If ERP don’t seem to stop heavy traffic and clogging up our bus lanes, maybe this might work for Singapore, with rather dangerous yet very funny consequences on the click:
Well at least their airbags are working!
Upcoming flag days for March till early April
Do your bid for charity, here are some charity events coming up for the rest of the month so do volunteer for a good cause as well. I will most probably be going for those listed here, so do bug me if you are interested! SP community service regulars, please bug me through my mobile for more details, especially for the President’s challenge one.
March 22nd 2008
Singapore Cancer Society Flag Day
As a self-funding Voluntary Welfare Organisation, Singapore Cancer Society relies on the public to provide funding for our programmes. They are appealing to schools, organisations and concerned individuals to help us during their Flag Day on March 22, 2008… the money we collect will go towards helping cancer patients and their families pay for the costs of their treatment, funding important research on cancer and providing home health care for those who are too ill to go to hospitals for their treatment, amongst others.
As a self-funding Voluntary Welfare Organisation, Singapore Cancer Society relies on the public to provide funding for our programmes. They are appealing to schools, organisations and concerned individuals to help us during their Flag Day on March 22, 2008… the money we collect will go towards helping cancer patients and their families pay for the costs of their treatment, funding important research on cancer and providing home health care for those who are too ill to go to hospitals for their treatment, amongst others.
Come help out at the Singapore Cancer Society Flag Day 2008… because a little compassion goes a long way.
Contact Persons :
Ms Ann Lee
Tel : 64215-880
e-mail : ann_lee@singaporecancersociety.org.sg
Ms Jessie Liu
Tel : 64215-859
e-mail: jessie_liu@singaporecancersociety.org.sg
– Singapore Cancer Society
April 5th 2008
Viriya Community Services
We will be having our Flag Day on Saturday, 5 April 2008. On this day, our volunteers will be on the streets island wide to help us to raise S$120,000 in support of our various community projects. We like to appeal to you for your generous donation. Viriya Community Services is full member of the National Council of Social Service and an institution of public character. All outright cash donations qualify for double tax deduction.
We also need many volunteers and please encourage your family members, friends and colleagues to support us. Just proactively appeal to the man in the street and within 3 hours, you will fill up our donation bags to the brim! Only you can help us to make a positive impact on the lives of our beneficiaries. To volunteer, please contact either one of our staff:
Roger Ong @ 6341 7943, e mail roger@viriya.org.sg
Lee Guoxing @ 6795 1008 ext 104, e mail guoxing@viriya.org.sg
We are flexible on the time so long as you put in your best effort to help the society in need. We are permitted to solicit from 7 am to 10.00 pm on 5 April 2008!
We appreciate your support!
– Viriya Community Services
April 10th 2008
SP Flag day for President Challenge 2008
The SP flag day is part of the SP freshman orientation programme for character development. I will be there mainly to guide my juniors as a mentor for the fund raising for the President’s Challenge 2008. If you are interested in it, please contact me directly through the contact link on the top left or leave a comment to this post.
Crossroads- shortlisted for DSTA interview, Stanford university is impressive!
Submitted the remainder of my NUS application yesterday together with my global scholarship application, but I have not accepted their offer yet as I needed sometime to fully consider my other options till the 2nd June deadline. Furthermore I’ve been shortlisted for a preliminary interview at DSTA the coming next Monday, so that is where I can set my hopes and ambition of having my overseas undergrad studies sponsored under their scholarship and push forward with overseas applications.
The thing I desire is the edge to do my degree I choose, especially in the research sector, a typical local degree cannot bring you far, so that is where overseas education gives. I’ve shortlisted few universities I would be applying and hopefully studying in:
There is about a handful of about 30 people listed for my interview for the day and judging by their IC numbers, most are from the JC batch (which having gone through JC myself, but not totally overgeneralizing, are mainly textbook regurgitators). However, it is heartening to know that scholarship places for DSTA are also on the rise, with 73 places offered last year compared to 22 in 2000 (source). So I am pretty confident for the interview provided if I do not blunder.
As part of my ongoing research, did some enquires in the SP’s career guidance center on application processes to UK and the US. Apparently unlike a central local body (like idp for Australian universities) one need to apply to UCAS in and for UK universities itself. Universities in the States are done direct to the colleges themselves. I remembered reading about a Poly student featured recently in the papers who got into Stanford, so I think I will stand a good chance too.
With the exception of the Imperial College London in UK, I don’t think I will be up for Cambridge or Oxford, as it’s incredibly difficult to enter (or so it is haha). Their admissions departments all mentioned that straight As and Distinctions can’t even secure you a place in these 2 universities, let be Harvard. Also, besides having a more familiar colonial setting and the recognition of the queen (i.e right hand drive roads and 3 pin plugs), the thing which I do not like about the Imperial College London is it being not exactly a proper college- it’s very similar to a city campus like SMU, which I do not fancy considering that I will mostly probably be accommodated in dorms around the area. A good environment or proper campus is what I desire for a fulfilling college life, which brings me to another part of the world, the States.
For an engineering major there , I am torn between MIT and Stanford. One will of course argue that MIT will be the choice for engineering given it being a technical university (Just like NUS contrary to NTU in Singapore). While Stanford have it pluses in sciences (physics) and communications. Both are evenly matched in rankings and have proper college facilities such as full campus buildings and sport facilities, however I personally find Stanford more of an exception.
Stanford university is pretty, it like what a university should be- nice big rolling hills and fantastic setting. What more its about an hour’s drive away from San Fransisco and about 3-4 hours from LA and Las Vegas. The place is very conducive, judging from the photos, it seems that walking through the place can simply make your day, not to mention having a much stronger sporting background being endowed with not only few baseball pitches, 3 swimming pools, a full track stadium but a 50,000 seater football stadium as well. And man if I ever get the chance on summer vacation periods, I can definitely visit Hollywood again or catch up on my long childhood memories I have of sunny California. Or maybe I will get building my own air powered car, something we can’t do here in Singapore.
But things are rather preliminary too. Application for US universities will start Q3 around September 2008, by then I will have a more firm decision of my options available.
Lastly, received a call today from the SP Principals office today about an award interview coming on next Thursday as well. Was told it’s up for one of the 4 awards given out during the graduation ceremony. I am aiming for the Lee Kuan Yew award, hope all goes well!
Vienna international seafood and teppanyaki restaurant
My family, including me will be rather busy end of the month with schedules and work commitments each of our own. So we’ve brought forward my birthday family dinner planned late month as part of my early birthday celebrations this year. This time it’s based on my mum’s recommendations to try out the international buffet at the Vienna international seafood and teppanyaki restaurant.
Located in the basement of United square right in front of the food junction entrance, you can’t miss the restaurant by the line of white gold-trimmed tables, not to mention crowds evident in the place always on weekends and dinner time. I’ve always had the impression of the it being a steamboat restaurant of sort when passing by always, little do I know only upon closer look on my visit where it’s actually a buffet joint and man do the people always come flocking in for it!
Price
For about $37++ a head, realistically you are paying about $40 per head plus all the extras. A price not that bad for a full international buffet menu. You also get a choice of 1 of 5 complimentary drinks (fruit punch is the most sought after). The place is run by a Taiwanese boss, who desires a typical flair of luxury, a typical of the restaurant royal furniture theme setting and extensive gold lit lighting fixtures.
Food quality
Personally, I am surprised by the quality of the food, especially the seafood which is always fresh and firm to the touch, you will get an assortment of snails, baby lobsters, crayfish, not to mention fresh oysters and clams (all firm, dry and fresh, not watery!) as well. For those who demand a little flair in taste there are specialty prepare and cooked clams with cheese just to name a afew. I’ve tried the seafood at Ritz Carton, but with the exception of a smaller spread and no free flow of large lobsters, amazingly I can say that Vienna seafood quality standard is actually slightly better, and for half the price you pay at Ritz, it’s simply a bargain!
I mean it’s amazing having it beat my seafood benchmark at many other hotels as well (mandarin, pan-pacific, calton, alson, furama, traders, swissotel, etc..) Ritz was always one of my favorite. Looks like things can change!
The other amazing thing is that they can even deliver this consistent food quality throughout the night in a full house packed Saturday, normally restaurants which are so loaded will tend to compromise on quality of the food, this is an exception!
Got my DSTA scholarship interview date!
Looks like important letters are all coming into my mailbox back-to-back! Received an official letter yesterday (Saturday) from DSTA informing me of my scholarship preliminary interview the morning of 24th of march, this will be the first of the many interviews to come and I believe the most critical one to proceed onto the next. That one is due in about 8 days and the day before my birthday! Man will it be an interesting follow up till my 24th celebrations.
This scholarship might be my door to a place in a reputable overseas degree to do my major in engineering, so I did better get cracking on this. Besides reading up and updating myself on some defense news, wonder how else can I prepare for my interview in about a weeks time. Any suggestions?
Britney Spears – Break the ice Video
Well, I am not exactly a great fan of Britney, and not exactly my idea of controversy as opposed to Michael Jackson himself (not to mention his come back “Thriller” album), but sometimes I have to commend on some her songs. She is definitely one of the few artists I’ve grew up listening during my teen years. I’ve been listening to her latest “Blackout” album and “Break the ice” was one my favorites. Now there is a video up on it, all up in pure anime style, presumably an attempt at a stance away from the camera while she patch her life back together again.
I believe this viral video had been hitting the net latest, so why not share the love while we are at it, more at the bump:
Nice animation, reminds me much of the Animatrix styled animation as well. But the thing I find amidst is the relation between the video and the song.
Umm I’ve received my 2008 NUS admission results already, and I am in!
With the ‘A’ level results just out last week, it’s busy busy busy now, with applications to scholarships, sending of letters and verifications. Not to mention having to pop by school to get my NYAA booklet all done and collect written testimonials by my lecturer.
Got an unexpected mail today – a big brown NUS envelope from the admissions department, it’s kinda big and thick, like lots of attachments inside, upon opening it up inside a neat stack of documents with orange NUS letterheads all fastened together by a large paperclip, the first line of the letter reads:
Congratulations! Its is my pleasure to offer you admission to the National University of Singapore (NUS) in academic year 2008-2009 for a course to study in Engineering…
As admission to NUS is highly sought after, it is important that you inform us of your acceptance by 2nd June 2008. Do spare a few minute to read out attached instructions for acceptance in NUS.
Our academic year 2008-2009 commences on 4th August 2008. I look forward to welcoming you to the National University of Singapore.
– Director
Office of NUS Admissions
The funny thing is that I’ve not even submitted my NUS scholarship application yet! (besides my main NUS application I’ve submitted just last month) and also without my last semester results, which they also requested in the letter to be sent to them through a self-addressed envelope inside the package.
The rest of the items inside the envelope includes notes on tuition fees, enrollment form and a medical checkup form as well. Man, that is fast! Did better get this done together with the submission of my NUS global scholarship application.
I’ve got the SP 2008 Model Student Award!
The SP model student and prize presentation ceremony was one today, and I was one of the 17 lucky few in the whole Polytechnic who were selected to receive the prize. This is so together with various sports and community club presidents also being awarded prizes for their achievements and contribution to the polytechnic itself.
Registration was a breeze and fast. Met and caught up with few of the SAA officers and staff I have not met up in ages! The event was held at the Moberly T11 block and the prize presentation was pushed indoors due to heavy rain, if not it will all be at the front large open-air amphitheater where it will really rock. Nevertheless the event went on with various performances put up by the dance club. Everything was followed by a dinner and buffet dinner reception on the ground floor surrounded by live smooth jazz as performed by the SP Jazz club and Singers.
Huida my track and field president was also there to receive his award together with Peilli for community service under her presidency in SP Rotaract. Met up with track mates Alvin, You boon and Darius over dinner who were there to attend the event as well.
I got a certificate together with a rather large full glass trophy which is really heavier than it looks. It’s clad in faint blue and looks very well constructed, not like those cheap trophies you can win in those track & field events with the screws visible from the bottom! Very solid and nice piece indeed, but sadly I don’t think I will have space for it on my awards shelf at home yet, so I think I will put it in the included storage box tucked nicely in safe storage in the meantime.
Here is what they’ve wrote of me in the awardee information booklet, though I wished they’ve mentioned about my service to the community as well, especially the one I did in Medan Indonesia, but nevertheless:
Shaun is an outstanding student with an average GPA or 4. He is known among his lecturers for his learning attitude, diligence and team work.
Shaun is a member of the SP Track & Field Club management committee. He has represented SP in a number of marathon events like the Swissotel Vertical Marathon 2005, Singapore Marathon 2006 and the Mizuno Wave Run 2006 and 2007. In all these events his drive and self-discipline were evident.
Also submitted the remainder documents of my DSTA scholarship earlier today as well, hope I get a reply from them soon!
2008 Singapore River Raft Race (SRRR 2008)
Ok here the event info for ya people to row da recycled boats in the Singapore River which we will (ironically) be drinking recycled water from. This is also in response to few inquiries I’ve received on it as well, so here it goes.
The 20th Anniversary Singapore River Raft Race will be held around mid year this 2008, contrary to early of the year as with previous years. The theme for this year’s race is “The amazing raft race”. Here are the first hand details.
Event details
Event date: 24-25th May 2008
Closing date: 9th May 2008
Organiser: Singapore Polytechnic
Venue:Clarke Quay
Managed by: Capital Land
Event date: 24-25th May 2008
Closing date: 9th May 2008
Organiser: Singapore Polytechnic
Venue:Clarke Quay
Managed by: Capital Land
Rafts are to be transported to event venue before the first day of race for public judging for best/most attractive raft awards, etc.. for the raft viewing/display and exhibitions.
Race
400-500m raft to the finish from start to finish in batches. In process of elimination, fastest raft wins the fastest raft category.
There are several other categories to be won as well (Please enquire for details).
Per raft Maximum 5 persons
Raft must be completely made out of recycled/reused materials (Sticking to the 3Rs)
400-500m raft to the finish from start to finish in batches. In process of elimination, fastest raft wins the fastest raft category.
There are several other categories to be won as well (Please enquire for details).
Per raft Maximum 5 persons
Raft must be completely made out of recycled/reused materials (Sticking to the 3Rs)
Event contact details:
Line: 67721147
Fax:67721960
Website: www.sp.edu.sg
Nokia Singapore Official N96 release date
Ok folks, here are some official words from Nokia Singapore with regards to the Nokia N96.
Quote from Nokia Singapore:
Please be advised that Nokia N96 mobile phone has been scheduled to be launched at the end of the third quarter of 2008. However, at this stage we are unable to advice on the actual launch date for the phone.
Please note that prior to release, all phones will have to undergo testing and approval from the authorities in the respective country. Testing will be conducted to ensure compatibility with the networks and government regulations.
Yea hurray to vagueness! At least this time they know that there is actually an N96!
Expect the phone to start retailing at $1200 without contract on the initial launch week. Soft launches and purchase of the phone starts about 1 week before ads are all placed on the papers. So technically you can start getting leaked reviews say around, May and Technically see the phone in around National Day or late September. So in the meantime, the N95 8GB will still be Nokia’s flagship phone.
Suntec IT SHOW 2008 full offer pricelists and offers
Thinking of dropping by the IT show tomorrow of over the weekend? Do check out this comprehensive list of scanned and photographed pricelists here.
Credit going out to coldfreeze from the HWZ forums
Database upgrade and some site fixes
The site is currently undergoing some upgrades on the backend. You won’t exactly see any improvements out here as it namely optimizing queries, code and cutting down on functions queries on the pages in line of the of my upgrade to the latest version of MySQL and WordPress as well, which comes with a whole new set of available queries and plugins which need updating as well.
I’ve noticed that when scrolling the pages on my slower computers, the pages move rather jerkily, maybe due to the slow loading of ads on my pages. I’ve removed some ads from my blog pages which accounts for more than 50% of the pages of the site as they are also seriously slowing down the loading of my pages in internet explorer (mozilla still loads the pages rather well) but considering about more than 60% of my visitors use IE, it’s an exception I have to take. I am still in the mist of trying out various advert placement and sizes so my pages won’t be so cluttered, so please don’t be alarmed if you see an ad placed where it isn’t normally is.
I will be also bumping up the cache and memory allocation of the pages to cater for the large number of visitors to the site. A pleasant site experience for my users is still my priority over my advertisers.
Will be monitoring the pages over the next few days for bugs, do report any if you see them!