken, Beef, Lamb, Fish, Cuttelfish, Prawn, and drank mugs of pineapple lemon tea.

The RH Alumni AhPeks:
1) Justin said "Bananas are purple and Brinjals are green"
2) Tommy brought his date: Minh, Vietnamese Mail Order Bride (highly-educated and currently pursuing his Masters)
3) Minh likes Sausage Buns, a lot, and The Fight For The Sausage Bun between Justin & Minh brought us 5 full minutes of laughter
4) Sam wants to get (but can't afford) a credit card, so he'll settle for a Platinum supplementary-card (in his dreams) instead

To: Perle Kam

I wanted to wish you a Happy Birthday.
I sent you an SMS this morning wishing you Happy Birthday, but received no reply. Then i tried calling you in the evening to wish you and ask if i could give you a birthday treat, but i heard this instead: "the number you dialled is no longer in use".

I don't know if you will see this, but...
Happy Birthday Perle.

Selamat Hari Raya!

...to all my friends who celebrate the occasion!

Went to Faizal's place today at his invitation to celebrate, and he had a whole spread of delicious food for us, especially prepared by his family. Quite a few RH friends went too and we talked, joked, and had our fill with great company, yummy food and two tubs of ice cream to top it all off!

Selamat Hari Raya Faizal!