Tragedy in South Asia and South East Asia

A massive earthquake happened west of Sumatra, Indonesia. An undersea movememt, in the Indian ocean.

The tremors were felt within the region. Buildings collapsed, lives were lost. Affected people were at a loss.

What happened next was beyong people's imagination. The rain doesn't just come, it hit hard from above, destroyed everything in its path and drag anything which survived back to its watery depths.

Thailand, Indonesia and India were badly hit by tsunamis, tidal waves caused by the earlier earthquake. Other nearby countries were hit, Malaysia etc. Far away on the other side of the Ocean, East Africa were hit and lives were lost also.

So far, as it stands, close to 70,000 people were killed. Over 100,000 injured. Many more were missing. 2 island groups of India were wiped out, presumed death or missing as no contacts were established since the disater.

My deepest condolences to those who lost relatives and friends. Do live strong and survive as the victims will live on, in the memory and hearts of the others. I beseech others to help the survivors to overcome this tough period.

Merry Christmas!

A merry Christmas to all!

Moved...

Shifted my office seat to another location.

I hated the move as it leaves me pretty exposed to the whole office and virtually almost everyone can see what I was doing. sighx..........

To keep stats or not to keep

Started keeping a visitor counter on the blog after getting Google Advertisements on this blog. Helps me to know how many ppl visited this blog and out of this group, how many may go on to visit the ads and help me earn some petty cash (Hint Hint : go click those ads! hahahaa)

Just added my wishlist to this blog but hahah nobody responded to it. Well, judging by the lack of visitors, kinda hard to hit the 1st target and I am showing a second target! The wish list is just hopeful thinking on my part. Never expects it to materialise also!

The visitor counter shows some 100 odd visitors now, of most it is me myself who visits it and most likely some random surfing by other bloggers.

To keep the counter or not to keep... in a way, it is a dilemma. Anyway, I am lazy to take if off the page. Hopefully, I will enjoy increased traffic.

Sinful Christmas!

Although Christmas is never celebrated like this in Singapore, it is still interesting to hear how countries celebrate common festivals in different ways. hee

By Craig Wilson, USA
TODAY

I hate this time of year. Not for its crass commercialism and forced frivolity, but because it’s the season when the food police come out with their wagging fingers and annual tips on how to get through the holidays without gaining 10 pounds.

You can’t pick up a magazine without finding a list of holiday eating do’s and don’ts. Eliminate second helpings, high-calorie sauces and cookies made with butter, they say. Fill up on vegetable sticks, they say.

Good grief. Is your favorite childhood memory of Christmas a carrot stick? I didn’t think so. Isn’t mine, either. A carrot was something you left for Rudolph. I have my own list of tips for holiday eating. I assure you, if you follow them, you’ll be fat and happy. So what if you don’t make it to New Year’s? Your pants won’t fit anymore, anyway.

1) About those carrot sticks. Avoid them. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they’re serving fudge.

2) Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. You can’t find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It’s not as if you’re going to turn into an egg-nogaholic or something. It’s a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It’s later than you think. It’s Christmas!

3) If something comes with gravy, use it. That’s the whole point of gravy. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they’re made with skim milk or whole milk. If it’s skim, pass. Why bother? It’s like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

4) Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people’s food for free. Lots of it. Hello? Remember college?

5) Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year’s. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you’ll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

6) If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don’t budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They’re like a beautiful pair of shoes. You can’t leave them behind. You’re not going to see them again.

7) Same for pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or, if you don’t like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

8) Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it’s loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards, mate.

9) And one final tip: If you don’t feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven’t been paying attention. Reread tips. Start over. But hurry! Cookieless January is just around the corner.

Oh my! Great article, don't you agree? Hahha

Off to Kuala Lumpur!

Will not be in Singapore for the weekend as I will be travelling north to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for a short weekend getaway! Well, I dun blog in the weekends anyway =P

Hope to have a good break and great shopping experience!

The day after long weekend

*yawns*

Long weekend does not seem long enough for me.
Basically spend the weekend at Ann's place. Stayed up 2 nights to watch soccer.
Managed to reduce my soccer bet deficits to less than $10 and hoping to turn the book back to black but due to World Cup qualifiers, International Friendlies, there are no other soccer leagues at all. So far, World Cup has not been kind to me so a bit apprehensive on betting on them at all.

Due to the extended watching of the soccer matches and going out on the weekends, did not have a good rest until yesterday. Went home earlier to rest and do my stuff. However, once brother came back, I have no use of the PC at all.

Well, nvm, it forced me to rest more and hence today do not feel terrible!

Bush in, Kerry out, Hilary next?

This is not meant to be a political blog, just my personal views on the US elections even though I am not a US citizen but the repercussions are heavy on the world when terrorism is an important issue.

Bush won with a 51% popular votes and an unconvincing 284 (estimated) electoral votes over Kerry 242 (estimated) electoral votes. Personally I feel that the electoral vote system (winner takes all) is not a great system and should be subjected to some fine-tuning.

I have hoped for a Bush win as Kerry does not seems to be a better choice. He looks unconvincing on the war against terrorism and he looks more intending in resolving Bush's problems created in the past 4 years rather than building a new hope. If there is any letup on the war against terrorism, even if he can recover the economy better than Bush, a terror strike will destroy whatever he has built up.

It is a case of not supporting Bush but rather Bush than Kerry. Simply, I am not favouring Kerry and the only other viable option is Bush.

Still remember me?!

Woo!
Almost a week has gone by w/o me blogging. Been kinda bz during work and I don't blog on weekends. Will try to blog a bit tonight? Tmr will have time to blog more!
Some travel plans and soccer news.

A stroke of luck

Bought Toto for yesterday draw of $1.5million.

While walking to the bus stop, heard the 1st 2 numbers of toto being released on radio. Check my tickets and realised one set of numbers do have the 1st 2 numbers. I was very excited as this could mean that I may ends up having a big prize.
Even though after checking, I only have matched 4 numbers which gives me a prize of $30. Though little, it breaks my winless streak for a while. Luckily I stopped myself from buying soccer bets which will cause me to lose money also.

Hopefully, my luck will turn around a bit and ends up well.

Interesting blog

Audio Blog!

Heard of an audio blog before?
Try looking at this! Cool Blog!

Hmmm.. okie I promise you that I will put up hyperlinks to interesting / useful sites once i have the time to sit down and do some html coding. Hee

Crossroads

Got a call from my agent. It was a scheduled call to discuss my new contract.

It was an offer too good to be true. Pay increase of $400 which is abt 18% increase of my current salary. Better benefits will be negotiated by the agent to the coy. A possible chance to convert to perm direct after contract ends next year.

The increase is good which makes me tempted to stay on for the money and a better bargaining position next time round. Abt the conversion to perm, if it is true, then it is good as it will mean a stable job already plus entitled to all benefits for staff.

Anyway, will go for the interview tonight to find out more and see the job prospects and see how is it. Who knows, there might be a better offer around.

If I stay on the current job, dunno shld I give $450 or $500 to parents as household allowance? Consider that I did not increase allowance when i got a $200 increase, so it is a $600 increase. Giving $100 more does not seems too much ah. Hmm.. will consider after the interview later tonight ah.

Future Prospects

Contract with present recruit agency is due to expire in approximately 2 months time, end of November.

F from the agency emailed me, offered to extend my contract as the present company is keen to sign me for another year. An agent contract is not the best of all things. Good to start off but entrenched in one is not good as benefits are slashed to my disadvantages. Wanted to sign as contract staff to the company as I start to enjoy better benefits except job security.

Talked to my boss, SH, abt it. Abt wanting to sign a coy contract instead of agent contract. She gave me reason that 6 months is too short a period to assess (hey the probation period is only 3 months!) and there is a head count problem (I was offered the choice of an agent contract or coy contract in my initial interview!). Kinda contradicting.

Went thru a quick apprasial with her and the only 2 shortcomings are that I leave office promptly and usage of the Internet. If there is no work to be done or things are not urgent, is there really a need to stay back and show u r working? Come on. This is age old nonsense. Usage of Internet. Hey, open your eyes wider, with the exception of few, most ppl here use the net openly! and I am certainly quite discreet and tactically at most times!

Disappointing talk with her. She don't seem to be keen on signing coy contract for me though she presents a different side. Not planning to really wait a year to turn coy contract and forever as perm staff. Going for an interview tonight. It is going to be a 6 months contract job and it things turn up well, I will leave my current job.

R.I.P. Superman

The death of Christopher Reeves, the actor who fleshed out the role of Superman that it remains a classic till now

No other actors can replace the role of Superman, it is indeed a big shoe left by Reeves to fill for others.

His crippling accident was a shock and his death was another.

OCT 12, 2004
Superman forever

Christopher Reeve, 52, died of heart failure on Sunday. But he will continue to soar in the minds of movie-goers everywhere as one of the world's most enduring superheroes

BEDFORD, New York - Christopher Reeve, the star of the Superman movies whose near-fatal riding accident nine years ago turned him into a worldwide advocate for spinal cord research, died of heart failure, his publicist said. He was 52.

He fell into a coma last Saturday after going into cardiac arrest while at his New York home and died at 5.30pm on Sunday, his publicist told The Associated Press.
Reeve was being treated at Northern Westchester Hospital at Mount Kisco, New York, for a pressure wound that he developed, a common complication for people living with paralysis.
In the past week, the wound had become severely infected, resulting in a serious systemic infection.
He was admitted to the hospital on Saturday evening and never regained consciousness. His family was at his side at the time of death.

'On behalf of my entire family, I want to thank Northern Westchester Hospital for the excellent care they provided to my husband,' said his wife, Dana, in a statement.
'I also want to thank his personal staff of nurses and aides, as well as the millions of fans from around the world who have supported and loved my husband over the years.'

Reeve became famous for his Superman role in the 1978 movie, Superman, and three sequels that followed. He was paralysed in May 1995 after he was thrown from his horse during an equestrian competition in Culpeper, Virginia.

A few months after the accident, he protested against tabloid reports which said he had been pleading to die.

'I have not given up. I will never give up,' he said.

Enduring months of therapy to allow him to breathe for longer and longer periods without a respirator, he began to lobby Congress for better insurance protection against life-changing injuries.
He quickly became a powerful advocate for pushing the boundaries of modern medicine, frequently saying he believed that one day he would walk again.

His New Jersey-based Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation emerged under his star power and relentless fund-raising as a leading source for research money, giving out more than US$42.5 million (S$72.3 million) to neuroscientists.

His support of stem cell research helped it emerge as a major campaign issue between President George W. Bush and Democratic presidential candidate Senator John Kerry.

Mr Kerry mentioned him in last Friday's presidential debate, saying he believed embryonic stem cell research should be expanded, as it would be the best way to give Reeve and others like him the chance to walk again.

'Chris Reeve is a friend of mine,' he said. 'Chris Reeve exercises each and every day to keep those muscles alive so that one day he can walk again.'


AIMING FOR THE STARS

REEVE was born on Sept 25, 1952, in New York City, son of a novelist and a newspaper reporter.

He was around 10 years old when he made his first stage appearance - in Gilbert and Sullivan's The Yeoman Of The Guard at McCarter Theater in Princeton, New Jersey.

He starred in virtually all of the theatrical productions at the exclusive Princeton Day School. By age 16, he had joined the actors' union.

He graduated from Cornell University in 1974 and went on to study at New York's Juilliard School of Performing Arts under the legendary John Houseman.

In 1974, he landed a part as cold-hearted bigamist Ben Harper on the TV soap opera Love Of Life. In 1976, he made his Broadway debut, playing the grandson of a character played by Katharine Hepburn in A Matter Of Gravity.
His first movie role was a minor one in the 1978 submarine disaster movie Gray Lady Down. Superman soon followed. He was selected for the title role from among 200 aspirants.

Despite his disability, he returned to direct and even resumed acting in a 1998 production of Rear Window, a modern update of the Hitchcock thriller about a man in a wheelchair who becomes convinced a neighbour has been murdered.
He won a Screen Actors Guild award for Best Actor in a television movie or mini-series.

'I was worried that only acting with my voice and my face, I might not be able to communicate effectively enough to tell the story,' he said.

'But I was surprised to find that if I really concentrated, and just let the thoughts happen, that they would read on my face. With so many close-ups, I knew that my every thought would count.'

In March 1996, a year after his accident, he accepted an invitation to the Academy Awards despite the dangers of airplane travel and his tenuous condition.

He received a prolonged standing ovation and brought many in the audience to tears with a plea for more films that address social problems.

'Hollywood needs to do more,' he told the gathered stars. 'Let's continue to take risks. Let's tackle the issues. In many ways, our film community can do it better than anyone else. There is no challenge, artistic or otherwise, that we can't meet.'

As for the strain of travelling to Hollywood, he said: 'I refuse to allow a disability to determine how I live my life. I don't mean to be reckless, but setting a goal that seems a bit daunting actually is very helpful toward recovery.'

Though he owed his fame to his Superman role, he made a concerted effort to, as he often put it, 'escape the cape'.

He played an embittered, crippled Vietnam veteran in the 1980 Broadway play, Fifth Of July, a lovestruck time-traveller in the 1980 movie, Somewhere In Time, and an aspiring playwright in the 1982 suspense thriller Deathtrap.

More recent films included John Carpenter's Village Of The Damned, and the HBO movies, Above Suspicion and In The Gloaming, his 1997 directorial debut. Among his other film credits are The Remains Of The Day, The Aviator and Morning Glory.


ROAD TO RECOVERY

ACTIVE in many sports, he owned several horses and competed in equestrian events regularly.
Witnesses to the May 1995 accident said his horse had cleared two of 15 fences during the jumping event and stopped abruptly at the third, flinging the actor headlong to the ground. Doctors said he fractured the top two vertebrae in his neck and damaged his spinal cord.

When he was finally released from a rehabilitation institute in December 1995, he thanked staff members 'who have set the stage for my continued journey'.
He underwent further rehabilitation at his home in upstate New York.
In 2000, he was able to move his index finger. A specialised workout regimen made his legs and arms stronger. He also regained sensation in other parts of his body.

Last month, he revealed in a BBC interview that he faced setbacks last year that prevented him from continuing in his physical regimen of aquatherapy, treadmill walks and exercise-bike riding.
He said he had been facing new health problems, including a blood infection and osteoporosis, from which he had recovered. He admitted that the problems would make it harder for him to walk again.

While filming Superman in London, Reeve met modelling agency co-founder Gae Exton, and the two began a relationship that lasted several years. The couple had two sons, but were never wed.
He later married Ms Dana Morosini. They had a son, Will, now 11. His wife became his frequent spokesman after the accident.
He is also survived by his mother, Ms Barbara Johnson; his father, Mr Franklin Reeve; his brother, Benjamin; and his two children from his relationship with Exton - Matthew, 25, and Alexandra Reeve, 21.

No plans for a funeral were immediately announced.

A few months after his 1995 accident, he told interviewer Barbara Walters that he considered suicide in the first dark days after he was injured. But he quickly overcame such thoughts when he saw his children.

'I could see how much they needed me and wanted me... and how lucky we all are and that my brain is on straight.'

Dearth of things to write?

Dearth.
A scary word to most writers or whoever who depended on their works to be published on any media format.

Now it can happen to any blogger and starts worrying abt their blog.
I am a case!

Actually there is not dearth of materials to write abt, it is abt the willingness to blog or not. I am not saying to blog everyday, list down every mundane stuff u do. If you want, you can but what I mean there is certainly some materials for you to blog, write if you bother to and think hard abt it.

Well, for eg, i was thinking abt what to blog and hey, i just blog something abt it. hee!

Just my thoughts going wild hahahha!

Help for a fellow person

I was walking down the road when a guy in front of me fell down. Apparently he hit something on the road and fell down flat on his face. I thought it was real unfortunate until i finally reach him and he was not moving at all.

I shook his shoulder and asked whether he was okay or not. He was fine but sustained cuts to his elbow and his forehead. The cuts on the forehead looks bad. He told me he came down to look for a job as he was unemployed for 2 months already. He also could not afford the medical fees even if I bring him to the clinic.

Luckily, another person came by and on learning the situation, gave him some money to see the doctor. He even offered to get the doctor from a nearby clinic to come over as he seems to be unstable after sitting down again when he tried to get up. However, he refused the offer but the other kind soul walked away in the direction of the clinic. I hoped that he did go and get the doctor for him.

I felt bad abt this as I could helped him a bit financially or at least do something more for him. I was glad that another kind soul came along, as it means in a small way, there are still other kind souls around.

My hope and prayers to the stranger that it will be nothing serious and that he can find a job and sustain a living....

Kindness....... or the lack of it..

Wine and coffee trader Alan Wong slipped in the rain, fell and hit his head on the kerb on his way to the gymnasium.

Mr Wong, whose fall caused a disc between two vertebrae to be displaced. He could not move his arms and had to be operated on. -- CHEW SENG KIM

The 50-year-old lay immobilised on the ground, in excruciating pain, for 20 minutes before help came.
But he had not fallen in some deserted alley last Tuesday afternoon.
He was, in fact, in one of Singapore's oldest and most prestigious clubs, the Singapore Island Country Club (SICC), where the well-heeled pay more than $100,000 to become members.
Yet, members who saw him simply passed him by, he said. It was the club's staff who eventually came to his rescue.
Mr Wong was rushed to Mount Elizabeth Hospital and was operated on Thursday.
Speaking to The Sunday Times from his hospital bed yesterday, he said it was extraordinary that people who passed by him could leave him lying in the rain.
The bachelor, who joined the SICC as a junior member when he was 12, said: 'It's not as if it's normal for someone to be lying face down on the road in the rain. If it was someone else, I would have helped.' He recalled seeing three cars slow down in front of him and then drive away.
A woman parked her car beside him, emerged from the car, locked the door and walked off to the tennis centre at the SICC Bukit location in Sime Road. Mr Wong lay there until Mr Rahim Abusamah, 47, chanced upon him.
The swimming pool attendant helped him to his feet and took him to the swimming pool reception area. Together with gym executive Ramli Hussein, who is in his early 50s, Mr Rahim tended to Mr Wong.
They called an ambulance and stayed with Mr Wong until it arrived.
Mr Wong had this to say about those who helped and those who did not: 'The club members are not very caring, but the staff are great.'
His fall had caused a disc between two of his vertebrae to be displaced. As a result, he could not move his arms and suffered a sharp pain in his upper body.
During the three-hour operation, doctors removed the disc, took some bone from Mr Wong's hip to fashion part of a new disc and inserted a metal plate in his upper back.
His eldest sister, Mrs Anne Holloway, 55, said that doctors told her Mr Wong's recovery will take about three months. The housewife added that he will be able to go to the gym again.
Mr Wong's business partner, who wanted to be known only as Mr Yeo, said he was surprised that members had ignored the injured man.
He said: 'It's not as if it was in a dangerous area. It's a members-only club, so there should have been no fear of helping someone there.'
SICC general manager Yeo Khee Leng said the club has procedures in place to handle such medical emergencies. Some staff are qualified to administer first aid. An ambulance will be called and members who are doctors and present in the club will be asked to help.
Although he declined to comment on the behaviour of members, some members The Sunday Times spoke to were appalled.
Said housewife Felicia Chia, 37: 'Anyone who is in that state should be helped. It shows that it's a sad state of affairs in Singapore; we're the opposite of a gracious society.' Mrs Mary Lee, 49, a teacher and SICC member for more than a decade, agreed: 'The people who didn't help care only for themselves.'
Despite his experience, Mr Wong said he would continue going to the club. 'I have been a member here for a long time. I just want to put the whole incident behind me.'

Haiz......

Encouraged

Ran 2.4km last night with a timing of 12 mins 21 secs. 2 secs shy of the required timing.
I believed that I can shave off the 2 seconds due to the 4 turnings which slow me down, break momentum etc.

Bro later reminds me that i will spend energy doing the prior 4 stations and hence wil affect my timing. But I think with sufficient rest, can recover most of my energy back and hence get the same timing. Afterall, my 2km timing quite consistent, hovering ard 10mins something. Just need to rush my last 400m which is easier. Hee hee.

Hmmm, as far as I can remember..
400m @ 1 min 51 secs (+1 min 51 secs)
500m @ 2 mins 21 secs
800m @ 3 mins 51 secs (+2 mins)
1000m @ 4 mins 51 secs
1500m @ 7 mins 31 secs
2000m @ 10 mins 17 secs (+6 mins 26 secs)
2400m @ 12 mins 21 secs (+2 min 4 secs)

Average 400m @ 2 mins 3.5 secs

Star Wars Scam Letter!!

Hilarious! You should take a look at this !!

A reproduce of the letter



GEN. OBI-WAN KENOBI
DUNE SEA REGION
TATOOINE
OUTER RIM

ATTN: FRIEND,

COMPLIMENT OF THE DAY TO YOU. I WISH TO EXTEND THIS MUTUAL BUSINESS PROPOSAL TO YOU WITH THE HOPE THAT YOU WILL GLADLY ACCEPT. I AM AN IMPERIAL SENATOR AND DEPOSED PRINCESS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC. IN THE COURSE OF DISCHARGING MY AMBASSADORIAL DUTY LAST YEAR, I DISCOVERED THAT SOME GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IN THE EMPIRE, WHICH REGIME HAS CONTROLLED THE GALAXY WITH AN IRON FIST, COMMITTED SOME FISCAL IRREGULARITIES DURING THE DEVELOP OF AN ENORMOUS NEW MOON-SHAPED SPACE STATION WITH TERRIFYING DESTRUCTIVE POTENTIAL. WHAT INTERESTS ME MUCH, AND FOR WHICH REASON I AM WRITING YOU, IS THE CONTRACT FOR THIS PARTICULAR SPACE STATION, WHICH WAS AWARDED TO A CONTRACTOR NAMED GRAND MOFF TARKIN, WAS OVER-ESTIMATED BY THE TUNE OF ALD$25 MILLION, OR 38 MILLION GALACTIC CREDITS. THIS CONTRACT HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND COMMISSIONED AND THE CONTRACTOR FULLY PAID, BUT THE 38M CREDITS OVER ESTIMATED VALUE OF THE CONTRACT IS STILL LYING AT THE CENTRAL BANK OF DANTOOINE.

BECAUSE OF THE HASTE WITH WHICH THE EMPEROR’S SITH LORD, VADER, TOOK OVER THE SPACE STATION PROJECT, THERE WAS NO CHANCE TO COLLECT THIS MONEY BEFORE THE STATION BEGAN ITS MISSION OF TERRORIZING SMALL PLANETS INTO SUBMITTING TO THE WILL OF THE EMPIRE. BUT AS A RESULT OF UPDATED PAYMENTS ADVICE AT THE CENTRAL BANK OF DANTOOINE (CBD), IT HAS BEEN AWAITING TRANSFER TO A FOREIGN ACCOUNT.

HAVING DONE ALL THE NECESSARY GROUND WORK, THIS MONEY IS IN NOW MY POSSESSION AND I AM LOOKING FORWARD FOR A TRUST-WORTHY PERSON INTO WHOSE PRIVATE OR COMPANY'S ACCOUNT THIS MONEY WILL BE TRANSFERRED INTO. I WISH TO LEAD A REBEL ALLIANCE AFTER THIS TRANSACTION AND FIGHT THE EVIL EMPIRE WHICH HAS HELD OUR PEOPLE IN ITS DEADLY GRIP FOR DECADES. YOU ARE THEREFORE REQUESTED TO KINDLY ALLOW ME TO TRANSFER THIS MONEY INTO YOUR ACCOUNT SO THAT I CAN WITHDRAW THIS MONEY WHEN I WANT TO. UPON THE TRANSFER OF THIS MONEY, 65% OF THE TOTAL SUM WILL BE FOR ME AND MY COLLEAGUES TO BUILD AND ARM REBEL BASES, WHILE 30% SHALL BE FOR YOU THE ACCOUNT OWNER AND THE REMAINING 5% SHALL BE SET ASIDE TO REFUND EXPENSES (SUCH AS HIRING MERCENARY SHIPS FOR INTERSTELLAR TRAVEL) MADE IN THE COURSE OF THIS TRANSACTION. BE ASSURED THAT THIS BUSINESS IS RISK-FREE BUT THE KEYWORD IS THE CONFIDENTIALITY DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE TRANSACTION AND MY POSITION AS AMBASSADOR.

KINDLY TREAT AS URGENT AND CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY THROUGH THIS LITTLE R-2 UNIT. YOU WILL BE FULLY DETAILED WHEN I HEAR FROM YOU. YOUR BANKING PARTICULARS, I.E ACCOUNT NUMBER, YOUR PRIVATE TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS ARE VITAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THIS TRANSACTION FOR UPDATING AND REMITTANCE PROTOCOL. YOU ARE MY ONLY HOPE.
BEST REGARDS

(signed)

(PRINCESS) LEIA
REPRESENTATIVE, IMPERIAL SENATE
AMBASSADOR, ALDARAN

Luck

Hee.. saturday was blessed with a little luck.
Bought soccer bets wrongly and turned up my original predictions were wrong and I made a small profit from it.
The other 2 bets went wrong and cut my profit margins.
But well, it could have all been wrong and I will be ended up with a loss.

Feeling Lucky!

Surprised ?

Surprised to see me here on as saturday afternoon? hee
Now in NUS with A, helping out a fren.
Well, it is ASP.NET which I hardly have any experience in it...

*yawns*
Tired from the jog and early morning wake-up

Run 2km again.. Mental is not strong enough to hold out another 2.4..
400m @ 1 min 31 secs
800m @ 3 mins 21 secs (+ 1 min 50 secs)
1200m @ 5 mins 46 secs (+ 2 mins 25 secs)
1600m @ 8 mins 7 seconds (+ 2 mins 21 secs)
2000m @ 10 mins 21 seconds (+2 mins 14 seconds)

Average speed is 400m @ 2 mins 4 secs
Estimated Total will be 2.4km @ 12 mins 24 secs

Timing is 14 seconds slower. Well, no breaks this time round and 14 seconds slower sounds not bad ah. Then, also, now on normal tracks which will make me more used to the actual run also.
Ran too fast on the first lap, should have control my speed better...

Like this maybe cannot make it.. unless making a big dash at the end else will fail by a bit..

Almost made it

Yet again, I ran 2 km last night.
Wanted to finish 2.4 but got a bad stitch and pulled shoulder muscle.
Decided to give them a rest instead of straining them evern more.

Muscles felt a bit like lead but still doing okie. I get to rest today b4 running full 2.4km in NUS tomorrow.

800m @ 3 mins 46 secs (4 mins)
1600m @ 7 mins 51 secs (8 mins) + 4 mins 5 secs
2000m @ 10 mins 7 secs (10 mins) + 2 mins 16 secs
Average 400m @ 2 mins 1.4secs

Estimated Total 2400m @ 12 mins 8.4 secs

Not too bad but still not enough to pass at 12 mins 20 secs.
Unless i can finish the last 400m within 2 mins 12 secs, I can't make it.. esp the previous 400m took 16 secs more than allowed.
Also, 2 breaks in between make things very different also.
However, if not for the muscle pull and stitch, I think I can complete @ 12 mins 40 secs which is till 21 secs but much better of my previous showing of 14 mins 20 secs. Maybe add in another 30 secs because of the break.. Hahaha, which will put me back to my 13 mins 20 secs during ICT. But if I endure and dun drop speed then it will be pretty okie.. I hope..

Back to hoping......

The trials of the dreaded run

Went for another jog/training session last night...

Felt okie today though leg muscles are slightly strained. A good stretch and warm up shld do the trick.

Ran 4 X 500m with abt 30-60 seconds break.
1st 500m : 2 mins 20 secs [2 mins 30 secs] (2 mins 20 secs)
2nd 500m : 2 mins 20 secs [5 mins] (4 mins 40 secs )
3rd 500m : 2 mins 36 secs [7 mins 30 secs] (7 mins 16 secs)
4th 500m : 2 mins 34 secs [10 mins] (9 mins 50 secs)
Total 2km with 9 mins 50 secs
Average 400m with 1 min 58 sec

Last 400m will need a target of 2 mins (11 mins 50 secs) and say 30 seconds grace for tiredness and slowing of speed.

Theortically, I would have passed my run already. But for the actual test, I will have expended some energy and whether can I maintain such a pace is a big question! Plus for the run, I did take 3 breaks which shld recover a bit of energy and it helps mentally to run and maintains the pace.

Tonight, I will have a better understanding as I will be running 3 x 800m. With only 2 short breaks, this will be a better gauge. Hmmm.. how do I run 800 when the length of the track is 500m? Should I run 400m and turn back? Or should I run 500m, turn 300m and rest? Hmm.. 400m and turn back sounds easier ah, esp since I know where is the cutoff distance..

Hmm...

My PC choked and spewed.

I was actually suspecting that my PC was not feeling well..
But I did not know the seriousness of it until last night.

Basically it gagged on its 'lifeline' and decided not to wake up after all these yrs..

The PC was assembled in yr 2 of Uni Life. So this makes it 3 yrs old, a grand-daddy among the computers. However, in terms of its strength and speed, it is still a middle-aged man running the race against the youngsters.

Ailment 1 :
The PC runs normally without network connection. With network connection, it is a disaster. Network is so slow that anything related to the net is slowed down to nothing. PC almost hung due to resources being hijacked or dur to Ailment 2.
Diagnosis :
My PC was virus-hit or taken for a trojan ride.
Treatment :
Network connection is unplugged. Virus scan revealed a virus. Virus removed. Msconfig was called upon. Suspicious programs was not allowed to start. A curiously named svhost.exe was noted. Process was located in task manager and terminated. System rebooted to a fast system with normal access speed and no 'hanging' of the system.
Further diagnosis ensured that I was virus-hit. Sighz.....

Ailment 2 :
Harddisk not detected
Diagnosis :
Harddisk failing / Cable loose.
Still in the process of verifying is it a case of loose cable..
Treatment :
Pending diagnosis. Probable treatment will range from tightening cables to data backup and a new harddisk...

Or is it time to get a new PC ?

Busy...

busy day yesterday....
actually nt that busy but things cock up along the way and takes a lot of efforts to correct them..

Took a ride on bro's bike. It has been a long time since i last rode on a bike.
Like the feeling of the wind on my face.

Today back to jogging. Hope can improve on my timing today.

Little tricks of the trade...

Was reading a blog and saw this particular entry to visit a website.
Will try to provide the link next time hee.

The website is abt little tricks/secrets of various trades.
Some are downright cunning and some are little wonders that ppl can actually learn and help themselves in the process.
Some are simply interesting to know and be amazed by it.

For example
Proofreader
If you’re reading too fast, your brain can “correct” typos, preventing you from catching them. That’s why it’s sometimes a good idea to read a page upside-down. It forces you to pay closer attention to individual words out of context, and you can’t race through pages too fast.

Woo-Hoo! Interesting right. For the part of "correcting" typo, this is really true. Read an email from a friend and the words are all jumbled up except for the 1st and last letter of the words. On First sight, I could not determine the words but somehow i managed to read the paragraph with only one error. Talk abt brain power hee =)
For the paragraph, have to wait till I can find it =D which will takes a long long time! hahaha

Blog? Your personal style or influenced?

Went reading in edmund's blog again. He will occasionally emails army mates with a direct url to his blog to let us read his entry. Mostly these are inspirational stories or , as the newspaper will say, his commentary.

Below as quoted from one of his blogs

I wish for my entries to intrigue and spark contemplation about deep issues, to heighten appreciation for things in life that are otherwise inconspicuous or uninteresting, and to inspire others to do great things. Alright, the last is a tad ambitious.I take it upon myself, the unassuming journalist cum columnist on our boresome lives, to provide highly readable blogs supported by relatively reliable information. Thankfully I value privacy and therefore practise restrain in revealing bits of my personal life while striving to make *ahem* insightful observations or ponderous statements about life and our existence.

Well, should a blog be as mundane as writing out one's journal, an outpour of emotions, or showing one life's events for all to see? Or should it be as inspiring, contemplation of bigger things and issues, heighten appreciation of things?

IMHO, it should be just as what youw ant to be. I read through a few blogs, some of complete strangers and some of my friends. They are all pretty different in types and I feel that each are beautiful in their own ways. Just dun feel stifled by others, just have your own style and do a blog that you yourself will like.

Actually, I just wanted to blog simply for today as I am idle at work and there is simply no work to do. Thinking of taking the opportunity to read through some websites and I have come across edmund's words and feel that I have to speak out or rtaher discuss it.

Hmm.. time to play with more HTML controls to spice up the website a bit hee.