UN - United Nations or United Nutcases

Hmmm... what do you get when you band together the world's leaders together? Considering that 90% of the world is ruled by crackpot dictators, dominated by ethnic divisions and hatreds- you get a roomful of nutcases.

And so whilst Secretary General of the UN, Kofi Annan, shows off his oratoric skils with lines like:

it was important that the council address specific human rights situations and "avoid any innovation that would erode or undermine the independence" of the so-called special rapporteurs or the UN high commissioner for human rights.

200,000 people get killed by the Sudanese Govt's militia. In another age, the US, Britain, would be supplying weapons to the victims to arm themselves against tyranny.

Today, we rely on diplomatic talk and discussions- and place our hope in princes who cannot save.

Meanwhile the enemy of the free laugh and rejoice. Evil triumphs when the good do nothing (or just talk).

You can read Kofi's talk here- but its awfully boring. You can see that nothing will get done until the Sudanese govt massacres its opposition. Then the UN will go in, prevent the opposition from getting weapons, then after awhile it will pull out- declaring PEACE IN OUR TIME- and then the Sudanese militia groups will kill the rest of their opponents who are unarmed.

Its been going on for awhile already. Collin Powell took a visit there in 2004. 30,000 people were killed by the Sudan govt then. The figure has gone to 200,000 now.

But frankly, with the Arab states sponsering the Sudan Govt with liberal supplies of cash and funding and weapons, wtf can the rest do?

Idiots like Bono will probably insist we increase aid to the region- and send the money straight to the Sudanese Govt and its corrupt murderous officials. They'll be laughing all their way to the bank but not before purchasing more weapons and ammo from China to kill their opponents.

I'll close with this quote from a freedom fighter:

"Give us ammunition and weapons so that we can die like men and not animals."

Spare a thought for Zahra Kamalfar

Please spare a thought for Zahra Kamalfar and her two children. Zahra is her political dissident from Iran. She tried to escape but is currently being held at Moscow airport. If she goes back, she will probably be killed together with her two children.

Click on this link to hear their story. Warning its fairly graphic and not suitable for children (or people suffering from depression).

I hope that Amnesty International, the UN, and other political bodies will agitate against Iran and Russia. Its terrible what happens in those two nations.

Crime in Australia

Recently I read in an Australian Newspaper that a man who bashed to death a 5 month old baby boy got 5 years in jail.

This sort of thing happens with sickening regular occurrence.

A while ago, Victoria took in a criminal and placed him in a neighbourhood where no one knew his past. He raped and murdered two young women who were living next door. The initial response by the Labor Premier was to defend the justice system and like Officer Barbrady tell us all to look away, nothing to see here. Shit Happens.

Yeah, Shit happens. But that doesn't mean you just poop in your kitchen, in your neighbor's garden - there's the toilet bowl for Gad's sake.

If you are like me- and feel that such criminals ought to be punished, write a letter - and mail it to Steve Bracks, The Labor Premier of Victoria. Better yet, get your friends to also write letters and swamp his office.

Steve Bracks
Office of the Premier
1 Treasury Place
Melbourne
Australia 3000

Or to his home office at
Steve Bracks, Member for Williamstown
101 Douglas Parade, Williamstown 3016

Or send an email to premier@dpc.vic.gov.au or email him directly at
steve.bracks@parliament.vic.gov.au

As I lay slumbering...

As I lay slumbering I dreamt of my love
She was walking in a field of gold
I followed her leaving the land of cold
Then she turned, and smiled
And we embraced fully in the warmth of the sun

Frisbee and Party at the Oriental Hotel

My delightful neighbor Steven Chai, one of the anchormen of Channel News Asia, hosted a party at the Oriental Hotel for his friends and the frisbee group. It was cool, gave a chance for many of the girls to wear their glamourous gowns. But I miss Carol. I looked around but all I could think about was her.

Nonetheless it was a pleasant party, I had drinks with my old friend Seng Po. Mingled a little. I didn't make an attempt to talk much. The loud music at these events throws my chi off.

For photos of the event click here - Party at the Axis Lounge, Oriental Hotel.

We are still playing Ultimate Frisbee at the grassy field next to the Brewerks bar in the Clarke Quay area at 5pm on Sunday. Its a bit like soccer- but we play it with a frisbee. Girls and guys are welcome. There is a fair bit of running though.

Top Gear + BF2

This is funny. If you are a guy. Or if you're into BF2 and Top Gear.

Play the video here: BF2 Meets Top Gear

Lifetime Free Supply of The Age - Melbourne newspaper

I really hate reading The Age- its just a diatribe of left-wing crazy thought.

Let me summarize all their articles for you. That's right -"ALL". No need to buy any more AGE newspapers from now on.

Labor is good. Green is better. The Liberals (the conservative party) are evil.

America is evil. Anything American does is evil, especially Republicans who are evil, stupid, all powerful, extremely cunning, yet dreadfully incompetent.

Cuba, North Korea, Africa, the Middle Eastern states and all third world nations are good. America and Australia are evil and corrupt. Got that??

Men are bad. But Gay men are good. Women are Good. Lesbian women are better.

Men who leave their children are evil. Women who leave their children are heroic feminists, struggling against the injustice and confines of the patriarchal culture and society.

Tree-logging to make paper is evil. (which is why The Age is printed on????)

Birth-control is good. Abortion is better.

*****

Thats about it. No need to buy The Age anymore. Hopefully, it will close up shop and thus, Save A Forest.

Foolish people

Sometimes I really can't stand foolish people. Someone I know is flying back to Melbourne. The ride back to her home is long- about 30+ minutes from the airport. The cost of the taxi fare is about AUD$100+. There are no buses, trams or any form of public transport that can directly take her home.

She has friends in Melbourne that will oblige her and give her a ride back- despite the inconvenience.

You WOULD think that she would call them up and arrange for this favor.

But ohhh nooo.... She told me they should be free on those days and should be able to give her a ride back. I mean, who the hell does she think she is? The Queen of Sheba??? On second thought, I think the Queen would have more sense than her.

Then she said that if they weren't free- she'll just catch a cab back.

Yeah, whatever, do what you want.

In the green I walk

In the green I walk
Past lush forest trees
The air is wet with their scent
Moss covers them like robes for royalty
I stay silent and listen
Listen
As the trees whisper their ancient song

Parker Brother's Monopoly Idea

Just had an idea for Parker's Brother Monopoly- just a variation in the rules.

In the normal rules of Monopoly, the player gets the chance to purchase a property if he lands on it - after he rolls the dice. However the game becomes a bit of a grind once some lucky player acquires prime real estate and builds hotels on it etc.. Worse if he is fortunate to acquire a whole stretch.

In my variation on the rules, the player who lands on the property- does not get the absolute right to purchase it- instead he just gets the first right to bid for it.

If no other player bids for it, then he wins the auction and get the property.

However, if other players contest for it- then it becomes interesting.

Auction tactics can be employed and business strategies placed. You may choose to bid for a property just to force the price up- making it more costly for your opponent.

The "Bank" can also issue you cash based on your existing cash reserves. So if you have $10,000. You can borrow $5,000 from the bank etc.. but you have to pay a ten per cent interest each time you pass "Go."

Opponents can also swap or sell properties to each other. So weaker players can collude against a stronger opponent. I think current competition rules allow that already.

Young Men Behaving Badly

I was reading another useless article in "The Australian" (an aussie newspaper). And in it, the journalist quoted several academics who argued that the gang abuse of a young woman was caused by young men because they were "young men". In other words, boys will be boys.

In case you didn't hear, a group of high school boys from an ok school in Australia, lured a young girl before assaulting her, and then urinating on her- they captured it on film, made it into a DVD and sold copies on eBay. (The school was scheduled for somekind of an international accreditation).

Nowwhere did the academics mention anything about moral upbringing or the education that enabled the young men to stoop to such a low act.

In Australia, they take pride that they are an irreligious society- and that they have taken prayer and God out of the classroom. In return, they teach a humanistic message- you make the morals, you decide whats right and wrong.

Meanwhile, members of the community of Werribee reckon that its just as case of "boys being boys". (Yeah right, .sarcasm mode on. and the Germans were just being Germans when they invaded France in 1940 too. .sarcasm off)

In the olden days, they'd just whip the boys into submission- and to break their spirits. Whipping would cause strong men to break out and cry and weep and beg. Animals can be trained to do amazing things via this method. Why not humans who behave worse than animals?

Nowadays, if the police catch the young boys- the magistrate will send them for counselling by a South Park style head shrink. The psychiatrist will pull out some politically correct answer: ie. This behavior stems from an inherent fault in the Patriarchal Society or some other nonesense.

For God sake, the boys kidnapped, abused and peed on a girl- and even recorded it on DVD, selling it on eBay. What kind of sick pervert will do that? Catch the sickos, put them in jail, perhaps the inmates there will teach them some lesson their PC teachers forgot.

When I was 18, 19, 20, I had to do National Service, the first six months or so was really physically tough, we'd wake up early, do exercises, training, my insominia was cured instantly- serious! We were so dog tired that we fell asleep at any available moment. But they trained us to respect authority, rank, and discipline. I've since mellowed a fair bit from that... :) But I still appreciate hard discipline and physical training. It does get results. But please let me off... on Saturday and Sunday!!! :)

If they reckon that all males are going to such bastards- they should restart National Service. But knowing how things work in Australia, the conscripts will probably spend most of their time smoking ganja during multicultural class.

My love

My love is like the sea
I swim in her embrace
Her touch soothes me
Heals me...
Her fragrance cleanses my innermost being
I hold her in my hands
But she disappears

Its a glorious day

I was dreaming about skiing at Australia. See photo of Perisher Blue.

Then arghh... then I heard the drilling sound from the construction going on - down the street.

I'm living in the Singapore CBD area- every bit of land is precious here. So there are constant development and re-developments. Buildings are torn down and built up again.

They recently tore down this concrete multi-level apartment block from my place. First they placed a small mech on top of it - and it slowly worked its way down, smashing each floor bit by bit and throwing the material to the ground. The plan to build a bigger development over it.

There was another apartment block 10 minutes drive from my place which is being torn down- its over 20 storeys high. Yet, somehow the developments plan to destroy it and build another bigger complex over it.

Its amazing.

But not half as amazing as a glorious sunset. Australian's sunsets are awesome.

Water Falls of Victoria. This site showcases some of the beautiful waterfalls in Victoria Australia. Check out the site!! > Waterfalls of Victoria

Another site is Ground Level Coffee- ahh... coffee always dear to my heart.

Check out the different ways to make coffee here GroundLevelCoffee

Happy Thoughts

When I'm sad, I try and lift up my spirits by recounting past moments of happiness.

Its silly but when I was on the bus a few days ago, it was stopping abruptly (due to the traffic) - I was standing and started getting motion sick.

So I recalled the times when I was skiing with my friends, I remember the times when I was on the ski chair lift- and how it took had that swaying stopping motion. Of course, it also didn't have a dozen Indian and Burmese migrant workers in the chair lift- but I closed my eyes and imagined :)

Now everything's white, I see my friends Jensen, Joy, Sam... skiing down the mountain, I wave towards them, then I get off the chair lift and start skiing down the hill, knees slightly bent, be relaxed, turn left then right... I feel the cold of the wind, the freshness of the snow, and I'm back at Falls, Perisher Blue, Cardona, Hotham, Bulla, Remarkables... Jesus, its good to be alive.

Having a thankful spirit does wonders.

Le maquereau frais sauted en sauce aigre-doux de Royale avec les herbes fines de pays

I love Singapore food. Its not pretentious. Its often simple. I particular like the prawn noddle soup we have over here- its a clear based soup, a prawn or two inside- egg noddles, some chopped up fish "balls" or white fried tofo. Nothing much to look at - won't win any awards from any Fancy French committee.

But its nice. Combining the taste of good prawn soup - not overdone - with freshly made egg noddles - together with some chopped fresh chilli. Yum.... can't really get it in Melbourne.

Yesterday, I had some Malay food which came with sweet and sour mackerel - oh boy!!! The mackerel was superb! The flesh was firm and sweet- even the bones were nice to munch on. And only cost $1.50!!!! I could eat this stuff everyday!!! If we had this in a French restaurant- some slimy waiter would be charging me $10 - $20 for the thing - adding a wacky frenchy name to it. Something like

"Le maquereau frais sauted en sauce aigre-doux de Royale avec les herbes fines de pays - Euro EUR20"

Thank you Babel Fish!!!

Military History

I like reading good books on military history. It makes me feel good, makes me feel inspired, it challenges me.

How can any man not feel inspired when he reads about how Leonidas the King of Sparta together with his bodyguard of 300 warriors held back a Persian Army of 200,000+ for several weeks at the Battle of Thermopylae? The fact that they all perished due to treachery makes their deaths even more glorious. As an add on, their deaths were not in vain because the delay bought the divided Greek states sufficient time to mobilize their forces to face off the Persians in a climatic battle at the Battle of Plataea.

At the moment I'm reading the Yom Kippur War (1973) published by Osprey Press. Maybe its just me, but I just love reading the accounts of the battles, again and again. I love how to read how the brave Israelites fought back the hordes of Syrian and Arab armies as they simulatenously attacked the unwary state of Israel on their most Holy of Days- Yom Kippur the Day of Atonement. Caught unaware, the few Israel units fought back beating back wave after wave of Arab tanks and soldiers - until they ran out of ammunition or were killed. In several occasions, even though they ran out of ammo, they stood their ground, the Arabs seeing the piles of dead and dying in their destroyed tanks- demurred to proceed and attack. Amazing!

Something speaks to me when I read about how the survivors who had been fighting for over several days without any sleep- were rescued by their paratroopers- then the shattered units together with the paratroopers, reservists and other reinforcements were patched together to go back and drive off the invaders.

Their commanding officer who had returned from his honeymoon brought the soldiers together - then strangely he started asking them to tell their life stories- what they did, where they lived, were they married, how many children they had. One of the soldiers was puzzled but then later he realized what their CO was doing- binding them together as a unit- helping them to relate to their fellowman- creating an esprit de corps. Because in the heat of battle- when soldiers fight and risk their lives for each other - they fight not for King or Country- not for democracy or communism- but for each other.

Not so with the Arab armies- when one unit fought- the others would hold back- hoping to take advantage of the situation later on. And thus the small Israeli army was able to beat back the mighty Eqyptian, Syrian, Jordanian, Iraq armies.

Defeat for the Israelies was not an option. They all realized they weren't fighting for an ideology, religion, for money, no. They were all fighting for the lives of those they loved, for their homes, their loved ones and for each other.

How can any man not feel inspired and awed when he reads such accounts of valour and heroism?

Change of Name

Hi,

Since I'm in Singapore I thought it'd be appropriate to change the name of my blog to Musings in Fairhaven... or should I say "at Fairhaven" ...?

Fairhaven is in the name of my apartment block. Its in the CBD, next to Orchard Road behind Plaza Singapura, which makes it very convenient to get around.

YM

Singing Thru Depression

In the Bible, a story is recounted where Jesus' key followers (apostles) were imprisoned in jail. Then they were beaten and tortured.

But they refused to recant and so they were thrown into jail.

Locked up in a stinking ancient jail with severe wounds is no joke.

Yet, the apostles encouraged each other by singing psalms in praise of God. And then suddenly an Angel of the Lord appeared and freed them.

There is also an earlier story of how David, who later became king, was summoned to play music for King Saul. Saul was afflicted with a demon but when David played the harp, his psychosis or demon went away.

I do believe that in times of depression, it is good for us- to sing praises to God. When it hurts, sing.

The problem with people is that they are more liable to play music that fits into their depression and anger- making their temperament and psychology worse.

The House on the Hill

The House on the Hill
Stood Silent and Still
Waiting for Master
Waiting for Mistress
It patiently waits.
But none return

Day by day it slowly falls apart
Bit by bit destruction and decay take their toil
Rust eats away at the chains that bind its gates
Mildew, like a cancerous growth, slowly consumes its once proud paintwork
A tile falls here, there a window is cracked
Vines embrace it, trees covert it, grass grows through its cracks

The Hidden Forest

I woke up this morning to the sound of birds. Normally, its usually the noisy racket coming from the school next door to my place- St Margaret's Primary.

But today, its about as peaceful as a hidden forest.

(I was going to say graveyard... but that would sound too goth)

Yesterday I had to visit a relative- silly bugger that I am- I decided to take the bus at night. The problem was that the public buses don't travel down the road towards his home.

The bus dropped me outside Coronation Plaza and I walked... and walked... and walked... deep into the estate.

Took me about 20 minutes or so to get there.

Along the way I passed a large grassy field. I thought it was remarkable that it was there- unused. The land prices in that Bukit Timah area is very expensive- consequently all the land is used- there's not even a footpath or nature strip. Just brick, concrete and terracotta. Few trees.

I also noticed a few abandoned homes. Those were quite creepy- empty locked up with big chains at their doors. They looked positively foreboding.

After I saw my relative- I walked out again. It started to rain. My body was already drenched in sweat so I didn't mind. The rain had a cool fragrance.

Strange day

I had the weirdest experience the whole week. I saw an old old friend whom I hadn't seen before in years... years... we go way way back to kindergarten days.

He sees me and happily starts talking. So we are chatting away, merrily at the coffee shop... Its great- we're getting along famously.

And then his girlfriend or something shows up - takes him around the corner and whispers angrily into his ear. She says something in dialect- but I don't get it.

He then walks over to me and says, "Uh... I'm sorry, I can't talk to you." And abruptly walks off- with his girlfriend clinging by his side angrily nagging at him.

10 minutes later- she comes marching back in a maddened state - she flings a bunch of coins onto the table. And walks off.

The metallic splatter of coins onto the table startles a few of the patrons. The shop owner just stares at her. But she doesn't care - and marches away.

I'm really not too sure what to make of it.

I think the coins were to pay for the coffee. But surely there has to be an easier way to do these sort of things.

Random thoughts

Sky Falls
Rain Weeps
Blue Sky
Black Sheep

....

A few words that came into my head. No apparent meaning. Just sounded cute at the time.

Having a depressing day.

Video of my balcony's view

I uploaded a video of the view from my apartment. I took it in 2005; whilst listening to the radio, the song Gabriel's Oboe was being played. It was the performance done at the Vatican- and it is absolutely beautiful and majestic to listen to.

On the spur of the moment, I got my video camera out and started taking a video of the scenery in front of my balcony. The music seemed to match the feel at that time.

Anyhow enough talking - check it out - Video of Balcony Scenery at Sophia Road

Where I want to be

I'm sitting in my balcony in Singapore and thinking...

I want to be in a place where I can see the blue sky
In a place with trees and butterflies
Where the only sound I can hear is the beat of my heart
The sound of birds singing in the distance
I see the lushness of the forest
and feel the caress of the soft breeze of the wind
mingled with the fragrance of the trees.
I hear the growing stillness of the night
And the whispering of the leaves...

Casino Royale Review - no spoilers

Just watched Casino Royale- based on the 1st James Bond book. I was fortunate to
get tickets for the premiere (here in Singapore).

Its pretty good- I'd say there is an emphasis on realism...
comparatively speaking. The previous JB films were pure fantasy, almost
parody. You know- shooting at a moving car using a massive solar beam mounted in a satellite in outer space.

Except for one or two silly plot holes, which initially is not so
apparent, this new film held up pretty well. Watch out for the vague
reference to the Ong-Bak film at the start of the show.

I thought the start was a little too laid back, old school. Hopefully they'll up the martial arts fighting skills of 007 in the next film.

The new Bond is more of a throwback to the young Sean Connery, suave,
charming, deadly with a hint of brutality and menace. He's pretty much an arrogant arsehole but he's cool enough to make you overlook that face.

On the other hand, the previous Bond character was too fake and artificial. And as mentioned before- his movie plots were ludicrous.

This one takes it cue from the Bourne Supremacy rather than (the appalling) Phantom Menace. Less on special effects- more on style and plot.

Its cool. Watch it. And, men, somehow you'll end up being a little bit more
motivated to go to the gym. :)

Melbourne snowed under 2 weeks before Summer

Usually at about this time in Melbourne, the weather is getting warmer, average temperature of 20c - 30C. The weather forecasters were predicting a very hot summer too. However, instead it dropped to below 10C and it even started snowing in some areas.

The last time such a thing happened was in 1941 during the 2nd Great War.

Johor Malaysia seafood

Mum asked me to join her for a dinner trip to Johor, Malaysia to eat seafood. I had a bad feeling about it, but I thought for the sake of courtousy, I'd go and keep her company.

We drove over at 5pm- got horrendously stuck in the rush hour traffic - a bit like the Southeastern but of course much worse. It was total chaos.

The Johor seafood restaurant is actally located in front of the big Singapore Sembawang naval base- across the sea channel (that seperates Malaysia and Singapore). Amazing, over there, there's a hive of activity, bright lights, massive tankers and ships. Over on Malaysia's side, its just dirt roads, a few estates, and several restaurants.

Mum ordered live prawns- we ate them live, raw asian mussels, shark's head, big yellow sea snails... cooked and raw, and crabs (they cooked that), asian mussels on ice, raw.

I ate a bit then my stomach started to turn. I settled for fried rice.

Mum was laughing her head off at me for being such a pussy. And kept on dumping bits of the raw food on my plate... "Eat, eat, hahahahaha!!!"

Its over 8 hours since I've eaten the stuff- but I feel like they are still trying to crawl out of my stomach.

Tsunami

See how it slumbers, the monster sea

One day it may awake and swallow thee

Poem... sort of

In Murkwood the demon lies
In the darkness green
He waits

Men are from Mars... Women are from Venus

Men and Women are different??? Strangely however, in the academic world, or in feminist circles- that's pure rubbish.

According to the politically correct world of academia and feminist lobby groups, men and women are identical- and any attempt to suggest any differences is anathema. All differences are socially conditioned and only designed to maintain the patriarchical world order!!!.. hummmmm.....

Good lord, I really can't believe I sat still during all those sociology classes.

However, it seems in the common culture, people are taking off their blinkers and saying what their grandparents have been saying all this while: "Yes you idiot, men and women are different. That's why girls like to play with dolls, boys like to play with balls, women love to talk, men like to f..play sports... they are just naturally inclined to such matters."

Meanwhile read this marvellous article in The Australian


Here's an excerpt:

ONLY a girl could write The Female Brain and walk away with life and reputation intact. This new book may be contentious, but in fact modern science is merely playing catch-up with what we know intuitively. Girls are different from boys.

Mind-blowing news, huh?

But here's the really brave bit: the unisex brain is a feminist fabrication. Louann Brizendine, an American neuro-psychiatrist, has written a book debunking stubborn notions that girls are different only because society makes them so. It's much more to do with the brain, she says. The female brain, to be more precise.

Here's a snap brain quiz. Which sex uses, on average, about 20,000 words a day, in contrast to the 7000 uttered by the other sex? Who has two-and-a-half times the amount of brain space devoted to sexual drive, meaning they think about sex, on average, every 52 seconds? When their feelings are hurt by someone they love, which sex reacts by assuming the relationship is over? Who has larger sections of the brain for action and aggression? If you answered, in order, women, men, women, men, you've been watching too many Woody Allen movies. Now, science is confirming that Woody was right all along.

While more than 99 per cent of male and female genetic coding is the same, it's the less than 1 per cent of difference that packs a punch in marking out women from men. Drawing upon advances in gene technology and brain-imaging techniques that have revolutionised neuro-scientific research, Brizendine presents a heady cocktail of structural, chemical, genetic, hormonal and functional differences between women and men.

These biological differences explain the most basic female behaviour. For instance, why do teenage girls endlessly talk? Science...

November 11 Armistice Day

On this day, 88 years ago, at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the month, World War One- the Great War- finally ended.

It marked the end of Europe, millions of young men (and women) were killed, maimed, brutalized by that conflict, not to mention the billions of dollars wasted on armaments, medical supplies, and other resources needed to fuel the conflict.

What sparked it off was a spark in the powder keg of interlocking military alliances. Once one side mobilized, the other side did- then their allies, and their allies' allies... and so on.

Initially, the armies were stuck using Napoleonic tactics- ie massed infantry frontal attacks- which against the modern rifle and machine gun- led to sheer slaughter for the attackers.

After awhile, both sides- the Axis led by the Germans, and the Allied forces led by the French- bogged down to a static line of trenches and fortifications.

The Generals who placed themselves far away from the front lines in plush headquarters- knew about bugger all about the conditions at the front.

Literally, they were sending thousands of young men to die in the mud and barbed wire every day. There really was no bloody way that the poor buggers could get far- esp when they had orders to simply stand up and march across the battlefield. The French soldiers were even using red pants- offering the Germans their asses as prime targets.

The Allied forces in the end won- because the Germans didn't know how to fight a war of attrition and blockade. Although, the Germans defeated the Russians in the East and arranged a good settlement there- the Germans threw away their chances by launching a massive attack against the Allied forces in 1918. The Germans were already starved of resources and food due to the British naval blockade. But their Generals were convinced that one big push would secure them victory.

It didn't.

The Americans had already joined the war- bringing with them millions of fresh troops and plenty of urgently needed supplies.

Neither could the German submarines defeat the Allied convoys and prevent the Americans from getting through.

The Germans could have kept on fighting in 1919, but they were way too exhausted. They thought that signing an armistice would help but I think they goofed up. The Germans thought that they would be agreeing to favorable terms set by the American President Woodrow Wilson. Instead, they got the vengenful French and British who wanted to make the Germans pay for the millions of lives killed during the war.

The Germans were real dickheads. They can dish it out- like how they brutally treated France - by annexing enemy territories and imposing a massive financial indemnity (1870 Franco-Prussian War). But they can't take it. They lost. They refused to accept it. They felt cheated. So it took them yet another catastrophic war (WWII) where they were TOTALLY DEFEATED to realize their error.

My Love

My love

Spring comes forth like my young Love.

Eager, demure, beneath her youthful gaze hides unbounded joy.

As she moves, it seems all the wonder of Creation walk with her.

So far so good

So far so good. Landed with both feet on the ground. Set up all the necessary stuff. Got talking to my people. Everything from my side seems ok.

I even got a gym membership- at California Gym-Orchard Road. Roughly about 3km from my place. It costs about $5 in taxi fees to get there. If I walk it will take about 30 minutes. Its hard to take public transport there though. The buses from my area are going away from Orchard Road.

I just found out that one of my favourite hawker food stalls just reopened. Same place. Just down the road from my home.

All the fav eateries... somehow I can't call them restaurants... are all there. A few extra have spouted up to cater for the big Universities that are being built just down the road.

Man, I am really happy. I love the food here.

Back in Singapore.....!!!!!!

When I first got the bad news... my heart simply sank.

I should have come over the instant I suspected something was going wrong.

One of my close relatives emptied our bank accounts yesterday. To invest in a multi-level marketing scheme. The levels of stupidity in this person amazes me.

Anyhow you can't cry over split milk. And I definately couldn't stay in Melbourne mopping around. So I took the next plane ride back to Singapore. Everything went smooth like silk. Even getting the pr visa was dead easy. I just walked into the office. Normally I wld have been there for 5 hours. But it took just 5 minutes. I didn't even get a "chance" a sit and wait. They called my number almost straight away. Hardly anyone was at there at the visa office.

Thankfully, one of my stocks went from zero to a dollar - so I was able to sell that - and the proceeds should be able to pay for all my aussie bills... rates/phone/water bill... for a long time.

I was practically gnashing my teeth all the way back on the flight.

Flew back in at 5am. Had a good chat with my cabbie. Good to feel the land.

Setup my old Singtel ADSL connection. Cool. The line still worked.

Got off to see the bankers. Bad... Bad... Good.

One thing I got to say about Standard Chartered Bankers. They are gorgeous but boy do they have bad manners and service. Well, maybe its just my bad experience. I had a good SC banker ages ago. But he got transferred elsewhere.

My UOB bankers were very helpful and friendly. That's good. And that should be the way. If all bankers were horrid, everyone wld just put their money under their pillow.

Along the way, I got my Singapore mobile phone number from Singtel. Starhub would be more convenient... but their connections are not so good. - which defeats the purpose of having a mobile phone. Imagine calling for an ambulance and getting a bad connection.

Anyhow good stuff. Got things done. Saw a lot of my friends. Surprised everyone by my sudden appeareance.

Now to get some clothes, a good carry bag... one for sports - one for work.

Back in Singapore.....!!!!!!

When I first got the bad news... my heart simply sank.

I should have come over the instant I suspected something was going wrong.

Anyhow you can't cry over split milk. And I definately couldn't stay in Melbourne mopping around. So I took the next plane ride back to Singapore. Everything went smooth like silk. Even getting the pr visa was dead easy. I just walked into the office. Normally I wld have been there for 5 hours. But it took just 5 minutes. I didn't even get a "chance" a sit and wait. They called my number almost straight away. Hardly anyone was at there at the visa office.

Thankfully, one of my stocks went from zero to a dollar - so I was able to sell that - and the proceeds should be able to pay for all my aussie bills... rates/phone/water bill... for a long time.

I was practically gnashing my teeth all the way back on the flight.

Flew back in at 5am. Had a good chat with my cabbie. Good to feel the land.

Setup my old Singtel ADSL connection. Cool. The line still worked.

Got off to see the bankers. Bad... Bad... Good.

One thing I got to say about Standard Chartered Bankers. They are gorgeous but boy do they have bad manners and service. Well, maybe its just my bad experience. I had a good SC banker ages ago. But he got transferred elsewhere.

My UOB bankers were very helpful and friendly. That's good. And that should be the way. If all bankers were horrid, everyone wld just put their money under their pillow.

Along the way, I got my Singapore mobile phone number from Singtel. Starhub would be more convenient... but their connections are not so good. - which defeats the purpose of having a mobile phone. Imagine calling for an ambulance and getting a bad connection.

Anyhow good stuff. Got things done. Saw a lot of my friends. Surprised everyone by my sudden appeareance.

Now to get some clothes, a good carry bag... one for sports - one for work.