Straight Talk with Great Teacher Ken

National Service, a thing of the past.

2010-06-23T18:36:00.002+10:00

So I'm about to enter National Service and frankly I'm none too keen. For those who have yet to enter, are in the process of completing it or have already done it I'm sure you feel the same. Now before you go all out and condemn me as being a coward or unpatriotic let me state my case. National Service is quite frankly a by-product of the tumultuous period known as the Cold War. It was a period of great uncertainty, a period where the entire world could descend into war and chaos faster than you could blink. The kind of war which saw massive amounts of men and material being pitted against each other. With the fall of the Soviet Union and the progress of humanity such wars no longer exist. The war of today and most likely the future will be low-intensity conflicts, where numbers do not count for much. The deciding factor in conflicts of the future would be superior training and technology, as it has always been. In fact I am of the opinion that as technology progresses it will change the very way we fight wars and render a number of equipment obsolete. One of which is the Main Battle Tank (MBT). The tank has dominated ground warfare since the close of the First World War and has played a large role in wars since. But I feel that it's time has come. Greater development in Exo-skeleton technology will eventually render the tank obsolete. In fact the tank has played a peripheral role in every major conflict since the First Gulf War. In Eastern Europe, NATO forces found it hard to bring their heavy equipment to bear as the infrastructure of the villages they had to traverse simply could not support the weight of their heavy armour. In Afghanistan the terrain simply does not allow the tank any maneuvering space, relegating it as a static fire support piece. In Iraq the built up cities and villages are a death trap for any armour units. Frankly speaking, the tank was built for a period which has come and gone a long time ago, it is simply not relevant in the wars of today and tomorrow. And this brings me on to my main point. National Service was instated at a time where the world was a very uncertain place, a time where settling problems with high explosive was the preferred option. This meant that a large standing army was needed to show the other nations that you were not one to be trifled with. In this day and age National Service is frankly unnecessary. What we need now is not numbers, what we need now is a fluid, lean, well-trained and well-equipped force. Being someone who has studied the various forms of warfare I know full well what part reservists play in a conflict. Simply put they are cannon fodder. Reservist units are meant to hold and defend places while the real work is done by line units. For a country like Singapore where manpower is a premium this is a very wasteful strategy. Another point I would like to make is our equipment. The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) is supposed to be a defensive force, but our equipment is that of an offensive first strike military. Why we bought the Leopard 2A4 Evolution tanks is beyond me. South-East Asia is not a place where one conducts armoured warfare. The Americans learned this in Vietnam. It is possibly an answer to Malaysia's acquisition of the PT-91 tank which is simply the Polish version of the T-72 built by Russia. But honestly, do we need to feel threatened by a Polish copy of a Russian tank? Aren't the massive amounts of 155mm artillery and our recent acquisition of the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) more than capable of pummeling any potential invaders into little fine pieces? And then there is our navy. If I'm not mistaken Landing Ship Tank (LST) vessels are used to deploy amphibious forces, which is only necessary if you're invading someone, so why do we have them? And then there are the stealth frigates. Stealth is an offensive technology, you do not want your defenses to be unseen, defences are there to be seen so that they can act as a deterrent. Why do we need stealth frigates to defend our waterways? Are pirates that well-equipped these days that we need stealth to defeat them? But the greatest perpetrator of waste is the Air Force. We have the most advanced and well equipped Air Force in South-East Asia. In fact I believe that we are more well-equipped than Taiwan, Australia, all the states in Africa, South America, Eastern Europe and a number of Gulf States. We boast the latest generation of F-16 and F-15 aircraft, both of which are strike aircraft, pure offensive weapons. While I do concede that our navy and air force are our first line of defence and their procurement of the very best can be justified to a certain extent I believe that our army needs downsizing. Which means that we should either scrap or shorten National Service. It is to my knowledge that there are still some units which are under-equipped even when they go on large scale exercises. What is the use of having the men when we do not have the material? Cannon fodder? By stream lining our armed forces we can not only save a couple of quid in our nations coffers, we can also save the time of the people who are forced to serve. And this of course includes me.

Now at:

2010-06-22T03:09:00.002+10:00

There's a new blog set up which includes more contributors. This one will still be around to express my sole views. http://thelairofthespicywolf.wordpress.com

To PM Lee

2010-02-02T14:55:00.005+11:00

To the Prime Minister of Singapore (I hope he reads this and not one of his in-bred lackeys who couldn't find their own arses with two hands and a map).

My name is Kenneth Lim, and one day I would like the honour of serving as the Prime Minister of Singapore. However there is a slight problem. My surname as you can see is not "Lee" and I do not come from a politically well-connected and elite family. My parents are simple working class people doing their very best to provide for their family, not millionaires. As for me, I did not study at some prestigious university, rather a working class one in Melbourne, Australia; it's called Swinburne University. I am also not a brigadier general or some other fancy paper-pusher, mindless rank in the military. I am a simple person who studied at St. Patrick's Secondary and am proud of it. Most of my close friends are heartlanders as am I to an extent. But I think my most important failing is that I am incapable of "kissing ass", or as the older generation would call it "carry balls". The only thing which I can offer to the people of Singapore is honesty, zero political bullshit and the ability to sympathise with the common man and have the will to do something about it; having spent most of my life in a housing estate neighbourhood. I am also well read in a global sense. So is there still a chance for me to become the Prime Minister of Singapore in the future?

Kenneth Lim

I am seriously considering e-mailing this to the Prime Minister's office. Although I highly doubt there will be a reply, seeing as how the government is always busy planning new ways to fleece Singaporeans of their money.

How far we've come

2009-12-04T12:26:00.002+11:00

The title speaks for itself.

How Far We've Come

Matchbox 20

Been a long journey, met loads of people, kept in touch with some and lost touch with others (as it always is in life). Almost the end now, I think I can see a ray or two of flight streaming in from the end of the tunnel. After this, life truly begins (well after NS but you know what I mean). To those who've graduated good luck on getting a job. To those who are nearing the end as well end it in style. And for those with a year or two to go or have yet to begin, enjoy whatever you can while it lasts, 'cause when it's gone, it's gone. And to not end this post on a depressing note, TIME FOR ZOUKOUT PEOPLE! (well almost in anycase)

Older, and hopefully wiser

2009-10-28T05:07:00.002+11:00

Just a short one before I turn in. Thanks a lot guys, really appreciate everything. For someone with a rather large vocabulary the only word which comes to mind now is "speechless". Thanks a bunch again.

None too cryptic

2009-10-23T14:47:00.002+11:00

Had another nightmare last night; which in itself is nothing special, been hard to get a peaceful nights sleep over the past few weeks. Probably due to the late nights I've had to pull since it's the tail end of the semester and there's an assignment or test due every other week, all a prelude to the finals in mid-November. But something about last night's dream unsettled me more than usual. "What is it?" you might ask. Well, I dreamt of reality. And I think it has gotten a bit more colder in here.

Take Me To Eden: Reveal The World

2009-10-11T02:52:00.002+11:00

Sounds like a hymn, could be a hymn and should be a hymn. And I'm sure no one expected this song to be an insert in an anime, called Eden of the East, which coincidentally enough also has Falling Down by Oasis as it's opening theme. Fantastic anime, brilliant plot and a brilliant soundtrack. It's a bit of a political anime and definitely gets your brain thinking of all the "What if's" and I'd recommend it to anyone who's looking for an anime with substance.

Reveal the World

"Please continue being a Messiah"

Love song to nobody

2009-09-27T02:37:00.002+10:00

Simply marvellous song by May'N. Brilliant lyrics, emotional, heavy; frankly no words can even begin to describe the feelings you experience when you hear the song and understand the lyrics. I'm really not fond of mushy emotional stuff but just this once, I'll make an exception. So listen, and remember, love lost. Because deep down that prickly expletive laced exterior, is a good ole' fashioned romantic.

Diamond Crevasse

"Better to have love and lost than to have not loved at all."

ANIME! Bakemonogatari

2009-09-16T23:36:00.007+10:00

Just gotta post the third opening and the ending themes to Bakemonogatari, this new anime which Andrew introduced to me. It's a strange show to say the least, dealing with supernatural events. While it's overall a funny show it does have it's serious moments. Well designed characters and an interesting plot I'll say that it's one of the "must watch" anime's of the season.

Kaerimichi (isn't it just SOOOO cute! And NO I am NOT a lolicon.)

Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari

Idle Musings: Damn you Apple, and you too Creative

2009-09-13T02:07:00.004+10:00

Remember when I lost my Zen a month ago and almost immediately went to get the Zen X-FI as a replacement for it? I based my decision on getting the X-FI instead of other models based on its value for money as it offered much more than any other MP3 player at the $229 range. So as befitting my splendid luck Apple has now come up with the new iPod Nano which not only comes with all the wizz-bangs in the Creative (except of course the X-FI system) but also comes with a video camera. Priced at $228 for the 8gb model it trumps my X-FI for value and also happens to be the first iPod with a similar capacity to a Creative to be similarly priced. And I hardly need to state that the iPod is more attractive as it is a fashion statement of sorts. But that's not all, Creative have now released the X-FI 2, which comes with touch-screen interactivity instead of the clumsy buttons on the original X-FI, which I own. Damned, maybe I shouldn't have rushed to purchase a replacement after all.....My X-FI, new, and obsolete.

Master Chef.....NOT!

2009-09-02T19:52:00.002+10:00

Tried to cook a chicken burger for dinner today and since I was too lazy to break out the frying pan I decided to chuck the thing into the microwave and set it for two minutes. The result? Chicken biscuit.....well it's still chicken.....So after lamenting over that wasted piece I decided to persevere and chucked another one in at one minute. It came out hot (undoubtedly) but was kinda soft (like nua nua) so it was back in for another 20 seconds. This time it came out marginally better with a more edible taste but I thought "what the heck, another 20 second shot of radiation". Came out kinda hard this time, first signs of "microwave burning" as I call it but still edible all in all. Next time I think I'll just throw it in for a whole one minute 30 seconds and see what happens.....or I could just get a new frying pan and do it the proper way (the previous owners frying pan looked somewhat careworn with mysterious white stuff flaking off it). Another point I'd like to make, frying stuff with a sauce pan which is not non-stick is not the brightest thing to do.....

"Fly Away From Here"

2009-09-01T01:33:00.003+10:00

Ya know sometimes ya just feel like lettin' everythin' go and leavin' on a jetplane to fly away from here, anywhere but here. Now wouldn't that be nice?

Fly Away From Here

By Aerosmith

"Ain't nothin' gonna change, if we stay 'round here"

MANIFEST 09! PICTURES!

2009-08-26T22:40:00.007+10:00

So Manifest 09 has come and gone like a quick breeze. It's quite possibly the last time I attend it for a few years as I will be taking my leave from Melbourne sometime in July next year. While not permanent I guess where I end up after National Service very much depends on which way the wind takes me. Which means that it might be my last Manifest. And in some ways this year's Manifest while enjoyable as usual felt a bit melancholic. The crowd was fantastic as usual, cosplayers everywhere but for some reason it felt that the crowd got smaller. Well, since this years Manifest wasn't at Melbourne Uni but at the Showgrounds instead I guess only those with an interest in all things anime bothered to make their annual pilgrimage to Manifest. A bit disappointed with the traders this year as the latest products which I expected to see and probably blow my budget on didn't materialise. Well one of the traders did say that new stuff filters down to Australia real slowly due to it's location "down under" so I guess that's that. If you're on the hunt for brand new merchandise Australia is not the place to be. Damn, and I was all hyped up about getting some K-ON merchandise. Well I did get a few decent buys but all things considered not much, well not much when you compare it to the previous two years in any case. Well enough talk, time for some pictures, which I did not take much of this year too. Here are some of the highlights (don't expect too much as all pictures were taken with my swanky but dated N76 which I bought solely because of look not function and only has a 2mp camera).

Mio from K-ON!

Lucky Star Cheerleaders

Hatsune Miku and dude in Shinsengumi uniform

Random Kimono girlsCardcaptor Sakura and Random Maid Random girls in loli dressRiku from Final Fantasy-X and Yoko from Gurren Lagann

Chi from Chobits and Konata from Lucky Star!

Ouka the Divine Fist from .hack//Legend of the Twilight Bracelet

Mio from K-ON! (again....but it's a good shot so what the hell)

DEFINITELY NOT an Idle Musing: Manifest 2009

2009-08-21T00:57:00.003+10:00

Eh wa lao Manifest 2009 is like tomorrow la. KNN lucky I saw the bloody event on Facebook on Monday if not GG already. Basket this year the bloody thing not at Melbourne Uni must travel to Melbourne Showgrounds instead, CCB must buy train ticket again. As though the bloody entry not expensive enough, $50 for three day pass. But nevermind, since confirm my last time going for it for a few years I will take the effort to wake up extra early on one of my free days, will sacrifice the cash to go there and hopefully enjoy myself until sui sui. This year I will definitely take a lot of pics one and post here post there. Shit now must see if my camera got battery or not.....

Not-So Idle Musings: Affirmation

2009-08-19T01:36:00.003+10:00

I've realised that I tend to harp on a lot of the negatives which occur in my life, that the foul sequence of events which plague me are more than coincidences. Who else can lose an MP3 player and have his PC crash within a week? And if that's not enough what if I said that the exact same thing happened almost exactly a year ago? What else is there to blame but your own bad luck. I guess you could say that with all the shit happening in my life I've become rather paranoid. A very very sarcastic, cynical and dark humoured person. But I'll try to change that now, no don't expect me to start smiling broadly and stop cussing my ass off, but maybe I'll tone down the cynicism and sarcasm a little (not to mention the knn's and ccb's). It's time to get up and dust myself off. To get moving forward once again. And not to look back.

The Untitled Track

2009-08-19T00:41:00.004+10:00

You know, things change as time goes by. Either that or it was never what you thought it was, merely an illusion created by oneself. At the end of the day what you think is yours alone, inference, quite possibly a ways away from the truth. But what is the truth? Everyone has their own version of it. What you believe is not fact, it's personal. That doesn't mean it's false, it's true alright, because you believe it. The same goes with rights and wrongs, black and white. I won't go so far as to say it's all grey, but what's black and white to me may be purple and green to you. I guess what I'm trying to say is "to each his own". We've all got our own problems, but we tend to forget that everyone else has them as well and while you might think your problem is greater than the person next to you that's just what it is, it's only what you think. But don't worry, because he has exactly the same thoughts as you, for he is thinking his problem is greater than yours. While I try to preach understanding in my haphazard way I am of course guilty of being a hypocrite as well. Sure I may say I try to be as impartial as I can my judgement and reasoning will always be based on what I know, what I have experienced. Which is exactly what it is, my experiences, not yours, mine. Now how impartial can that be? As people come and go there are a select few who will always be there. Family, brothers, friends. I don't have any close relatives here so for me down under my family are my friends. Sure it's a dysfunctional family at best but we make do with what we have. Being totally frank had our paths crossed in another time at another place the previous me would have scoffed at the idea of hanging out with these people. People who were afraid to get their hands dirty when they needed to, people who didn't know how it was to work long shifts at manual jobs, people who have never had to scringe and save for the things they wanted, their next meal. It might sound tough but you do what you have to do. Sure I didn't have to do some of the things I did but self-sufficiency has always been high up on my list. No sense in impressing chicks with my parents cash. My parents are closer to 60 than 55, they don't run businesses but instead work for people. They could do with fewer burdens. But as I said before this is my situation. Since coming here I've learned to temper my views. Learnt to see past the surface and to a certain extent become a milder version of my old self. Everyone has got their points, you've just got to see them. Although there might be a great many differences there are equally as many if not more similarities. If we all didn't have our differences something would be very very wrong. We're bound to have our scuffles, disagreements and the like. But what makes people friends is their ability to see past that. There is no taking without first giving. While it might seem like you are always doing the giving, the time will come for others to give too, and for you to receive. And although things may change as time goes by I hope that one thing will always stay the same. That friends, brothers, family will always remain that way.

Idle Musings: Weapon of Choice

2009-08-14T02:24:00.003+10:00

Another share from the Mr.Brown show, and remember people once you go armed forces you can never go back. Bloody civvies.....

the mrbrown show: army fighting language

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Idle Musings: Le Kua Simi

2009-08-14T02:02:00.003+10:00

Rough week, won't elaborate much more than the age old adage "shit happens". Well gonna put it past me and bulldoze straight through, no way but forward as they say. Well the good stuff will come eventually so I'll just keep looking for it, either that or it'll find me first. So I leave you now with a music video from the Mr.Brown show.

Le Kua Simi?

Idle Musings: Oops, time difference

2009-08-10T22:20:00.001+10:00

Really funny mistake it is, I just returned to 1939 Nazi Ger.....whoops....er.....I meant Australia, Melbourne yesterday, the 9th of August (Majulah Singapura.....yeah right.....). Didn't get much sleep one the plane, barely an hour or two by my estimates and I couldn't sleep in the afternoon because I had to clean up my place and unpack. As a result I was damn tired at night and promptly went to sleep after setting my alarm. Small problem there, as bloody Australia is two hours ahead and I forgot to reset my phone and MP3 (yes my new X-FI comes with a speaker which means I've got one more alarm in my arsenal) I woke up two hours later than I wanted to which resulted in me missing my first class of the semester. And since the sudden change in climates is making me feel lethargic I decided to give my lecture in the evening a miss too and spend the whole day lazing around.

Idle Musings: The Replacement

2009-08-07T04:57:00.003+10:00

Well sure enough no one stepped forward to return my missing Zen so I had no choice but to buy a new one. Already expecting this to happen due to my cynical view of society and life I already came up with alternatives and replacements for my missing MP3 and settled for a new one in the end. So I'm now saddled with a Zen X-FI, another Creative MP3. My main reason for going Creative is of course the price, which is much cheaper than comparable Apple or Sony models. Well as much as my credit is feeling the burn of having to shell out another $229 due to my momentary lapse of vigilance it has taught me a few valuable lessons. The first is that you can never be too careful with your things and the only way to prevent it from happening again is CONSTANT vigilance, if you're not sure about something check and double check again. The second one is that if you do this and still lose stuff then someone up there or somewhere has something against you, in which case good luck. And lastly the age old adage "shit happens". And here's a shout out to Morg, don't waste your money on an iPhone, look at how fast they churn out new models, first the iPhone, then iPhone 3G and now the 3Gs, it's a damn gimmick I tell you. Besides both your handphone and MP3 player are still new and in very good condition. Save that $879 (price from the Apple shop) for something else.

Idle Musings: Domestic competition

2009-08-04T04:55:00.002+10:00

Had a COD 4 marathon with Bowen and the lads on Saturday night where we played from 12 am to 6 am. And I must say I am quite impressed with his level of skill in the game; in fact I'd go so far as to say that he is either as good or better than I am. Although I was fatigued by LAN overload from playing on Friday night as well as Saturday afternoon at the behest of James, I'll admit that his skill is HGF level. In fact I'd go so far as to say he could go toe-to-toe with our leader "BRUNO!" (his new nickname, the faggoty gay SM bastard with his equally fagotty and gay non-competition-regulated mouse). His skill with sub machine gun classed weapons far exceeds my own and his stealth work with a silenced Uzi makes him almost impossible to detect. Well since he IS a commando I'd expect nothing less from his well-honed reflexes and concentration. Another one to note is Arthur, and while his skill with ranged weapons is mediocre at best, his knife skills could possibly rival those of Simply Red in a head-on knife fight. The final tally of the night was of course a draw, both of us having won and loss roughly the same number of matches, although I did manage to triumph him in levels. It was a good experience taking him on and I relish the chance where I can square off against him again, hopefully being at my peak level the next time we meet.

Idle Musings: You lose some, and....er....lose some again?

2009-08-04T04:37:00.003+10:00

Shit, I lost my mp3 player again. Bloody hell and I just bought my Zen a year ago after I lost my old Zen Neeon which served me reasonably for a good four years. Can't believe it; I'm usually quite careful with my things, always checking and double checking to see if I left anything anywhere, and on the days I let my guard down just a tiny bit it comes back to bite me in the backside. Can't I just get a break from this foul streak or have I used up all my luck for this lifetime? (For a humorous take on this read "Love Hina" book 9; in fact read the whole bloody series, fantastic stuff) Well I just hope that some kind soul finds it in the cinema and hands it over to the lost and found so that I can collect it tomorrow. Here's to optimistic thinking and a little miracle. I don't want to waste money and have to buy a replacement again, not to mention transferring all the songs is going to be a real pain.

"What to do, life is like that."

Idle Musings: The King of Pop

2009-07-04T00:35:00.005+10:00

I still remember the songs which I listened to way back. The first which come to mind are La Bamba by Ritchie Valens, Mrs Robinson by The Beatles and of course every one of MJ's songs. Back in the day he was THE thing on every one's high-fi and Walkman. My cousin is probably his greatest fan I know, in fact he used to have this Michael Jackson game they had on the ancient Sega console and LD's of all his albums. Heck I can even remember the Michael Jackson movie, now THAT'S how old I am! He was and is THE quintessential performer. While a flawed and eccentric character as all true geniuses are, his musical talent and supremacy at his art was undeniable. Watch his moves on the dance floor and I'll bet even Kim Jong Il will be mesmerised and forget to flick the switch on that nuke he's about to launch. The way he danced wasn't human, it was that of a well-oiled fluid dancing machine, his moves clinical, smooth and precise. His sudden passing was a real shock, and I'll admit that the thought of getting tickets to his comeback concert did occur a while back. Well guess this takes care of that little dilemma. His passing is a real loss to the art and I would go so far as to say that with his passing the last great performer from my era has gone. While many might focus on the more onerous aspects of his life I feel that we should remember the man for what he was, which is the greatest performer ever to grace the dance floor, not what he was accused of. In a way he lived a sad life devoid of a childhood and was taken advantage of by those who just wanted extra spending money. So I pray, that he has finally achieved the peace he so deserves.

This is probably my most favourite song of his. Brings me right back to my childhood where Power Rangers were still based on dinosaurs and ruled Saturday morning television and kopi was only for people older than me. Oh and milk was still served in a bottle. I guess I especially like the video because it has the romantic feel of the ole' American gangster era with their tailored suits and "Tommy" guns. Fantastic.

Idle Musings: Link

2009-06-25T03:48:00.002+10:00

I've always thought of my Grandparents and their home as a constant and a link to my past, when things were much simpler. As a place I could turn to to get away from the hectic pace of my life, a sanctuary. Having been brought up by them and staying at their house for a good 10 years before returning home I've always treated them with the utmost respect and care and I'm not ashamed to say that I treat them leagues better than my parents. I can still remember the times when my Grandfather thought me how to take the bus and MRT, how he brought me back from school if I fell ill during class or after extra lessons. How my Grandmother would cook lunch and would either get my Grandfather to bring it to my place after class or deliver it herself. How I would spend my Saturday mornings at their place (Yes that's the only time I would bother to wake up at 8am on a free day and walk all the way from Balestier to Toa Payoh just to have breakfast with them) having breakfast with them, how my Grandmother would always prepare coffee and snacks which my Grandfather bought for tea at 4pm, how there would always be food waiting for me whenever I turned up. But that's all in the past, my Grandmother has been bedridden and unable to speak due to a stroke four years ago and my Grandfather suddenly passed away last year due to a fall. I can still remember my Grandfather calling me at least once a month (well I tried to call back at least once a week in any case) while I was in Australia, to check up on me and make sure I was fine and how my aunt would scold him sometimes for calling me too many times. At the time of his passing I truly felt that the last link to my past had gone. I now go back to visit an empty and quiet home. Where once the sound of loud conversations in Cantonese and Malay can be heard all that's left is silence. I still visit regularly whenever I'm back home but it'll never be the same again, it's still warm though, that's one feeling that will never change. I'll always miss the conversations and time I spent with my Grandmother watching the latest dramas on show on television and my Grandfather recounting his experiences during the Japanese occupation. Well knowing that you can never go back to the past is progress in itself, it would however be nice if I could go back to those simpler times one more time.

Idle Musings: Thoughts

2009-06-25T02:47:00.005+10:00

This marks the beginning of posts titled "Idle Musings" which are a summarised version of what's been on my mind recently. I'll try to make them as short as possible unlike the other full length posts. OK, lets begin shall we. I've realised that deep thinking is the best way for doubts and insecurities to ferment in your life. The more you think of a matter the more you feel that a better decision could have been made, that you've made the wrong one, that the other one would've been infinitely better. You start thinking things like "Why is this happening to me?" or like good ole' Charlie Brown's "When do the good things start?", all very much depressing thoughts to plague yourself with. I guess that's why I tend to drink a tad too much and indulge in smoking off and on as a way of ridding myself of such thoughts, albeit temporarily. Such thoughts usually haunt me, a life which has steadily been full of regrets. What else can you do when you don't have anyone to voice these problems to, I mean they sure as hell can't be posted to the blog, what with them being sensitive and possibly confrontational. How do you find a place to channel these thoughts or do you keep them under lock and key for eternity?

Until You're Over Me

2009-06-11T00:47:00.002+10:00

Great song by Maroon 5, well most of their songs are nice in any case, although their subject content is all rather similar. And since I haven't got the time to post anything for awhile I thought I might as well put this up, don't want the site to start smelling like stale sardines the next time I decide to post some real content.

Until You're Over Me

And to all you folks sitting for the dreaded end of semester exams, I bid thee Good Night, and Good Luck.

CONnex you've done it again

2009-05-21T21:51:00.004+10:00

Have you ever wondered why terrorists never bothered to attack the Melbourne train line, but took the effort to hit the London, Madrid and if some of you can remember the Indian ones? No it's not that they found the Kangaroo's, Koala's and Wallaby's cute but a rather more insidious and diabolical reason. It's because Connex itself is a terrorist organisation. That's right the truth is out, CONnex and Al Qaeda are in bed together. In fact I have reason to believe that the Al Qaeda terror network is so impressed by CONnex that they have sent over some operatives to train with them and maybe pick up a thing or two on how to torture civilians while not getting shot at. This is state sponsored terrorism at it's height, forget Iran and North Korea for the enemy is right at our doorstep. Terrorists did indeed plan to attack the Melbourne rail system but after scouting the place out they realised that by bombing CONnex trains they'd be striking a blow for justice instead of their own insidious ends. They'd be helping the pagan infidels they swore to annihilate. Instead they marvelled at how CONnex could get away with crimes against humanity by providing the most shit transportation service ever known to man and charging commuters an arm and a leg. That's right, the service which CONnex provides is so bad it's considered terrorism. In CONnex, Al Qaeda found an ally, a kindred spirit, a mentor of sorts. And there lay CONnex's true mission, to destroy the lives of normal hard-working people, to rob them of their hard earned money and most important of all their life's blood, time. Forget the lies of technical faults and a lack of competent staff for it was all calculated and intentional. First they steal your money through the exorbitant fares, then they waste your time by delaying all their trains and making them stop at random places for no reason and finally they destroy your social and working life by making you late for every appointment. Bad service? No. Terrorism? Undoubtedly. There were days when not only did you not get to your destination, but is instead brought somewhere else. Like the Jews who thought they were going for a shower but ended up a statistic and a chapter in the history books. And it almost happened to me today, and this is what happened. I woke up at 5:50am to get to my 8:30am class this morning. I arrived at Melbourne Central station on time and promptly took the 6:50am Lilydale train. As usual it stopped at Flinders Street station but today however something strange happened. Unknown to me CONnex had changed the destination of this train, it was now going to Glen Waverly instead with the train on the next platform going to Lilydale. The only hint of this was the strange warbling sound over the PA system which strangely sounded like some secret Nazi code. Besides there are always announcements due to the hideous service provided by CONnex where something is always screwing up and delaying passengers. The only warning I had that they changed the trains was when I saw the train passing by had the word Lilydale on the LED sign at the back. You can already imagine the torrent of obscenities and hellish rage about to be unleashed by my being. I promptly went to ask the nearest CONnex staff what was going on and predictably enough he told me he had no idea and promptly went back to having verbal sex with his gay partner next to him. I sure as hell wasn't going to take this lying down so I went over to the service counter and unleashed hell on the two unfortunates there for the half hour needed to wait for the next train. I can safely say that CONnex is the most fucked up rail system in the world, it's so bad that it should be considered terrorism and crimes against humanity. We should get Jack Bauer here to kill and torture the lot of the fuckers for all the torment they put us commuters through. Actually after careful consideration I think CONnex are more than petty terrorists, instead they're a remnant of the Nazi party, waiting for the time when they can catch the civilised world off guard and strike back with a vengeance. I have a sneaking suspicion that their ruler is also a strange man with a disturbing mustache and one testicle, like his infamous predecessor..

Civiility at it's basics, It feels like 1939 again

2009-05-16T02:22:00.004+10:00

Time for another lesson in civility. So here's the situation, our glorious Team HGF leader and his mistress were both fined for resting their feet on the seats of a train a few weeks back, a whopping $180 each (if I remember the going rates for fines by Connex correctly, I myself having been fined by those money swindling bastards once, rat turd arseholes the lot of them, I of course managed to weasel my way out of paying the fine as usual, TAKE THAT BITCHES!) which amounts to a combined $360. So now he's trying to get ole' Sibu AngKau and I to help him weasel his way out of this mess by helping him with his appeal letter. I mean $360 can be better spent elsewhere then donating it to the shit bags at Connex, like using it as toilet paper or rolling it up to smoke, anything other than paying it to them. Because paying a public transport fine in Australia is like saying you love Hitler and would love to have his children, that you're a swine of a Jew hater and the biggest racist this side of the universe, that you love to prance around with a armband with a swastika on it and engage in incestuous activities. It could also mean you're into SM and a whole host of other sexual deviance's, but I think we'll leave it as that for now. But try as I might for once I have to concede that even I may not be able to help ole' Navy slither his way out of this one. I mean sure I could talk my way out of why I had a concession ticket with me instead of a bloody full fare one; but explain my way out of why I'm propping my legs up on another seat? I think not. For one even the insidious use of the English language cannot disguise the fact that you purposely put your legs on another seat, which is of course against the law on public transports. Another compounding factor is the fact that there are bloody signs all over the place telling you that you're not supposed to do that. Anyway why would you prop your feat up anyway? I for one find it rather uncivil, I mean you're dirtying the seat for God's sake. Sure you could reason that since Connex are providing such crap service and charging such a high price I should be able to do as I please (and mind you that is a very good reason) you should not forget the fact that the poor chap next to you on the train is suffering the same problems as you. I mean everyone who takes the train is in this together, so by dirtying the seats you are not inconveniencing Connex you're just irritating other passengers. You think Connex gives a shit if their trains are in a good condition? The bloody things are late half the fucking time and they stink like the dogs food the day after. So remember, don't think of it as following the rules when it is actually the practice of civil consciousness at its basics. Spitting in public, making a mess in public places, and basically inconveniencing others is something an unlearned and discourteous lout would do. People with a modicum of civility should steer clear of such behaviour. Remember "Do unto others as you would have done unto you".

On to my next matter, who in the world would want to be a tram/train officer? I mean you've got to have the most pathetic life in the world, either that or you love SM. That and as I've mentioned before you're an anti-semitic Nazi. For one you're not a police officer (or the gestapo as they're otherwise known), I mean you're just an overweight turd with a very strange looking badge, the kind that kiddies have when they get their first cowboy and indians play set. I've seen drunken imbeciles making a mess out of a train/tram before and harassing fellow commuters but not once have I seen a tram/train officer be around to stop them. I have on the other hand seen these "officers" terrorising paying customers by going around and demanding that you show them that you're actually dumb enough to pay for what is an overpriced and deplorable service and that you're helping them to maintain their trains because they themselves can't be fucked to do so. I'll bet my scrawny ass that these people have a bloody quota which they must meet once a month. If they fail to meet it they'll get their asses fired and thrown back onto the streets and Connex will demand a "stimulus" package from the government because their finances went down the tube. I have a theory that all tram/train officers are people who have taken and failed the test to be a cop(/gestapo) and as such settled for the next best thing; which is being a train/tram(/SA/SS) officer. I mean every time a train officer comes up to me and demands to see my ticket I feel like I'm getting mugged. Or about to be sent to a gas chamber. You'd think that these people will be prancing around with sadistic glee's on their faces but no, they always give you that constipated look, like they've been holding it in for the better part of a century which might explain why they're so full of it. So to all these unfortunates I say GET A REAL JOB! In fact GET A REAL LIFE! Not to mention a couple of boxes of laxatives as well.

Falling Down, by Oasis

2009-05-16T01:35:00.006+10:00

Damn it I love this song; it's "Falling Down" by Oasis, simply brilliant. I first heard it when I saw Eden of the East, a new anime series recently released a few months ago, and it's quite a good show too, gets you thinking about the problems which affect society.

Falling Down
By Oasis

The summer sun, it blows my mind
Is falling down on all that I've ever known
Time will kiss the world goodbye
Falling down on all that I've ever known
Is all that I've ever known

A dying scream makes no sound
Calling out to all that I've ever known
Here am I, lost and found
Calling out to all

We live a dying dream
If you know what I mean
All that I've ever known
It's all that I've ever known

Catch the wheel that breaks the butterfly
I cried the rain that fills the ocean wide
I tried to talk with God to no avail
I Call Him up in and out of nowhere
Said "if You won't save me, please don't waste my time"

All that I've ever known
All that I've ever known
It's all that I've ever known

Catch the wheel that breaks the butterfly
I cried the rain that fills the ocean wide
I tried to talk with God to no avail
I Call Him up in and out of nowhere
Said "if You won't save me, please don't waste my time"

The summer sun, it blows my mind
It's falling down on all that I've ever known
Time will kiss the world goodbye
Falling down on all that I've ever known
Is all that I've ever known

Justice, Ethics, Life, Death

2009-05-06T23:39:00.005+10:00

"Terrorists and criminals should be treated in a humane and ethical fashion when judgement upon them is passed down. As such the death penalty and torture should be abolished as it goes against the rights of man" Pure bollocks if you ask me, this matter of humane treatment for the scum of society. It's something the hypocritical people in a number of western nations and states have been advocating for some time. I am an extremely strong supporter of capital punishment and the torture of terrorists.

Lets begin with my case on capital punishment. In recent years the Australian government has had to deal with a number of cases where some of their idiotic citizens have crossed the boundaries of law in another country, usually in the South-East Asian region. Their crime? Drug trafficking, which I find one of the lowest criminal acts around. Drugs bring ruin to people who use them, what awaits them is a fate worse than death as they develop an addiction to it. An addict won't die if he can't afford to consume the drug anymore, he'll just live a life of unbearable pain. Drugs not only affect the user, it affects society as well. An addict needs cash to feed his habits, and when it comes to drugs he needs lots of it. As these people can barely keep their lives in check they obviously don't have jobs, so where does their funding come from? First they leech off their relatives, and when that has reached its limit they then enter a life of crime. Theft, robbery and murder. And this is why I believe drug dealers are murderers, worse, they are anarchists, they live to take in the chaos which consumes the world. Now most SE Asian nations impose the ultimate penalty on drug traffickers, the death penalty. As such the Australian government, and society which is strongly against the death penalty have been furiously trying to get their criminal exports off the hook. Their claim against the death penalty? Its inhumane, and that man does not have the right to take the life of another. Pure bloody hypocrisy on the part of the Australians. Do we not remember what happened during the trial of the Bali bombers? A good many Aussie's were screaming bloody murder and demanding the death penalty for all involved. So one view for their citizens and another for foreigners? This is the extent of their moral ethics? Then it is sorely lacking indeed. Drug trafficking is in a way terrorism in its own right, didn't the poppy fields of Afghanistan provide the funding needed to raise and maintain the armies of the Taliban? But instead of a sudden and violent death for the innocents (I use the word very loosely here because is anyone truly innocent?) it slowly bleeds them out, attacking at the fringes of society until one day it hits you right in the face. And what of the terrorists, murderers and rapists? Do we chuck them in prison for a decade or two and then spit them back into society where a good many of them will revert to their old ways, or do we finish them off with a length of rope, a cocktail of nerve agents or good ole' brass cartridges. I of course vote for the latter. Imagine this, these crims are living a decent life in prison, they have heating in the winter, three meals a day, a bed to sleep on, sanitary facilities, medical facilities and depending on the prison a host of other recreational activities. Heck it's like a resort for criminals. And who pays for the upkeep of these facilities? Tax payers; the victims or families of the victims. It's like a slap in the face to these people and I ask you now "Has justice truly been served?" If you ask me we should just impose the death penalty on the lot of them, society is better off and much safer without scum like these around. Besides the death penalty serves as a deterrent to all those would-be drug dealers and crims out there, if you want to enter a life of crime be prepared to forfeit your life. Give them a chance those so-called human rights groups say, but were any of their victims given a chance?

On to my second case, the use of torture to extract information from terrorists. There's been great condemnation around the world when it came to light that some American agencies have been using torture on terrorists during interrogation sessions. To the Americans I say good job, to the rest of the world? Lets see if you still feel the same way after terrorists fly planes into your buildings. In my view terrorists are debased sub-human creatures who only deserve swift and violent death. Attacking army personnel and law enforcement personnel is one thing, but innocent civilians? Women, children and the aged? Now that's just repulsive. Which is why I say, if you can get your hands on someone with definite information on terrorist activities grill the shitbag with every method at hand until he spills everything he knows. Break his fingers slowly and at every joint, throw him on a metal bed frame and hook up a couple of car batteries to it, water board him, use any and every method at hand until you have the information you need. This information can save the lives of hundreds; or even thousands of civilians. What use is moral ethics and humane treatment if it only results in the death of hundreds. Besides these are terrorists, not military combatants from another army and as such the rules of war do not apply to them. I'm sure that many would-be terrorists would think twice if torture was legalised. Death the crazed zealots can handle, but pain? I highly doubt it.

"Only the living can speak of morals and ethics, but of the dead their voices cannot be heard."

Headlines

2009-04-07T00:25:00.001+10:00

From the sergeant's mouth

2009-04-05T23:35:00.002+10:00

No, it's not me but from 3SG (NS) NYH. Just read his blog and all I can say is it's truly awesome and I seriously recommend it to students living overseas and on a budget (or who just want to be savvy with their spending). While his blog might be fresh and new and as such a little light on content his first two posts are rather brilliant. They cover his experimentations with his weekly food expenditure and I must say his research is rather thorough covering their weight, cost and nutritional value. Frankly speaking it's the most interesting thing (I mean it makes much more sense and is infinitely more useful than any of my ranting down here) I've read for a long time and I plan on implementing some of his lessons during the Easter break. You can get it here at http://yh89.wordpress.com. Good job NYH, I'm looking forward to more money saving tips from you!

Team HGF

2009-04-03T00:28:00.002+11:00

Just a little something to wile my time away before I go to bed. Now team HGF hasn't been active for awhile now, but during our little jaunt on CoD 4 online today we still managed to wreck merry havoc and predictably top the charts. Now what is team HGF you might ask? Well it's a bunch of crazy asses with nothing better to do with their free time than to sit around LAN shops and busting peoples asses open no matter the game (except DotA, which frankly speaking is meant for people with the social life of a frog, about to be flung into a boiling vat of porridge, yum). From the prehistoric period of Counter-Strike to Battlefield 2, Dawn of War, Age of Empires 3, Command & Conquer Zero Hour and finally to the game which set our legend in stone, Call of Duty 4. We weren't fantastic when we started, but we learnt from every loss, every mistake (although sibu angkau's lack of improvement is still one of the wonders of the world) and finally managed to destroy the competition outright. I remember the days of the pitched battles where we fought tooth and nail (or keyboard and mouse) just to stay a kill ahead, the glorious and adrenaline packed victories by a scant kill or two, or the frustrating defeats by one foolish mistake at the last second. We learned, we adapted and we kicked ass, lots of it. But that's all in the past, eventually the thrill of the kill disappeared, the opposition drifted away as they felt their struggle futile and HGF was left unopposed. Hardly anyone plays CoD 4 at the cyber cafes now, for fear that a HGF personnel or two might be around to turn their hour or two of enjoyment into sheer misery. So finally we took our fight online expecting something of a challenge, we even busted ourselves back to level one, only to realise that we sorely overestimated the opposition. We topped the tables in out first online debut, our measly levels putting the rest of the level 55 players to shame. Our kills did not just overshadow them, it humiliated them, usually doubling the closest rival. And our deaths were much lower. HGF isn't made up of a bunch of solo operators, each member plays an important part (even angkau has one, he's the bait) and the failure of one could spell failure for all. Praise goes not to one, but to all. We have reached the peak, where no challenger could oppose us. And it's very lonely at the top.

Health Matters

2009-04-02T13:16:00.003+11:00

OK here's the deal, for this module of mine, Workbased Industry Learning, my team member and I have got to go out and inflict ourselves on a group of very unfortunate brats (I think they're year 10 kids but brats all the same). But that's not the worse part, we've got to supervise them on their project of adolescent health, now that, is the worse part. I mean you know you're in trouble when you've got a business student giving you health tips (like ole' Sibu Angkau rousing me from an afternoon nap and asking me if Teflon is a plastic, which it is if anyone is interested). I mean I'm most certainly no paragon of virtue, I drink (a lot), I smoke (on occasion, and when I do I usually go through a pack) and I don't go to sleep early (not much of a choice in that matter, sleep tends to become very elusive once you enter uni). I do however try to eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible and to keep myself well hydrated. I mean the extent of my knowledge in adolescent health is to eat right, exercise right, don't drink, don't smoke and don't do drugs. So we've got a long overdue meet with the very elusive liaison from Boronia Heights High tomorrow (what a splendid way to spend my free day, like having your toilet back up while you're still sitting on it) where my team mate and I will grill the damn teacher for as much information as she can provide so that there won't be any spots in our report which we have to frakkin' hand up next Thursday. We will then meet those pesky kids on subsequent Friday's after the Easter holidays to supervise them on their work (and like that my free Friday just went up in smoke). All I can do now is hope to God that they that won't be an ill-disciplined and imbecilic rabble as their screw ups might be seen as my screw ups which would of course not do very much for my grades.

Faith and Politics- a brief look

2009-03-17T23:36:00.003+11:00

Was watching a documentary on the American elections and how the evangelical Christian vote played a part in it while I was having dinner and all I can say is that I am utterly disgusted. I have always tried to maintain a fair and unbiased view on the other more radical Christian denominations but my opinion of them has hit rock bottom after watching that documentary. Pastors endorsing candidates? Now that's one step too far. In my view religion has always been a beacon for the people, something which stays true and steadfast through good times and bad. Something the masses can go to, to seek refuge from their troubles whenever they need to. Something free from the fallibility of men. Religion should never be mixed in with the deceit and half-truths of politics as doing so would sully its purity and purpose. It should always maintain a neutral view in the world of politics, only making its voice heard when matters of faith and morals are in jeopardy. It should not seek to show support for one party, but seek the understanding and cooperation of both parties to further the cause of God's will. And politicians should also pay heed and not use the word of God to their advantage. I realised that in Obama's speeches, he invoked the name of God so many times that he would have done any half-baked pastor proud, in fact his rallies usually sounded like those hippie meets which some Christians pass off as "praise and worship sessions" (although it all sounds like a karaoke party on steroids to me). I'm not saying I don't support President Obama, I have great respect for the man and feel that under his leadership the United States would be a much more reliable nation. All I'm saying is that we shouldn't sound as though we're all doing the will of God, I mean does anyone out there actually know what God's will is? At the end of the day we are all doing whats best for our interests no matter how noble we try to make it sound, so the least we could do is not drag religion into it.

For such a large matter this is a rather short post but as I am trying to get the ole' gears to start working properly again after such a long hiatus you'll have to bear with me while I try and get up to speed on my writing again. As usual no offense to any Christians (by 'Christians' I mean everything else after the Roman-Catholic faith, of which I am proud to be a part of) reading this, everyone is entitled to their own views and I am simply making mine known. Of course if you want people to take what you preach seriously maybe you could try taking yourselves seriously too instead of just singing rock songs and making merry.

The beginning of the end

2009-03-08T13:30:00.003+11:00

I'm back after an extremely long hiatus and I'm not particularly thrilled about it. For people wanting to know why this site hasn't been updated for the better part of four months its due to the fact that I was back home and felt that it was too much of a hassle to stay sober long enough to post something up. So we're finally at the doorstep of the end chapter of the university part of my life (for the moment at least, until I decide to go get a masters degree in any case). My exit permit ends at the end of July next year and after that its off to national service (NS) for me. The first week of the new semester has come and gone with the promise of heaps more of work to come. My timetable is as messed as ever as I've got late lectures at 17:30 on both Mondays and Tuesdays which end at 19:00. This means that I usually reach home at 20:00. But the worst part is the two classes on both Tuesdays and Thursdays which start at 08:30, this means that I have to wake up at fucking 05:30 to catch the 06:50 train to butt-fucking Lilydale which is like the arse end of the God-forsaken train line. I guess the only redeeming factor is the fact that I'm free on Wednesdays and Fridays. Not for long from what the blasted unit outline for all of my subjects are telling me. The only thing keeping me going now is the fact that this is my last year here, not like NS is anything to look forward to but at least I've completed one hurdle on this journey we call life, or something like it.

Filler, no I'm still around punks.....

2008-12-14T04:37:00.002+11:00

Just something random which came up while Lin, B-L and I were having lunch on Friday. I found what I said amusing enough to warrant it a post of it's own (actually I'm too damn lazy to write anything substantial.....). I can't really remember what we were talking about but I have a funny feeling it had something to do with our unsavoury lifestyle of drinks, smokes and a whole lot of clubbing.

"Any punk ass kid can fling himself off a building or onto the train tracks as a means of suicide, but it takes a real man to slowly torture himself to death by smoking, drinking and basically living a fulfilling life of wild debauchery!"

Life Update

2008-12-04T12:16:00.002+11:00

Been a long time since I posted anything and I'm going to make this a quick one as well. Returning back to Singapore tomorrow, 5th of December, and I can't wait to meet the lads for some serious clubbing action fueled with acts of wild debauchery and gallons of alcohol. It's been a real shit year and the only thing which can provide some consolation now is some good old partying. Oh crazy drink meister Brendan has already informed me of dire consequences (possibly dousing me in 151 and setting my ass on fire) if I do not haul my scrawny ass to ZoukOut on the 13th. Suj's annual party is also looming over the horizon like a drunken flock of pigeons about to take a cluster dump on you. The month's barely started and it looks like I'm about to be drunk simply from thinking of all the alcohol which is coming to get me. Well I'll say it couldn't come any later. There's a lot to post and I've got quite a few written up already waiting for final editing. Many a things have happened since the last post, and I hope that I can find some time in-between my non-alcohol induced periods of consciousness to get them up. See you in a bit comrades!

"If life screws you over, screw it back."

Not another obituary

2008-10-08T02:20:00.002+11:00

This time it's for a place not a person (thankfully enough). I was really shocked to read that Ministry of Sound (MoS) Singapore would be closing it's doors for good on the Channel News Asia (CNA) website today while I was at uni. Alongside Zouk and most recently St. Jame's Powerhouse, it was a real rock in the foundation of the clubbing scene in Singapore. There would forever be a line outside the place on weekends and especially during the holiday season. A place filled with many fond memories which I will never forget, and although I frequented many other clubs as well that was the one where I went to the most. Guess it might be time to remember my roots and head back to the ole' glory days of Muhammad Sultan Road. The place where it all began. Ciao MoS, and thanks for the memories.

Inhuman Humanity

2008-10-04T17:42:00.004+10:00

Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, Pride. The seven deadly sins. The things that make us what we are, mortal men. Show me a person that does not have the following thoughts at any given point of their lives and I'll show you a saint, a person that is no longer man anymore. We study now so as to be able to secure a comfortable future, the attainment of wealth. Some might say that is not the case, that they will be satisfied when they have enough. But when will it ever be enough? After we have our lavish residences and material goods? Is this not Greed and Gluttony? The sin of excess? We all get angry on an almost daily basis due to the transgressions of others, is this not wrath? And don't even get me started on pride, it's something that everyone has. And envy, do we not envy those who have more than us? People are a very selfish lot, with the sentiment "Rather him/her than me" being prevalent in everyone. There is of course nothing wrong with this form of thinking as our self preservation should always be at the very top of our priorities. I mean we wouldn't be able to do much if we were dead right? Everything happens for a reason, and everyone does something for a reason. There is no such thing as a random act, no such thing as a person doing something without expecting any benefits from it. And that is how and why people choose when and where to act, "How much will I benefit from my actions? What will I gain from it? Is it worth the risk?" these are thoughts which go through all our minds before we do anything. We make acquaintances, friends, partners because we see uses in them. Their companionship is just an added benefit. This might be a very inhuman and detached way of seeing things but that is simply the way it is. We call people out when we are bored and avoid them when we are not. There is always a reason to not help others, but very rarely is there one to. There is always a wrong time for things, when will there ever be a right one. We speak to everyone differently, a different attitude for a different person. We judge others, we speak behind their backs, we are all hypocrites, we are all selfish, we are all human.

A jumble of random thoughts melded into something which reflects the mind, possibly the soul, it might be all true or plain rubbish, but one thing is for certain there is no smoke without a fire, no cause without effect. This is a short post for such a fundamental question. A question without answers.

Life Update

2008-09-29T12:16:00.003+10:00

Alrighty folks, got my new place, got my landline and I've got my internet, my new base of operations is fully operational. It's been a tedious move and setup but all seems well now. Thus begins a new uni week after that much too short one week break, will update with pictures of my new home and pictures taken from MANIFEST 2008 in due course. And MANIFEST 2008 was a real blast, got a couple of pictures and a whole lot of merchandise, the auction was a real nightmare but I finally managed to get the Razor Ramon HG key chain for a whopping $32 after an agressive bidding process where some fella tried to outbid me three times! (hah take that!) Other notable purchases were my GLOOMY BEAR stuff toy, awesome stuff that is, a model of Arcuied Brunestud from Lunar Legend Tsukihime (real good deal at $15 and it is very detailed) and the usual assortment of figures (quite lucky this year as I got most of the models I wanted) from Neon Genesis Evangelion, Lucky Star, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Onegai Sensei and To Love Ru. Well I'll end this very short post here and will upload the pictures soon. (Oh ya I've got some good stuff for you this time around Lin)

The Lair of the Spicy Wolf, and then some

2008-09-19T02:26:00.004+10:00

Yeah that's right lads I've got a new home and the wolf's coming back into the city. Sure there's been a lot of speculation on whether I will actually move this year and yes it's certain. (it's roughly opposite QV for the lads who've been to Melbourne before) Already got the keys to the place, already got the power on and now all that's left is for the phone line to be connected, the Internet to be set up and a bit of cleaning up and I'm all set to formally move. In fact most of the lads have already seen the place so this is pretty much old news. Well I'll try to get some pictures of the place up soon (after I've moved my stuff in of course) but there's still much work to be done so I'm hoping and praying that everything goes smoothly. No more travelling up and down on the weekends anymore, and I'm quite certain that I'll be punctual if not early for any lunch or dinner meetings in the future. Now the next order of business is MANIFEST 2008 (WOOOOOO!!) which is the Melbourne Anime Festival, awesome stuff, it'll be on from next Friday to Sunday. Hope I get to find some rare collectibles this year. (not to mention it being a very windy day too if you chaps know what I mean, eh heh heh heh heh) So that's all for now, it's been a very turbulent week and I hope that better days will lie ahead.

Old News- Express

2008-09-17T01:53:00.004+10:00

Caution! the following post should not be read by or shown to over patriotic citizens of China and will most likely offend all God knows how many billion of them. I am in no means racist and have my fair share of friends from China (quite good friends too they are). Just that I do have problems with those who piss me off. For those of you who have opposing opinions on this particular matter well you can take them and shove em' up your arse, all the way in.

Just something which happened a week or two back when I fell sick. Finally decided to call it quits and head over to the doctors after a week or so of self-medication due to a rather nasty flu. So I promptly made my way there after my lectures and tutorials were done for the day. I arrived at the clinic around 4:30 pm, and thought myself lucky as there was still half an hour to go before the clinic closed at 5pm. However much to my disgust and chagrin the stupid chink bitch of a receptionist said that the doctor would not be seeing me as I did not have an appointment and they were about to close. I persisted and said that I was prepared to wait but her answer was that it was not the case of my wanting to wait but rather the quack of a doctor and his shoddy staff rearing to leave at 5pm on the dot. They were damn lucky I was too sick at that time to unleash my fury so I simply left in disgust and left them a nice present by giving their door a good kick which I am pleased to announce resulted in the glass portion cracking. Bloody unethical chink ass doctor and his cheap whore of a receptionist, turning away paying patients in this day and age, and it was still a half hour to closing time! Here I am willing to pay them money to treat me and the bum fucks are too lazy to do so. I mean I know you china fuckers were greedy bastards but now lazy too? Fucking china bastards should bloody hell polish up their English and understand what the bloody phrase "Operating hours" mean. If you state that you close at 5 that means that as long as I come along before closing time you should damned hell treat me. I mean if you want to come to the damn country learn the fucking language first you pirate-arsed bastards. Thankfully enough I managed to find another clinic nearby which was not run by F.O.B chinks.

No Reply

2008-09-09T00:16:00.003+10:00

Too lazy to post anything substantial, there was that thing at the doctors over the past week but I'll save that for another time. Now for another song from another anime, this time it's from the OST of Cowboy Bebop the Movie - Future Blues, this will of course be the second time I've posted the lyrics up for a song from this particular soundtrack the first being Gotta Knock a Little Harder and all I can say is that this anime has one of the best soundtracks I've ever heard. So here it is, No Reply by Tim Jensen and Yoko Kanno.

No Reply

Words by Tim Jensen
Music and Arranged by Yoko Kanno

Like the perfect ending
It won't be too long
Till everything I've ruined has seen me gone
In time, I pray you'll forgive
Now you know the man I am
Can you forgive me?

I fall
Like the sands of time
Like some broken rhyme
At feet no longer there

*If only I could call the rain to melt and wash away the pain you feel I would
You gave yourself to me and showed me what the truth could be
For that, I say thank you
This was my life
It never made much sense to me

With every lie that I lived
Part of me would fade
Into this empty shadow
I've become
And now I feel so numb
I no longer know myself
But I still know you

I call
And there's no reply
Like some phantom cry
On ears too far away

I close my eyes and watch as my life passes by
The only thing I see is you
For all the times you walked the line for me and standing by my side
I say thank you
Here lies my life
It never felt that real to me

You'll always mean so much to me
And there's no reply
And there's no reply
You'll never know how much you meant to me

Repeat *

I close my eyes and watch as my life passes by
The only thing I see is you
For all the times you walked the line for me and standing by my side
I say thank you
Here lies my life
It never felt that real to me

You in my life
It all meant so much more to me

This song isn't aimed at particularly anything, I just quite like the lyrics and felt that it was very meaningful and would probably hold some deep seated meaning for some. It does not however apply to me as no such person has appeared in my life yet, in a relationship sense of course and I've so far done quite a decent job of weathering out my stormy life by myself thank you very much.

2008-08-30T02:41:00.002+10:00

Just a bit of thick-skinned advertisement on behalf of an old friend (and by old I mean knew him for the better part of 13 years kind of old) of mine. His latest foray is into photography so I have done him the courtesy of putting up a slide show of his pictures on the page under the heading Pictures by an old friend (you can get the full sized version of the picture by clicking on it), and have also added a link to his flickr account under the Links of Note section of the blog. He's quite good for an amateur photographer and he's got some good shots (a favourite of mine is the one labelled Happy Monkey and his shots of Singapore's skyline is plain awesome). So if you miserable people are content with wasting your lives reading my blog you might as well waste a bit more of it and go view some of his pictures.

Paper Trail

2008-08-27T23:35:00.004+10:00

Just a little note before we begin, as noted in the filler post "LUCKY STAR!" the blog did have a complete overhaul to a new "LUCKY CHANNEL" theme but an almost instantaneous condemnation of it led it to it's present state. And there you have it, straight talk like how I've been doing it all these years, no need for diplomacy or niceties, saying it like how it is. The question today is another one of life's paradoxes, a lot of people say money isn't everything, that greed is not good, well I say to you now, yes that is true, but wait! Only to a certain extent. Just look at us now, what exactly are we doing? Well maybe not at this very moment for some of us but we've already been sucked in to the great race for wealth and personal advancement, the great rat race of life. What is the purpose of all this studying, all this mental turmoil? It's all for that scrap of paper or papers called degrees, masters, doctorates and the like. These seemingly insignificant scraps of papers will and are already determining which roads we can and can not take in life. And what is it that all of us seek? It's wealth, you know it, I know it so there's no point in denying it. Oh sure some people might say they just want to lead and provide a comfortable life for their families and how are they going to do that? With cash of course. Sure cash may not be the money to everything, the rich and mighty are still felled by diseases and courses of nature but research fueled by cash may and will most likely find ways to overcome all if not most kinds of diseases. Everyday millions die of starvation when a few dollars could save these unfortunates. Everyday millions die of diseases which costs a paltry some to cure in developed countries. People say that money is the root of all evil, no it is not, like all weapons it is the wielder who is the most evil, and that is man itself. Money provides shelter, medical care and food. Money provides you with your posh landed-property and two continental cars. It provides you with your fine tailor made suits, exclusive club memberships and golf clubs. Money gives your family a comfortable life. What is the difference between a man who just wants to give his family a comfortable life and a man who wants to be ranked among the worlds richest? Just a few million dollars, ambition and some media exposure. Now I'm not saying that money is the most important thing in life but I would like to remind people the fact of what they are ultimately working towards. I've had enough of ignorant and hyped up religious fanatics going money isn't everything or that money is the cause of all evil. Money is the ultimate reason why the youth of today are working their asses off at educational institutions. Being broke won't save all the impoverished people in the world, but a suit case full of cash sure as hell will. If evil is to be attributed to anything in this world, it would be the hearts and desires of men.

Matters of Faith

2008-08-23T02:13:00.002+10:00

I know this might shock you lot at home but some of the chaps down under seem to think I'm a religious person. While the notion of some people thinking that I still have an ounce of good in me instead of pure foul-mouthed scum is welcome I have to admit that I am surprised. Now I'm sure I won't be the first person to admit it (I know you assholes are just clamouring to say it too) but I am not a good person full-stop. I'm not saying I'm a bloody mass-murderer or drug peddler but I'm a far cry from being clean, having had my share of highly questionable adventures and endeavours. I mean everyone knows of how high-strung I am what with me spewing out vulgarities faster than a 6000 rpm Mini-Gun at the slightest thing that irks me. But there is one thing I always try to do no matter where I am, and that is attending mass every Sunday and for every day of obligation. Now I won't say I haven't missed a single one but I do make it a point to try my best. Now a lot of people wonder why I make so much effort seeing as it clashes with my abrasive personality. I can't really explain it to them as they're free-thinkers so religion to them is as foreign as politicians speaking the truth but I guess if I could ever be bothered to answer their queries it would be this. Since I've started living in Melbourne I've felt very much like a wanderer, not belonging in either place, every time I return so much changes making me feel like I'm stuck in the past, like I've never changed at all from three years ago. The only thing which remains a constant is the Church, the Cross and the Blessed Virgin. No matter where I go the Church is always there, always the same, a familiar sight, a most welcome sight. At least when all else fails, when I'm left all alone with no one to turn to the Church will still be there. I always feel at ease when I'm in Church, in fact I feel so relaxed and peaceful that I've got to try damn hard to not doze off. I won't say may faith is plenty and strong, but I'd like to think that it's constantly growing, maybe not by much, but bit by bit. Besides I always tell Sibu Ang Kau this, I've done a lot of wrong in this short life of mine, that's why I need to go to Church so much, to seek redemption, I'm not expecting much, I don't even know if he's listening, but the fact that I can make my peace with him, to ask for forgiveness is enough for me. Things change, people come and go, friends are made and lost, but at the end of the day at least the Church will always be there, even if I have nothing left.

LUCKY STAR!

2008-08-22T13:20:00.002+10:00

An anime which I had the good fortune of coming across while on vacation at home, simply put it's super funny and cute. The show doesn't have much in the way of a plot or a story, just the daily happenings in the lives of a bunch of high school students in Japan and it has an awesome opening song, really upbeat and catchy. Really great and relaxing show to watch after a long day, I rate it a massive five stars. But for those of you who are only interested in serious anime with clear defined themes and storyline I suggest you give this one a pass as you'd most most likely describe it as a fiendishly childish show. The current blog layout has been derived from the ending segment of the show called "LUCKY CHANNEL", a spoof talk show manned by two characters from the show. This sudden change in layout from the previous dark and imperious trappings of red and gold to more cheerful tones is my future direction for the blog (either that or it could just be a one-off special depending on the feedback I get).

Directions

2008-08-15T01:45:00.003+10:00

Ever lie in bed at night and stare into the abysmal darkness thinking what exactly are you doing with your life? What have you accomplished at this point in your life? Do you feel happy and fulfilled or just emptiness. We spent all our younger days wishing we could get older faster but now we're clamouring to go back to the ole' days. The great paradox of humanity. I sit here now typing this blog while trying to answer these questions myself and the answers I have come up with are very grim indeed. I have no idea what has become of my life, in fact I think I lost track of it as soon as I set foot here. And I'll be perfectly blunt, no offense to anyone, I'm stuck in a fucked up third-rate university which the better part of Singapore hasn't heard of before, I have failed to make any acquaintances at the mother-fucking place no matter how hard I try and I'm living in a cess pit. That about summarises my miserable life, add in a few more touchy matters for insult to injury and there you have it, shit, pure unadulterated fucking shit. I'm alone, I'm pissed and I'm at my wits end. Let me tell you something I didn't become bloody cranky and moody overnight, trust me you'd be the same if you were in my over-priced Nike Air Force One shoes. Most of my friends already know what they want with their life, already taking the steps to secure it. Friends and Brothers of Old in various elite units of the military, some already offered places in the prestigious National University of Singapore (NUS) and equally lauded Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and no matter what those Caucasian ass-clowns say NUS is one of THE top universities in the world. Others finishing up their Polytechnic diplomas and Millenia Institute (MI) 'A' Level's preparing to enter National Service (NS). All if not most have found their direction, a path laid out before them, all except me. Here I lay struggling in some third-rate university, here I lay lost and alone. Another night has come to pass, and once more I stare into the depths of the night.....and pray for a miracle.

Almost time......

2008-08-04T04:12:00.004+10:00

So it seems that as with my previous trips home I usually tend to be swamped with so many appointments that my blog is left to stagnate and rot like my old secondary school Chinese textbooks. And since I am simply too bloody lazy to document every bleeding thing which has happened since my return I shall simply put up the very few pictures which were taken at one select event (in fact these were the only bloody pictures I took throughout my entire holiday here, except of course for that single solitary one when ole' Morg dropped by). So without much further ado I present to you the pictures that were taken when I went to meet Ian and crew for drinks at Siglap.

Tim's and I

And again

Now Ian

And again

Altogether now

And don't forget, smoking is bad for the health. Oh, and so is excessive drinking.

Politika

2008-06-28T00:49:00.003+10:00

The Minister Mentor recently commented that Singapore would be brought to ruin if opposition parties were ever to come into power. I have always thought that the Minister Mentor has a very good command of the English language and is very proficient in it's use. His most recent statements however beg to differ. He has through the course of making this speech admitted to Singapore being and staying a one-party nation. In other words a communist state of sorts, albeit the only working communist society in the world. The Singaporean society is a very submissive one with most if not the majority of Singaporeans always deferring to a higher authority. In other words someone in a higher social or business standing is always right, and even if you think not never express your personal opinions. It is a society where the Party, the Government is always right, where the people are not entitled to have their say. A true communist utopia. Listening to the local radio stations, watching local television and reading the local papers is like reading pure and unadulterated propaganda. Mind you I have nothing against the government however I do feel that they are taking their current situation for granted. After staying in power for so long I feel that they have grown fat and complacent, that they have forgotten one very important thing. The People do not exist to serve the government, but the government exists to serve the People. Every year the government reports record growth in the economy, but every year the price of living increases with no respite in sight. There is a saying here that everything increases except your pay. True the government does provide some rebates for the so-called "Heartlanders", people who live in government built flats. But what of those who live in private apartments? They are sadly left to fend for themselves and mind you a lot of people who live in flats are quite well off, look at their parking lots, chock full of continental cars. So why is it that people in Singapore receive government rebates and help depending on where they live? So what if I live in a private apartment? I'm not rich, heck I barely qualify for middle-class. So why is it that I don't receive any rebates from the government while the bastard who lives in a flat, owns a bloody Benz, gigantic LCD television and Bose surround sound system gets it? Must I purposely downgrade myself just to receive help from the government? I'm not trying to discriminate against those who live in flats, heck thats where I spent most of my childhood and my Grandparents place, which is a flat. What I'm trying to say is that the system needs to be changed, where people receive help based on their income and not where they live.

I take my leave, for now.....

2008-06-18T12:53:00.002+10:00

Going back home on the 19th of June, tomorrow to be more precise. Rather sudden I know what with my exams having just ended on the 17th but it seems that all the flights back are fully booked and this was the only date left so there. As much as going home sounds appealing to me I'm beginning to wonder if it's really as enjoyable as it sounds. Of course there will be much to do when I get home, meeting with brothers and friends, hoisting a drink or two (or three, four.....), playing soccer, getting in shape, getting a job, shopping and most importantly hanging out at my gramps place again. One and a half months of not having to listen to Angkau prattle on about cars and his perverted fantasies, of Xander trying to give new meaning to the term "extreme perversion", of Ryan.....just being Ryan and of course the rest being themselves. It'll be one and a half months free from CoD 4 and talking crap with the rest. So should I feel relieved? Or should I already start to miss it? You decide.

"From the smiles and the look in their eyes everyones got a theory about the bitter one".

Death by Stupidity

2008-06-08T00:53:00.002+10:00

Had my first paper on Friday, Company Law, and I can state without a doubt that I thoroughly screwed it up, so thorough was I in sabotaging myself that I even got the time limit for the paper wrong. At the end of the day I've only got myself to blame and I suddenly feel so very stupid. And following the lyrics of the song Mad Season by Matchbox Twenty I do hope that I catch on in time for the next three papers. Talk about bad beginnings, this is just plain awful, it's seriously going to take either a miracle or a special appearance by God Himself for things to go right now.Shit. Fucking shit. That's all I can say now. If there was ever a time to be angry at oneself this is bloody it. I've got another paper next Wednesday, Corporate Accounting which is a right pain in the ass followed by papers on Monday and Tuesday the following week, Management Accounting and Information Methods to round up my examination campaign. At the end of the day saying you did your best in defence is still an excuse for your blatant lack of intelligence. And then you begin to question yourself "Did I really do my best?" Damn this life really sucks, it's been crap for a long time but this is seriously rubbish. And the thought that there's definitely someone out there whose got a shittier deal then me isn't reassuring at all. Like what Charlie Brown said, "When do the good things start?". Seriously, when?

"You are both your greatest asset and your greatest liability."

Why can't we be friends?

2008-05-28T00:38:00.002+10:00

'Ahem', 'Ahem' Welcome to another session of Doctor Wolf's ramblings on Love, Life, Sex, and Bananas (ok the last one was a bit strange.....). A friend of mine sought my counsel a few days back where some of his classmates were giving him the cold shoulder and being overly critical of him, shooting down any, and every comment he makes. Now the funny thing is that they were getting along reasonably well at the start of the semester, and all of the sudden we have this strange change in attitude. As usual these problems baffle me as I'm no Mr.Personality myself, the kind of person who could effortlessly attract the masses to them. I'm quite the opposite in fact, I don't as much draw people in as I push them away, being an overtly guarded, hostile and paranoid person. The friend's which I have made have been pure luck and chance, where effort played the least role (which might explain my very much dead and buried private life, but I'll cry over that some other time). I remember the first day I arrived at the hostel back in 2006, my mood was as foul as someone who got diarrhea for a whole damn week (mind you it happened to me once before). I was first ambushed by two kids while I was coming out of the toilet (you can already guess who those two are) and they promptly introduced themselves to me. The first thought which came across my mind was "Who the hell are these weird fellows?". Then I stalked off to the cafeteria for dinner where I heard a particularly loud mouthed buffoon making too much bloody noise at a row of tables next to the window. I closely surveyed the people in the cafeteria as I would the sole of my shoe after stepping on something, and thought to myself "Oh my God, what kind of shit have I got myself into". Then this weird fellow in his tucked-in checked shirt walked past and I thought "Bloody uncle so old already then want to start studying ah". You can imagine my first impression of student life in Melbourne was not good. But then these people turned out to be rather good friends of mine as we had many things in common, the kids loved anime and one of them was almost as schooled as me on military matters, the uncle was a damned car fanatic and the loud fella, well we were both loud anyway. So back to the main point, in all honesty I couldn't answer his question and have practically no idea why I went on and on about this story, I just hope that it serves some purpose. Personally I would say that looks can and will be deceiving, don't judge others too fast and think before you talk. Friendship and Relationships are a two way street, there will always be giving and taking. From this point on in your life it doesn't help to make enemies, besides everyone should be matured enough to think past that stage already. If anyone gives you shit, ask them why they are doing so and try to think back as to how you may have offended them. And at the end of the day if they're still being pricks (most likely due to the lack of a proper one if they are males) come back to me and I'll teach you some very illuminating words and phrases. Most importantly it's no use trying to fit in, just be yourself, you only live for one person, which is you alone.

UNITED WIN!

2008-05-22T07:43:00.002+10:00

UNITED WIN! UNITED WIN! UNITED WIN! YEAAAAAHHHHHH! WOOOOOOOO! ONE UNITED!

MANCHESTER UNITED

SIMPLY RED

CHAMPIONS OF ENGLAND AND EUROPE

Streak

2008-05-16T00:34:00.002+10:00

It never rains nor does it pour when a farkin' typhoon can blow it's way in and make a right mess of your life which will be God's own work to clean up. Which is what exactly happened to me a few weeks ago. First, my veteran four year old Zen Neeon MP3 player disappeared mysteriously while I was commuting to the city a few Saturdays ago. Sure I bitched about how old and messed-up it was but I never expected it to go this way. And along with it went my trusty Sony headphones which my Dad got for me way back in 2002. Not to mention the countless songs which I forgot to back up and will again be God's own work in finding all of them. And on to the second case, scarcely had a week passed when my much vaunted laptop took a dive into the deep end, YET AGAIN! This is the third bloody time it's crashed and the best part is this time around it seems that it crashed for no apparent reason at all. So much for high tech gadgets. So now my trusty N76 has to fill in for my missing Zen Neeon until I can get home and buy a new one. Then I've also got to send in my laptop for a major overhaul, probably swap out the hard disk for a new one and increase the RAM. Well depending on the price of the servicing I could probably land myself a new laptop and I'm currently eyeing the Sony VAIO (in red) or the Dell XPS PRODUCT RED laptop. So there you have it, two major problems which can only be solved when I get home, which is on the 19th of June. In the meantime I've got three more assignments left outstanding and two of them need to be handed in next week, add to that the dangerously close end of semester exams and my feeling ill yet again, I'm sure you can all see what a wonderful time I'm having, much akin to getting a paper cut on your bum if I'm any judge.

Looking into the shrouded distance

2008-05-09T00:58:00.004+10:00

I never used to think about the future a lot, being too caught up with the events of the present, but recently I've been giving it much thought. Back when I was still rolling with the crazy characters from St.Pat's we never actually thought much about what was going to happened in the future, the only thing that was important to us was having fun. But in the blink of an eye three years have passed since we donned the uniform for the last time. Did any of us really have the slightest inkling of where we'd be now? Well I for one didn't expect to be here, so how many of us are where we truly want to be? Well what we want isn't usually what we get. Back then life was so much simpler, we only lived for the next school holiday, we quite simply only lived to have fun. True, three years might have not been such a long time but it feels like I've aged a lot since then. I've had to start thinking about the path that I'm going to take in order to fulfill my dreams. But what are my dreams exactly? What am I working towards? Does anyone now have a clear picture of what they want? I sure as hell don't, and I'm making it up as I go along, like one of the many impromptu speeches I have made in the past. Well you could say that finding a dream is sort of a dream in itself. There are many question but few answers. The year is 2008, and soon enough it'll be 2009. Time used to travel so very slow, but now it seems that it's in a bit of a hurry. Where will each one of us be in another three years time? Will we still be able recognise each other if we met on a busy street? Will each of us be that much closer to what we seek? A clouded thought, for a rather cloudy day.

Redundencies

2008-05-07T22:19:00.002+10:00

A minor post deviation on the LAN game which seems to take up a good portion of our leisure time these days, Call of Duty 4. As FPS games come it's right up there with FEAR and Ghost Recon. Good game play with a nice spread of weapons to choose from, not to mention a measure of accuracy and realism as to the characteristics of each weapon in question, aside from the jamming part which is almost impossible to replicate in a game. Especially like the part of the game where you gain access to better weaponry and perks as your rank increases. So here's my take on which weapon is the best of it's class.

Assault Rifle: AK-47. Sure it might not be the most accurate or prettiest gun around but 7.62 Russian and full automatic? Nothing gets better than that. Great for short to mid-ranged engagements.

Sub-Machinegun: MP-5. Good looking and accurate as hell the MP-5 is the obvious choice, the 9mm round might be a mere pistol round but at close ranges it does it's job quite well. Great for short range engagements, especially house-to-house fighting but useless at ranges over that.

Shotgun: M1014. Three words, 'Semi-Automatic' and 'Shotgun', close quarters battle doesn't get any better than that. The only problem is it's four round capacity and since it's a shotgun that means it's an ultra-short ranged weapon, with an effective range less than that of a pistol or sub-machine gun.

Sniper Rifle: Barrett M82A1. 12.7 and semi-automatic, what more could a sniper want? Literally means one shot one kill with this weapon, not to mention re-arranging your anatomy in the process.

Light Machinegun: M60E4. 7.62 NATO and a nice 56cm barrel, can be used as both a support weapon and a sniper rifle. Great for mid to long range engagements.

Pistol: H&K MK23 Mod 0. .45 ACp with a 12 round magazine, good stopping power and adequate magazine capacity. True it might have a much smaller round than the much vaunted Desert Eagle with it's big .50 AE round but more than makes up for it with it's 12 round magazine when compared with the Desert Eagle's seven round one. And the victor in combat is usually the one with the most bullets. As with pistols and sub-machineguns it is a short range weapon.

And here's my take on perk combinations one should use in various combat situations.

Assault: Perk 1: x3 frag grenades. Perk 2: Sonic boom. Perk 3: Extreme Conditioning. In usual cases a player who frequents the assault tactic will frequently opt for the under slung grenade launcher as an attachment for his assault rifle so the Sonic boom perk which increases the damage of high explosive weapons is extremely useful and add to that x3 frag grenades and you now have the ability to be a one man army. Extreme conditioning enables you to sprint for longer distances which means you have the ability to quickly reposition yourself before the enemy even knew you were there.

Close-Quarter Battle: Really depends on what weapon you opt for, if it's a sub-machinegun go for x3 frag grenades, stopping power and martyrdom. If you're going for the shotgun x3 frag grenades, juggernaut and steady aim. Stopping power for a sub-machinegun increases the potency for that measly pistol round while juggernaut for the shotgun enables you to stay alive while you charge in to take your shot. Steady aim increases the accuracy for hip-firing which is ideal for close-quarter battle situations, especially so for the shotgun. And of course martyrdom is there to simply irritate the enemy and as a back-up plan.

Long-Range Interdiction/Sniper: Claymores, UAV jammer and iron lungs. Claymores can be used to guard your flanks from an ambush and the UAV jammer enables you to stay hidden when the enemy does a UAV scan. Iron lungs help you to make your first shot all the more accurate. Don't forget to put a suppressor on your pistol too.

Support/Squad Automatic Weapon: RPG, stopping power and deep impact. Stopping power gives your already formidable bullet more bang for it's buck while deep impact makes sure that whatever cover your enemy has is as good as rice paper. The RPG is just there to make a bigger mess out of things.

The Garden of Everything

2008-05-07T20:27:00.002+10:00

The last song I heard before my much troubled laptop went off the deep end again. Chanced upon it by sheer luck when I was searching for songs from a Japanese singer, Maaya Sakamoto. Don't know why but as soon as I heard this song I really liked it. So without much further ado I present to you, The Garden of Everything by Steve Conte and Maaya Sakamoto, from the anime Rahxephon: The Movie.

The Garden of Everything

Here you are
Daylight's star
Made out of miracles
Perfection Of your own
You Alone
O so incredible
Each atom
Sings to me
"Set me free
From chains of the physical"
O free me, O free me

The mirror melts
I'm somewhere else
Inside eternity
Where you on Outstretched wings
Sing within
The Garden of Everything
Where memories
Call to me
Backward dreams?
Or phantom reality?
Call to me, they call to me

And so here we are
Lovers of Lost Dimensions
Burning supernovas of all sound and sight
Every touch, a temptation
And for every sense, a sensation

Eyes of pure
Deep azure
Quite unbelievable
The sun's daughter You've been made
Not to fade
Quite inconceivable

Each atom sings to me
"Set me free
From chains of the physical"
O free me O free me

A love like ours A starry flower
Through seasons and centuries
As rivers reach the sea
You'll reach me
With songs of your symmetry

A small boat That will float
To far off coasts
The Isle of Infinity
Come with me. O come with me

Here we'll see Love's lost tree
Made out of miracles
Emotions, crystal leaves
To cover me
And you in eternity

Each atom sings to us
Through the blood
"Love is a miracle"
Sings softly, it sings softly

And so here we are
Lovers of Lost Dimensions
Burning supernovas of all sound and sight
Every touch, a temptation
And for every sense, a sensation

And so here we are
Twin stars of brilliant brightness
Lanterns lit by life for all the depths of night
And every day will return us
To arms of the ever eternal

And so here we are
So far from earthly orbits
Burning supernovas of all sound and sight
Where every day will return us
To arms of the ever eternal

Dreams

2008-04-28T23:42:00.002+10:00

Normally when people have dreams they usually forget most of it by the time they wake up, all that's left are vague fragments of something your subconsciousness has been dwelling on. Not for me unfortunately, I remember them as clearly as a new LCD screen projects images. Been having the same damn dreams for close to a month already. Well not everyday but at least once a week. To some (had I made known the contents to them, which I most certainly would not, unless of course I killed them after I told them but I digress) these dreams would not have been classified as nightmares but instead as extremely pleasant dreams, akin to a gift from God. I on the other hand have been rudely awakened by them, usually in the middle of the bloody night and drenched in cold sweat, quite literally indeed. And what's worse is that I usually can't get back to sleep after this, too busy over worrying about why I was having such a disturbing dream. And all this happened as a result of my conversation with someone a while ago, I won't say who but the fool is sure as hell enjoying himself now, jackass. I know better than to read anything into these things but I find them extremely distracting, and not to mention affecting my much treasured sleeping time. However it does intrigue me a bit.....

You've lost that lovin' feeling.....

2008-04-21T23:44:00.003+10:00

An old friend of mine sought my counsel a few days back, regarding matters of the heart foolishly enough. Now I'll be the first to admit that in the field of relationships I have as much experience as an embryo, which is to say none at all. I will however say that after watching all those damned dramas (and romance anime) I have picked up a thing or two in the theory department. So despite the most well known fact (and most of the lads at home find it rather amusing too) that my love life is as dead as road-kill some still persist in seeking my opinions and counsel for whatever reasons are still unknown to me (either that or the bastards are just trying to rub it in). And as usual we have another case of unrequited love, as common as a monkey with bananas and coconuts. So as usual all I could dish out was my well worn platitudes of "eventually somebody will accept you for who you are" or "for all you know you might find someone who really appreciates you soon" that sort of thing. Phrases which we dish out to console friends in such situations. I really do hope that the lad finds someone nice soon, he sure as hell deserves it. Nobody wants to be alone, everyone out there is looking for that special someone, someone whom you know will think of you before she goes to sleep, somebody with which you can share both the good and the bad with. That special someone who always gives you that warm feeling even in the coldest of nights, someone who just makes you smile for no damn reason. It takes great courage to fall in love, even more so to fall out of it intact. But never let these setbacks build a wall around your heart, never let it harden your soul, to do so would be to admit defeat and to damn yourself to a bleak and lonely existence. Keep on trying and eventually someone will accept your feelings. Sure it might hurt awhile, heck it might hurt for a damn long time in some cases, but think of it as a learning experience, take it in your stride. Be proud that you had the courage to do something about your feelings, that at least you didn't go down without trying, at least you gave it your all and don't have any regrets. Don't put off your feelings because it only gets worse as time passes, and for God's sake don't make any excuses. Don't say that "Oh I'm too busy now" or "Oh I'll wait for a better time". Don't think that she'll be there for the taking forever, if you fancy her I'm sure someone sure as hell does too. Wait any longer and that someone will get ahead of you, and by then it'll be too late. It's damn easy to come up with excuses, but it takes a real man to act decisively. A good friend of mine once told me that if you want something you need to grab it with both hands. From what his girlfriend told me he waited for her at the school gate after school everyday. I would never imagine him doing that but that's the kind of thing a guy in love would do I guess, heh the kids are all growing up it seems. And to all those who are attached, you punks know who you are, don't fool around with other girls, I know the lot of you like to say that "Oh at this age it isn't serious. it's just play" and all that kind of crap but please think of people's feelings, she isn't some toy which you throw away as soon as you're bored with it. I know we always joke about these kinds of things but I hope that in reality that's all they are, just jokes. I made the mistake of doing nothing, I closed my heart down and simply lost that lovin' feeling a long time ago, don't make the same mistake.

Intermission/Monkeying Around

2008-04-02T23:54:00.005+11:00

So Morgan's long awaited vacation here has come and gone like a distant breeze (one which carries a rather perverse smell if i might add). It was a splendid week filled to the brim with fun, fun and more (bum)fun. Just like old times, just like old times. So it began last Sunday when he touched down in Melbourne around the afternoon, around 1 i think. The usual lot of us then went on to have lunch at our usual haunt, Singapore Chom Chom. Lunch was then followed by Brendan and i heading off for the 4:30 mass (Yes going to Church is still a must even in light of such circumstances). Dinner soon followed (i think some good ole' fashioned LAN, Battle Gear 4 and Initial D Stage 4 was mixed in there) and we promptly made our way home. (To be more precise we bought a rather good amount of light liquor and i ended up spending the night at their place drinking, chatting and playing LAN as usual) So Monday was pretty much the same if i remember correctly, lunch, LAN (Battlefield 4 to be more precise, the lads are hooked onto it, like dung beetles and crap), dinner and home. Tuesday was more or less the same only difference was that we headed over to Crown for dinner at The Pub followed by a movie (which i couldn't be bothered to watch and for those interested they went to watch The Other Boleyn Girl). Wednesday was rather more interesting as we went in search for the rather elusive The Old Raffles Place restaurant around the Smith street area (The more perceptive of you might have guessed that this is a Singaporean restaurant) and at the same time indulged in some shopping. So we braved the foul weather in search of this restaurant only to arrive at our destination to find out that it was not open for lunch on Wednesday and that we had to come back during dinner time if we were that adamant on trying out their food. Which is exactly what we did. In the time span between lunch and dinner we went shopping around Smith street, headed back into the city for some quick LAN and went back to the restaurant for dinner. Now was all this hassle worth while? Damn right it was, for the food there was quite good if I'd say so myself. Thursday started off like how most of mine begin, pure crap. Had to wake up early as i had an early tutorial that day and after the subsequent lecture i went back to Box Hill, dropped my bag and dashed off to the city with due haste. Went over to Alicia and Jie Yi's place where Morgan, Xander and I were pressed into hard labour and helped to assemble their new wardrobes which they bought from Ikea the day before. I'm sure you all know how the rest of the day went dinner at the Korean bbq place and LAN was how the night was concluded, as usual. The lot of us had steam boat and hot plate at Alicia and Jie Yi's house on Friday and simply talked the night away (I'm sure the phrase "YEE HA" would remind us of the more hilarious moments). We spent Saturday loafing around at the girls place again till it was time for dinner where we headed to The Old Raffles Place restaurant again for another scrumptious dinner. This was followed by karaoke where everyone put up a splendid performance. Sunday was rather subdued as it was time for good ole' Morgan to leave for Brisbane. We had lunch, played LAN and said our farewells at 7:30. And with that his vacation here had concluded and life returns to its old mundane self. Cheers Morgan, take care and see you again soon dude!

Time

2008-03-19T00:52:00.003+11:00

A short one this will be. The week is week 4 of the first semester of 2008. 8 more weeks till the semester is over, which means that if i don't get my ass in gear now I'm going to be in the shitters real soon. Gotta have to chuck away all the distractions and such and start getting busy, with work that is. This Thursday marks the beginning of our extremely short Easter break which lasts till next Thursday. Over the course of which i need to get some work done, can't afford to play catch-up game with my work anymore. Morgan should be arriving in Melbourne this Sunday for his 10 day vacation. Have seriously no idea what we're gonna do once he touches down anyway, after all there isn't much to do in Melbourne in the first place. And besides it won't be the same as his trip down last year as John and Xander are no longer staying in the city which means that our activities could be restricted by the train timetables. On another note i went down to give the place where they would be moving into a look over and am seriously not the least bit impressed by it. For one the place is ancient, with furniture dating back from the 1970's. And on another note the place looks a bit seedy to me too. Not to mention the inconvenience of there being only 1 toilet for all 5 tenants to use. Oh and the place is missing a dryer. True since the place is at Richmond it's only a short hop away from the city but it doesn't make sense to move into a place which is much worse than what I'm currently living in. Not to mention more expensive. Some might think I'm very picky with this housing business but trust me you'll be too when it's your turn to look for a new place. I mean if you're going to have to pay so much you might as well try for the best deal out there right? No sense in going for the first thing you see. So there you have it another bland and bleak post has been published and still the question of my housing has yet to be answered, and i dearly hope that it'll work itself out soon.

Oh what the hell.....

2008-03-16T04:24:00.004+11:00

As usual Brendan has seen fit to drag my arse into some sort of nonsensical survey-esque kind of thing.

Instructions: Remove 1 question from below and add in your personal question, make it a total of 20 questions, then tag 8 people in your list, list them out at the end of this post.

1. At what age do you wish to marry?: Ideally by 25or 27? With kids by/before 30. Ideally. Hopefully. God willing.

2. If you can turn into anything, what do you wish you can turn into?: What kind of childish question is this?

3. If you were stranded on an desert island, who are the 3 blog buddies you would take with you? Why?: Morgan, Brendan(m'sia) and Brendan(s'pore). Because misery loves company.

4. Where is the place that you want to go most?: Japan. Hot springs, anime, food, chicks and most importantly the maid cafes.

5. If you have one dream to come true, what would it be?: To have all of my dreams to come true. If not then let me talk to her again.

6. DO you believe in seeing the rainbow after the rain?: Optimistically yes. But the the realist in me would always weigh up the good with the bad, and often a times the scales could be unbalanced.

7. what are you afraid to lose the most right now?: Myself.

8. Do you want your first born child to be a girl or boy? Why?: A boy i think, so that he can take care of his younger sister. Actually any one is alright as long as they're normal and healthy.

9. If you meet someone you love, would you confess to him/her?: When the time is right yes. Girls always like to be reassured (and they absolutely love this kind of mushy stuff). Anyway nothing makes a person happier than if the person they love tells them that.

10. List out three good things of the person who tagged you.: Rather creative. Absurdly responsible. Able optimist. (You'd better thank me for not cursing you here.....)

11. What are the requirements that you wish from your other half?: Simply that she never forgets about me and that she follows me to visit my grandparent's regularly. (it won't hurt if she's good at cooking and cleaning too, has long hair and preferably be younger or of same age.)

12. What type of person do you hate the most?: It'll really take too much time to answer this question. To summarise it up arrogance and dishonour.

13. What is your ambition?: Still looking for one. Tentatively i'd say to be the best teacher around (GTO BANZAI!) and to be able to give my family a VERY comfortable life.

14. If you have a flaw, would you rather the people around you point out to you or would you rather they keep quiet?: I'd probably know it already, although it won't hurt if they point it out in a politically correct manner.

15. What do you think is the most important thing in your life?: True happiness. (which i hope to find soon.)

16. What would you most want to achieve right now?: Get my double major bachelor of business course done and over with and graduate with first class honours (it won't hurt if somewhere along i get myself a girlfriend too.)

17. If you have a chance, which part of your character would you like to change?: Nothing i think. If i changed my character i wouldn't really be my true self now would i?

18. What would you wanna be after you're dead?: Like any reasonable Catholic, in Heaven. Of course what i'd really like to do is have a nice long chat with God about various matters over a bottle of Heavenly alcohol. (and hope that i don't get drunk and make a fool out of myself in front of him.)

19. If there’s one thing in your life you want to do but yet unable to, what would it be? To go back to 2004, and to muster up the courage to talk to her and work something out.

20. What happens if i refuse to tag 8 more people?: I save them the trouble of doing this of course.

Shit happens, Part 2

2008-03-11T22:06:00.002+11:00

Took the trouble to wake up early for my 11am Corporate Accounting tutorial today. Reached the campus with time to spare so i went over to the library to get some notes printed out and promptly headed to the classroom for the tutorial. Upon reaching the classroom i saw the notice which stated that there would be no 11am tutorials today as the lecturer couldn't make it. I'm sure you can all imagine me standing there staring at the notice in utter disbelief with my mouth wide open and a torrent of expletives starting to form in my mind. And since this was the only class i had today i effectively wasted my time and train ticket coming to school. And to think that i felt like skipping class today too.....This makes it two for two now and i pray that there won't be a number three.

Shit happens, well maybe not this often.....

2008-03-11T01:39:00.003+11:00

Well, after my forced stay in this rather backwater country (now you know why they call it "down under") where the train system is as reliable as a car with a leaking fuel tank or an alcoholic without his alcohol you'd think that i would have been accustomed to this sort of delays by now. Well wrong. So there i was at the train station feeling all pleased with myself after making the effort to wake up early with the intention of going to class with time to spare until i saw the information board, and the thought "Oh Shat" formed in my mind. It seems that some luckless individual got into an accident involving a train a few stations up (we can all imagine what happened.....) which caused the whole Lilydale and Belgrave line to be disrupted while the railway staff cleared the mess. So to cut an extremely tedious and infuriatingly long story short we had to take a connecting bus to Ringwood and from there take the train to Lilydale, where the damn uni is located. Simple enough? Not quite. The connecting bus took the better part of 2 hours to arrive and by the time i got on the train and made my way to the uni proper there was only 1/2 an hour left to what was supposed to be a 2 hour law lecture. It had taken me a shitty 2 and a 1/2 hours to get somewhere which would normally only take 1/2 an hour! Only in this crap hole does dumb shit like this happened on such a regular basis. Melbourne has quite possibly the worst public transport system out of any of the so-called self proclaimed "first world" nations. Heck this kind of infrastructure doesn't even belong in Africa. And this isn't the first time this has happened, in fact it's the 5th time it's happened since i got back! Truly appalling. In fact i have come up with a theory, trains in Melbourne either arrive late or they do not arrive at all.

(Note: John and Xander have gotten a replacement housemate (with indecent haste if i might add) after i expressed reservations at their dream rental. My suggestion that they wait 1 more week to view 2 more apartments which i have scouted out went unheard so it seems that i won't be moving into the city after all. I won't comment on anything as it's been a rather shit day already and if i linger on this too much my blood pressure would, like an old friend of mine used to say, sky rocket. It's at times like these when you realise how alone you are in a foreign country and that the only people you can trust are your brothers back home with whom you've been to hell and back with, no offense to my Australian acquaintances of course but I'm sure this feeling is mutual.)

Walking Away

2008-03-07T21:04:00.004+11:00

I'm not sure if it's certain yet but it seems that talks with John and Xander regarding my moving in with them to a new apartment have fallen through due to a difference in preferences which means that my ticket to a residence in the city has effectively dissolved. The both of them promptly fell in love with an apartment/maisonette which we went to view the day before at Wellington Crescent, around the Docklands region. It was a rather decent place with more than ample space but it was lacking furnishings and most importantly a washing machine and dryer. I on the other hand had my reservations about it. For one it was not what i had in mind of an apartment in the city, i expected a place which is within walking distance of either Flinders St, Melbourne Central or Flagstaff Station. This place was not close to any of them and the closest you could get was by tram to Flinders St. It is within a 10-15 minutes walk to Jollimont Station but that place is as good as redundant. And since the Swinburne campus i go to is in Lilydale it would be an extreme pain in the arse to travel there from that place. Secondly was the cost, which is estimated at around $1150 a month per person. Where the hell am i going to get that kind of money? My fethin' arse? And this doesn't even include the utilities, food, transport and miscellaneous costs yet. Heck i won't even be able to afford instant noodles, I'd have to eat sand! I don't know why but people always seem to have this misconception that I'm rich and loaded, heck the only thing I'm rich and loaded in is frustrations. True most of the places which i have scouted out have amounted to nothing but there are still two potentials which I'm betting on. Anyway i have a sneaking suspicion that the both of them do not want to stay in the city anymore because for some reason they seem to be looking at all these obscure places. Well i for one will not compromise and if i don't manage to persuade them to give these last two places a look i guess I'll be staying put in Box Hill till i find a studio apartment in the city. Anyhow you get used to staying alone after a while, i know i have.

The State of Mind of Uncertainty.

2008-03-06T23:34:00.005+11:00

For those who are in no mood for some well-worn bitching about the trials and tribulations of a life flip-turned-upside down i suggest you skip this post and head over to more optimistic pastures. This reflection has been a long time coming, so here it goes. The year is 2008, I am already halfway through this rather turbulent chapter of my existence. It seems like there's not a long way more to go before it ends, but it might just be enough for me to pack up and leave. I wake up every morning of my dreary existence, cursing and swearing in a multitude of different languages and dialects at a world which irritates me so. I do not look forward to the day, in fact I await the night where one might find solace in his sleep. But even this little luxury is beyond me for my sleep is constantly plagued with dreams, the like of which I do not welcome for their content can be rather disturbing at times, of a grim path ahead. I have tried very hard to adapt and could in all honesty say that once upon a time i did. But as all my efforts are for not, I have decided to become oblivious to it all, just trying my best to get by with my mission. Nothing was ever easy, except giving up, but it seems even that is hard for me to do. Led on by my foolish pride I continue on this miserable path in the hope that somewhere ahead there will indeed be light at the end of this tunnel. This path was not mine to choose, but a decision made by others, and day by day I curse this decision reasoning that the things which I left behind were more important than anything which ever happened here and that I could never go back to them. At first the alcohol served as a barrier but as time went by even that was ineffective. I have never tasted failure of such a magnitude since I arrived here and I'm afraid it has stayed in my mind ever since, like some haunting memory and I have never fully recovered from the setback. I don't remember being ever so weak, maybe it's the alcohol, maybe it's the fatigue which never seems to go away but where once stood an iron will and determination is now just an exhausted mind. Every year we grow more distant, every year there is one less person in the picture, last year it was Morgan, this year it's James, maybe it's time I made my leave too. Maybe it's time for my curtain call. And for what it's worth I doubt my presence would be missed.

GLOOMY BEAR!!

2008-03-02T14:26:00.003+11:00

GLOOMY BEAR!!

Just wanted to say that i'm (most reluctantly) back "Down Under" and as usual can't wait to haul ass back to Singapore. See you chaps in a couple of months time and till then try to stay sober (we all know we won't, well i might.....) and keep playing good soccer!

Snake eat Rat.....

2008-02-08T21:30:00.000+11:00

Happy Chinese New Year people, and for those who don't know tis the year of the rat. May our lives always be filled with an abundence of alcohol, cash, and yes Gomez, girls too(albeit nice girls only). But most importantly may there be an abundence of happiness!! And please for those who are of age go get married soon!! I want my ang pao!! WOOOOO!!

Under the sky

2008-01-19T02:36:00.000+11:00

I'm back after a brief hiatus, but it will be a quick and short post. I've actually planned a four-part biography-esque reflection for the past 2006 and 2007 but due to my work commitments have been unable to complete it. To tell you the truth it's taking longer than i thought to complete and even longer to edit so it most likely won't be done for some time. So i've been working as a temporary admin officer at the custodians department in a Swiss investment bank called Bank Sarasin-Rabo for the past two weeks, with another two weeks more before my contract is up, well that is unless they decide to re-hire me. And although it's not much better than my previous job at an audit firm i've manage to steel myself and focus wholly on my job which of course does wonders for my performance and concentration, alas no more sleeping on the job for me. In fact they're asking me to ease-off a bit.....

Goodbye, Hello

2008-01-01T07:38:00.000+11:00

OK let me make this quick. I just got back from Countdown 2008 @ Ministry of Sound and boy was it smashing, cheers to a great year ahead. Goodbye 2007, it was a brilliant year filled with more Upps and Downs than usual, but all that it made it much more interesting. There will be no deep reflections now, no profound thoughts, just simple memories for now, leave everything for another time. Hello 2008, may the year ahead be better than the previous one, may more hopes and dreams be fulfilled, may more resolutions be kept, and may everyone find what they are looking for. A toast to the New Year, CHEERS!

"I'm just a simple guy, trying to get high."

Fried Tofu and a few minor updates

2007-12-29T03:58:00.000+11:00

The fella in the center is Domo-Kun, supposedly a fried tofu from outer space. Cute eh? OK down to business, I've finally gotten the entire Age of Empires 3 series, the original Age of Empires, The War Chiefs expansion and the Asian Dynasties expansion. Been playing it whenever i have the time and so far I've got nothing but praise for this game, simply perfect, can't wait to go back and challenge the rest. Have picked up more and more injuries since my return to the soccer pitch, basically an increasing collection of bruises, scratches and abrasions on my right leg and both elbows. And now i think I'm coming down with some illness, pray for a speedy recovery i will.

It comes and goes.....

2007-12-29T03:29:00.000+11:00

Christmas has just come and gone, albeit a rather quiet one since my grandmother was afflicted by stroke. The usual family gathering which has never been quite the same since last year when she was brought low by stroke, till that time i always thought of my grandparent's as "immortal", omniopresent like they would always be there, this incident obviously showed the immaturity of my thinking. This might be the inappropriate time for me to dwell on such dark thoughts but i feel that during this festive season and the last few days of 2007 it's a good time for me to reflect on everything which has happend, a time to remember the people and the events which have shaped the path which i am on now. During this time of the year my grandmother would make this dish called "tang-yun", a sort of chinese and peranakan fusion(my grandmother of course took the liberty of adding extra peranakan like ingredients) dish where all the grandsons would come together and help out. As time passed i was the only one who would still go over and help her out every year. Since her stroke attack which left her incapable of doing much of anything this dish was never made again. One day i plan on making it again, maybe next year or the year after next but i will definitely make it again.

The End of an Era

2007-12-23T04:58:00.000+11:00

The Seventy-Six has finally arrived and it's currently festering inside it's box. I have no intention of swapping out my sim card yet as i still don't feel like changing my phone(gotta adjust the settings on the new phone and such, all rather tedious work which i'm trying to put off for as long as possible). So there you have it, the days of the 6260 are numbered, it is the end of an era. It's been a great run, a good four years of rather error-free service and although I've finally got the Seventy-Six i suddenly don't feel like changing my phone anymore.

For now.....

2007-12-18T15:52:00.000+11:00

Drink, drink, soccer, drink, club, drink and did i say more drinking? Yes that's exactly what i've been doing since i came back, lots and lots of drinking(i bet there's more alcohol in my blood now than blood), clubbing and soccer. Just played my first proper game of (street)soccer on Sunday, not a very good game for me if i might add although i did pull off some very good saves, but it was just not good enough. I expected as much since the last time i played was a good 6 months ago, and as a result my movements and senses were quite stiff. There's going to be a field match this Wednesday and i hope i play much better then(basket, almost everyone has switched over to the new addidas F50 boots whereas i'm still sticking with my good ole' Predator "Dragon" boots). Supposed to meet some of the other(chinese) chaps from 4E3 on thursday, a small reunion of sorts, but this is as of yet unconfirmed. Then on Friday Brendan wants to go out and quaff a few as usual, with Andrew,(maybe) Ivan and the other ex-Taylors people. Saturday is pretty much the same only difference is that i'm going clubbing with the Upps. Well i don't plan on going out to club and drink for the whole duration of my vacation(as much as i would love to), i already went for a job interview at a job agency last week(due to my mum's incessant nagging) and within the half hour they called me back and said that a few banks were interested and that they would call me back after they finalised everything. Now am i good or what? Aside from the fact that i have no intention on starting work till January.

360-ing

2007-12-14T20:49:00.000+11:00

Bought two new games for the 360, Need for Speed: Pro Street and Ace Combat 6: The Fires of War. Two very good buys if i might add, real good for keeping the boredom at bay when I'm stuck at home. First up is Need for Speed, and like all car enthusiasts and players of driving simulators i have to admit that i had very low expectations for it. After having played games like Gran Turismo and Forza which are two very superb driving simulators i have to say that the Need for Speed series is sorely lacking in terms of realism, challenge and detail when compared with these two games, until now. Pro Street is by far the most impressive Need for Speed title in this long series, it certainly trumps Carbon and Most Wanted in terms of detail, challenge and realism. When played in "King Mode" you almost feel like you're playing Forza instead of NFS where you have to actually brake into corners. Gone are the days where you can take a corner at over 100, now the standard is a more realistic 60 odd. And no more reckless driving by those unskilled drivers who only depend on speed to win a race. Crash into a wall or another car? There goes your body panels and windscreens, dented and shattered. Miss a turn and go over a curb? If you're lucky you get away with some dents and scrapes on your bodywork, if not your car flips and it's all over. And whats more the car doesn't "auto-repair" at the end of each race, either you pay for it with cash or trade in a marker. The price you pay usually depends on how badly you messed up, total your car and you usually have to foot a hefty some to get it fixed, usually almost costing as much as a new one. So how good is the new Pro Street? Well driving simulator purists will still say nothing comes close to Gran Turismo in terms of realism and challenge, but for the everyday casual gamer or beginner i say it's good enough. The only fault i can find with the game is that it does not offer the free garage anymore where you can select 20 cars and modify them to your liking, which i have to say was one of the main factors why people purchased the last two NFS games in the first place. Another point is that it's hood designs are rather limited this time around with those which they have offered being rather repulsive. Next up is Ace Combat 6, a classic amongst console fighter simulators. While not being the best one out there it has a nice and simple game play and a good collection of fighters. While it's storyline is as good as redundant it tries to make the game have more dept than your usual "shoot em' all down" kind of simulator. In terms of realism it's as real as pirated DVDs which already speaks volumes, graphics wise it's quite OK except for the part when you fire off a missile which looks very distorted. A decent game for the casual gamer but don't expect much more than that.

Home. Again

2007-12-07T14:48:00.000+11:00

So here it is my first post since coming back home. Just a short one as i just came back last night and have not really been up to anything yet. The laptop has been assembled but is for the time being redundant as my useless internet connection and ridiculously unreliable wireless router have seen it fit to refuse my right to the internet. So here i am at my old, cranky, not as unreliable but still unreliable and ancient desktop lamenting on the perils of a crap internet connection. The 360 has been dusted and broken out and all i need to do now is get me some new games before i can get started on gaming again. So here's the itinary for whats left of the week, going out to quaff a few with Brendan tonight(Friday the 7th Dec) and then the day after there will be the event which everyone has been waiting for, Suj's annual party(Saturday the 8th Dec). Seriously wonder who's the lucky bastard whose going to get shat wasted this year, definitely won't be me i promise you.

Home

2007-12-06T01:57:00.000+11:00

Going back tomorrow, 6th of Dec, SQ228, 17:00 flight(Melb time). Due to the rather unfortunate event of John leaving his house key's at home we were locked out after having dinner and as such my MP3, Descent of Angels novel and the Microsoft Office 2007 which i borrowed is all impounded. So first thing i have to do in the morning is call up the locksmith to confirm the 8am appointment and then head off into the city to collect my stuff. I also hope to have breakfast with what's left of the group before i head back to Box Hill and settle my final preparations. I now pray that the locksmith turns up on time at 8am sharp tomorrow and that my flight back home will be a good one, preferably next to a nice good-looking girl(must be single of course). So this is my last post of the year from Melbourne, I'll see you fellas next year then, till then Good Night, and Good Luck. And remember kids "Drink, but DON'T!, get drunk".

Oh Shat.....

2007-12-05T11:39:00.000+11:00

OK here's the deal, my much lauded and favoured laptop has gone off the deep end on me again(yes it has happened before). As such I've lost a years worth of Uni work, pictures, music, anime, movies, saved games and the list goes on and on. I have just managed to get msn and the other essentials updated and running so that my laptop won't be an idling piece of scrap. And now i must begin the painstaking process towards laptop normality.....Windows Media Player 11 is still a tad cranky as it takes an awful long time for it to recognise the codecs which are needed to run my anime. Ah well at least IE7 and Live Messenger are back on.....And if this isn't proof enough for me to get my hands on a new XPS i don't know what is. So if any of you bums out there are reading this give me suggestions on what kind of program your basic computer should have, oh and I'll need all your blog addresses again.

Supreme Boredom

2007-12-03T12:38:00.000+11:00

I am seriously supremely ultimately bored.....Most of the people who made life in Melbourne rather tolerable have already headed home, the ever cheerful and perverted Xander, the car fanatic and perv-in-training Sibu Angkau and most of the kids. So which poor sad souls are left here? Well unfortunately for me this year i'm part of this dreaded list, then theres John(uncle) who isn't going back to M'sia for one reason or other and has decided to stay in Melb and find some employment so that he can rack up some cash while everyone is away. James as usual is still left here followed by Ryan and the girls. And here's the departure roster for the week, James leaves on Tuesday(Quantas, ah ha ha), Alicia leaves on Wednesday(SQ), I leave on Thursday(SQ, bloody hell screwed up my planned 1st Dec derparture.....) and Ryan on Sunday(MAS). God knows when everyone is going back but if your flight out of this miserable place is not within this week then good luck to you. So here i am stuck in my spartan room going on and on about not being able to get home sooner, truthfully a delay of five days isn't much, but then missing out on five days of possible clubbing is a bit much. The delay might have been a tad bearable had a certain factor not have flown off last night. Every minute spent here is a damn waste of my much treasured leisure time which could be better spent in Singapore along with my rather good friends. Heck i've known all of those nuts on average a good 6-7 years already, with the longest being 12 years and 14 years. We've been through some seriously crazy shit at times as well. Most of which usually involves pranks, fights, getting drunk and escaping from possible reprecussions in one piece. Sure some might act like jackasses at times but after going through all that wild crap we just let these kinds of things pass. So having a reunion with them at the end of the year where we can all get together and remember the ole' times and catch up is always something to look forward to. Cheers to great friends and Patricians. Oh and a few SJI fellas too. And Quacker's if by any chance you're reading this again i'm surprised that you can give such sound advice, and thanks.

Groups. Why?

2007-12-02T01:38:00.000+11:00

Been bugging me since last year, the thing with groups and people being left out. Was out having dinner with "The Kid" today, at Chom Chom as usual. Were talking bout' the usual stuff, cars(well only i was going on and on about that), games, murdering people, random wanton acts of violence, military stuff and the glorious past. So we were just talking about such random stuff when we drifted back to talking about the old times, and i forget what we were talking about but suddenly he said something like "Oh forgot I'm not part of your group". Now hearing that being said aloud for the first time really struck a chord with me, as we all know i feel that if there's some occasion to be celebrated or a gathering to be had for whatever reason the more the merrier. Unfortunately the people who think this way are a pathetically few minority, and now i ask this question, why is this the case? Sure i know that people and their groups usually try to limit the amount of friends so that there will be a balance of sorts and that those with a ridiculously low self-esteem of themselves will feel that as the group gets larger the less time there will be for his friends to pay attention to him. Now i will proudly state that i was never tight with any group, me being a wanderer as such, i only joined if asked to and am not thick skinned enough to impose myself on others, so of course there were often a many times where i was left out. It's like "Oops sorry we forgot about you", but of course i take such petty things in my stride. If my presence is not wanted than it will not be there. Besides if i really wanted to be arrogant I'll say things like "You should be thankful that I'm lowering myself to your status to interact with you". Friends. This is what they call themselves, but they will not call you out if they feel that your presence will be inconvenient for them in any way. Friends. This is what they call themselves but they will not offer you assistance if they feel threatened by what you may accomplish. I've had kinder enemies than these kinds of useless friends. In fact I'm ashamed that i even thought of such distasteful people as friends, like how the hell did they get pass my screening? If anyone should be accused of being arrogant it should be these kind of screwed up people who will only talk to you whenever they feel like it. Jumped-up shits. Then of course there are those who feel that as they are older they have the right to talk shit to you. OK, you little prick you might be a bit older but i can bet my arse your sad life has been a right bed of roses, gone through what i have before you accuse me of being anything little shit. So to groups i say a right FUCKING NO! The thought of leaving some of my friends out sickens me and tarnishes my honour. To the kids i don't belong to any group, and if any a group i wanted to be a part of it would be yours, the kind where age doesn't matter, the kind where more is always merrier.
"Keep a closer eye on your friends rather than your enemies, because only they can stab you in the back, and it would most certainly hurt more"

My patience is waning

2007-11-29T15:19:00.000+11:00

I personally hate it when people try and tell me what to do, or when they have that "Oh my way is the best and proper way and everyone should follow it" kind of attitude. Not like i am unreceptive to suggestions or criticisms, it's just that you should never overstep people's kindness and patience, in this case mine. As everyone back home(and a certain few here) would know i have a very short temper, always quick to the fight so what i have achieved since i came to Australia is quite monumental. As a former Patrician whenever an argument came up or if you had a bone to pick with someone it'll usually degenerate into a good ole' fashion fight, which is the way some of us still like it instead of all that pansy like dialogue. Like what was said during the good ole' days, "fight first, talk later". I mean if you have a problem spit it the hell out and don't try and act all nice and understanding, my simple reply to this kind of people is for them to go screw themselves. And to those people who try to act all considerate when all they're looking for is an excuse for their deficiencies or just using it as a cover for their own benefit I'll say grow some bloody balls. If you screw up admit it, if your main goal is to benefit yourself don't make it look like you're trying to be considerate. People who call me arrogant? You don't even know what arrogant means so go fucking read it up in the dictionary again. Think I'm too vulgar or uncivilised? You just don't have the fucking balls to say what is on your mind pussy. All you can do is beat about the bush. In fact if you don't like so many things about me why bother at all? Fuck off. Want to judge me and force some advice onto me? Go look into the bloody mirror first. Normally I'd open a can of whoop ass already, but this time I'm showing restraint, you could be my friend or whatever but overstep the line and pay the price. And trust me it's a high price to pay. You might think I'm just talking big, all talk no action because of how i act all the time, but when the gloves come off don't blame me if you get hurt.
"A man without honour is less than a dog"

A Lack of Sleep, An Apparent Excess of Free Time, But for how long?

2007-11-28T09:05:00.000+11:00

Ah Ha, a very long name, but in reality not much will be written. Wasn't able to get a proper rest since the events of last Friday as one thing led to another. Missed the last bloody train on Friday, Saturday and Tuesday and as a result had to stay up the whole night waiting for the first train in the morning. I am most definitely moving into the city next year, already got the go-ahead from my parents too. Hope this lack of sleep doesn't cause me to fall sick or anything. And since the exams are over I've got some free times on my hands which is being wasted in Australia. There's really not much to do here, play LAN with the kids, out for dinner with the group, watching a movie and going to Crown pretty much sums everything up. Ryan had initially planned for the lot to go fishing but apparently something seems to have thrown a spanner into that as well. I sure as hell am not going to stay put in Box Hill as I'd probably die of boredom if i hung around here any longer. Wonder if going back to Singapore would change anything? Ah well I'll find out when i get back, i just might be bored enough to go looking for a job again. The main attraction would still be Suj's (legendary) annual party! Quite possibly the most entertaining night of the year as every year someone gets shit drunk and runs riot all over the place. Hah last year Suba got so frakkin' wasted this is what he did. First he "accidentally" threw a cup of alcohol at Cabi which crapped up his brand new polo t-shirt. Then he ran into the kitchen and scared Suj's maid out of the house(she ran off to his Aunt's place down the road). Then he vomited in the hall and we carried him off and dumped him on Suj's bed, big mistake as he vomited all over the bloody bed also!(damn sad for Suj man, think he had to buy a new mattress) After that we dragged his arse out into the hall, stripped him down to his pants as his shirt was by then thoroughly screwed by all the vomit, wrapped him in Suj's rather expensive carpet and hauled him off into the maids room where he spent what was left of the night. If you were there yourself I'm sure that you would have wet yourself laughing too, although the part where he started foaming at the mouth was a bit worrying though.....well that's what you get if you drink on an empty stomach boys and girls.

Completing D

2007-11-24T16:02:00.000+11:00

Just a short one for ye fellow car lovers and Initial D players, i've finally completed Initial D 4 after such a long while. It was a close battle and i won the 86 at Tsukuba outbound by the tightest of margins. Kudos to my ever awesome S2000 AP1, a great car, whose driver is as of yet still not good enough. With the completion of the game i think i'll revert back to the ole' Integra DC2, just need to change it to manual and i'll be all set. On another note, after testing out the S15, R34, MR-2 and the RX-8, i have finally chosen the RX-8 as the S2000 successor, as in terms of speed and handling the RX-8 has a much better feel. So there you have it, Integra Type R DC2, S2000 AP1 and the RX-8, a formidable line up it is.

Note- With this the entire RX series of cars is now in play, Brendan on the RX-7 FC Savannah, Xander on the RX-7 FD Spirit and my RX-8.

Done Deal

2007-11-24T14:25:00.001+11:00

The exams are over, friends are returning home (or for some already left), another year is drawing to a close and merry mayhem is to be had. Sibu Angkau leaves on Sunday midnight, and trailing behind him would be I with my morning flight on the 1st of December (supposedly, could actually be earlier if things go well). I think Ryan and Roaldy leave a week after my departure. So it'll be a right (approximately) three months of LAN-less fun where my life will finally be uplifted from the depts of prepetual LAN based enjoyment. Of course i don't intend of partying my holidays away (as mentioned earlier, straight drinking is off-limits already), i'm probably going to end up getting a job again and trying to fatten up the ole' bank account again. And with the amount of shopping i have planned out i'm seriously going to need it. I have miraculously gotten the green light to go ahead with my 'Modernisation' program which involves me replacing/refitting my electronic devices. As i have planned out all of my electrical devices should remain in service for at least four years before i set about looking for a replacement. This means that my good ole' 6260 and ZEN Neeon MP3 are soon reaching the end of their service life with me. The replacement for the 6260 has already been chosen, the N76. It met all of my requirements of being a clamshell 'flip' phone, 3G and it has to be a Nokia (the operating systems for the other brands just confuse me). Quite the few requirements isn't it? Now the MP3 player poses more of a dilemma, i've recently been eyeing the new iPod Touch, a very sleek device with awesome touch screen interface. But my brother has been bugging me to switch from my ole', sometimes cranky and rather worn out ZEN Neeon to an iPod classic, and for some reason my mum seems to back him up. Now its not like i don't want an iPod, its just that it has two rather irritating traits. First is itunes, so bloody complicated to use, miles apart from the simple and clean drag and drop system of most Creative MP3's. Than theres the price, which is definitely more ex than a ZEN by a fair bit. But Creative MP3's are sorely lacking in the design sector. And i'm trying to keep the cost of the replacements to below $600. Another hefty piece of equiptment which i plan on switching out is my faithful laptop, which although does not meet the prerequisites of being at least 4 years old (special consideration should of course be given to computers) with a spanking new Dell XPS in red. This of course has not been approved yet but i hope i can soon strike some sort of deal with my parents, guess i'll have to let my results do the talking again.

Note- The lot of us had steamboat at Ryan's place last night, and of course the usual rowdy humour and fun ensued. Thanks for dinner and such last night Ryan, and of course thanks for putting up with my usual craziness (it almost got out of hand with the drinking).

Another Resolution, Another Rule, Another Lesson Learnt

2007-11-24T14:07:00.000+11:00

Damn my age is seriously starting to show. Getting high so fast from so little, goes to show that my (supposedly) legendary alcohol tolerance is coming to an end. Well good for me anyway, this time helped me to gauge where the line was and not to step over the boundaries of it. Not a moment too soon anyway, i still acted like a dolt, but at least not as big a dolt as on previous occasions. At least now i know when i should call it quits and to throw in the towel. The last time around i limited myself to five glasses, but i think this time I'm going to completely abstain from downing straight anymore. It's bad for the health, it's whacking off my brain cells and I've finally lost that alcoholic feeling. So to hard liquor, i say no more. There I've said my piece, and to anyone i may have offended last night in my drunken stupor, you have my sincerest apologies and i kindly request that certain of my more embarrassing moments be forgotten, and since i personally only remember 50/50 of what happened last night try not to bring anything up eh? MUA HA HA HA HA!

Things to do

2007-11-16T17:34:00.000+11:00

Uwahh, 2 more weeks till i return home on the 1st Dec. There're still 2 more hurdles to get over though, the Stats exam on the 21st and Accounts on the 22nd. So far my examination campaign has been rather dreadful as for some reason i can't seem to bloody focus on my studies, curse my wandering and ill-disciplined mind. I don't even want to talk or think about the fiasco which was the first 2 papers. As such i'm definitely going to throw in my lot for these last two papers and like what i told Roaldy sometime back, if you're good at something don't aim for a HD, but go for the unheard of full marks. And thats exactly what i plan on doing. On another note Xander has already left (on the 14th, Wednesday) for home and as such Melbourne has become a quieter and less lively place. So even if the exams are over there won't be much for to do untill i return home to SG. Well if there's any consolation at least Ryan and the kids are still around (i won't count the bloody Angkau since he's leaving on the 26th, punk bitch) for a few more rounds of CG. Which reminds me, i've got to shut that bloody Angkau's mouth up, him and his crap-arsed Savannah.....Guess i'll have to teach him a real lesson before he runs off home. That being that here's my top 10 list of things which i'll do as soon as i reach home (mind you this being on the day itself, i've got a morning flight on the 1st and when u factor in the fact that Melbourne is 3 hours ahead of Singapore i'll touch down around 3pm SG time)

My (as of yet unconfirmed) Top 10 Things To Do When I Get Home

1. Break out my 360
2. Go to Grandparent's place
3. Go and buy new games for the 360
4. Go and buy manga at Kino
5. Go clubbing with the Upps
6. Go clubbing with the ex-taylors gang+Brendan
7. Go and have a drink with Ian and the "Lighter" side of ole' 4E3
8. Go gym
9. Resume playing weekly soccer with the Upps
10. Go savour the finer things in life

(Side Story- On another note i'm rearing to go back and challenge some fools at Initial D Stage 4 back in SG, i wonder if they're as crap as i think they'll be!)

"Gotta Knock A Little Harder"

2007-10-28T04:12:00.000+11:00

From the soundtrack of Cowboy Bepop The Movie: Future Blues.

Gotta Knock a Little Harder

Happiness is just a word to me
And it might have meant a thing or two
If I'd known the difference

Emptiness, a lonely parody
And my life, another smokin' gun
A sign of my indifference

Always keepin' safe inside
Where no one ever had a chance
To penetrate a break in

Let me tell you some have tried
But I would slam the door so tight
That they could never get in

Kept my cool under lock and key
And I never shed a tear
Another sign of my condidtion

Fear of love or bitter vanity
That kept me on the run
The main events at my confession

I kept a chain upon my door
That would shake the shame of Cain
Into a blind submission

The burning ghost without a name
Was calling all the same
But I just wouldn't listen

The longer I'd stall
The further I'd crawl
The further I'd crawl
The harder I'd fall
I was crawlin' into the fire

The more that I saw
The further I'd fall
The further I'd fall
The lower I'd crawl
I kept fallin' into the fire
Into the fire
Into the fire

Suddenly it occurred to me
The reason for the run and hide
Had totalled my existance

Everything left on the other side
Could never be much worse that this
But could I go the distance

I faced the door and all my shame
Tearin' off each piece of chain
Until they all were broken

But no matter how I tried
The other side was locked so tight
That door it wouldn't open

Gave it all that I got
And started to knock
Shouted for someone
To open the lock
I just gotta get through the door

And the more that I knocked
The hotter I got
The hotter I got
The harder I'd knock
I just gotta break through the door

Gotta knock a little harder
Gotta knock a little harder
Gotta knock a little harder
Break through the door

Au Revoir.....It's been a good run.

2007-10-20T02:26:00.000+10:00

I have recently acquired a new car for Initial D, the Honda S2000 (AP1)(Manual). Been running it quite a bit these past few days, trying to get the feel of the manual transmission and to the sensitivity of the steering. Not to mention its more capable engine. Like what Brendan said, there comes a time where you can't do much more in an automatic and this is that time. Not to mention the point of saturation where the ole' Integra can't really keep up with any of the more powerful models which them other players are sporting today. To prove this point my rather decently tuned Integra was beaten by a stock S2000 which Brendan drove. Maybe it just wasn't my day as my mood was never really there, try as hard as i may but to me it was blatant revelation that it's time was up. True you can never really master your car if it's on auto and i would like to come back and switch the Integra to a manual after i've mastered the intricate and delicate art of gear shifting. But for now i need to keep up with the competition so the Integra will be officially put into semi-retirement at the end of October and the S2000 will be the new number 1 car. It's going to take some time but i'll make sure i master the manual transmission before i go back to SG. It's been a good run Integra, but i think it's time for a change.

This is War. The Feud. Vulgar no more.

2007-10-15T23:47:00.000+10:00

A series of 3 shorts about what happened during the passing week.

"This Is War"

This was my reply to lil' john's cries of bully and cheat when i gave them no quarter in Dawn of War: Dark Crusade last week. Now i will humbly state that though i might have played the game since it's first release in 2004 (for ye oldies who still remember the original Dawn of War) i am still very much a novice at it. I will readily state that there are many amongst my friends back in Singapore who could very easily hand my ass to me in under 5 minutes. Tim for example has done it before. I do however know that the key to mastering the game is speed, the most decisive factor in every game but even more so in this one. You do not play DoW like other strategy games where you can amass a huge army and slowly slug it out with the other opponent. In DoW you need to strike fast, and strike hard. In fact no game should last more than 15 minutes and i normally attack within 5. Now the way lil' john likes to play games is to slowly build up a huge force and try to slug it out with the enemy in a war of attrition. This is absolutely the wrong way to play DoW and in fact any other strategy game. You do not need huge armies and massive armada's to defeat the enemy, a small elite troop specifically applied to critical targets will just as well win you the game, which is how i usually play. With 3 squads of marines i swept through Roy's base and John's base in under 10 minutes. They were ill prepared with little or no troops to oppose me. John then promptly went on to start his usual whining about cheating, bully, gang bang, etc, etc. And if i remember correctly he was the one who shot his mouth off at how good he is and wanting to challenge me. Fool, i may not play the game very often, but in terms of experience I've got loads more than that upstart who didn't even finish the campaign, the ultimate test of skill where the rush is always the key to success. And i completed it in hard mode. And from what James has told me he does not count that defeat and wants a re-match. Fine with me, I'll crush him slowly this time, just the way he likes it.

The Feud

This is something which has been festering for some time already, a cancerous cell within a body of friends. Now we all know that Roaldy can make quite a jack-ass out of himself sometimes, OK most of the time (ah ha ha ha) but it seems that his overbearing personality is starting to rankle another of the equally stubborn sort, Brendan Tong (aka sibu ang kau). Although I'm not exactly certain of what has happened (i don't live in the city and as such am not around 50% of the time besides I'm more of a stand-in for NYH who is busy wasting his life serving the country, which i will also have to do soon, out of sheer patriotism and because the government is holding $75,000 of mine hostage) it seems that Brendan's patience with Roaldy is fast wearing thin. There was the Camry case, the Dinner case(s), the Foosball case and most recently the Birthday case (actually Brendan was rather pissed off with everyone there). I will only comment on the Foosball case as that was the only one where i was present. Roaldy magically came up with this "no-hacking" rule which meant that the players in the mid-field cannot score goals. His theory was that mid-fielders should pass the ball to the strikers as the strikers are supposed to score the goals. Another argument was that if you score from the mid-field it is purely through luck and chance as you never expected to score from there in the first place. I am of course a reasonably fair person under the depths of the ever constant torrent of vulgarities which i spew out and will forgive him for making one of the most retarded comments which i have ever heard as he is quite foreign to the real game of soccer. Number one, any player can score a goal in soccer, as long as the ball is in the net it's a goal (unless of course a foul was committed or it was offside) . In fact goal-scoring is typically a shared duty between mid-fielders and strikers. The great Peter Schmeichel, a former Manchester United (probably the best ever) goalkeeper, has also scored a few goals in his career. I myself as a goalkeeper and defender have scored that all too miraculous goal once in a blue moon. Secondly, no goals are ever scored by accident (except of course own goals), everyone who takes a shot at goal no matter how outrageous a shot it is intends on scoring. He keeps insisting that i learn to pass to the strikers in order to score as i have a knack for scoring from midfield which obviously pisses him off. All in all i feel that everyone is welcome to have their own opinions about things but they should never try to impose it on others. Roaldy of course has a slight tendency to try and impose his views on others and likes things done his way, feeling that it is "the best" and "proper" way of doing things (a good trait to have if you're a lawyer, but as a person you're asking to get whacked). But it's not like Brendan is any saint himself. In a way you can say that both of them have similar traits, although at varying intensities of course (like magnets, similar people tend to repel each other i guess). I will abruptly conclude this unsightly matter by saying that everyone should try to be accommodating with each other, within a reasonable extent of course. Nothing will be gained through feuding, simple dialogue will more often than not solve such problems fast enough and not leave a sour taste in the mouth.

Vulgar no more

This is of course the story of me trying to get rid of my bad habit of spewing out vulgarities as soon as i open my mouth. Now Brendan, Xander and the kids find this rather strange and feel that something is amiss (with those two coming up with rather strange conspiracy theories). I would just like to clarify that i am not doing this to appease anyone and I'm just trying to find out what effect not saying vulgarities would have on my day. As we can see from my performance last week quite well in fact. I whooped the lot of them at Foosball, blitz through DoW (although the competition was rather lacking) and won the Initial D challenge. I have come up with the theory that by me releasing my daily torrent of vulgarities i am scaring away all my luck and good fortune, not to mention what that amount of shouting does to my throat and concentration. As such the vulgarities will be toned down permanently. So for those who rely on my daily rantings for amusement you'll have to find it somewhere else you sad bunch of.....Besides i have a funny feeling that the vulgarities are contributing to my current and prolonged singlehood.....

Gotta Knock a Little Harder

2007-10-14T01:53:00.000+10:00

Been having some sort of a writer's block lately, for no particular reason it just seems that i have run out of subject matter to write about. You'd think that with all the crap that's going on in the world as usual such as the Myanmar crisis and the excessive use of violence by private security firms in Iraq would have provided me with some good material to expand on and write about but sadly the ideas just won't come up. I have actually written a brief draft of my views on the Myanmar crisis but am reluctant to finish it and post it up as the Myanmar crisis is too large and complicated to some up in one post as there is a sod of a large amount of background material which needs to be included to make much sense of the situation today. I might however post it in a few parts, if i ever find the time and motivation to do so of course. I feel that the source of my writer's block comes from the fact that i have not read any good or new novels for the better part of 2 months. The last novel i read being the 2nd Gaunt's Ghost omnibus, "The Saint". I try not to bore the arses off people by writing about my rather routine and increasingly boring daily schedules as my life is simply that uninteresting, such is the life of the single man, single and deprived of his beloved alcohol. In all honesty i haven't had a decent drink since i krunked myself with the Upps the 2nd last Saturday before my return to dreary Melbourne. Now that was some serious shit.....imagine losing consciousness at 8pm and waking up the next day at 8am. Now that was wild, and apparently i caused some real damage as well in my drunk and violent state. The last thing i could remember was drinking mutton soup before my whole world went dark. Now what happened that night i will never remember but it seems that the whole lot of us are banned from ever going to that restaurant again, and apparently i gave my dad a good one to the face in my drunk and homicidal state, much to the amusement of my mum who found that rather hilarious while me dad on the other hand was reasonably pissed. After having imposed an Inquisitorial Edict upon myself after that unsavoury incident it seems that the drinks are slow to come. Well i had a couple when good ole' Morgs came over, a few bottles of rather unsavoury Carona, some red wine of unknown vintage and good ole' Chivas. Nothing too heavy as the lot of them didn't feel like pushing the limits of safe alcohol consumption then. The next time after that was when Sharad had just returned from Adelaide and i met him and the rest to see Jack perform at the preview of MANIFEST 2007 (which i also attended over the course of the next two days, an excellent two days it was!). Then after that it was off to the Union Bar at Melbourne Uni for a few jugs of beer (forgot what it was already.....but it was during happy hour and we got a good deal at $12.50 per jug!!). No more drinking after that till John's birthday party where i only had 1 bottle of Carona for honour's sake as i was rather ill at the time with my voice giving way and all, not to mention a rather horrendous runny nose (which resulted in me postponing my performance when we sang K that night, but I'm sure there will be other times). And since it's already the month of October, the days where i can get illegally drunk are fast ticking away.....and i plan to krunk myself one last time before i take a back seat and let them young'ens take over. Of course i might just think twice about that with the exams being so near an all. Well aside from that not much to add, oh and one last thing, i have been trying to limit my excessive usage of vulgarities these past two days and it seems to have worked quite well if i might add. The only problem is that Brendan and Xander find it rather weird, a Kenneth devoid of vulgarities. And it may be true, after having used them all that much often vulgarities have become very much a part of my character, not a very good trait but nevertheless it was a clear an obvious sign of my direct and and outspoken personality, not being one to beat around the bush with trivial niceties an all. A direct result of my forgoing the use of vulgarities is my rather good form at Foosball and Initial D where i scored some very good wins and comebacks. (MUA! HA! HA! HA!) Not to mention me blitzing my way through Dawn of War: Dark Crusade yesterday with my Midnight Drakes Space Marines. To tell you the truth i was rather shaky as i have not played the game for the better part of 3 months, but the kids, especially lil' john, were no match for me as i was the more experienced player and i play it like how its meant to be played, under 15 minutes blitz style) were no match for me. So there you have it, a Kenneth who limits his alcohol consumption and vulgarity production drastically, and you begin to wonder "What the hell has happened to Kenneth?"

(Side story- Brendan issued me a challenge that if he and Xander could win me at Initial D three times consecutively i would have to change my car and switch over to using manual transmission. The courses chosen for the challenge against Brendan were, Akina Uphill, Irohazaka Downhill and Tsukuba Inbound. Courses chosen against Xander were Akina Downhill, Irohazaka Uphill and Tsukuba Outbound. I promptly handed their asses back to them and kept my Integra Type R DC-2 (automatic). WHOOP PAH!!)

The month of October.

2007-10-03T23:53:00.000+10:00

CHEE BAI LAN JIAO! It's already October! How fast it seems time goes by this year. October means many things to many different people, for the Germans, Oktober Fest, a month of wild lager chugging which i plan to attend sometime in the future. But for me, October heralds the beginning of the end of a rather lacklustre year, and of course the coming of the long-awaited big 1-8. Not to mention the exams, which will of course be preceded by intense cramming. I can safely say that this year has been a rather quiet one, with many characters missing from last year's portrait. The loud-mouthed and insane Nyh, the unassuming Andrew who seems to be good at everything and good ole' alcohol guzzling Brendan (the Indian one) all of whom are "proudly"(more like cursing and swearing their bums off.....) serving the state in NS. Then there's Morgan, the Monkey Sage, who after making a rather disastrous and i must say ludicrous decision to further his studies in Malaysia finally seemed to remember that he does in fact have a fully functioning brain and that he should give himself a better chance in life by going back to Australia to study. However he seemed to have gotten himself rather lost and confused and ended up in the wrong frakkin' state, instead of Melbourne he ended up in Queensland. So, life has pretty much quietened down abit without these troublemakers around, not to mention gotten a lot more dull. Of course the next time these fellas come over,it'll be my turn to go back for god-damned NS, althought i can safely assume that not many people will even notice i was even there to begin with, although the sudden vacuum of vulgarities might leave the barest hint of my existance to begin with. So we have the month of October, 3 more months left to 2007, 4 more weeks left to my first paper and approximately 2 months before i return to Singapore. Again i wonder what new adventures await me when i return, will i encounter stranger and more insane characters, will there be a "fateful" encounter of sorts? That of course will be a thing of the very near future, the current matter at hand is to of course get myself wasted, one last time, my final act of insane illegal drinking, before i'm finally 18. Let me savour what little of this youth remains, and then after that i guess i'll have to take life more seriously. And of course it'll have to take me more seriously too. And after the drink, it's time to do the cramming of my life, to study like i've not done since the days of the legendary 'O' Level cramming sessions, greater even than that, because this time the stakes are much higher, because this time my future is well and truly on the line. I pray then for the strength and wisdom, to do what must be done.

Damnable illness.....

2007-09-22T12:48:00.000+10:00

Frakkin' hell, there goes my record of not falling sick for an entire year.....And if memory serves me well i was sick around the same time last year also.....Must be something to do with the monumental increases in stress levels due to the ever daunting end of semester exams. So it began with a sore throat on tuesday after i had some rather dubious chocolates left on the table in the kitchen. Since it was so minor i thought that an uptake in my water consumption levels would do the job. I developed a runny nose on wednesday which seemed to have taken over the sore-throat. Thinking that it was nothing serious i decided not to do anything. Than on thursday i was hit by the full force of the nasal problem and the sore throat. Immediate action ensued and i brewed up some chinese herbal tea which is reputed to cure sore throats and took a clarinase tab, effective stopper of colds. AND on friday it seems that i developed a fever as well, so i woke up, downed two panadols, had my herbal tea and went back to bed, only to wake up sometime in the late afternoon to head to the city. I downed another clarinase tab as soon as i got back and promptly went off to snooze. Did roughly the same thing when i woke up today, one clarinase and herbal tea. And i'm praying to God that i'm miraculously cured by this evening as i have to attend Ah John's birthday dinner and sing 'K' with him after that.....Very hard to do in my present state.....

SPECIAL REPORT!

2007-09-19T22:40:00.000+10:00

The next post will be a review of MANIFEST 2007, which is the Melbourne ANIme FESTival. 3 rather good days of anime filled madness and mindless spending. Loads of pictures which i took will also be on, all of them of random people dressed in anime/Japanese inspired fashion (got to wait till my fething internet gets up to speed again of course.....). Well as much of an anime fan i am, it's the first anime festival i've ever been to, Singapore of course being the tight-arsed boring country it is does not have such things (the farked up government will probably say anime is bad for the youth or something like that because its too violent, contains explcit content and other bullshit like that and that we should just all let ourselves be brainwashed by the chee-bai lanjiao government). Either that or they do have such things but its been so watered down to keep things nice, clean and politically correct that it is simply not worth my time. I am of course still ranting about the jia-sai 'ODEX' case, and it seems that the director of that company has come out to apologise for his statements and clarify that he was mis-interpreted. For those who do not know what statement he made, he was bragging his arse off on some gaming site that he spent the entire day fining people with much relish, or some shit like that. HOW THE FETHING HELL CAN YOU MISINTERPRET SUCH A BLATANT COMMENT DICKSHIT! Of course if any of the authoritites or if this gay-bastard of a person ever found out what i wrote about on this site i'm sure the freaking pansy will call his dickless lawyers and serve me with a, what was it again? $1000 or $2000 fine? Like the one you sent to that financially disadvantaged family eh small-balls? Ok, looks like i got a little carried away here, so look out for the MANIFEST 2007 SPECIAL post, should be in next week.

The Day After.....

2007-09-19T12:35:00.000+10:00

Yes, I'm back after a long absence in the blogging scene. Think it's been two weeks? Well explanations and excuses abound i will simply add that i have somewhat lost the inspiration to put my thoughts in words due to the simple reason of me not having read anything new in ages. As much of a writer i am, my inspirations not only come from everyday events, things which i observe, but they also come from things which i have read, Ala novels and newspaper articles. In truth i have much to write about, for example i have been watching Today Tonight for some time now (well at least when i have the time to, which mind you is not very often). And i have come across many stories concerning cults in Australia, the kind which perverts Christianity for the sake of revenue. Such cults can of course (this is of course a personal deduction) be traced back to such "Christian" things as "evangelical" groups (another American invention) or (again another personal deduction) "praise and worship" groups. Now let me get one thing straight first, many people seem to think that the whole faith/religion itself is Christianity, this is of course false, like Islam, Christianity is broken up into many different and confusing groups. Oldest and most original of these groups is of course Catholicism (which i proudly am). So basically (to make things much easier) there are the Catholics, and the rest are Christians. Now to make things even more confusing Christians themselves are divided into many sub-groups, most notably the Protestants and the Methodists (for all i know they could be the same thing). I consider these two the most credible of the Christian groups, as they are the oldest and are actually not very different from Catholics (aside for the major fact that they do not give thanks to Mother Mary), because it seems that any freaking retard who starts spouting about God and pretends to have known him personally can start a new Christian cult, which is of course extremely worrying. These cults are usually started by degenerate individuals, damned heretics off to make a quick buck by taking advantage of the blind and unbelievably naive and stupid faith of people not possessing as many brain cells as they should. For example, one such cult 'down under' claims to help you converse with 'guardian angels' and ensures you a sure ticket to the pearly white gates, for the small fee of your entire life savings of course. FREAKING HELL PEOPLE ACTUALLY FALL FOR THIS SHIT! I personally thought that there was a limit to stupidity, like a rather obvious line which screams "DO NOT FETHING CROSS!". I am of course very much mistaken. No wonder the Muslims laugh at us and (some)seek to (suicide)bomb us into oblivion, they view us as (sadly they too are unable to differentiate the differences between Catholics and Christians so anyone wearing a crucifix is fair game, either that or as long as you're a caucasian) vile infidels who think that religion is the best revenue generating institution since hospitals and law-firms. Some amongst them seek to give up their lives in the name of Islam and Allah, some amongst the Christians seek to spruce up their lives by making money off God's name. The ultimate irony of it all. Not that Catholicism are without their 'black sheep', there were the 'infamous' Crusades to retake the Holy Lands, the Spanish Inquisition and most recently cases of child molestations by Catholic priests in America (i am starting to see why some Muslims call it the 'land of satan') have thoroughly sundered the name of Catholics all over the world. Of course my suggestions on how to prevent such cases happening is to re-instate the office of the Inquisition in the Vatican (it might very well still be there). Where they regularly scrutinise the faith and mental health of priests all over the world, a daunting task it might seem, but for the sake of religion it is but a drop in the sea. As for the cults, they should simply be made illegal. (My personal solution would of course be a rather quick and violent one involving heavily armed men, for if you have read about some of these cults and their vile acts, I'm quite sure you'll feel the same.) I will again state that what i have written here is rather vague but follows the general elements of truth which i have discerned from the various articles which i have come across, while now exactly in-dept, they are usually quite accurate. Of course if you have rather too much free-time for your own good you can of course look it up on the net yourself, regarding the evils of such heretical cults.

Digital D.....

2007-09-06T23:53:00.000+10:00

Oops, i meant Initial D. I have finally, and sadly enough degraded myself to the level of those poor lifeless chaps who own those 'fancy' Initial D cards and think that they're "the shit". Mind you this was all done rather impulsively and of course with some insidious whisperings from the ever devilish and perverted Brendan (whose most recent misdemeanour is to "accidentally" grope girls on "crowded" trams.....). Well whats done is done, and if you're wondering what "ride" i got it's the Honda Integra Type R or better known as the DC-2 to those car fanatics (which i am slowly but surely becoming also). The colour is of course red, which is somewhat my favourite. Brendan on the other hand persisted with his akua-chia ways and got the Honda Civic Type R EK9 in yellow. Xander got his card a while back, and he got an RX-7 SPIRIT R Type A FD3S FR TURBO in yellow, not a bad car actually, thought its a little too wild on the handling for my tastes. I know "Small" John's got a Mitsubishi EVO9 but i can't quite remember what Kit has.....And since i got the card i've been playing it at least 3 times a week so that i can tune up the ole' DC-2. I of course also have the intention of raising my driving skills in the game. So far i've got a new spoiler, rims and exhaust, all from MUGEN, the company which race tunes Hondas. Then i've got a stage 4 intake/transmission system and stage 1 handling and electronics, a tad bit unbalanced, but nothing which can't be fixed by a bit of nifty driving, which i do manage to pull off on occassion.....So far the only stranger whom i've beaten after getting challenged was this kitted out EVO9 on Tsukuba, and i've had my ass handed to me in all the other races. Just last week some butt-fucker smoked me on my suppossed speciality, uphill, wet, night, Akina. Of course he was driving a rather snazzy S2000, modded to a good extent, and the stock S2000 is already killing the DC-2, i never stood a chance. When he crossed the finish line i was a good 350m away. So far i've only completed one track, Akagi, i still can't beat Takumi and his 86 on Akina and the fella with the MR-2 in Irohazaka is proving to be harder than i thought.....

Woke from dreaming, Another lyrical post

2007-09-01T01:14:00.000+10:00

Simply put, i don't feel like tackling any serious issues now or care to elaborate on the monotony of my rather reasonable but otherwise barely tolerable life. So without any more deliberations, here is Woke from dreaming, the final ending theme for the anime series Gunslinger Girl, if memory serves me well. As you might have already realised this is the second time i have posted the lyrics for a song featured in Gunslinger Girl, it has quite simply one of the best soundtracks i have heard so far, and it has a great story line to boot. A very well thought out and planned anime which i highly recommend to all interested in anime. So here it is, performed by The Delgados, the same people who sang The light before we land.

Woke from dreaming

Woke from dreaming but it took convincing
I was shaking screaming I was still alive

And you were picking strangers by the side of roadways
Little little let the danger unfold
You can do what you do if you think you'll take it
You can do what you do if you are that way inclined

Suffer with silk as the pressure's tighter
You have skin pale as milk with the pressure on
My heart is getting heavy and my hands are weak now
Hatred lifting and I'll start to weep now
You can do what you do if you think you'll take it
You can do what you do if you are that way inclined

Just for a moment can we take a little time
Just stop for a moment can we make this moment mine
I've tried to let go but I've never had much to say
Take a day take them all now
Just for a moment can we take a little time
Just stop for a moment can we look inside this mind
We try to control but we never quite know what's there
We will kill if we need to

Singularity, and a little extra.....

2007-08-23T02:02:00.000+10:00

Yep, it's official. I'm the last man single, among the good ole' Upps and Downs clan of course (or as the new condensed version is called, The Napoleon Brothers). You can already tell the heat is on me, in fact BL and Sagathi are planning on starting a bet to see if i can get attached by the end of the year. Well if anything, good luck to them on that, all i know is that someone is gonna make a big loss. Here's a congratulation to good ole' Sagathi, took you long enough eh. Well if anything i can safely predict my situation won't change anytime soon, what with those bums valuing the starting bet on my love life a shoddy $30 (bloddy hell, it can't possible be that bad right.....well i suppose i should be happy it isn't a negative.....). As is my fatigued mental state now, i simply do not have the resources at hand to pursue any form of relationship and have resigned myself to letting love find me if it so desires. Besides chances for proper female interaction are few and infrequent. As is my current state, i have absolutely 0 friends at my current Uni, after half a year of shit and still nothing, (for some reason the people there are not very receptive to conversation, and those few international students there tend to gravitate towards their own lot, no such luck for me there, i'm the only bloody Singaporean around) so you can plainly see that relationships are at present not in the cards at hand, heck they're not even in the fething deck. Bloody anti-social swinburne people.....Well the only thing that can salvage this crap-arsed situation is simply blatant and obvious divine intervention (and trust me God has obviously more important things to do, like stopping the entire human race from self-destructing their miserable selves.....). So now i fervently pray that i can transfer to a more "human" university next year (and damned hell more convenient, perferably located in zone 1.....). As for my non-existant love life, i will simply concede "As God Wills it." I shall now leave you with the lyrics form the song The Light Before We Land, opening theme for the anime Gunslinger Girl (series 2 will be coming out sometime next year!).

The Light Before We Land

In cases such as these I'd like a hand
Don't wake me up without a master plan
With sight and sound becoming fragile
Don't you understand?
When things that once were beautiful
Are bland

And when I feel like I can feel once again
Let me stay awhile
Soak it in awhile
If we can hold on we can fix what is wrong
Buy a little time
For this head of mine
Haven for us

In truth there is no better place to be
Than falling out of darkness still to see
Without a premonition
Could you tell me where we stand?
I'd hate to lose this light
Before we land

And when I feel like I can feel once again
Let me stay awhile
Soak it in awhile
If we can hold on we can fix what is wrong
Buy a little time
For this head of mine
Haven for us

Before we let euphoria
Convince us we are free
Remind us how we used to feel
Before when life was real

And when I feel like I can feel once again
Let me stay awhile
Soak it in awhile
If we can hold on we can fix what is wrong
Buy a little time
For this head of mine
Haven for us

The Princess of the Moon

2007-08-22T01:25:00.000+10:00

Well this was a song i encountered when i watched a certain anime, UFO Princess Valkryie (trust me i was damnably bored). All in all it was a rather kiddish show, not something i would usually watch, but this song really struck a chord with me, so here it is now. It's a japanese song so i have taken the liberty of translating it (albeit rather loosely as my rudimentary command of the language is shabby at best). I think the original title was Princess of December but i have decided to call it Princess of the Moon as we all know that the Japanese language does not properly translate into English all the time (not to mention my crap command of japanese) and due to the fact that this name seemed more fitting for the lyrics. So without further ado:

"The Princess of the Moon"

A Princess sings at a black moon,

"Oh, illusive lover come with me into the night".

The two become the wind and travel among the stars,

Watching the scenery untill they awake from their dreams.

The two are the eyes of the heart.

The Princess thinks "Where is the Key?",

"Where is the key to lock this moment for eternity?".

The transient Princess sleeps at a black moon,

The illusive lover lives in the same shadow.

In reality they become memories and fade into the darkness.

The sadness of the now ending morning,

The parting couple are the death of the heart.

The Maiden commands, "Throw away the key",

"Throw away the key to the disappearing and transient shadow".

Straight Talk with Great Teacher Ken

National Service, a thing of the past.

Now at:

To PM Lee

How far we've come

Older, and hopefully wiser

None too cryptic

Take Me To Eden: Reveal The World

Love song to nobody

ANIME! Bakemonogatari

Idle Musings: Damn you Apple, and you too Creative

Master Chef.....NOT!

"Fly Away From Here"

MANIFEST 09! PICTURES!

DEFINITELY NOT an Idle Musing: Manifest 2009

Not-So Idle Musings: Affirmation

The Untitled Track

Idle Musings: Weapon of Choice

Idle Musings: Le Kua Simi

Idle Musings: Oops, time difference

Idle Musings: The Replacement

Idle Musings: Domestic competition

Idle Musings: You lose some, and....er....lose some again?

Idle Musings: The King of Pop

Idle Musings: Link

Idle Musings: Thoughts

Until You're Over Me

CONnex you've done it again

Civiility at it's basics, It feels like 1939 again

Falling Down, by Oasis

Justice, Ethics, Life, Death

Headlines

From the sergeant's mouth

Team HGF

Health Matters

Faith and Politics- a brief look

The beginning of the end

Filler, no I'm still around punks.....

Life Update

Not another obituary

Inhuman Humanity

Life Update

The Lair of the Spicy Wolf, and then some

Old News- Express

No Reply

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Paper Trail

Matters of Faith

LUCKY STAR!

Directions

Almost time......

Politika

I take my leave, for now.....

Death by Stupidity

Why can't we be friends?

UNITED WIN!

Streak

Looking into the shrouded distance

Redundencies

The Garden of Everything

Dreams

You've lost that lovin' feeling.....

Intermission/Monkeying Around

Time

Oh what the hell.....

Shit happens, Part 2

Shit happens, well maybe not this often.....

Walking Away

The State of Mind of Uncertainty.

GLOOMY BEAR!!

Snake eat Rat.....

Under the sky

Goodbye, Hello

Fried Tofu and a few minor updates

It comes and goes.....

The End of an Era

For now.....

360-ing

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