High Blood Pressure can be good for you.

China or Singapore worker? Take the pick...

Today during the dinner at 848 kopitiam, I observed that the Chinese from China kopitiam cleaner are out of sight. Rumor is that there is some new government regulation been set and the kopitiam boss had no choice but to send them all back to home (china). They are very fast, efficient and also friendly man and women earning the livelihood in the heart land. Replacing all of them today is one Singaporean aunty who appeared to be experience in the table cleaning field and another Singaporean aunty who obviously came in the wrong dressing as a table cleaner. She is wearing a skirt and it is a painful sight to see how she work....very very very slowly. At her rate, when she cleared and clean a table the usual China Chinese worker would have cleared four or five tables. I think she purposely work very slowly. If I were the boss, I would not hesitate to fire her within a day but alas, the kind of work and salary...how many Singaporean will be willing to take up the job? I felt the pain of the boss, not been able to hire better worker during this time.

Question is... would anyone of us, University, JC, Poly or even secondary school graduates ever want to take up a job as hawker stall table cleaner, even just for a day? Is it a social stigma to be seen cleaning and clearing table? I'm talking bout kopitiam, not restaurant.

Second SAF regular serviceman dead in two weeks

1 week after an RSAF regular serviceman Master Warrant Officer P. Jegathesan collapsed and pass away after a 3 km run, another RSAF regular warrent officer was found unconsious at Paya Lebar Air Base and later pronouced dead at Changi General Hospital. (Sources: Mindef ). My deepest condolences to the family of 2WO Poh and also to our fellow couterparts in Paya Lebar Air Base.

Its always sad to hear news of our military personnal passing away in the line of duty but whats even depressing is the fact that its during the peace times where the risk of dying should not be occupational. A google search on the subject " Death of SAF Service man" will reveal several website hits spanning a timeline of 4 years. The figures are pretty astonishing when put together and the fact is our soldiers are falling one after another for one reasons or another unknown to us. I remember the first case of death I encounter was during my BMT times 6 years ago when a Super Puma SAR helicoper landed in Tekong to evacuate a recruit who collapsed during a run, he was later officially pronouced dead in the hospital. Than there is this story from my friend who found his buddy missing during a fire movement training and later found him collapsed in the bush. His buddy passed away.

Just a little knowledge for you guys, a person cannot be pronouced dead unless its officially verified by doctors or paramedics. No pulse does not mean dead for the victim still can be shock back to life using a heart defillirator. Brain dead.... dead for sure. So please please please don't stop performing CPR on a victim who had no pulse. CPR will not revive him/her but it will definately prevent brain dead situation. Contrary to what we see on TV and movie, CPR will not wake the person up.

I hope something is done to find out what is happening to our soldiers this days. Is it the heat? Is it the food we eat? Is it the mobile phone radiation? Is it something else mysterious?

Exam and holiday around the corner... Poor decision maker at work

Its almost 5 months now and I'm glad so far I am surviving in one piece instead of pieces. My grades have been pretty good for all 4 modules I'm undertaking for Aerospace Engineering. Just took the last quiz for Aerospace Management today and I am very confident to score for this one for its surprisingly easier than I thought. 1 down, 2 to go, 2 more test and it will be a long break before the examination on the 13th, 14th and 15th. The last time I ever have this exam crunch feeling was back in secondary school days when we all got our mid year and end year exam.

Already I am planning for my semester break conveniently labeled as holiday in my thought. First, I will be taking my Open Water Diving License in June at Tioman to fulfill one of my goal for the year. Next the 2 month break will be a great time to get back to my modeling hobby (figurative, not catwalk). Got 2 Gundam kit to build up but priority will given to a sports car and sports bike model I promised to complete with glory of colors. Its almost 6 months overdue!!! My friend had been generous to give me all his spray paint supplies and I am sure you are reading my blog right now. During this break will also be the time to hook up with my dear brothers for more drinking session especially during our brother bachelor's night before his big day on the 20th of June.

Well... for the mean time, it will be full throttle till the exam ends. I am already feeling pretty sluggish this days probably due to burn out from working and schooling concurrently. No choice lah...need the money and need the knowledge, both don't come free. Thats why my blog entry had been dwindling in numbers.

Talking about work, maybe this is something for my fellow work mate to ponder about,

"Lack of a well defined power of decision: Men who succeed reach decisions promptly and change them, if at all, very slowly. Men who fail reach decisions, if at all, very slowly and change them frequently and quickly. "

And I experience the effect of indecisive decision making recently. It not only confused all of us at work but also affected the morale badly especially for the junior guys. In the word of one junior "It makes the day salty". Why can't "they" be decisive and make one decision instead of changing it again and again with a span of 2 hours? Super wasted effort to install and re-install...install and re-install. Sigh... ... we need better leaders.

Now Playing: Fire Emblem Shadow Dragon

One great story line with gameplay element from Warsong and Shining Force, its Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon for Nintendo DS!!! If you like the Advance War series, you will love this one. This game kept me hooked to my black Nintendo DS Lite for the past few evenings. Oh boy...with 3 test coming up and the exam around the corner, this is one big temptation that will distract my studies and expand my dark eye rings.

GOSH!!! Matchmaking session!

Maybe I am getting so old its starting to be a concern to my parents. Yesterday, they invited their Hainanese friends and their daughter over to my home in an attempt to match make us!!! It was 11.30pm. In the past few days my dad is already urging me to contact this girl and date her while she is still in Singapore for vacation. I really put my palm to my forehead and sighed... gosh... this is modern times and how in the world did the idea of traditional match making got into their head?

I am really really uneasy about it but I can't say no to the Hainanese family visit out of respect for my concern dad. I'm 27 years old and the last thing on my mind was actually settling down and getting married. I'm not even eager why should mum and dad? This is a rather amusing situation. Of course I got to play the gentleman role and at less chat with their daughter over a wide range of unrelated topics otherwise it make her felt lost. To be frank, pretty nice looking and mama girl. Born in the year of Rabbit (like dad). Got a nice birthday too on the Chinese Lunar Festival (oriental valentine day). No wonder mum and dad like her so much. Geez... of course I try not to give any sign I am interested in her but also not give her the bo-chup look making her embarrassed about the late night visit.

In my mind, there are only one thing that will happen upon choosing the path of this matchmake. Pressure to tie the knot, Married, Babies, buy house, Cash flow issue, Stuck in RSAF for sure till retirement to secure rice bowl and becoming a father...all within 2 years.

Well, a man still got many good years ahead despite hitting 30s in 3 years time. I find this an interesting experience though. Nice or not, I think there are things I need to achieve in life that might have to put family making on the hold. With that I apologize to our Singapore government for not doing my part of population growth.

A mix of Peter and Skynyrd

The IPOD is tuck neatly in the corner of my desk and whats left playing on the road is the radio and Class 95 with Yasminne Cheng as the DJ. During one long night drive after a sleepy lesson in thermodynamic, she sense the mood and dedicate this really nice evening song by "Will To Power". Its a wonderful cocktail bar medley mix of Peter Frampton "Baby I love your way" and Lynyrd Skynyrd "Freebird".

Tioman diving trip and open water certification.

Hi guys and gals, I had just registered for the Open Water Diving Certification course which include a weekend Tioman diving trip, setting off from Singapore on Friday evening 5th of June and coming back to Singapore on 7th of June Sunday evening. The diving school is Waikiki Dive Centre located near Lavender MRT station and the the price for the entire course is S$629 (Lesson, Course material, transportation, lodging in Tioman, Equipment, Food, certification...etc...etc).

Upon registration, I was given a PADI Open Water Manual for self studies prior to the practical pool lesson and theory test scheduled on 2nd and 4th of June in the evening from 6.30pm to 9.30pm at Club Mana Mana, East Coast Park. A pretty thick manual to self study on in my opinion, the significant volume of reading to be done is a testament to the importance of proper education and safety awareness before even attempting to dive in the sea. In the past, I pictured diving as swimming underwater with a tank of limited air supply for breathing, goggles and a cool looking combat knife to fight the sharts. After a casual reading of the material, I realize it take more than just equipments to safely enjoy the dive without killing yourself.

Having said that, I had blogged about my trip with the intention of gathering any keen friends to join in for the course and the Tioman trip. Currently attending the open water course is me and a friend. Joining me for the trip as a leisure diver is my friend from Thailand who already got an Advance Diving License. So that makes the attendance at 3 for the moment.

Interested friends, please contact me at 91392381 or drop me a mail at majmoron@yahoo.com.

The worst mid air collision

November the 12th 1996, the world worst mid air collision happen in India.

Apparently, it was my birthday!!!