Exercise is bad

Just got an SMS. An ex-boss just passed away while jogging. I knew exercise was bad. There is a conspiracy out there to kill us. Anyway my deepest condolences. He was a humble leader and an accomplished person. Pursued his career, hobbies and led a full life. His career credentials,

• Public Service Commission scholar
• Head of the Combat Simulation Group, Systems & Computer Organisation (Mindef)
  
• Director of Information Technology Institute
  
• Managing Director of Spectris China Ltd
• CEO, Tricast Pte Ltd
• COO, Asiacontent.com Ltd

My deepest condolences to his family.

Good bye, Sir.

COE drop

Wow, S$9,001 for a Cat B COE (base on the results for DECEMBER 2005 2nd Open COE Bidding Exercise). I guess with the coming elections and the fear of losing your job has lowered demand further.

Furthermore with the plan to lower the cost of car ownership and increase the cost of use. I would think twice no thrice of getting a car. For those who have no choice but to get a car, I would suggest checking out the resale market. Remember, these resale cars come with higher OMV. Which will see you through to your next car.

But if you can do without a car and still desire mobility, why not try cycling? We live on an island, about 42 km end to end. Cycling at a slow easy pace of 12 km/h that would take you about, 3.5 hrs (from Changi point to Tuas). Not taking into account traffic and killer slopes. But 12 km/h is really a slow pace, so most would move faster.

Better cycling infrastructure would encourage more to cycle. See Groningen, the 'bicycle city' of Netherlands on how much time and effort has been put in. No wonder they got the award, 'Bicycle city'. At least some heart lands have cycling parks, like Pasir Ris. Hope they do more. Maybe when the grand plan of connecting all the parks on Singapore is realised.

We are so sedated. Even those who claim they exercise do not exercise enough. Once a week is not enough, I hear 3 times a week each duration about 30 mins is required.

So cycle, kill two birds with one stone. Easily said, I still prefer to take the MRT and sleep on the way :)

Day after boxing day

Christmas came and went, time really flies. It is back to work. I can't help feeling that I have not shopped for a present for somebody dear. Blew quite a portion of my salary getting presents for my friends kids, this year being a bad year, no bonus and all, and CNY is just round the corner, ouch! My pocket is gonna hurt. Well, so much for Christmas. I guess I've grown out of the
Christmas period a long time ago, since the early nineties. The time where Singapore's economy was an unstoppable roaring lion.

These days, I really don't know what the future holds. So better to live frugally and be contented. After all don't they always say, the best things are free.

Dong Zhi (冬至)

Yesterday was the golly day as my mum use to say. But I did a little search on the net its actually called Dong Zhi, in chinese it means the "arrival (至) of winter (冬)". Actually a chinese version of thanks giving. A time for family get together, to celebrate the past good year.

Well so much for family get together, as usual I worked late.. wife had to sms me to remind me to come home early. Came back before 9.30pm. Luckily sis in-law was still at the dinner table, she just came back too, so got to eat the rice balls (tang yuan) dish with her, while my son sits playfully on my shoulder trying to catch the coloured balls in my soup.

Here is a picture of the delicious dish my dear mum in-law whipped out in record time.

It rained on Dong Zhi, accoding to my mum, it will not rain on Chinese New Year. And she is right, I have noticed this for a very long time. The weather on Dong Zhi day is always the opposite of Chinese New Year. Which means, I better shop for a nice cooling cotton short sleeve shirt for the New Year :)

Mug shot

The company next to the one I worked for has closed. On the main door (glass panel), stuck on the inside is an A4 photocopied picture of a wanted man. At least thats what the photocopy said. They even took the trouble to graphiti in red ink that we do in school, add a protruding tooth, bleeding scars, etc..

We are guessing that its probably a boss of the company that ran off without paying the staff.

Sad times, this is. Are problems too big that we have to run away from them?

I just hope in future, when we are demanding our rights and the other party is wrong and is trying their best to compensate or work out a solution for both parties, that we take into consideration that they are not running away from the problem but give credit and gratitude that they have notran away and is facing the problem bravely.

Just saw the building management staff paste a blank piece of paper over it.

Saturday's muse

On Saturday, while at breakfast, I saw a Malay man
inspecting a pot of plant and later plucked and
sniffed the leaves. From his expression he seem to
recognise the plant, must be a herb. A Malay taxi
driver on his way back to his cab noticed this and
seem to affirm his finding. They chatted excitedly
about the plant. At this point, it dawned on me,
how deprived we are of nature. That herbs have to
be grown on small pots on concrete ground. Gone
are the kampong days where we grew these herbs in
our yards / garden. How far away have we drifted
/ sped away from nature. Both men look way into
their forties, old enough to remember their
childhood days, where nature was just at their
door step.

The younger generation wouldn't even bat an eyelid
if they saw the plant. Might even consider them
to be weeds and an eye sore. Not knowing that
some supplements or medication that they may
consume might contain some part of this plant.

DOTA Competition

Was at E-games to watch a DOTA competition. Prize
money S$10,000. Pretty good money I'll say.
Especially for gamers and it being the school
holidays, not surprised the competition manage to
attract more then a hundred teams. Each team has 5
players so thats more then 500 participants. With
participation fee of S$15, that works out to,
S$7,500 already. And S$10,000 of sponsorship is
easy to raise. Especially when your target group
are teenagers and gamers. But I do see a few old
foggies teams (we call ourself the senior
citizens) around.

Perhaps this will start a wave of game
competitions held by LAN shops and hopefully
increase the gaming standards among us. And maybe
give us a better shot at gold in the next WCG.

Didn't see Team Zion play against God Clan A, but I saw
the ladder board, they made it to the 2nd round. Grats!

kill -9

kill -9. One of my first unix commands learnt and still favour.
It is absolute, no questions asked. If process still fails to be
terminate, just execute a loop to kill -9 the process and all
its child.

Well yesterday I executed it, in real life. I breathe easier
now :D.

Now to find another process to run.

Heal Potions

Wow. This would rock for Final Fantasy fans and gamers alike. After drinking these virtual hp (hit point/ health) replenish potions. Square Enix is tying up with food companies to make the real thing. Haven't tried it yet, but the review, says its herbal tea :)

Or maybe mum's cooling tea is more powderful. Anyway, another innovative merchandise in the making. Might see more of such food tieups in future? Perhaps. I will bet on it.