Flags of the World

A lesson in efficient use of resources

Eight more days to Pay day

I'm quite uninspired now, so no new pictures, no interesting posts.

I've been working for about three weeks already and tomorrow is the start of another work week. I've been busting my brains as the learning curve is very steep and having friendly and patient colleagues who entertain my dumbass questions is definitely a good thing. It's still too early to say whether I love my job or hate it but all I can say at the moment is that I find the work challenging and tiring but satisfying.

note to self; Bring computer speakers along to the office tomorrow.

Seven thoughts on no particular subject

1) The Exorcism of Emily Rose is a freaky movie, esp when she contorts her body.

2) The 2005 Durex sex survey shows that the Japanese do it least often, at a mere 45 times a year. But how is it possible? I thought the Japanese are known for being more perverted (i.e. they indulge in lots of fetishes). We came to a conclusion that they spend their time doing everything else but fucking, like puking, shitting and pissing on each other, sado masochistic acts, cumming in each other's faces... etc.

3) BTW, to add to my previous point, Singaporeans fuck a mere 73 times a year, which so happens to be 2nd last in ranking. WHY why? There was a time when people had more siblings, that was when kampongs were around. There was no entertainment after dark. So grandma and grandpa had only one thing to do. Right now, there are so many good shows on TV.

4) Crazy Horse is coming to town! but a bit expensive leh... 80 to 100 plus per person leh, maybe I'd settle for Hooters, which is in the same area.

5) I just learnt that the record for fastest SMSer was not broken in today's competition, and you guessed it... A young Singaporean lady by the name of Kimberly Yeo holds the Guinness World Record she set in 2004. I guess, while we don't boast the fastest runners and swimmers like Kenya and Australia do but we sure do have the fastest thumbs in the frickin' world. Ain't that something to be proud off!!

6) The Lions lost to Vietnam 2-1 today. Not that I care but I would have been a MUCH MUCH bigger fan if Singapore didn't leave the Malaysia Cup ten years ago. The subsequent S-league that was formed SUCKED. The spirit for supporting your own country was lost as I could not imagine supporting a team that represented a small area like Sembawang or Geylang in an already dot sized country. I've never watched football ever since. Still, goodluck boys, don't get trashed too badly.

7) Last week, I ordered a "small coke" from Mc Donald's. The cashier charged me only 1 dollar. WHOA.. the price went down?! I thought to myself... cannot be la... It used to be something like $1.70 $1.90??? I was soon to be disappointed, the size of the coke also got reduced. I was given a "tiny coke" instead. I think Mac should have a new size classification; "tiny" tiny fries, tiny cheese burgers, tiny nuggets, tiny sundaes, tiny packets of ketchup, tiny hot cakes, tiny sausage mcmuffins and of course... TINY BREAKFAST.

Updates updates!

1) I have updated my photo book with three new photos.. and I'm using flickr instead... much better especially with the slideshow feature..

2) Some notable Photography links added to the sidebar,

- Reinhard Krause
He was the REUTERS chief photographer in the Israel and the Palestinian Territories from the start of the Intifada in 2000 until Arafat's death in 2004, he is currently the Chief Photographer China for REUTERS based in Beijing. I saw a documentary on National Geographic about his job in the middle east as chief photographer and some of his and his team's pictures really captured the frustration and despair of the peoples living there.

- Michael Yamashita
Well traveled National Geographic photographer, He has been a regular contributor to the National Geographic since 1979 and has worked in such diverse locations as Somalia and Sudan, England and Ireland, New Guinea and New Jersey. Although he has traveled to six continents, Asia is his special area of concentration.

- Jeff Hutchens
Hired by National Geographic Channels International (NGCI) to be their sole staff photographer based outside Washington D.C. He now does freelance work to allow him to spend more time pursuing self-generated projects. Some of his corporate clients include, National Geographic Society, Singapore Airlines, Toyota Motor Company and Hewlett Packard.

- REQUIEM: By The Photographers Who Died In Vietnam and Indochina
I chanced upon the above book in the Kinokuniya Bookstore some years ago. It featured the works of photographers who died covering the War in Vietnam. Mostly black and white images, the images show the harsh reality of war, a war which ultimately claimed the lives of these professionals who's job was to venture into the heart of the action.

FIGHT NIGHT

Muay Thai Tournament
(traditional Thai Kick Boxing)
5th November 2005, Sing-China Building
(near Seletar airport)

I didn't expect to be here when I got up on Saturday morning.

A visit with my parents to my old Malay neighbour's house for Hari Raya festivities was originally scheduled. Instead I got a call from my friend Jay, who was asking for directions to the Selatar Airport, he was going there for a Muay Thai event organised by "Amateur Muaythai Association (Singapore)" He asked me to go and I took my camera along....



Ringside
It was my first time at any fight and I didn't know what to expect. The entrance fee was 20dollars and the crowd was building up at 6pm. The place smelled of deep heat muscle rub and the setup looked "underground", darkened walls, light bulbs strung up above the boxing ring. Looked good but the lighting was bad for photography.


RED VS BLUE


Rage

First half of the evening was set aside for the amateur segment, which saw representatives from different muay thai schools in Singapore challenge each other. Before each match, the competitors had to perform a little ritual called 'wai kru' which lasts for a couple of minutes.


Someone please take the orange outta my mouth


Eye candy- the ring card girls announcing the next round (an attempt, I suppose, to balance the testosterone soaked ring)

In the 2nd half of the evening, the game turned Pro and bloodier when muay thai exponents from Thailand, Indonesia, South Africa and Holland fought with Singapore fighters. One of the major difference between amateur and professional fights, the latter's lack of protective gear; No vest, no shin guards, no head gear... Just gloves...


Singapore(blue) Vs South Africa (red) - Singapore was the favourite, some loud ang moh behind me was shouting for our local boy to "KILL THE ANG MOH!!!" I found it rather amusing... Singapore won this match by the way.


Get your kicks


Singapore (blue) vs Holland (red) - Holland delivers a nasty blow to his face


Returning the favour


Blood, sweat and...


Nasty - Indonesia's representative grimacing on the canvas after getting kicked in the family jewels


...and tears... nah I don't think he's crying... just sweat in his eyes..

And the day ended late, at 10:30, it was an exciting evening, and rage in the ring was left in the ring, fighters and spectators made their was home, we went for dinner.
Another fight? I wouldn't mind going... but I'll stay outside the ring, where it's safer

Click here to view the rest of the pictures

Sergeant (NS) Chan

Yesterday was my ORD day.
Today i'm officially released from the my fulltime national service liabilities
Operationally ready date... Ready?

What has been so eagerly anticipated by so many turns out to be somewhat of an anti-climax... ORD? ORD lor... so what... I enlisted five years ago, studied then came back to serve the remainder. We move on and out of the Army and forward into the a whole new world.

But looking back at those tough times, memories both bitter and sweet, flood my mind.

I remember the strange feeling of my short crew cut hair brushing against my grey Army T-shirt whenever I took it off.

I remember being face to face with the low wall and collapsing into a desperate heap each time I tried to climb it with my gear on. I also remember running around it when no one was looking.

I remember bringing stupid FHM and Maxim magazines to camp only to have them circulated throughout the platoon and have them come back crumpled and used.

I remember that the skies over Tekong had more stars than I had ever seen.

I remember the RSM (regimental sergeant major) calling us MAGGOTS and SWINE during our training but beaming with pride at the end of our parade.

I remember being almost shot in the back at the firing range when I ran into someone's line of fire, I also remember one of the PCs hitting me on my helmut on a separate occasion.

I remember that "She'll be coming round the mountain" was the song we most enjoyed on our 32KM route march. It made us walk on air, numbed the pain and lightened the load.

I remember listening to Coldplay as the plane bound for Taiwan took off in the wee hours of the morning, a little sad and afraid of the unknown.. It wasn't so bad, In fact it turned out to be fun.

I remember sleeping in the field during early spring in Taiwan only to be awaken with my arms and legs in pain due to the cold.

I remember the time they caught someone wanking under the sheets while they were playing cards at the table... in the same room... with the lights on mind you.

I remember getting an SMS from my sister after my family came back from Holiday telling me there's chocolates in the fridge, I couldn't go cos I was in camp. It was four years ago and I still keep that message in my phone.

I remember taking a shit... in the wild.

Do you remember?