Got an unexpected item in the mail, it’s an invitation from our permanent secretary, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim to the 2008 special awards. As naive as I was, I had to google to update myself on what the special awards is for now, as it was a never widely known or publicized event, or one that I never thought myself being able to actually attend and witness.

The special awards had not changed much from what I thought it to be- it is a prestigious event held for the top students from all the institutions in Singapore, particularly also for the recipients of the Lee Kuan Yew awards and those receiving the “All rounder awards” as well. I am honored to be able to attend it and accepted the invitation. I will be looking forward to the ceremony coming late August.

You know sometimes in and out as an internet user you will encounter comments in various blogs or forums which are not always as constructive as you intend them to be. It always seems that the internet “comment” function has it’s role primary as a way of effectively (and most importantly) a way to convey constructive thoughts and feedback to the intended parties.

But as any internet user, we all know, they are mostly a mean to flame shoot or bang at anything people find unworthy and that is something worrying an evolving in internet comments. If comment posts going “FIRST!” don’t bug you, then the frequent negative criticism from user’s periodic mood swing might add more “value”. Well so I can conclude from my not-so-formal research on and being a regular reader on few high traffic blogs on blog networks such as those by Weblogs Inc. and Gawker Media (to name afew) or even videos on Youtube. Can we conclude that the average intelligence of an internet comment is close or equals to zero? Let’s put Einsteins theory to work so, to prove it.

Yes, that is a joke and so is the math, so take no offense on this. Do note that there are of course exceptions, such as constructive feedback and comments, where we can rank them as above average comments, so don’t be offended or hesitant to comment. But so does that also mean that there is a higher concentration of intelligence from lower commenting blogs?

Having said that, striking an example, I am also a regular reader on few more professional blogs, such as medgadget for example, targeted at medical professionals and contributed by doctors alike, but despite being a almost high traffic blog (like engadget itself for example), the blog do not receive many or even zero comments for many posts.

So is riding on the saying “empty vessels make the loudest noise”, really paint the situation on internet commenting? Or are there just too much nonconstructive crap that it just paints and reiterates Einstein’s theory of human stupidity?

04/08/08 Hot off the oven! Race Pack Collection Details!

Questions and Answers:

Race Route
It will be largely a round the Singapore river race, very typical of the city races around the area. (Click for map lightbox popup)

Registrations are closed!

Original blog post:
Well it had been few weeks since I’ve updated on racing news, I think you won’t miss the Nike Human Race adverts running all around Singapore (and if them covering up queensway shopping isn’t loud enough). Nike+HumanRace is largely a charitable race with a good intentions, something I will greatly personally recommend to run at $25 per entry for a good cause- You can choose to run for UN Refugee Agency, Lance Armstrong Foundation or the World Wildlife fund for nature for the Singapore league and beats any overpriced $35 Mizuno Wave Run anytime.

This race gets my recommendation mainly for the price, charity part (not any commercial orientated run) and the very exceptional goodie bag items. There’s even an incentive for being the 1st 200 runners!

Without further ado, the details:

Entry Fee (Not including GST)
24 years and below as of 1st September 2008 – $25
25 years and above as of 1st September 2008 – $45

• Runners will receive a Nike Race tee with pre-printed number bib + other goodies
• Virtual runners can choose to buy a Nike Race tee with pre-printed number bib as well at S$35
• 7% GST applies in all prices listed.

Do note that with regards to road and marshaling capacities, places are limited, so do register early!

Registration (online only)

• Global registration site (click on “Join Race” then select country, join race in this country).
• Alternatively, jump straight to the Singapore payment portal by DigiLab here.
• Check your registration confirmation here (Using your IC number).

All fees are paid through Visa, MasterCard or at our SISTIC authorized agents (Cash/Nets).

Race Event Excerpt:

Categories

• School Team Challenge Cat. A (Secondary + Junior Colleges)
• School Team Challenge Cat. B (ITE + Polytechnic + Universities)
• Men’s & Women’s Under 25
• Men’s & Women’s Open category

On top of these individual race categories, participants can also choose to select to represent their school in the School Team Challenge. The school in each category (School Team Challenge Cat. A or Cat. B) that has the most number of registered runners completing the Nike+ Human Race 10K under 90 minutes will win the School Team Challenge.

Group Registration
Please email nikeplushumanrace [at] nikeupdates.com.sg if you are interested to sign up, and you will get a reply within three working days.

*A minimum number of 25 people will be required
**Payment for group registration will be by cheque, payable to ‘Nike Singapore Pte Ltd’

Administration Contact Information
Registration Technical Enquiries (Singapore only)
Registration Partner:
DigiLab Singapore Pte Ltd
2 Soon Wing Road #08-14
Singapore 347893

Tel: +65 6291 2019 (9am to 5pm, Mon to Fri)
Email: humanrace [at] digilab.com.sg
Nike+ Human Race 10K Event Enquires (Singapore only)
Email: nikeplushumanrace [at] nikeupdates.com.sg

Well, today is the 3rd day of the voting rounds of the Singapore Blog awards, and just as how campaigning fever has subsided in the States with Obama and Hilary in alliance now (with the exception of the Anwar case going on now), campaigning fever is definitely up on my side now! I am glad I have my contacts and not to mention my website traffic to help me pull in a steady stream of voters for this voting round, to date my site is 3rd in the round!

But of course that means having to strike a balance between my professional side/work and casual campaigning as well, and not like bugging anybody you know just as if your life depends on it, or even mentioning or hinting to people to vote for me, even in my 1000-odd convention talks, classes or even advertising for it over the various portals and websites I run, that will be stupid.

Unlike rebellious juveniles who will simply bug anybody without a care in the world, sometimes as a grown individual, you get to see the mature side of things than disturbing close friends or acquaintances for favors which kinda gives you the uncalmy feel of being indebted to even when they help you out, but I am glad everyone I approached so far was a great help!

But mind you, not that I don’t like feeling “indebted” but very much the respect I give to my friends, after all this is just a small blog competition and it boils down to what you value more and not risk going overboard. Sometimes I feel that a little reflection of your actions can go a long way. I won’t set my standards too high and the competition can be something which I am prepared to even lose, so anything else is just a bonus.

I don’t need a laptop, neither do I need a fancy phone when I win the award, so I will be considering selling or donating them to the salvation army or to my contacts in charge of the sharity gift box, but that is of course provide if I win, so I won’t count the chickens before they are hatched.

But I will be glad to be in the competition for the thrill, kick and challenge of it, as being a marathon runner, the other sporting side of me do not have a nature to give out so easily, so if you are my competitor you can be rest assured it won’t be an easy journey for you.

In all, the thing which matters most to me in this competition is winning the “best design” category will mark more than 10 years of my commitment and dedication in building and designing websites which means alot to me. The thing which amazes me is that I am glad this 5 year old, but still rather entrancing website design is still able to see me through so far.

With that, I will still bang on the bulk of my votes coming from people who visit my website, I think I might not go wrong with the traffic I get on my site. So I will leave it to unbiased people who think that I deserve the award for my contributions to blog design and development. With that, I will feel that my votes which (possibility) make me win more meaningful, not to mention deserving. I thank all my site visitors, friends and acquaintances who vote for me, your vote will be a very meaningful one and will go a long way into the competition.

Last but not least, yup here are the link, so do vote for me! You can vote once a day.
» Shaun’s Picture instructional guide on voting! (Click for instant image) » Vote NOW!

I was around back at school today after a short corporate meeting in the morning. There I managed to bump in a short one hour of gyming back at campus with my new alumni card before getting more work done in the day.

Alumni what card?
There, I was told by the gym auntie in-charge there that the alumni card I’ve got for this year’s batch is very different from the older cards issued previously- much lower in quality. This was so as I come to know after showing her how cheap and flimsy the cardboard-like laminated card I got in the mail last week (which is now peeling off at all the edges), even the photograph appears white-washed. My card which arrived in the “credit card” style holder in the letter already have it’s laminated coating damaged by simply removing it from the delivery holder, it’s that bad. For a lifetime membership thing, this card can’t even last 3 days!

New gym machines!
On a side note, the gym recently got a bump of new machines, such as a doubled number of treadmills to eight as well as the introduction of few new elliptical trainers as well as a new free weights and barbell training area, which sadly is always a hogging ground for dragon boat members. All these new additions are of course courtesy of the now dysfunct gym back at the old T14 block.

University university university
Our principal, Mr Tan was around on a tour with a few accompanying heads and directors to check out the new SP gym as well, thats where I got to chance upon him and we chatted for a while with regards to my application to the universities I am gunning for. He reassured me that I won’t go wrong and will have no problems entering the Imperial College, having not only studied there himself but also with the strong ties SP has with Imperial itself. He added that it will be a better choice as a technical college for engineering and research than Cambridge (which is ironically also one of the few Colleges I am gunning for in UK itself). He added that he will also be present at my scholarship prize presentation ceremony next week to witness all the selected SP students receiving the award as well.

Having done training, thereafter I was very much around my usual work W1115 area as a mentor helping out my juniors and undertaking project group members on some technical and software aspects of my gaming motion simulator (which they will be seeing through in their final year project). Few members were there to share their problems about group and management conflicts when forming their “ideal” teams, which I always emphasized is a very critical aspect for a team to be successful through their FYP and I was glad to be much of help in solving and giving advices which set them very much back in pace.

I did a fair bit of reflection thereafter with regards to my university choices, I mean I want to spend a significant amount of time doing research and development after I graduate, as I always want to bring something new and groundbreaking to the world, like the new age of you know!. That too, of course meaning having to do my PhD in the process as well. So the 4 year masters course in Imperial and Cambridge will be the most logical choice for a “fast track”.

I can’t deny that studying in US will be a very enjoyable experience too, with them being the preferred choice for engineering, but I felt I needed a more firm decision of choice myself rather than “going with the flow” or being so flicker minded- having never seen myself so open with so many choices at this crossroads period before. Later do I know that I got a tip off from one of my contacts who knew one of the Engineering Deans from MIT and they are interested in having us meet, whoa MIT, this will be very exciting!

Oh yes, for the record, I’ve got my NYAA Gold offer letter for interview today, double yay!

The voting period of the Omy Singapore Blog Awards 2008 are open! with each of the top 10 members of each category announced. So far is the competition is in it’s third and final stage with the floor now open to public voting, yes now it’s your turn to determine the winners by voting!

Overall, the winner in each category will be determined by 30% public votes and 70% scorings by our panel of professional judges – media industry veteran, Man Shu Sum; The Theatre Practice Co-Artistic Director, Kuo Jian Hong; and acclaimed movie director, Kelvin Tong.

This website will be gunning for the best design category, so I will be needing all your support, friends, relatives! etc please do vote for Shaun Chng.com. With that, I will let you in of what you can get by being a voter:

For winning blogger’s prizes, besides bloggy fame, we will be getting a laptop, an LG phone and a trophy designed by Tan Swie Hian. More details on the prizes here.

So act now and vote for Shaun Chng.com! we are listed as entry number 6 of the ten in the best design page. With that I’ve prepared few instructional goodies to get you up to speed on how to vote:

May the blog with the best design win!