I used to enjoy playing chess. Not the international one since I’m not really sure of the rules but more accurately – the Chinese variant. I realised recently that playing chess in life is not as easy as one would expect, especially when you have to consider the human, or more specifically the emotional factor in the chess pieces.

I like having the pieces not having an opinion to themselves. I see myself calling checks and planning a trap at the same time for the opponent to fall into but I wasn’t able to secure a concrete victory because the game I’m indulging is not just a simple game that would end in a matter of hours.

The initial condition on the chessboard was a mess; both sides having disadvantages that was known to the other. Pieces that were conquered were immediately re-used as the acquired party’s force to push forward.

The moderators of the game were unaware of that the game was ongoing until highlighted by an outsider, and it was the catalyst that spurred a few select piece on my side of the board to develop their own AI to take charge of this game, thereby removing me from a position of control to have any influence on the outcome.

Not to discredit the AIs involved, seeing as their guerrilla tactics that relies on cheap shots seemed to work for a bit (but that was after I had a chat with the opposing player during a break) but I still thought my way of playing which involves various calculated moves based on nearly every single possible moves that I could process was far more effective in the long run.

I foresee that this game of chess will still continue in the days to come, and I have no inclination at all to buy myself back into the game to wrest control from the AI which is probably destroying the foundations I’ve laid with its current short-term tactics.

PS:  This is a work of fiction and any resemblance between the characters and persons living or dead is purely coincidental

Suspicious White Powdery Substance

The image above came about after combining more than 2 packets of powder. Apparently, somehow for my unit (read: Air Defence) when we have a fieldpack mobilisation (or something like that, still new to the unit), our items in the fieldpack have to be of a very exaggerated high standard. Sealed in package toothbrush, an insect repellent which has approx 2 times of its original err.. gel, all manually squeezed in. Likewise, I’m supposed to make my plastic green powder can as hard as a brick.

Talcum Flour

Funnel to guide the flour in

I spent around 2 hours cramming 4 packets of powder, using a makeshift pounder made of a dried up whiteboard marker and a $1 coin taped securely to the flat end of it. I placed a funnel at the mouth of the can, as my previous attempt in camp failed miserably, with powder spilling all over the table at that time.

Halfway through, I was so affected by the powder that were flying around due to my pounding that I actually contemplated using water to harden the powder but I didn’t have with me enough powder packs. Vision and respiratory abilities being compromised as a result of this unnecessary show of wayang. Power packed huh?

Brick

This is the end product, a work of art if I may add, that so nearly re-ignited my asthmatic passion. And I still have a week or so more to get my other items ready.

Sucks to be me.

Its nearly 6 months since I enlisted and everything seemed like a blur. Lugging my bag down the Penguin express into Pulau Tekong where I involuntarily surrendered my pink IC in exchange for a green one with free medical benefits.

The memorable events that followed after were mainly getting down and dirty, running here and there, painting our faces, throwing grenades, shooting live rounds, praying for inclement weather conditions and sleeping. Pranks and jokes aplenty in between as well.

Sat out ‘SIT’ (Situational) Test since I had, and still have no wish to lead by and the next moment I found myself heading to Stagmont camp which is located at Choa Chu Kang to be trained into a Signal Operator.

Smoked my way out of the 7 weeks + 1 day course and I learnt quite a bit about life in an active unit, since most of my platoon mates were from a unit. I was then posted to Chong Pang Camp after passing out from the course. In short, its an air force camp located 20-30mins (walking dist) from home. Still getting used to that place, but from what I gather its a generally relaxed place. Looks really old despite being constructed in early 2000.

Can’t exactly organise my thoughts at the moment, shall attempt to update regularly from today.

The Tekong Landings were the first operations of the Teenage invasion of Tekong, also known as Operation Waste-2-years-of-my-life and Operation Serve-and-f****-off, during AD2009 as a result of The NS (Amendment) act which was passed on 14 March 1967. The landings commenced on June 4, 2009 (D-Day), beginning at 8:30 GMT +8. In planning, D-Day was the term used for the day of actual landing, which was dependent on final approval. The assault was conducted in a gradual phase with an amphibious landing of Teenage infantry commencing from 8:30 at every other hour. The operation was the largest single-day amphibious invasion of all time, with 160,000 troops landing on June 6, 1944. The landings took place along a 50-mile (80 km) [Might not be accurate anymore, due to land reclamation works) stretch of the Tekong coast divided into five sectors: Ninja, Ulysses, Pegasus, Dragon and Falcon.

So yea, I’m enlisting tomorrow morning. Till then.

Worked, slacked, school, slacked, slept, ate, slept somemore and ate somemore.

No idea what to write.

Just some shitty update.

Created this on a whim, seeing as my hand is now rendered useless. Apparently the bone got displaced (no pain though) and the Orthopaedic sin-seh I went to earlier used electrolysis and applied heat to the displaced area before massaging it. There is not much pain now, perhaps due to the numbing of my nerves as a result of the electrifying treatment. Am supposed to return for a follow up next monday but I’ll see how.

Short update, lazy to type.

Oh, its my left hand that is dead. I just flipped the image.

Get to know yourself better

Your view on yourself:

You are down-to-earth and people like you because you are so straightforward. You are an efficient problem solver because you will listen to both sides of an argument before making a decision that usually appeals to both parties.

The type of girlfriend/boyfriend you are looking for:

You like serious, smart and determined people. You don’t judge a book by its cover, so good-looking people aren’t necessarily your style. This makes you an attractive person in many people’s eyes.

Your readiness to commit to a relationship:

You prefer to get to know a person very well before deciding whether you will commit to the relationship.

The seriousness of your love:

You are very serious about relationships and aren’t interested in wasting time with people you don’t really like. If you meet the right person, you will fall deeply and beautifully in love.

Your views on education

Education is very important in life. You want to study hard and learn as much as you can.

The right job for you:

You’re a practical person and will choose a secure job with a steady income. Knowing what you like to do is important. Find a regular job doing just that and you’ll be set for life.

How do you view success:

Success in your career is not the most important thing in life. You are content with what you have and think that being with someone you love is more than spending all of your precious time just working.

What are you most afraid of:

You are concerned about your image and the way others see you. This means that you try very hard to be accepted by other people. It’s time for you to believe in who you are, not what you wear.

Who is your true self:

You like privacy very much because you enjoy spending time with your own thoughts. You like to disappear when you cannot find solutions to your own problems, but you would feel better if you learned to share your thoughts with a person you trust.

I still don’t know who I am. Url here

Earlier last Monday (09/02/09) , bus service 969 which just entered the Tampines Expressway (TPE) was disrupted when a flying gravel from a truck shattered the windscreen (highlighted in yellow).

One of the passengers, ZH, was standing at the position of the red when the windscreen  (explodes in your mouth)

shattered. Said ZH, “I only had a split second to turn my head backwards when the gravel collided with the windscreen. Thankfully, the size wasn’t too big and I survived. However, the PRC dude behind me got scared shitless, he literally collapsed on all fours and crouched behind my imposing figure which he used as a shield against those glass fragments.”

Thankfully no one was hurt in this incident but the hit-and-smash gravel managed to escape. If anyone has any news regarding the rogue gravel, please contact the relevant authorities.

Just in case anyone was wondering about the song that plays when I receive a call, it’s Shin-Ai 「深愛」 (lit: Deep Love) by Mizuki Nana, from the visualnovel-turned-anime White Album.

And no, I’m not posting this just because I have a crush on someone nor am I posting this just because today happens to be one of the heavily commercialised day which is not even considered a public holiday.

Did I mention how most Japanese PVs suck because the lip sync is so bad?

HE LOOKS around carefully, his legs tensed and ready to run.

The coast seems clear, and his colleagues nod their confirmation.

He dashes into McDonald’s, and emerges 10 minutes later, clutching takeaway bags in triumph.

His colleagues cheer, and they move off swiftly, not looking back.

That man has just committed an offence.

But it’s not against the fast-food outlet – it’s against his company.

Sinkalongang Phoney Holdings forbids any staff in formal attire from entering the nearby Black Silicon shopping mall in PaMadam Ris, among other things.

The rule, which was imposed several years ago, also forbids staff from hanging out at the neighbouring housing estate.

The man told The New Paper: ‘I’m not supposed to go to Black Silicon at all, unless I want to go to the library after work.

‘Even then, I can go only after I fill in a form and get it approved by the Operations Manager or my editor.’

And then he pointed to the staff handbook, which has an extract from the company’s rule book.

It states that the company has banned its staff in uniform from loitering anywhere after work.

It expects the staff to go home straight from school to help in the baby boom initiative.

Only library okay

It wants them to ‘stay away from Black Silicon Shopping Mall at all times except to visit the community library after school after seeking approval from the Operations Manager, Sub-Editor or Editor-in-chief’.

When asked to comment on the rule, Editor-in-Chief Veronic Nag responded through Madam Katurine Change, the head of the official mouthpiece of the company: ‘Sinkalongang Phoney Holdings places much emphasis on inculcating in our staff good habits like using time prudently.

‘As such, it is in their interest not to loiter in the malls after work.’

But many of their staff are not too pleased about this.

Said one staff who has been there for 3  years: ‘It’s crazy. Some of us don’t have lunch at home. We have to eat outside, but we’re not allowed to eat at Black Silicon.”

‘We’re not even allowed to just go in there to buy food to take home with us.’

An intern we found said that even her parents did not see the logic behind such a rule.

Her fellow intern friend added: ‘Staff from other companies get to hang out here after school. Why can’t we?’

The company is so serious about the rule that it assigns Gurkhas to patrol the shopping mall and neighbouring areas after school.

Offenders are sent for a two-hour detention at Whitley Detention Camp where they reenact the scene of the blockbuster series, ‘Toilet Break’.

And sometimes even the innocent get caught.

Said a photographer who agreed to speak in anonymity: ‘One of my friends, who waits for her mother near the shopping mall after school every day, almost got a detention.

‘She was saved by a bunch of colleagues who explained to the operations manager.’

Some parents are also upset by this rule.

Said the mother of a staff: ‘I was told that my daughter had to go home and change out of her uniform before she can buy lunch at Black Silicon.

‘So instead of buying lunch and going home, she has to go home to change, then go out to buy lunch and go home again.’

Family lunch impossible
A father was particularly riled that he couldn’t even have lunch with his daughter in peace.

‘It’s just stupid. The management don’t seem to care that the staff may be with their parents. So I have to keep watching out for management, or my daughter may get caught.’

But most employees are resigned to the strict regulation.

As another yet unnamed employee puts it: ‘My mother tells me to just be careful and don’t get caught.’

One parent, whose son left the company three years ago, said: ‘No choice lah, just tolerate and be done with it.’

Said an old and experienced staff: ‘I don’t really care any more. If I get caught again, I’ll just go for detention again. It’s no big deal.’

Gurkhas are also deployed to the housing estate near the school to prevent students from loitering there.

A newly joined staff said: ‘After school hours, we can’t go to the mini-mart in the HDB estate and it’s just across the road.’

It is understood that even employees who simply walk through the estate can accosted by a patrolling Gurkha.

This reporter saw a Gurkha stop a group of staff there last Friday.

According to a parent, the strict rules were imposed following complaints from residents in the area.

Said the same parent: ‘If noise is such a problem, then remove the playground. It’s always noisier than the employees.

‘In any case, Gurkhas aren’t supposed to be security guards. I don’t think MOE pays them to guard void decks.’

But not everyone opposes the strict rules.

One employee, Paul Lampard, who has been working there for 2 years, said: ‘I agree with the company, that loitering can lead to trouble.’

One parent admitted: ‘Ultimately, parents and Gurkhas are both concerned for the pupils. I may not like the ban, but it shows that the company is making an effort for its staff”.

Original article here:

http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/news/story/0,4136,191705,00.html?