Old SBC Drama

The actors have become older, the kids in the show are as old as me, Ai Yo Yo 老师 have grown in size. But one thing for sure, our memories are refreshed when triggered by old pictures and video and it make us think of the time when we we just little kids. No worries about career advancement, stress from the bosses, beating the rush hour traffic, paying the bills, getting back stab by cunning people, getting push around in the work place... Those were the days when I have a crush on this thai girl in my primary 5 class and the time I got my first public canning right before PSLE and when I cried before getting the math result cause the whole class was ridiculously stress out about math results. So enjoy the following SBC (Singapore Broadcasting Corporation Video clips) and hopefully it brings you some good old memories.... and see if you can recgonize those actors and actress... back than there was not American sitcom and Hongkong or Taiwan drama and SBC Drama were the best of the best during that period. Very original story lines...

Mi Li Ye 迷离夜
Wu Jiao Ji 五角基
Samsui Women 红头巾
Pian Yuan Shao Nian (Ah Beng and Ah Lian) 边原少年
Yang Guang Lie Che 阳光列车
Guang Huai Fan Shi 关怀方式

The Ant Kingdom have arrived!!!

The birth of a new kingdom
under the closeful eyes of "Kisses" and "Freedom of Speech" guardians

Oh yes! My Ant kingdom have finally arrived! But where are my subjects? My kingdom citizens? My worshippers? The ants? They should now be in the United States mailing system, hopefully arriving at my premises this weekend to populate this deserted and totally undevelop territory.

Unfortunately, like earth, the kingdom was created with a minor flaw, a little crack at the edge of that world... a natural flaw or in our context "manufacturing flaws". It made me so mad at such poor quality control that I wrote an E-mail to the online merchant...

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From: Riccardo Tan [mailto:rseaf@sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Tuesday, August 08, 2006 11:27 PM
To: 'orders@aquatic-store.com'
Subject: Defective Ant Works illuminated

Hi there,

I have recently purchase the “Antworks” illuminated and it was delivered to me through USPS on the 8^th of Aug (today). However, upon opening the package, I discovered a flaw in on a corner of the product. Please refer to the attached pictures for more details.

It appear to be an internal crack in the plastic cause by manufacturing fault. Although the crack does not affect the functionality of the product, it is still unacceptable and from an aesthetic point of view, an eye sore.

I like to know how I can get a replacement for the damage product. Will also appreciate if an arrangement could be made to have a percentage of refunds if I choose to keep the defective product as the Harvester Ants I ordered might not have a home to stay pending the return of the defective product and shipment of the replacements.

Below are a my order details to aid you in addressing my concerns.

Jian Wei, Tan

1717 East Belt Line Rd Apt 2021

Coppell, TX 75019-4247

The package's Delivery Confirmation ID is 9102805213907181559699

E-mail address: majmoron@yahoo.com

Sincere,

Riccardo Tan J.W

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However customer service rules the day in my case, instead of having to return the product to exchange for a new one as stated in their term and condition, they decided to send me another AntWorks Illuminated, Free Of Charge!!! That really means a lot to me as a customer and as a token of appreciation I have decided to advertise this product and their company to all you readers out there...

http://www.antworkstoys.com/

Happy Birthday Singapore

Happy birthday to my beloved, much missed and occasionally much complained about, SINGAPORE! You are now 41 years old and just look at how fast you have grown!!! Back than in 1965, "THAT WAS A TIME, WHEN PEOPLE SAY THAT SINGAPORE WON'T MADE IT" but WE DID!

Singapore came real far since than, we people "BUILT OUR NATION WITH OUR HANDS". STRANGER WHEN WE FIRST BEGAN, People from different races coming in harmony, making what we are today, thanks largely to early intervention by our government to promote racial harmony, equality and to deter and punish those who are out there to break that bonding we have built for so many years. We got our Ah Mat, Ah Neh and Ah Beng plus Ang Mo playing a big role in moulding our country through the years from the early construction and "Todays China Style" manufacturing back in the 70s and 80s to the modern R&D, Banking, service orientated industry that have characterised Singapore in the 90s and millenium.

So what ring my mind whenever people in America ask me about Singapore? We are not just a little dot on the map which is smaller than the entire Irving City in Texas, Dallas county. We are truly ONE UNITED PEOPLE that have survived and transform an island ,that could be just about any Indonesia undevelop island, from a DAYONG SAMPANG fishing village into a modern city that can compete among the best the in world!

You can just see the proud face I have whenever I told the Ang Mos I am from Singapore and how much praises they have for Singapore for its multi-racial diversity, the variety of food, the weather, the safety low crime rate. It seems that when I was in Singapore, I just treat my country like a house I stay in. And now, right here in the US... Singapore and as a Singaporean is a unique identity that I feel proud of carrying around.

Personally, I love my country for the food and YES, I dearly miss all my favourite food and even those ordinary food we always take for granted at the coffeeshop. So much so I can compile a list of food that I wish is right in front of me now,

1- Roti Prata from Causaurina, near old thomson road
2- Kwey Chap
3- Cha Kwey Teow, Waterloo Street
4- Hainanese Chicken Rice, down stairs!!!
5- Hokkien Mee
6- Chilli Crab, Ang Mo Kio Seafood Junction
7- Ice Kacang
8- Popiah
9- Laksa from the snack store at Yishun Central
10- Mee Pok, Anywhere!

Although its 9th of August right now in Dallas, due to the time zone difference... the Peace Praire Detachment held our National Day observance parade on the 8th of August instead. It was a simple ceremony where we recite our National Pledge, sang the National Anthem and presents long service medals and promotion certificate to some of our well derserved service man. Ha ha...don't know why but I tend to Sing the National anthem louder here than back in Singapore... maybe with a bit of American accents when reciting the pledge...ha ha.

Going Canada in September

I am currently planning my backpacking trip to Toronto, Canada from September 22th to Oct 1st. Lots of things to prepare as this is my first backpacking trip. Have just brought a internal frame bags a.k.a big big backpacker bag in preparation for the trip those you see Ang Mos always carry around. Other than money, I will need some outdoors camping stuff as part of my trip will bring me to Madawaska or Algonquin Park, a popular backpacker outdoor camp site located at a very very scenic wilderness which I soon will discover. A sleeping bag, a propane fire bottle, small cooking wares and a small tent will suffice. Of course not forgeting lighters and Swiss Knifes. The next destination will be Niagara Falls just south of Toronto.

My plan is to embark on this trip alone and join in other backpackers at a backpacker hostel call Global Backpackers at Toronto City for the camping trip. Its always better to go in a group than alone. Lots of homework to do at the moment especially the budgeting stuff. Thankfully the Internet provided most of the information on price of accomodation, approx price on food, city transportation, airline tickets price. I try to keep my budget tight for this trip, target to spend below US$1000, so probably will get some MREs from the guys back in base to keep me filled throughout the adventure.

Lugi Guard Duty Again!!!

WAH LAU EH!! Riccardo want to complain liao... Why I kanna another of those guard duties where the next day duty personal do not come in at 8am to take over! Damn... its been 3 times in a row since I came here and yesterday I was pretty worked out when Jonathan told me he can only come in the take over my duty at 12 because he is heading for a medical appointment in the morning. Unfortunately, the other guard duty personnal was an ACS (Air Crew Specialist) who know nuts about taking over guard duties which involve accounting for publication, tools and clearing shit load of bull craps paper work.

Can't blame Jonathan cause he too never expect Friday to all of a sudden becoming a sports day. Normally, in an ideal scenario, the morning shift will come in for work and take over the duties from me and Jonathan will head in at 3.00pm in the afternoon. Seems like not many Ideal scenarios happening for me... sigh.

So here I am, I got to bite the dust and hold the ground till 12pm today while the rest of the guys went for Detachments Sports activities. I think I will join them if I am not too tired, thanks to the late 4.00am sleep this morning and the 8am wake up call from Andy to have breakfast and the interuptive 9.15am PA annoucement " Paging for Guard Duty Personnal, please bring over the Ops key". Wah lan eh.... they don't have legs to walk over huh? Although I got tons of Stamina and run below 9mins for 2.4km IPPT, lim peh did not have enough sleep yesterday leh....what happen if I walk over the Ops side with the key and buang into a tree? Than have to write report! Than the organization have to come up with another safety net ( more like a safety wall) to prevent occurence... than more crap in the future!!! Than the future become bleak again... than someone knock into the tree again... its a cycle.

Sigh... whatever I wrote was the "Devil" side of my mind. Now the "Angel" side of my mind tells me to put everything in good perspective. Sometime a person view point, attitude and perspective in a situation will dictate how good or bad a scenario turn out to be. Hmm... at less I get the surf the net for free? At less I got a free Breakfast from Andy this morning (Thank you Andy)? At less I got to write this blog entry today to vent my frustration? At less I got to do some travelling to Canada research. At less I'll learn to take it easy

新的不来，旧的不走。 New Stuff come, old stuff goes

Like an old car which have travelled many miles around the country, giving its owner trusty performance, many good sight seeing and risking through numerous racing competition... the old car eventually, like a human being, will have to Rest In Peace. Good things never goes on forever and so my 3 years old New Balance 706 X-Training shoes have to call it a day. Does feel a bit sad that its gonna relegate to the shoe racks forever but at less I won't throw it into the trash bin for sentimental reasons.

Makes me appreciate good running shoes

My 706 have taken me through the 10km relay races during Air Force school times in AETI, it help me clinched silver medal in both the 5km and 1.5km races, losing each time to the same fighter pilot trainee. The good old shoes have ran many 2.4km fitness test and thanks to it, many S$200 cash award for getting GOLD during the IPPT test. The prime of its time is two 21km half marathon where the New Balance 706 faithfully survive through the half marathon in 2004 and 2005. Even with all this accolades, the most important thing it did to me is disciplining me to maintain a healthy lifestyle by running at less 6 miles per week.

Sadly I could not bring it to the next level. The old shoes draws its last breath 2 days ago during a routine threadmill run and have to be lay to rest.

Things don't look good in its last moment of life.

Althought I aim to use it for a full marathon but it seems too late. "I DID MY BEST, AND I HAVE NO REGRET".

Introducing now, the next generation, the New Balance 716 will carry on its predecessor honour and bring "MORE GOOD YEARS" which I rather trust the shoe than the our own Government...

Baru Sekali! Berjalan Jauh!