Wednesday, February 28, 2007

The stretches of road that had the worst planning in Sg are those in NUS. They really suck.

Here are the OBVIOUS flaws:

1. The roads are too winding.
2. The roads are too narrow.
3. The roads/terrain are too undulating. (not anyone's fault I know but too bad)
4. The staff carparks do not have parking lots for visitors and yet they allow visitors to enter and charge them 8cents per minute. What crap? It's like charging you for chicken rice and not giving the fork and spoon. Then, you will eat with your hands and get a stomachache (equivalent of wheels being clamped - bad analogy i know.. but too bad)
5. The humps are at the most irritating places. (I understand the rationale for placing humps on slopes where the direction of traffic is downwards but why do you need humps on upward slopes? Why? Petrol too cheap ah?)
6. Pedestrian dashing across the zebra crossing. I think NUS needs to set up one of those "SCHOOL ZONE - Children Crossing" signboards all over the campus. Parents can also volunteer as traffic warden too. I suggest getting students to queue up in twos and cross the roads holding each others' hands. ESP at the zebra crossing near sci/med fac. Be careful when you cross over there ok? Ok seriously, the shelter and pillars over there sort of obscures the vision of the driver and if you dash across, you may risk getting knocked down.

i took a shine to you at 9:56 PM

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

I was talking to two-fifth (not a very nice way to call someone but it's to protect her identity!) today. Naturally I sat at ZX's place. Then ZX came about, gave the cheeky SMILE and said "carry on carry on". I knew something was going to happen from that moment on.

PLEASE LOR!!! Talk to someone means INTERESTED in that person MEH? DOn't be GAY lAR!

Look, I will not be interested (I don't consider infatuation and crushes as being under the umbrella of interested) in ANYONE until I am fully convinced that I have settled down. There is no point in falling for someone and realise that it's a stupid moment of folLY later on. Whatever the case is, maybe I've not forgotten... Maybe those stars and cranes can help me (fat hope)...

Anyone going for NUS biathlon this Sunday? SEE YOU THERE BABY... I will be sun tanning on my safety canoe while you guys swim in that salty ECP water.

i took a shine to you at 9:13 PM

Monday, February 26, 2007

Damn scared got no roof over my head. Well I think it won't be that bad right.. at most stay out for 4 days... I am pretty sure it's not hard to get a ROOF RIght. It'd better be easy.

You know what? I simply love my blogskin. I think this blog is portraying the right theme; the image which I intend to depict is so immaculately put to together. Thanks to the blogskin artist and the overall designer (who is me).

I didn't expect it to be so coincidental! Same direction, Same locality, SAME PLACE Somemore!!! haha So amusing. Hai but you really got to open up to us man... Sia lar... How am I supposed to pass the FROZZ? Oh manz... How to do it so that it's not awkward? I think this requires much thought.

Da Sao said I look like chao ta... But I think I am not ORR enough leh cos there is still this tinge of yellowness in me when I look at my arms. I will not stop my quest to become chao ta until I see no more yellowness in myself. Well at least there is QY who is darker than me! haha Congrats to your Ironman completion man... I can never imagine myself running/swimming so far. What more when they are one after another. Well maybe cycling yes.


Can't wait for my birthday to come man... NO not for you guys to do funny things...
I wanna open my stocks account! Can't stand wasting the money away in bank... quick bring me to the exciting STTOOOCCCKKKS market.


I have counted. It's 70 days left. YES 70 DAYS LEFT! Eh go NUS leh don go some funny country leh... HEEEEE

I love Tuesdays because there are assemblies on Tuesday. =P Well, as for tmr, I am not sure what's happening during assembly but there is always the staff lunch to look forward to! YEA and of course what else can keep me so excited other than training *sarcasm* Better don't rain tmr.

i took a shine to you at 6:51 PM

Sunday, February 25, 2007

I think I have officially stepped into the late youth period. What I mean by that is my body is experiencing a new metabolism pattern. Should I be glad? I think my body no longer works like a 100% incinerator where all the food that goes in either gets oxidised into carbon dioxide or passed out. Now, it has become a 6-70% incinerator and 30% landfill. Yes 30% landfill, 30% of the food that goes in has potential of getting stored as fats or muscles depending on whether I work out. Thank God I've been working out. *imply*imply* RIGHT stop jeering there.

My schedule for next week is completely screwed up. Instead of 1,3,5, it has turned into a 2,4,5 no thanks to the NUS lecturer and my duty as a son to fetch my mom from Boon Lay.

I shall squeeze sometime for running tml before I fetch my mom.
Yep remember to pack bag.

i took a shine to you at 2:24 PM

Saturday, February 24, 2007

I went to Boss's house for his housewarming today. The road leading to his house is not even done up yet and that led us on a merry go round. These days, people like to buy houses which are hybrids of condo and landed property. Boss's house is one good example. It is located in a complex, somewhat like a chalet compound, with all the terraces being linked. There is a pool in the middle and several other centralised facilities which is similar to condos but the each house stands on its own.

The wireless router is finally up... MIO...

MUSCLE SORES ARE KILLING ME...
It's not very nice way to start the day when you find yourself not able to straighten your arm.

i took a shine to you at 4:22 PM

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

WHY? WHY!!

Why are they so fast? Ok I am slow.

Training with NUS now... till sch starts... I think even if I join canoe polo in the end I will still paddle with them when I go mac reservoir.

Thanx to the Tiger K1, I have developed NUMEROUS SORES and ABRASION in my thumb, butt and the inner side of my feet (yea.. i love wooden rudders... gives me pain). SHAG leh...

OK but... It's not the equipment. IT's me... slow... slow like turtle... wait.. even a turtle swims faster.. gosh.

i took a shine to you at 1:45 PM

Friday, February 16, 2007

Feb 14, 2007
Thai Premier hits out at junta leader
Sonthi not doing enough to curb violence in south, says PM Surayud (ST)

Feb 16, 2007, 2.57 pm (Singapore time) (ST)
Thai coup leader wants phone firm back from S'pore
BANGKOK - Thai coup leader Sonthi Boonyaratglin has vowed to take back control of Thai satellites operated by telecom giant Shin Corp, which were sold to Singapore's Temasek Holdings in a politically-explosive deal, saying on Friday that the satellites were 'treasures' and 'I want my belongings back'.

Please read the papers for more details...

Sometimes...

A soldier should do what a soldier is best at...

BTW the story in the previous post is purely fictional and any resemblance is coincidental k...

i took a shine to you at 5:58 PM I have something against this guy called GEN SONI.

Yep I am sure I didn't spell it wrongly.

GEN SONI is this mad pervert living in my block. Last month, I signed a written deal with the previous occupant of the house.The owner has left and GEN SONI is currently residing it. It states that I have acquired his wireless router. Henceforth, I will provide his house with WiFi service. When General Sony took over the house, all liabilities and rights should have rightfully been carried over but now he says he wants to take back his WIRELESS ROUTER because it is his family's "TREASURE". He even said that these assets no matter where they are located will always belong to his family.

WHAT SHIT!

First you say I tap on emails of your security guards, when they could always use signal sets. (EVEN THE MOST MEDIOCRE MILITARY/SECURITY guy can tell you not to use INTERNET or PHONE CALLS to communicate. DON'T bE STUPID.) Now you say you want to take back the router like a stupid barbarian... You think what... you old i scared ah?

I buy your bloody router for what? Pay money to you and help you take care ah? You think I nothing better to do is it? DON'T BE STUPID!

DON'T try to divert your family members' attention from your mismanagement of the family? DON'T TRY TO COVER UP YOUR BLOODY FAILURE. I strongly believe that your family members are kind and wise people so please STOP giving them FALSE INFORMATION. DON'T TALK NONSENSE here...

ANYWAY, YOU have already asked your uncle to run the household so you should go hide in the forest and continue to be your security guard - that's where you belong - now. LET the wise and cultured (not barbarians) do the job...

i took a shine to you at 5:29 PM

Thursday, February 15, 2007

If this story is too long for you, just read the part in red. I always had doubts when I was told only Singaporeans can defend Singapore because I didn't believe in the power of people defending their homelend. Maybe I was wrong...

Battle of Pasir Panjang Ridge http://www.mindef.gov.sg/safti/pointer/back/journals/2002/Vol28_1/1.htm

In the Battle of Pasir Panjang, one name keeps cropping up that has since come to personify the meaning of patriotism and dying for one's country. The young 2LT that led one the platoons of the C Coy in the 1st Malay Regiment against the Japanese troops was 2LT Adnan Saidi.

2LT Saidi was born in 1915 in Kajang, Selangor. He received his education in Pekan Sunei Ramal in English. Upon graduation, Adnan was chosen to be a trainee teacher and taught at Pekan Sunei Ramal for a year. In 1933, when he was 18 years old, he joined the Malay Regiment. He was the best recruit for the intake. In 1936, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant. In the following year, he was chosen to represent his platoon in a military parade in London to honour the ascension of King George VI to the throne. Shortly thereafter, Adnan Saidi was promoted yet again to coy-sergeant-major and headed for Singapore for an officer conversion course. Upon graduation as a 2nd lieutenant, he became the commander of 7th Platoon, C Coy of the 1st Malay Regiment.

Following the successful crossing of the Straits of Johore, forces of the Japanese 25th moved rapidly towards the central and southern coastal area of Singapore. By 13 February 1942, two days before the British surrendered to the Japanese, Percival ordered the establishment of a new city perimeter (see Map 1 overleaf)14. The final line stretched from Kallang, through Woodleigh, then Thomson Village, MacRitchie Reservoir, Adam Road, Tanglin Halt, and from there to Pasir Panjang. The new defence perimeter cut the supply of rations down to a week and reduced stocks of mortar and artillery ammunition to dangerously low levels. Water supply was also a grave problem. The whole city was now within easy range of enemy guns, and the water distribution system started to collapse.

An even greater soruce of concern was the morale of the British soldiers. Most of the units had by now grasped how close they were to disaster. MG Bennett, who was commanding the Australian forces, decided on his own to form his division into an all-round perimeter to guard its own flanks and rear for a final battle. But the Australian units had been badly rocked, prompting real concern over how many men remained under command.15 Such concerns were rising over the Indian and British troops as well.

The 1st Malay Bde comprised two Malay Regiments, and was reinforced by 5th Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire (less two coys) from 18th Division as well as an engineer battalion formed from British and Indian engineer units. It formed part of defence perimeter along the junction of West Coast Road and Pasir Panjang Road.

The first battle between the Malay Regiment and Japanese soldiers occured on 13 February at around 1400 hrs.16 The Japanese 18th Division started to attack the south-western coast along the Pasir Panjang ridge and astride of Raja Road. The Japanese 56th Infantry Regiment, supported by a considerable force of artillery, attacked the ridge during the morning. One of the units defending the line was the B Coy of the Malay Regiment. Under the heavy fire of the Japanese troops supported by artillery and tanks, the B Coy was forced to retreat to the rear. But before all of them could retreat, the Japanese army succeeded in breaking through B Coy's position. In the battle, B Coy troops fought hand-to-hand combat using bayonets against the Japanese. A few from B Coy managed to save themselves while others were caught as prisoners-of-war. This penetration led to the withdrawal after dark of both 44th Indian and 1st Malay Bde to the general line Mount Echo (junction of Raja and Depot Road)Buona Vista (see Map 2 overleaf).

Battle of Opium Hill

On 14th February, the Japanese again launched a heavy attack at 0830 hours, supported by intense mortar and artillery fire, on the front held by the 1st Malay Bde. The defenders beat off this and a number of other attacks. The fighting included bitter hand-to-hand combat, and losses from both sides were heavy. At 1600 hours an attack supported by tanks eventually succeeded in penetrating the left, and the defenders on this flank were forced back to a line from the junction of the Ayer Rajar and Depot Road through the Brick Works and along the canal to Bukit Chermin. Owing to the failure of units on both its flanks to hold their ground, the 1st Malay Bde withdrew at 1430 hours. It was at this point that C Coy of the Malay Regiment received instructions to move to a new defence positionPt. 226, Opium Hill.

Opium Hill or Bukit Chandu in Malay was named after an opium-processing factory located at the foot of the hill. This was also where C Coy of the Malay Regiment made their final stand against the Japanese attack. Opium Hill was a key defence position for two important reasons. It was situated on high ground overlooking the island to the north; and secondly, if the Japanese gained control of the ridge, it gave them direct passage to the Alexandra area. The British army had its main ammunition and supply depots, military hospital and other key installations located in the Alexandra area.

C Coy's position was separated from D Coy by a big canal. Oil was burning in the canal, which flowed from Normanton Depot. The burning oil prevented C Coy soldiers from retreating further south. C Coy was under the command of CPT Rix, a brave and daring British officer. CPT Rix encouraged the soldiers to defend Opium Hill down to the last soldier. His bravery was exemplified in the battle and he was killed together with many of his Malay Regiment soldiers in the last defence battle at Pasir Panjang.

The Japanese troops pressed their attack on Opium Hill in the afternoon but under the guise of a deception. They sent a group of soldiers, dressed in Punjabi uniforms, passing themselves off as Punjabi soldiers from the British army. C Coy saw through this trick as they knew that the Punjabi soldiers of the British army usually marched in a line of three whereas the Japanese disguised Punjabi soldiers were in a line of four. When the disguised soldiers reached the Malay Regiment's defence line, C Coy's squad opened fire on them with their Lewis machine guns. Some of the Japanese troops were killed and the rest badly wounded. Those who survived rolled and crawled downhill to save themselves.

Two hours later, the Japanese launched an all-out assault in great numbers. The attack overwhelmed the strength of the Malay Regiment. Greatly outnumbered and short of ammunition and supplies, the Malay Regiment continued to resist the Japanese troops. All kinds of arms such as grenades, small arms and bayonets were used by troops of the Malay Regiment. It was reported that 2LT Adnan handled a Lewis machine gun against the Japanese troops. Some soldiers engaged in fierce hand-to-hand combat using bayonets. Yet, they stood their ground frustrating their enemy. In the ensuing battle, men and officers fell. 2LT Adnan was seriously wounded but he refused to retreat and instead encouraged his men to fight to the last. It was this disregard of danger that inspired the coy to stand up gallantly.

Mubin Sheppard, an ex-officer and former POW, had this to say about his friend, the late 2LT Adnan,

"he was heavily outnumbered by the Japanesethey bombed him but he fought on fiercely and inflicted heavy losses on them. Adnan would have never surrendered under any circumstances. He was absolutely dedicaded. In fact, just before fighting, he adopted a motto for his platoon, "biar putih tulang, jangan putih mata" (death before dishonour).

Corporal Yaakob, who won a Medal of Gallant after the war, was one of the few who survived Opium Hill. During the chaos of the battle, he fell and landed on top of the bodies of the dead soldiers. He escaped death by lying motionless among the pile of bodies and witnessed the gruesome death of Adnan Saidi. He said that the resistance of the Malay Regiment angered the Japanese, and when they captured 2LT Adnan, they dragged and pushed him into a gunnysack. The Japanese soldiers then hung him by his legs on a cherry tree and then bayoneted him again and again. His throat was slit repeatedly. Even after the battle, no one was allowed to bring his body for burial. No one dared.

Another eyewitness, Burhan Muslim, who had lived along Bukit Chandu, recalled going up the hill with his cousin a few days after the battle. In one of the white bungalows that stood on the hill at Pepys Lane, he saw the dismembered bodies of Malay soldiers everywhere. In one of the rooms laid the body of a Malay soldier. His throat had been slit several times. His uniform was soaked with blood. Judging from the badges he had on his uniform, Burhan believed that he was an officer. He felt that the body could have been that of 2LT Adnan Saidi.17

For the entire Malayan Campaign, but largely on 12, 13 and 14 February 1942 in Singapore, the Malay Regiment suffered a total of 159 killed (six British officers, seven Malay officers, and 146 other ranks) and a large but unspecified number wounded.18

Conclusion

From a purely military operational perspective, the Battle of Pasir Panjang had little significance. The battle could not change the outcome of the fate of Singapore and it was a matter of time before the British would surrender to the Japanese 25th Army. Those who look at only the tactical significance, however, will miss a very important lesson. The Battle of Pasir Panjang, and the Battle of Opium Hill in particular, manifested the acme of the fighting spirit in battle. In the words of Noel Barber, the author of Sinister Twilight, the Malay Regiment was described thus:

"A regular, locally raised unit, commanded by Malay-speaking British officers, it was a living and dying illustration of the folly of not having raised more such local forces before the war in which men could defend what was their homeland."19

And as Percival noted, the Malay Regiment:

"showed what esprit de corps and discipline can achieve. Garrisons of posts held their ground and many of them were wiped out almost to a man."20

The 48-hour Battle of Pasir Panjang put up by men and officers of the Malay Regiment exemplified the highest form of "duty, honour and country" that soldiers can show in war. The courage, bravery, and sacrifice to defend Singapore island despite the foregone defeat of British forces will always remain one of the highlights in the story of the Battle of Singapore.

i took a shine to you at 11:30 PM

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

I am just plain unlucky today.

Case 1
The lecturer we were supposed to meet stood us up. Ok let's give him the benefit of doubt that he has forgotten. BUT we waited for a good 1 hour.

Case 2
I took the faulty cashcard and got stuck in the carpark. The parking fees came up to like 7 bux. The consolation is, thank God, I saw Si Si.

Case 3
I ran up to Sci Library to top up my cashcard but slipped on the slippery tiles.

Case 4
A stupid pick up almost BUANG me. I cursed and swore like crazy and gave him my worst grimace.

What a BAD day!

i took a shine to you at 9:31 PM

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Extracted from General Douglas McArthur's Duty Honour Country Speech:

They create in your heart the sense of wonder, the unfailing hope of what next, and the joy and inspiration of life. They teach you in this way to be an officer and a gentleman.

And what sort of soldiers are those you are to lead? Are they reliable, are they brave, are they capable of victory? Their story is known to all of you; it is the story of the American man-at-arms. My estimate of him was formed on the battlefield many, many years ago and has never changed. I regarded him then as I regard him now — as one of the world's noblest figures, not as one of the finest military characters but also as one of the most stainless. His name and fame are the birthright of every American citizen. In his youth and strength, his love and loyalty he gave — all that mortality can give.

He needs no eulogy from me or from any other man. He has written his own history and has written it in red on his enemy’s breast. But when I think of his patience under adversity, of his courage under fire, and of his modesty in victory, I am filled with an emotion of admiration I cannot put into words. He belongs to history as furnishing one of the greatest examples of successful patriotism; he belongs to the present, to us, by his virtues and by his achievements.In 20 campaigns, on a hundred battlefields, around a thousand campfires, I have witnessed that enduring fortitude, that patriotic self-abnegation, and that invincible determination which have carved the heart of his people. From one end of the world to the other he has drained deep the chalice of courage.

As I listened to those songs of the glee club, in memory's eye I could see those staggering columns of the First World War, bending under soggy packs, on many a weary march from dripping dusk to drizzling dawn, slogging ankle-deep through the mire of shell-shocked roads, to form grimly for the attack, bluelipped, covered with sludge and mud, chilled by the wind and rain; driving home to their objective, and, for many, the judgment seat of God.

I do not know the dignity of their birth but I do know the glory of their death. They died unquestioning, uncomplaining, with faith in their hearts, and on their lips the hope that we would go on to victory. Always for them Duty, Honor, Country; always their blood and sweat and tears as we sought the way and the light and the truth.

And 20 years after, on the other side of the globe, again the filth of murky foxholes, the stench of ghostly trenches, the slime of dripping dugouts; those boiling suns of relentless heat, those torrential rains of devastating storms; the loneliness and utter desolation of jungle trails, the bitterness of long separation from those they loved and cherished, the deadly pestilence of tropical disease, and the horror of stricken areas of war; their resolute and determined defense, their swift and sure attack, their indomitable purpose, their complete and decisive victory — always victory. Always through the bloody haze of their last reverberating shot, the vision of gaunt, ghastly men reverently following your password of Duty, Honor, Country.

The code which those words perpetuate embraces the highest moral laws and will stand the test of any ethics or philosophies ever promulgated for the uplift of mankind. Its requirements are for the things that are right, and its restraints are from the things that are wrong.

The soldier, above all other men, is required to practice the greatest act of religious training — sacrifice. In battle and in the face of danger and death, he discloses those divine attributes which his Maker gave when he created man in his own image. No physical courage and no brute instinct can take the place of the Divine help which alone can sustain him.

i took a shine to you at 10:44 AM

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Alcohol doesn't drown sorrow. In fact, it simply makes things worse. 不要勉强... 没用的...

I need to talk yet I am too sick to talk. I need to pour my feelings to someone yet I feel too tired to organise my thoughts.

This sux...

i took a shine to you at 6:14 PM

Saturday, February 10, 2007

This song suddenly came my mind at 5.05am.

Lonely fear lights up the sky
Can't help but wonder why
We're so faraway
Then you didn't have a friend
To lend a helping hand
Life can be so strange

How I wish the arrow of time can turn back and many things would have been so much different. I'm not sure if it would be better or worse but it just sounded exciting to see how things would turn out.

-Discouraged-

People change... they really do... we really do...

i took a shine to you at 5:04 AM

Thursday, February 08, 2007

i took a shine to you at 11:47 AM

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

2nd time... Yay

Classmate boy...

Better be...

i took a shine to you at 9:27 PM

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

HEY! It's been a long time since I last blogged. Everytime I come back to the dashboard of this blog, I wonder how long I can sustain this, considering it was a rash decision when I set up this blog. Nonetheless, the vigour hasn't died off - I hope.

These days I have feeling immense inertia in packing my stuff for kayaking. Now that the car is scrapped, everything becomes so troublesome; even when it comes to your favourite activity. I dread the idea of packing my BARANG BARANG and lugging a sports bag to school. This is just plain laziness. I guess the inactivity I am suffering now will result in rapid decolourisation of my skin and I will be reduced to a white chic again.

Check out the faberboys at their blog thefaberboys.blogspot.com

After the reading the blog, I was caught between humour and earnestness. It was a pretty a tough choice in deciding whether to laugh at some of the expressions used or to respect their seriousness in the sport. Oh well, I think they aren't mutually exclusive.

i took a shine to you at 4:19 PM

Saturday, February 03, 2007

Do you watch 随时候命?

Ekin Cheng is a member of the search and rescue team. His gf, she2 shi1 man4, was unconscious for 3 years. One day, she finally woke up but she suffered from partial memory loss. There is nothing about the relationship which she could remember. You should really see his expression when the gf said "who are you?". In the end Ekin Cheng decided to let go because his gf was so stressed over trying to recover her memory. HOW SAD LAR... AIz... Okie I guess it's not with my not so vivid description.

To wait for someone for 3 years is not an easy feat...
To let go after waiting for 3 years is heartbreaking...

Dear friends... Love hurts...

i took a shine to you at 10:47 AM