Michael Jackson turns 50!

Happy Birthday to the King of Pop, Michael Jackson!

He turns half-a-century old today. 50!

Some vids to highlight his career.


Dangerous : 1999 Korea(ah the memories)

Make Love, not War

Link - the mrbrown show : we need you baby

"Thrusting forward, to a New Generation"

Check out the latest podcast from mrbrownshow. Hilarious interpretation of Singapore's need to bring up the birth rates.

I'm sorry for my low frequency of blogging recently. There's just so much to study for prelims! And I just got sore eyes zzz.

Just got back from my chem tuition 12-2pm. Waiting for my Math one at 5.30pm, after which i will be officially KO-ed.

I'll leave you guys with the trailer of Star Wars : The Clone Wars!(can't wait)

Home of the Divers

Nothing Stands In Our Way


A Naval Diver with the LAR-V pure O2 breather

Exactly a week ago, i paid a visit to the Naval Diving Unit(NDU), Singapore. The Home of the Divers.

On 29th July, the Ministry of Defence(MINDEF) sent me a letter requesting me to go for a Further Reporting Order at Sembawang Naval Base. A Vocational Assessment of some sort. But for what?

I got my answer within minutes of asking around - Selection for Naval Divers. First thought that came to mind : "Wah jia lat." If you people don't already know, NDU and Commandos happen to be the 2 toughest vocations to go through for NS. They're infamous for their high dropout rates due to the incredibly tough training, and significant number of injuries due to risks involved. But the good thing is, if you successfully survive the course and earn your diver badge at the end of the 2 years spent in National Service, you'll emerge as one of the fittest men in Singapore. Spanking iron lads!

What to do? I skip the VA, i get charged by MINDEF.

Okay so i went to NDU, situated in the heart of Sembawang Naval Base. Jitrui and Angus received the very same letter, so at least we had each other's company. Pardon my lack of pictures, military installations are unfortunately photo-shy.

Once you step into NDU, you can't help but notice the Diver Motto "Nothing Stands In Our Way", splashed across the building ahead, accompanied by "Home of the Divers".

There was a statue of a biped frog with wings, seemingly guarding the entrance, with a trident in one hand and a bomb in the other. Clearly shows the affectionate nickname for all Naval Divers - Frogmen.

1. Introductory Talk

Just a routine talk to all the boys shortlisted for the VA. Apparently for one to be a diver, you had to have near-perfect eyesight at the very least, and deemed fully combat-fit.

They said out of all the Singaporean boys, 240 were chosen for NDU. 120 JC students, 120 poly students. (Oh man why didn't i go buy 4D or something)

One particular question cracked everybody up.

Boy : Sir! Do you train with the US Navy SEALs?
Officer : *Ponders.........
Boy : ?
Officer : Nooo........they TRAIN WITH US! *grins

2. Medical Checkup(now isn't this familiar?)

They just HAD to take another blood sample. Medic said my vein nice, easy to poke. The medics were outrageously funny. They had all these names for the various machines that were used for the tests.

-Lung Capacity Blow Test - "Blowjob Machine"

You blew fast and hard into a tube which will calculate your lung capacity.

-Audiometry Test - "Machine Moan"

Similar to the one at CMPB. Hear sound, press button.

-Eardrum Test - "Earfuck machine"

Something gets inserted into your ear which scanned your eardrum and plotted a graph.

There was this questionnaire you had to fill up for previous medical history. There was one particular TRICK question.

Qns: Are you pregnant?

Many of us ticked the "No" option and continued for the other qns. Then the medic suddenly spoke up.

Medic : See la! KENA our TRICK already right!
Boys : ??

We took a closer look at the options for the pregnancy question. There was one extra option that wasn't there for the other qns.

" Not - Applicable "

Boys : LAUGHTER*

3. Chamber Bounce Dive


Hyperbaric Chamber

Now this was something new. They placed you in a hyperbaric chamber(above) and compressed the air to simulate the ambient pressure underwater at a depth of 10 metres. Try swimming to the bottom of a 1.5 m swimming pool and experience the pressure in your ears, then you would know 10 metres is really deep and meant much more discomfort to the ears.


Dive Slip

The procedure wasn't exactly risk-free. Clothing would have to be 100% cotton, or they would run the risk of catching fire in the chamber. The Valsalva maneuver was taught, to equalise the pressure in our ears, for fear of possible bleeding. If you didn't do as told, you would feel a whole lot of pain.

As the chamber decompressed, mist formed and the temperature fell(think Thermal Physics).



We weren't supposed to talk, laugh, cough, or perform any rapid expulsion of air, as lungs would burst due to air pockets in the body expanding. We had to sit straight as well, to prevent air bubbles in the blood from accumulating at the joints.

4. Physical Assessment

Pull-ups. Standing Broad Jump. 50m swim.

The 50m swim took place in a pool that had different depths at different sections. 1m, 4m, 6m, 10m. Managed to catch the divers in their LAR-V pure O2 breathers training.

A group of lao jiaos(officers in their 40s), were playing 2-on-2 street soccer at the multi-purpose hall.

They came over and spoke to our officer.

Laojiao : Eh can we borrow 4 men?
Officer : *smiles
Laojiao : Play soccer mah!

5. Interview

Regular interview for opinions on becoming a Diver.

6. Killer 325 MCQ questions

325 MCQs to kill your brain at the end of the day. Patterns, IQ, personality tests.


Sembawang Naval Base

12 hours spent at NDU, 8am to 8pm. We left the camp, liberated after being confined there for half a day. Results would be posted to us.

Apologies

I apologise for the mini-hiatus this past week. Time, i need more!

Blog soon, promise!

Watersnakes?

"Caucasian man swims naked in Singapore River" Courtesy of STOMP.




The extract:

"My boyfriend and I were walking along Singapore River this evening and while trying to take a nice picture of Alkaff bridge, we noticed someone swimming or what seemed like a nice bath in the river!

"There was another guy holding a towel waiting for the swimming guy to finish.

"The guy (Caucasian) came out of the water and started to parade naked (while the other guy tried frantically to cover his private parts with the towel), and he started to wear his jeans in the open (without his underwear apparently).

"45 minutes later when walking back to Robertson Quay, we saw two policemen questioning the said Caucasian (he's now wearing jeans and a red t-shirt with no shoes) and the other guy who was with him."







No UNDERWEAR?



Godly.

Laugh at the comments, i know you want to.

Air_Wolf said on 11 Aug, 2008

How come the water snakes living in the river dun go and bite 'it'? Unless the watersnakes tot they saw another 'watersnake'....

eyeballs said on 11 Aug, 2008

I think he got nothing to do then he must be something wrong of his brain. There got so many people and also the water was very dirty. Or maybe he tried to use his penis for fishing, see whether can get any big fish or not

Strange things do happen don't they?

The Sky's The Limit

Renewed determination, and a rekindled ambition.

" Nothing shall stand in my way "

I believe in my innate passion, i shall go all out to pursue it. Seriously.

Previous chances have come and gone, but there's no stopping me now.

Go, go, go

Love Song for Singapore

You guys have GOT to listen to the latest mrbrownshow(link). Lyrics below. Heartfelt, humorous, one song which is vividly and uniquely, Singaporean.

Love Song for Singapore
———————————-
by mrbrownshow : 3 guys and a guitar(and a chair).

The trains they come and go
Filled with faces I don’t know
Sometimes they don’t stop for me
I live near Woodleigh MRT

The city’s changing every day
I saw a new gantry on the way
That is why I sold my car
Why the bus-stop so damn far

You took so much from me
Got no cash to take taxi

But I’m still in love with you
But I’m still in love with you
(And) when I grow old, and don’t do what I’m told
I will still be in love with you

I can’t afford a holiday
Everything has gone up but my pay
Can’t go out with all my friends
Can’t afford the latest fashion pants

You promised me paradise
Overflowing with abundant rice
I used to go for lunch buffets
Now my breakfast’s half a yew char kuey

You took so much from me
Got no cash to go high-tea

But I’m still in love with you
But I’m still in love with you
And when I grow old, and don’t do what I’m told
I will still be in love with you

You took so much from me
Got no cash to go high-tea

But I’m still in love with you
But I’m still in love with you
And when I grow old, promise me you won’t turn cold
Cos I’d still be in love with you

Took so much from me
Got no cash, but I’m happy

I am still in love with you
I am still in love with you
And when I grow old, and don’t do what I’m told
I will still be in love with you…

The End.

-------------------------------------------


Smiling for the camera(and the nurse <---)

05/07(or rather a small portion of), plus guanjie, went to visit zhihao at Changi General. He broke his left forearm yesterday, a result of an attempted stunt at the bball court. He looked well and even smiled for the camera(above).

Apparently they inserted metal(probably titanium) plates into his forearm(think Wolverine), to fasten the bones together. The wound reopened during the visit and maroon spots surfaced on his green sling(hard to see in the photo though). We chatted quite a bit and left for lunch soon after. Take care bro! Get well soon!



My initial plan to catch the NDP 2008 fireworks was kinda scrubbed. I did catch them in the end, well, on the tv screen that is. I guess there's always next year. Oops, NS. Sigh.

First time i was glued to the tv during the parade march-in. I was eager to spot the different contingents. A year ago i wasn't so bothered. Watching the men in the GOH(Guard-of-Honour) Contingent with their spanking uniforms, it makes me wonder whether i'd get a chance to be in the parade while serving NS next year. Would be quite exciting i guess.

4 weeks to prelims. Short time, it's definitely going to be one helluva ride.