My $0.02 worth on NS

So it's down to eighteen days. Eighteen more days as a full-time national serviceman, eighteen more days before I am discharged from the military, eighteen more days to living the life of a civilian. After twenty-three months of service, I have made gains as well as losses. The gains and losses are subjective as everybody's experience is unique. Gains and losses aside, the important thing which I would like to reflect on before ORD-ing is whether NS has made me (us) a better person.

Although I had to attend PTP, which means I had to serve for an additional two months, I never regretted enlisting earlier. I was in Ulysses, a relatively "less xiong" company. If I had passed my NAPFA test back in 2011, I might have ended up in Taurus. Taurus and Ulysses share the same building but there is a stark difference between the lives of the recruits from both companies.

After BMT, I was "chosen" by the military to be a signal operator. Like all signal vocationalists, Stagmont Camp was my next stop after Tekong. There are three types of signallers (shall not elaborate on all these army jargon) and I got into the least rigorous one. We were not the traditional signallers who bash through the forest with a radio set on our backs. Laptops, servers and erm, air-con were what we had day to day.

Nostalgic

I don't deny that I was fortunate to be in a less rigorous job compared to many others who have served or are serving NS. Excluding the days in Pulau Tekong, the only "official" outfield activity which I had during these two years was going up to the mountains in Australia to live for five days and four nights. And what did I do up there? Other than  using the radio set to communicate, it was just my laptop and me for the entire day.

I was lucky to participate in the 2012 edition of Exercise Wallaby. This year's exercise will be much more taxing for my unit as they will be tasked with more responsibilities. As I am in a reservist unit, it is fair to say that my schedule is not as packed as those who were posted to active units. The only drawback was the location of my camp. Highly inconvenient and doesn't even have stable 3G connection, let alone 4G.

The final big event of my NS will be the upcoming Army Half-Marathon on 1 September. I am required to participate in the 21-km race and I am still wondering how will I be able survive it. If only my enlistment date was five days earlier.

Some people say the things which you learn in the military cannot be experienced in the civilian world. I beg to differ. Working in the army is just like working in any organization. There are offices, canteens and sports facilities. The main difference between a soldier and a civilian is that the latter does not have to take part in a fitness test every year.

Camp is pretty much like any workplace. It is more of a office plus home if you stay in. You have to deal with all sorts of people whether you like them or not. Just like anywhere else, the lower your rank or position, the more arrows you receive. But higher ranks do receive arrows too, much bigger and sharper ones, but on an occasional basis.

I am sure that females would be able to survive NS too. Maybe it's because I was fortunate to get "decent" postings, which made me believe that life as a soldier is not that challenging after all. However, being a soldier is still worse than a K-pop trainee. There are too many points to debate on but if you are interested, you can contact me and we can discuss about it privately.

Those who have served who probably agree that there are countless of monumental screw-ups within the army. Nobody has really did a research on this and nobody will ever will. Whenever I encounter "yet another screw-up" in camp, I will just take close one eye (sometimes two) and tell myself that it is army, it's alright. I won't see such things when I am in the civilian world.

Breathe in and out, a second is gone.
Breathe in and hold your breath, a lifetime is gone.

Life is too short to be frustrated at temporary blunders. ORD loh!

LAL, you will be missed

Two Sundays ago, my lousy Acer laptop (oh what a nostalgic name) died passed away peacefully. I have no idea what was the cause of its demise because it was still working fine the day before. I tried switching it on 4 August but the screen remained black while it was booting up. After a few seconds, it switched itself off before powering up immediately and switching off again for good.

The same thing happens when I tried to power it own for the next ten times. I thought it was just an unfortunate day and the laptop was protesting for a well-deserved break. Silly me. The next day, I thought it will be resuscitated for no reason, just like how it stopped functioning for no reason. I was wrong. And was still wrong the day after.

Eventually, I brought it to the Acer service centre at Jurong East. I was prepared to pay a repair fee as the warranty has already expired. I waited for half an hour in the queue before the staff informed me that the minimum cost of repair was 300 bucks excluding tax. He didn't know what the problem was but went for the safest answer by putting the blame on the motherboard.

Of course I wasn't going to go ahead with 300 bucks on a five-year old computer. It makes more sense to shop for a new one which I am currently busy with. The people whom I had consulted had differing opinions on computer brands.

Person A would recommend Brand D as it's from America while Person B says Brand D is infamous for overheating. Person C thinks Brand A is a cheap and reliable option but Person D believes Brand A makes the worst computers. Person E strongly recommends a certain European brand while Person F thinks that brand's products are priced more than what they are worth. And the list goes on.

65 months of service. My lousy Acer laptop went through thick and thin with me throughout my time in poly. It was the device used to work on countless of assignments, my principal source of entertainment and of course, the platform which majority of this blog's posts were typed on. It was almost like a pet, minus the pet name.

I know, I shall name it LAL from now on if you know what I mean.

LAL seemed to be in good health when compared to those (same model) used by my friends. Many of them have seen their laptop perish after 2 to 3 years of usage. Also, despite the scorching and dusty conditions of Shoalwater Bay Training Area, LAL was still going strong to keep me occupied every day during last year's Ex Wallaby.

So, in remembrance of this laptop for its "service and sacrifices", I have decided to institute a honour called the Order of Raymond and confer it to the one and only LAL.

Why not? You see, some people earn millions of dollars after more than a decade on a job which main tasks are to shake hands, take pictures and attend charity events. Plus, after doing all the above, you get millions of dollars and even a national honour after stepping down.

LAL was not paid a single cent and worked tirelessly for me. Shouldn't it deserve an award too?

Community Shield 2013

"David! As a Manchester United manager, you will always be given extra minutes during injury time"

The two teams facing each other in tomorrow's Community Shield share a number of similarities. Both Manchester United and Wigan have new managers for the new season. Both managers are Scottish. Both form a chain reaction with Everton's new manager Roberto Martinez. David Moyes left Everton for United, Martinez took over the reins after departing from Wigan before Owen Coyle joined the Lactics.

Both sides do have their differences too. While the Red Devils boast almost the same squad as the previous season, Wigan has seen some of its star players left after its demotion from the Premier League. The pressure will be on Moyes while Coyle's side are just going into the game with nothing to lose.

Moyes has never won a single trophy during his 11-year stay at Everton. The Community Shield presents him with his first opportunity to be a champion after leading Preston North End to the top of the old Second Division in year 2000. After a string of unflattering results from pre-season friendlies, Moyes' first competitive game makes him a desperate man.

Although United are huge favourites, Wigan is not guaranteed to be thrashed. Their shock win over Manchester City in the FA Cup final is proof that they can beat some of the strongest teams in the country. A victory over another Manchester heavyweight would definitely earn them the title of "Giant Killers". However, a shock result looks highly unlikely.

With the retirement of Paul Scholes (once again), Moyes is lacking a midfielder whom is worthy of being Michael Carrick's ally in the middle of the park. Spaniards Thiago Alcantara and Cesc Fabregas were Moyes' targets throughout the summer but both did not make the switch to Old Trafford.

Wigan's finest player is arguably James McCarthy and Coyle should take advantage of a weakened United midfield by handing McCarthy a more creative role. The talented 22 year-old, who made 38 appearances for his club last season, may not even be a Wigan player after the transfer window shuts next month.

One player who will not make an appearance at the Wembley stadium is the disgruntled Wayne Rooney. Upset by Moyes's comments that he will be playing second fiddle to Robin van Persie, Rooney appears to be heading for the exit. The question is not where but when. Chelsea, intending to make a third bid for the striker, appears to be his expected destination.

Even without Rooney, Manchester United are still expected to manage a win. It will be a narrow one though. A 3:2 victory for Moyes to celebrate his first piece of silverware after more than a decade.

4E2 Gathering

It's been a long time.

The class of 2007 met up at Jurong East Mall today. Although only a quarter of the class population turned up, it was still, nonetheless, a joyful and somewhat emotional gathering. It was the first time I, as well as many others, saw Jian Nan in more than two years. It was also the first time that he saw so many of his ex-classmates at one place. Credits to me for persuading this ultra-reluctant guy to attend the gathering. One must know him inside out like a real friend in order to coax him.

After pacing up and down the shopping mall, we decided to settle at Ambush. I had a frustrating and tensed time picking what to eat. I was deliberating whether to order the German pork knuckle or salmon cooked French style. I was planning to order half a pork knuckle but Teck Cheong kept commenting that half will not be enough to be satisfying. However, a full knuckle costs a lot more and I really don't want to fork out so much money on a meal.

When the waiter approached our table to take orders, my decision was to go for the salmon but Teck Cheong insisted that a full pork knuckle would be the wiser choice. In the end, I chose to heed his advice but ordered only half. Fortunately, half a portion was more than what we expected. In fact, I think mine looked the most "worthwhile" among all of us.

Wai Yuen ordered some black-coloured rice (think squid ink) which looked pathetic on a white plate. We all thought the same when the waiter placed his food on the table. Looks bad. Some of us tried it and we agreed that the taste was as good as its appearance. Jian Nan ordered some chicken cutlet where the thickness of the meat was barely a centimeter.

The others had pasta which, in my opinion, is not the main cast of the restaurant's menu. If you were to ask me for a rating, I will give it 4.5 out of 5 stars for food and 3.5 out of 5 for the service. There wasn't really any ambience since my friends chatted a little too loudly but that only meant that the mood was highly positive.

We planned to catch a movie after the meal but the showtimes and sheer amounts of people in the queue screwed our plans. We opted for Plan B which was to head over to Chevrons. We wanted to play bowling but the plan was scrapped too because we had no idea how long do we had to wait.

So, the final decision was to find a place to sit down and just chill out over some drinks. Nicholas and co. ordered beer while the conservatives like Jian Nan, Wai Yuen and I went for orange juice. I never liked alcohol and never understood why people love drinking something expensive and sort of harmful to the body.

We chatted on a variety of topics ranging from serious ones like job prospects to nonsensical ones like who were the outstanding people during our secondary school days. Conversations were filled with laughter non-stop just like the good old days. I don't know when will our next meeting be but there's one thing for sure.

We will be friends for life.

K-pop and girl groups review

Two years ago, I blogged about the various K-pop girl groups and gave them ratings (http://tinyurl.com/lgqzmej). Two years later, it is time for a review where I discuss about the ongoing Hallyu wave and which groups have improved, are on a decline or have remained the same.

The demand for Korean popular music has spread beyond Asia to include America, Europe and even the Middle East. Korean singers have released songs of different languages to cater to a global audience. At the same time, K-pop concerts were also held in the most unexpected places like Chile and Peru.

There has been much debate about when did the Hallyu wave really start. Some say it was in the early 2000s when television dramas like Winter Sonata became a must-watch for thousands of Asian women. Others think that it all began in the late 2000s which is led by K-pop groups and singers.

In fact, there are two waves. The first Hallyu wave at the start of the new millennium was fundamentally driven by television dramas and movies publicized by traditional media. The second one which became a major economic contribution to South Korea is fronted by pop music. And interestingly, the stronger second wave is spurred by active participation of the fans.

The reasons why the second wave was able to spread across the globe are the emergence of the Internet and people making use of social media to share content. It is also justified to say that the second wave was the more successful one given the economic effects it has on the country.

Unlike the accidental Psy who became an overnight star with one MV, the glitter of K-pop covers up the sweat and tears artistes have to put in during their trainee days. Girls' Generation's Jessica joined S.M. Entertainment at the age of 11 but the public only got to see and hear her when she was 18. A seven-year long wait for an  unpredictable future in the entertainment industry.

What makes Korean singers edge out their Japanese counterparts are systematic production, rich content and precise execution. It is only fair for the Koreans to have the spotlight shone on them after decades of being second fiddle to the icon of Asian culture, Japan. The Japanese are still going strong in their own country but the soaring amount of Korean activities there coupled with the enthusiasm of Japanese fans makes one wonder is there still a future for Japanese entertainers.

The systematic production which has churned out the likes of Wonder Girls, G-Dragon and BoA includes casting, training and branding. Korean labels hold overseas auditions on a regular basis so as not to miss out on an unpolished non-Korean diamond. This is evident in some groups which have non-Koreans as part of their ensemble.

Miss A is made up of two Koreans and two Chinese. Super Junior used to have Han Geng when it was still made up of thirteen members. 2PM boasts a Thai-Chinese in Nickhun. And of course, there is Skarf which consists of two Koreans, two Singaporeans and a Japanese.

The training period represents the long journey towards stardom. Trainees are made to attend singing, dancing and acting classes. On top of that, they are also made to learn foreign languages and are monitored by experts on their personal development. Fellow trainees being separated due to groupings and eliminations are also part and parcel these future stars have to experience.

Many argue that life as a K-pop trainee is worse than leading one in the military. Unlike trainees, soldiers are guaranteed a certain amount of rest every night. Would-be singers do not have a go-to-bed time and their punishing regimen includes physical training and a strict diet. I shall not talk about which is better (or worse) but I still believe that it is always better being a civilian.

The branding portion of systematic production can be linked with the rich content of K-pop. Take Big Bang and 2NE1 of YG Entertainment for example. They will always spot a completely new look whenever they return to the music scene with a new album. The concepts which they adopt are also very avant-garde to the extent that you will never see such fashion on the street.

Making use of fashion proves to be a crucial factor in gaining and sustaining popularity for these Korean celebrities. Rather than the songs he composed, people remember G-Dragon because of his ever-changing hairstyles. Similarly, being in uniform is also equally effective at garnering attention.

T-ara broke into the music scene with their debut single "Bo Peep Bo Peep. The song's choreography sees members of the group donning cat paws while performing on stage. T-ara has since being associated to that song even after four years in the industry.

Dance also played an important role to making K-pop so successful. Super Junior's Sorry Sorry and Kara's Mister are just two songs which have easy-to-learn but hard-to-master moves. The fact that fans see their favourite singers executing these moves to military precision makes idolism levels rise to new heights.

Lastly, it is precise execution. In this era of Facebook, Twitter and Youtube, companies do not even require newspapers or magazines to publicize their singers. K-pop's main followers are young people who have no problems using social media sites. Regular participation and voluntary evangelism of fans are what drives the second Hallyu wave.

People organize and participate in flash mobs in their respective countries to request their idols to hold concerts there. S.M Entertainment has been holding S.M. Town concerts, where its artistes stage performances during a single concert, around the world for three times. The highlight was the one in Zenith de Paris in June 2011.

K-pop groups also venture out of Asia, where the majority of the fans hail from, to hold fan meetings and concerts. Girls' Generation appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman in America while JYJ's World Tour stops include Barcelona and Berlin. They also visit Korean-crazy countries like Thailand a number of times every year.

K-pop should be able to sustain for another five years but how many groups will still be surviving when we enter year 2018? Will there be any newcomers that are capable of providing strong competition? Who will be dominating the entertainment industry then? I shall only focus on girl groups since the competition among females is fiercer than the boys.

The traditional Big Four of Wonder Girls, Girls' Generation, Kara and 2NE1 looks to be heading for a change. Kara are like the English Premier League's Liverpool, both were once a force to be reckoned with but have since turned into fallen giants. The lawsuit controversy in 2011 was perhaps the start of Kara's humbling.

Then who is a worthy candidate to fill the void left by Park Gyuri and her group mates? Enter f(x). They have just released their second full-length album less than ten days ago. Previously, I never really gave f(x) any attention. My perception of them, like many others, was that it was just another group churned out by S.M. Entertainment riding on the coattails of Super Junior and Girls' Generation.

The time of their debut was unfortunate. It was 2009, the period where girl groups kept popping out and label mate Girls' Generation has just started to become genuinely popular. One of their members, Krystal, happened to be the sister of Girls' Generation's Jessica. Is f(x) really independent on its own?

Of course it is. f(x) distinguishes itself from all the other girl groups by having including a tomboy, Amber. The leader of their group, Victoria, is a Chinese. Although she significantly increases the mean age of the group (she is already 26), Victoria still fits well into the team as the mother.

Because of Amber's presence, f(x) can never opt for bubblegum pop as their music genre. Well, unless Amber transforms herself which I would rather not imagine. Amber, despite the lack of femininity, never fails to receive the highest number of cheers when performing with her group. So, f(x) should just carry on with electro-pop and the "real rapping" Amber has to offer.

f(x) is probably the only K-pop group to date that doesn't have a hit song that they will always be associated with. That is because all of their songs are of equally high standard. Alright, "high standard" may sound debatable so I shall say all their songs fit them perfectly.

Sometimes when established singers venture out of their comfort zone to try something fresh, they end up turning some the applause they usually receive into jeers. Girls' Generation's "I Got a Boy" was a fashion disaster while 2NE1 with their new single "Falling In Love" have negatively softened their image.

From the debut single "LA chA TA" to "NU ABO" and the newly released "Rum Pum Pum Pum", f(x) kept things refreshing yet familiar for its fans. The electronic style never fails to be absent in all of their lead singles. Plus, there is the necessary rapping which Amber does to make it sound like an f(x) song.

So how did the various girl groups fare after two years? Let's start of 

with the "new Big Four".

Wonder Girls: B+

They have yet to shrug off the tag of "Nobody" girls. People still remember them as the original singers of one of K-pop's most popular song.

Their collaboration with Akon for the single "Like Money" last year was the second high of their career but was still not strong enough to get rid of the shadow of "Nobody".

After Sunye's marriage at the start of this year, the group has entered hibernation mode. The other four members have since embarked on individual projects.

It appears unclear when will Wonder Girls be back as a group. By then, their popularity would have dropped despite being backed by the powerful JYP Entertainment. Therefore, it is justified to drop their rating.

On a side note, one of its former members Sunmi will be returning to the entertainment line as a solo artist this month. Will she make a U-turn and become a Wonder Girls member again? I am not betting on it

Girls' Generation: B+

When they released their new single "I Got a Boy" at the start of this year, I smelled trouble. After years of maintaining their trademark uniformed girly look, GG decided that it was time for a breakthrough. They probably broke a few fans' hearts with the hip-hop style they spotted.

They deserve a nothing more than a B+ for failing to improve on their success. To make matters worse, the girls tried rapping but Eminem will probably tell them that they were trying too hard.

GG should just play it safe and stick to the styles which they are comfortable with in order to continue their dominance.

2NE1: B+

The group only released one song "I Love You" in 2012 due to concerts. This year, they are back with a new album and a new look. After all the female empowerment and dance-pop, "Falling In Love" has changed the stereotype. Blackjacks will be happy at anything their idols have produced but neutrals will rather they stick to the heck care image that distinguishes themselves from the rest.

Still remain as the main rival of Girls' Generation but dependent on label mate Big Bang. B+ is the best it should be awarded at the moment.

f(x): B+

As mentioned earlier, f(x) has the potential to be part of the Big Four. A Chinese, a tomboy, good vocals, cutesy image and great rapping are the ingredients to the group's success. S.M. Entertainment's management also played an important part in the grooming process.

Kara: B

Since 2011, Kara is getting from bad to worse. They released a number of songs after their "reconciliation". However, I always have a feeling that there is still a tinge of awkwardness among the members. Kara supporters are probably raging now but you guys really have to admit that the group has been on a low for two years.

Sistar: B

Sistar deserves to be mentioned. They are the only post-2009 group which managed to survive in the industry. Making their debut in 2010, it faced the daunting task of battling with many established names.

The powerful vocals of their leader Hyolyn are what saved them from being just another girl group. Having only four members was also crucial as it means less competition and more camera time among the members. Neat and clean. That's what makes Sistar beat the other mid-tier groups.

After School, 4Minute, T-ara: B-

After School and T-ara have been constantly changing their members. This is never a good thing. The most successful groups are usually those whose members remain intact since debut. After School never really had a big song while T-ara has been hit by controversies over the past two years.

4Minute used to be on par with f(x). Both are into electropop, have funky styles and boast five members. Both also possess addictive songs peppered with random English words. Two years later, things have changed.

As the group does not have an official rapper or dancer, people see all five girls as one. Too much attention has been given to HyunA, the girl who starred in Gangnam Style, who has arguably been more successful as a solo artist. If the group still plans to be alive, HyunA has to be away from the group less often.

Miss A: C

The only bright spark of Miss A is Suzy. When people see Suzy, they think of Miss A and vice versa. The 19 year-old is likely to feel the burden of carrying her group after three years since their debut. 2013 has been a "solo activity" year so far but Suzy is still the most prominent having landed a role in a drama alongside Lee Seung Gi.

Miss A never looked like they can stay together for long. Suzy should be independent if she intends to build on the success of her career. Being tied to a mid-tier group will only hinder her progress.

Any groups not mentioned including Brown Eyed Girls have failed to achieve a C grade. 

Lastly, from my observations, this is what a typical K-pop girl group must have.

1. Has at least four members

2. Can speak simple Japanese

3. Have songs with meaningless English lyrics

4. Have songs with catchy tunes which make use of sounds produced by the mouth. "La la la la la la", "Huh Huh Huh Huh", "Bam Ratatata Tatatatata"

5. At least one member with blonde hair

This post is merely the opinion of the blogger. Fans should refrain from launching any attacks if they are in the right state of mind. And if you are in the right state of mind, maybe it's time to start changing your idol?

The Australian fairy tale

Yo mate, I'm just right behind you!

When Kevin Rudd became Australia's prime minister for the second time five weeks ago, he was probably creating a story that tells of the biggest political comeback in recent history. After defeating Julian Gillard, the woman who replaced him in 2010, will a revitalized Rudd be able to give this story a perfect ending?

Five weeks after being sworn in for a second term, Ruud has announced that the 2013 Australian federal election will be held on 7 September, coincidentally, five weeks later. This ongoing Australian show appears to be so drama-like because just when the ruling Labor party faces a heavy defeat in elections, Rudd makes a comeback to save them.

Opinion polls indicate that since the reinstatement of Rudd, he has overtaken opposition leader Tony Abbott as the better prime minister. Abbott was constantly leading Gillard throughout 2013 due to the latter's unpopular policies.

Although it is a fact that Labor has a new leader, the party itself remains divided into two sides, pro-Rudd and anti-Rudd. Those who ousted him three years ago are likely to be relying on him to hold on to their jobs. If Labor claims victory, these MPs will have to be prepared for revenge.

The newly assembled team by Rudd is one which puts emphasis on personnel responsible for media and communication. Just like a movie, this team still lacks a predictable future but is certainly in for an unforgettable adventure that will define their lives and the lives of many other people.

Rudd inherits several big dents which had destructed Labor's image. Climate was the first crucial issue he tackled as part of campaigning. The floating price, of the carbon tax which caused his fall when he previously put aside the new emissions trading scheme, has been brought forward to next year.

As there was not enough time to come up with a new plan, Rudd had to stick to such an approach although it was going to begin in 2014 anyway. Transferring the billions of dollars from its own pocket to those responsible for pollution will see the latter reduce prices of utility bills.

"Stopping boats" was the second big thing on Rudd's agenda. The prime minister dealt a blow to Abbott when he announced that no asylum seeker who arrives by boat will be given access to the country. Those who seek refuge will be resettled in Papua New Guinea instead.

Internally, where he faced enemies in his side, he introduced new changes to rules which would give him more power if he succeeds in writing a Labor fairytale.

By doing away with the tax and saying no to uninvited visitors, Rudd has taken away two of Abbott's most lethal weapons, leaving the opposition with little ammunition. However, the Liberal-National coalition still have a trump card. They do not have to play clean and it may end up as a legally dirty game.

Abbott never fails to demonize Gillard during her days as premier. Rudd has automatically become the new victim where the opposition boasts about the list of his failures. Abbott also claimed that the new-look Labor's front man was "all talk" and cannot be trusted.

Interestingly, a July poll found that only 32 per cent of voters believed that Abbott was trustworthy as compared to the 42 per cent garnered by Rudd. What was effective against Gillard does not necessarily be potent against Rudd.

The new prime minister maintains that he has turned over a new leaf. He consults on all stuff important and conducts a proper cabinet process. Nobody would go through a low in life without learning any valuable lessons.

The Abbott gang will perhaps argue that Rudd makes too much consultations during his first term which made his team less competent. They will also state that there is hardly sufficient time for voters to judge if the new Rudd is really a changed man.

If Gillard were to remain as PM, Australians would definitely see a new government ruling them. However, the arrival of Rudd has helped Labor regain 10 per cent in nationwide polls. In some states especially Queensland where the 55 year-old hails from, Labor are back to mount a strong challenge.

The upcoming election pits a top diplomat against a nation-builder. Australia's foreign affairs as well as internal issues will be altered if either man gets elected. While Abbott may appear to be ambitious to enhance the country's prosperity, his lack of expertise in foreign relations as compared to Rudd may cost him a considerable number of votes.

On the other hand, while being the more glamorous one with the tag of diplomat, it is still not evident if Rudd is still the same politician as the one whom was ousted by his own party members in 2010. Will Labor be united as one if they emerge winners? Can Abbott be a worthy replacement of Rudd and Gillard? Aussies have five weeks to decide how the story ends.

Dental and medical review

It was a busy day for me today. Woke up to the sight of dark clouds and reminded myself not to leave the house without an umbrella. Together with Ping Hwa, we were having a dental review at Kranji Camp II in the morning. It is part of a "package" to get yourself discharged from the military after two years of service.

Compared to Sungei Gedong, Kranji Camp is so much more accessible. It requires one to use only five minutes of his life to walk there from Yew Tee MRT station. On the other hand, there is only one bus to Sungei Gedong and it takes approximately fifteen minutes for me to travel from the bus stop to my bunk.

As it was raining, the ground was soaked in mud but I did not bother as I was wearing a pair of Asics Gel 105 SP shoes. You probably know what footwear am I referring to if you are serving or have served NS. It was the first and last time I am wearing these running shoes with non-sports civilian clothing in public. I planned to throw them away after today.

The dental review was speedy like what I had expected of a military dentist. I counted that I opened my mouth for only seven seconds while the dentist "examined" my teeth and kept saying incomprehensible dental terminologies to her assistant.

After the swift dental check-up which we obviously passed with flying colours, we decided to have lunch at Yew Tee Point. After visiting the place for the first time in my life, I must say it is one of the least unattractive (see how polite I am to use this adjective) malls in Singapore. There's only first floor and basement one, the end. Not even a second floor?

We left the place with huge disappointment before heading to less glamorous-looking Yew Tee Square. At least it had a food court which we dined at. I wanted to check out the China stall but the China man told me that his ingredients have yet to be delivered to him. I felt like telling him to close his stall and return to China instead of occupying the space at the expense of another hawker.

Headed back to my camp in the afternoon for the final medical review. Oh yeah, it was even more laughable. At Kranji, I got to see the dentist. At least I got to see the person who was signing the piece of paper that I needed on the last day of my service.

I did not even get to see the doctor for my medical review. The medic just handed me a piece of paper which was already signed by the medical officer. The result? I am fit. So, the doctor was able to declare a person without even having to take a look at him? Never mind if it is just wayang like the dentist but at least have some professionalism to meet the other party?

Such incidents can only take place in the military. Some say there are things which you can only learn in the military. I say those things are the monumental screw-ups which every NSman experienced at least once during their time serving the nation employees of SAF.

And here's a (random) picture courtesy of Singapore 9GAG.

Being botak in a green polka dot uniform

Sometimes when we thought we did the right thing, someone else will chide us for doing it wrong. Vivian Balakrishnan lashing out at Sylvia Lim aka Quah Kim Song's new beau. Netizens slamming National Geographic Channel for a publicity stunt involving hired actors dressed as soldiers. You cursing the ERP for charging you six bucks to use the ECP.

However, when the principal of St Margaret Secondary School suspended students for going to school hairless, on their heads, she probably didn't expect a backlash. No, the girls are not mimicking a disgraced AKB48 member or a depressed Britney Spears of 2007. In fact, it was for a charitable cause.

Unless you are living in a cave which even Wolverine doesn't (he toured in Japan!), you would definitely know that the charity event here is Hair for Hope. The event encourages people to shave their heads to send a message to cancer patients, especially the young ones, that it is alright to be botak.

There is a Western food outlet which calls itself botak. The Rock, Vin Diesel and Bruce Willis have hardly any hair on their heads. New daddy Prince William will probably join them in a few years' time. Then, there are thousands of Singaporean males who have experienced it on their enlistment day.

So, it is perfectly fine to spot a shaved head. However, society still prefers people to have hair on their heads which is why child cancer patients dread undergoing chemotherapy where "harmful chemicals" are injected into the body to kill mutant cells. Good cells will also perish which results in hairfall.

The principal did not want her students to spot punk hairstyles. They had to look good and proper as a student. But I always thought St Margaret's green polka dots made it the worst school uniform in the country. They better clarify what does looking good really mean.

For flouting school "rules", the girls were ordered to pontang lessons to buy wigs, which costs $70 each. I could enjoy 35 haircuts on Pulau Tekong with that amount of money.

Despite being the vainer gender, these teenage girls deserve to be applauded for their courage for making a bald statement. Thor would be proud of them.

Because courage is immortal.

And to hell with the principal.

The Dream Makers review

Five weeks ago, I blogged about the Channel 8 drama The Dream Makers. The final episode was aired last night with a logical ending of Jason Lam sticking with Fang Tonglin. If Jeanette Aw's fans had their way, the story would be in a total mess.

Jason dumping Tonglin and going back to Zhao Fei'er? Mediacorp took a big risk by allowing viewers to decide the ending but at least most of the neutrals voted using their brains. Or maybe one actress is just more lovable than the other.

As the result of how the ending should be is made known, we can turn our attention to focus on the entire production. Many would agree that The Dream Makers was a decent piece of work by Mediacorp. I will not disagree but there are still some parts which are worth improving on.

Other than Jack Neo's movies where the characters only dine at Old Town White Coffee, I have yet to come across a local production that is full of commercialism. No Channel 8 drama was filmed so unnaturally with sponsors' products in the audience's faces until The Dream Makers.

The drama had quite a number of sponsors and it is understandable that the director had to include scenes featuring the products in order to appease the companies which supported the production. Having your sponsor's product in your show is alright but advertising them so blatantly just diminishes the artistic value of the film.

The characters, whether young or old, will choose to eat at Subway and even call for its delivery service. Then, it seems that the more mature ones are addicted to Thomson Osteogard capsules. However, the most prominent of them all has to be Pokka Green Tea.

Throughout the show, I don't remember watching a dining scene where a Pokka bottle was absent. The word "Pokka" would always be facing the camera no matter which part of the table it is placed at. There was even a scene where Jason and Fei'er shared a 1.5-litre bottle. Maybe they ran out of 500ml?

Sponsors aside, The Dream Makers also made a common error, seen in many dramas, of having too many characters. The characters of Ian Fang, Jayley Woo and Vincent Ng were probably redundant. Woo and Ng's characters may have been created to enhance the character of Lisa played by Rebecca Lim but they hardly change anything.

Scenes of Fang and Woo quarrelling with each other were also surplus and have little relation to the show's genre. There was one scene of them which was particularly memorable. Fang fell down in the dance studio and Woo helped him out. However, the two calefares beside them carried on dancing as if Fang was invisible during the accident.

The editing was also suspicious in episode 29 where Jason, Tonglin and Tonglin's reporter brother Yuanren discussed about Fei'er alleged trip to the hotel. It may have been a complete scene but the editing made it look as if it was pieced together by a few different takes.

Since it the theme was on media production and the profession of artistes, Mediacorp lived up to the higher expectations that viewers had for it. A well-executed drama with equally in-depth characters that do not outshine one another. Quality acting also played an important role while the "layer effect" of a show in a show proved to be effective in diverting the audience's attention from the flaws.

Just don't let the audience have a say anymore unless you can come up with two equally logical endings to the show.

Fact about being fat

Absolutely true.

Cambodian general election 2013

The Cambodian general election will be held tomorrow and prime minister Hun Sen, two years short of celebrating his 30th anniversary as the country's top politician, is widely expected to breeze through it despite an increasing number of opposition supporters.

Like other Asian countries, the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) is more concerned with the younger generation. Gen X as well as Gen Y voters tend to move in the opposite direction, literally, at the ballot box. More than half of Cambodia's population are aged 25 and below and they see things from a different perspective.

They had yet to come to this world during the Khmer Rouge period from 1975 to 1979 where 2 million people died in what is commonly known as the Cambodian Genocide. Many young Cambodians take peace for granted as they live in a post-war era. They have greater plans and ambitions so it is not surprising that economic issues are their main concern.

In the 2008 polls, the CPP won 90 out of 123 National Assembly seats. The opposition, mainly the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP), looks set to reduce the deficit this time. CNRP has nothing to lose and will mount more pressure on CPP if the latter loses more seats to it.

An over-confident Hun Sen has declined to campaign, proving just how favourable the situation it is for him. However, he has cautioned that a civil war will be the result of his party losing, which is as likely as North Korea abandoning its nuclear programmes.

Sam Rainsy, the leader of the CNRP, who was back in his country last Friday after residing in France since 2010 to escape charges that are widely believed to be politically motivated. He was granted a royal pardon by the King at the request of Hun Sen but is ineligible to contest.

Rainsy is probably the sole opposition politician who has the ability and charisma to rival the long-serving Hun Sen. His return to his homeland may pull a few additional votes for the opposition but reality has hardly changed. Hun Sen will still be in power for the next five years.

Issues like phantom voters, unequal media access and the undisputed fact that CPP has total control of the state's machinery have rocked the campaign and raised doubts over the fairness of the election.

Unlike Thailand, where violence seems to be a must-have, the political activities in Cambodia have been relatively peaceful. Although Hun Sen and CPP will receive the majority of votes, they have to be mindful that the opposition will become a force to be reckoned with in the near future with a new generation of voters.