SAFRA Singapore Bay Run & Army Half Marathon...Update

So when I first blogged about it. I signed up for the 10k one as it was my first time and I wasn't confident about it.

After last night on Twitter, where a bunch of them were talking about it. I changed my race to the 21k.

Talk about the power of peer pressure. Either I was overly confident or too suicidal. I do get an additional entitlement though.

•     SSBR & AHM ARMY Singlet (applicable only to all SAF Active Servicemen & all NSmen)
•     Exclusive Finisher Tee
•     Event Tee (applicable only to SAFRA member*, SAF NSmen Family & Public)
•     Personalised Race Bib & Timing Device
•     Exclusive Finisher Medal
•     Personalised E-Certificate
•     Goodie Bag (sponsored items)
•     Insurance Coverage
•     Muscle Rub Down Service
•     RunPix Performance Review

Man of Steel

Man of Steel

This is how I look when I
1) Have constipation
2) Get arrowed with something at work
3) Sunday night when I realize its end of the weekends
4) When I look at my bank account at the end of the month
5) When I receive my reservist notification

This is how I look when
1) Someone argues with me
2) When someone blocks my way on the escalator
3)When Zod strangles me

and finally this is how I look when I

1) Overcome my constipation and have a good shit
2) After workout at gym
3) When I win an argument at work
4) When I get praised
5) When I outpro from reservist
6) get my pay

Check out the new trailer of Man of Steel coming June 13 2013

Water Wally is EVIL!

So apparently he appears when you take a shower and stalks you. He also uses mind control to control your body movements.



This video just comes off as really creepy. Creepy Water Wally. Thats what he is. I wont be surprised if he had something to do with Singa quitting.

Star Trek Into Darkness

Just a quick clarification, I am and always will be a Star Wars fan. Never really got into Star Trek, nothing excites me and I found it boring. But the new JJ Abrams re make of this series piqued my interest. Going into the cinema watching the first one in 2009 with an open mind helped.

I loved the first movie, the story, the chemistry between Pine and Quinto as Kirk and Spock respectively was amazing. So when the sequel was announced, I was pretty excited.

I wasn't disappointed this time, JJ Abrams delivered again, the chemistry of the star fleet was amazing, the whole movie was well paced and had no boring moments. Well certain parts seemed to jump a bit fast here and there but overall it was the storyline flowed nicely. The addition of Benedict Cumberbatch (aka Sherlock Holmes) was a powerful one. He played the role of John Harrison perfectly.

I guess it is safe to reveal it now. When the role of Cumberbatch (I actually like saying this name, I could say it over and over again) was announced, everyone speculated his role to be of Khan, but Abrams denied. Honestly no one could imagine Cumberbatch wearing this

Turns out the speculation was right, John Harrison was indeed Khan Noonien Singh. Khan was a formidable enemy in the original Wrath of Khan and Cumberbatch played this role comfortably and was amazing in it.

That being said, I was kinda irritated with the appearance of original Spock. I think the time travel reference should have stayed in part 1 and ended there.

One thing to note about the ending was that in the original Wrath of Khan, instead of Kirk dying, it was Spock. They even had a funeral for him which led to the third movie Search for Spock. But with the remake. Abrams switched the role to have Kirk dying with radiation poisoning.

This was very well played as it brought out emotions in Spock. I had goosebumps when Spock shouted Khans name in anger. I was afraid that the third movie was Search for Kirk, but lucky it wasn't.

Honestly if you were never a fan of Star Trek or hated it, watch it with an open mind, you will be surprised how good it is.


Special mention to the soundtrack by Michael Giacchino, it was amazing, every note heightened the exciting parts in the movie. I added the soundtrack to my iPod playlist. Amazing movie, Now I have high expectations of Star Wars.

Abrams had better not fail.

On another note, check out this funny ad commissioned by Audi starring Zachary Quinto and Leonard Nimoy

Hot Toys: Loki

I get excited everytime I lay my hands on a new Hot Toys product. This time round, fresh off the oven. I have with me from Asgard,  brother of Thor, half son of Odin, The God of Mischief himself...

LOKI!

Before the unboxing begins, it comes with The Avengers paper bag.

Loki, in all its plastic glory.

It comes with additional hands and the cuffs as well as 2 spears, 2 staffs, and the thingy that shuts him up.

Look at the eyes, the evil eyes. It charms you even when he can't talk.

Looks like a dress, but it is not. Its the cape.

You know what is the most challenging thing about this bloody figure? It took me about 10-15 minutes trying to get it right...

Yes the bloody helmet! Check out this youtube video on how to do it right without breaking it. Looks easy but really it is a bloody challenge.

I will let the rest of the pics tell the story of my unboxing.

Finally

KNEEL

Is not this simpler? Is this not your natural state? It's the unspoken truth of humanity, that you crave subjugation. The bright lure of freedom diminishes your life's joy in a mad scramble for power, for identity. You were made to be ruled. In the end, you will always kneel. 

Overall this is such a beautiful figure. It should retail around $350 when it is officially released, most of us got it early from pre-orders.

Now to unbox my Avengers Captain America and War Machine.

Office Abuse in Singapore

slap by dm_519a51f092c2c

Holy shit, I am known to be harsh to my team, but physically hitting people is wrong. This takes the cake. That guy is just an intern. Do you need to do this to him? Honestly dude stand up and hit him back. No one deserves to be hit in the face like that, let alone so many times. If anyone did that to me, automatic HULK SMASH back to that fella.

Quoted from a local forum

Hi all, I had just started an internship and noticed my supervisor constantly bullying my co-worker in the workplace. The abuse were often physical. I managed capture some video of him hitting my co-worker. The victim is shy and doesn't want t do anything about it. There doesn't anyone in the workplace that will do anything about this.
I confronted my supervisor about it, but i felt his explanation was insincere.
I need some advice. What should I do about this?
Sorry was chatting with my friend, he was recommending a thread title. I forgot to remove time stamp.
EDIT to clarify some things:
The supervisor was also constantly yelling at my coworker for small things.
The hitting and yelling stopped when I confronted him but this kind of behavior has most likely been going on even before I joined, and will again continue after I leave.
When I confronted him, he brought me to a meeting room and his "explanation" he told me a lot of BS like "do not judge a book by its cover, there is a story behind it". He said that my colleague apparently has an inferiority complex and apparently my supervisor is trying to "nurture" him to get over it. I felt this was stupid, as how can you nurture someone by hitting them?
The abuse seemed to get worse over time during my first 3 days, on the 3rd day I quickly decided to start recording with my phone when the supervisor started to yell again at my coworker.
I plan to report this to HR on Monday, and maybe write to MOM.
However my coworker is very timid and seems like the kind of guy that will not stand up for himself.

Last thing, I copy pasted this title from my friend on Skype and accidentally left the time stamp and his name "Han" in it.

Some updates, apparently the supervisor Alan apologized after the parents went to confront him.


The man who was filmed slapping his co-worker in a Singapore office has come out to apologise to the victim's parents. 
However, Chinese daily Shin Min Daily News reported that the parents of the victim -- now identified by Shin Min as a 29-year-old intern -- have rejected the apology. 

The supervisor, known as Alan, apologised after the intern's parents showed up at the office, demanding an explanation after their nephew showed them the clip, which was uploaded on Friday evening and has since gone viral. Alan said he had slapped his colleague in a fit of anger. 
The intern's parents also told the paper that their son seemed to be under a lot of stress, and it was likely brought on by his job at the local company. He no longer works at the company, where he is said to be paid a monthly allowance of between $500 and $600.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) also said in a statement on Monday that the victim has filed a police report.


The video has since gone viral since it was uploaded over the weekend.
Filmed by SIM intern
The university undergraduate who uploaded the clip is an intern from Singapore Institute of Management (SIM). In electronic correspondence with Yahoo! Singapore, the 23-year-old first-year student said on Monday that he has sent an e-mail to the Ministry of Manpower, and has also filed a report with the company's human resources department.
He also confirmed that he had just started a three-and-a-half month internship at the company. It is due to end in August, but SIM has said that they have terminated his internship, in light of the incident.

In posts on the Hardware Zone forum thread he started over the weekend, he said that he had also approached his school's internship co-ordinator, but was told to continue working there while she spoke to the company's HR department. She informed him that the company has a long-standing relationship with his school and previous interns had never surfaced any problems.

"(The internship coordinator) was just doing her job, and was trying not to make any rash decisions," he explained. "I wanted to head down to SIM to show her the footage and give her a better understanding of what was happening in that office. But I was really disappointed when she brushed me aside, saying that she will talk to the manager first. I felt that my school didn't take me seriously."

He said he was hesitant to reveal the name of the company he was interning at because there were only four people working there -- a manager, his supervisor (the alleged abuser seen in the video), his co-worker (the victim) and himself.




Video went viral
The 17-second clip he uploaded under the username Shane M on YouTube late on Friday night shows a man standing over a younger man and hitting him repeatedly on the head. This is accompanied by verbal abuse. A third man, wearing a blue T-shirt and jeans, walks up to the first man to try to stop him. Then, the video cuts to a different scene where the first man is seen slapping the 'victim' repeatedly on the face.

In the first entry he posted on the Hardware Zone thread, he said his supervisor (the alleged abuser) was "constantly bullying" his colleague, and the abuse which the latter received was "often physical". He wrote that the victim is shy and so, does not want to take action, and "there doesn't (seem to be) anyone in the workplace that will do anything about this". He added that when he approached his colleague about the treatment the latter received, his colleague said he felt that he himself was in the wrong and that their boss was merely "correcting" him.

"The hitting and yelling stopped when I confronted him but this kind of behaviour has most likely been going on even before I joined, and will again continue after I leave," he wrote, adding that he felt that his supervisor's explanation for the abuse was insincere.

"He brought me into a meeting room and… said that my colleague apparently has an inferiority complex and apparently my supervisor is trying to 'nurture' him to get over it," he shared. "However, my co-worker is very timid and seems like the kind of guy that will not stand up for himself."

In subsequent posts, the undergraduate shared that he witnessed the alleged abuse over his first two days of his internship, and used his phone to record it on his third.

Within the first 24 hours since it was uploaded, the clip garnered more than 80,000 views and was picked up by several local websites before it, and other duplicates uploaded to YouTube, were taken down for violating the video streaming site's policies on violent and disturbing content.

SAFRA Singapore Bay Run & Army Half Marathon... My First

The SAFRA Singapore Bay Run & Army Half Marathon is back this year. I remember when I was in NS we were all "volunteered" to go for this and tried all ways and means to get out of it. I took MC I think.

But that is in the past.

I actually signed up for this run happening on 1st September. Yes my first run. Partly cause SAF Operationally Ready NSmen can participate in the run at a NOMINAL fee. I paid only $8.50 for my run and I get all these...

• SSBR & AHM ARMY Singlet (applicable only to all SAF Active Servicemen & all NSmen)
• Event Tee (applicable only to SAFRA member*, SAF NSmen Family & Public)
• Personalised Race Bib & Timing Device
• Exclusive Finisher Medal
• Personalised E-Certificate
• Goodie Bag (sponsored items)
• Insurance Coverage
• Muscle Rub Down Service
• Runpix Performance Review

My first run... even though its only 10km , but I intend to take it gradual. from 10 to 21 then to 42. Lets see if I even survive the 10 before I move on to the rest.


I had better start training now...

Happy Birthday Daniel Yao

Be honest, I think I only met this fella probably once or twice. Most of our interactions are on Twitter or Facebook.

No, not like that, but I can safely say I saw him grow up online, from his pre NS days to now studying. I think this boy is quite sincere and kind, and I don't anyhowly give compliments one.

So he deserves a mention here. Happy Birthday Daniel Yao Kaijie, wish you forever yandao and all nothing but the best for you for your future.


PS: Never had people blog about you si boh? shiok right lol

Real reason why I chose to lose weight

So on a rainy day today. I decide to come clean on why I decided to embark on a weight loss journey.

Many people come ask me why, why I suddenly decided to go on a diet. My answers to them is pretty simple, at work, people ask me to join the Lose To Win program. So I decided to go on my own one to prove that I can do better.

But that is not the real reason why.

I got called into reservist about 2 years back. 2 PDF, 612 SIR. Wah lan infantry leh. This is coming from a storeman last time.

It has been a good ten years since I ORDed from the army. Pretty daunting experience. the whole regimentalism, the cold showers, the drop soaps (ok that didn't happen). I had pretty much forgotten how to even put on my SBO or fold a smart 4. But those aside. The first thing I had to do was run.

RUN!

It was something I had forgotten how to do. I was fat, at my best? 140kg of pure fats. So I had to run. I could drop out since I was a Pes C2L2. But the stubborn one in me said, just do it. Run like Gump. Whats the worst that could happen.

The worst did happen.

I had a mild heart attack half way through the 5km run. I started feeling breathless. Then the pain started in the chest. I couldn't move and had to assisted to rest in a corner.

I be honest, the Army is the worst place to be sick or whatsover. I was stuck in the my camps medical centre for a good few hours, before transported to another army medical centre. They took my ECG using a very old machine, half the time the medic was trying to figure out how to use it. I could have died honestly.

The results from the old ECG machine looked bad, the MO that saw to me in the second medical centre said I could have died! I didnt trust him. He looks like someone who would over exaggerate things.

So another good few hours has passed. The run took place in the morning. By the time I was sent to NUH. It was past midnight. PAST MIDNIGHT! I might as well be in the mortuary by then.

So finally I saw the doctor. He checked me on another ECG (a more high tech and better one) He ascertained that I had a mild heart attack and gave me like 2 weeks mc and said I was too out of shape.

I then had to go back camp and endorse my MC and wait for things to happen. By then I had mentally given up. I was then told that I was to be transferred to HQ to do clerk work. Aircon, no need to go outfield, shiok what right?

So I walked into the clerk room and the moment I opened the door, saw the situation, walked out and went up to my OC and said I want back.

I didn't like what I saw. Reason was my job is already desk bound, why would I want to spend another 2 weeks away from work doing the same thing?

So I made up my mind to continue to work it go through the trainings and train myself up for it as well.

There you go. I am infact hoping to maintain and keep it up till I finish my reservist. How is that going to be? I don't know. Lets see, too many good food in Singapore for me to commit.

I still hate the cold showers though.

Iron Man 3 MyStamp Collection

I got my hands on the MyStamp Iron Man 3 stamp collection. Now I am no stamp collector, but this set is pretty impressive. Good quality and interesting prints.

I couldn't wait to open my set.

Greeted with a brief description of MK1 and MK6 as well as the arc reactor in the middle

Comes with the clear foil packaged stamp set as well as one attached to the booklet called Hall of Armor.

One one side are the different suits and the other is War Machine/Iron Patriot.

Close up of the stamps.

If you are interested, you can get this at a price of $45.90 at any Post Offices in Singapore or online here.

I think I been talking too much about Iron Man... but I ain't complaining. I should be featuring the toys I have pretty soon.

Hot Toys The Heartbreaker 1/4 scale diecast

After the power pose Red Snapper. Hot Toys announced the release of ML XVII The Heartbreaker Diecast. Joining MK 47 and Iron Patriot.

I call this The Wallet Breaker.

Iron Man 3 end sequence

To those who already watched the movie. Remember the end sequence that nicely summarizes the 3 Iron Man movies? Here you go.

Happy Star Wars Day!

Happy Star Wars Day and may the force be with you always!

Getting Inked

It has been in my mind for the longest time. To get inked somewhere on my body. But instead of getting it at a younger age, I decided to hold it back till when I am older so that I won't regret it probably.

Then came the design, took me a while to decide on what design I want. Finally after much research, I settled on the Mjölnir. Also commonly known as the hammer of Thor. The Mjölnir is depicted in Norse mythology as one of the most fearsome weapons, capable of leveling mountains.

The Prose Edda gives a summary of Mjölnir's special qualities in that, with Mjölnir, Thor:

    ... would be able to strike as firmly as he wanted, whatever his aim, and the hammer would never fail, and if he threw it at something, it would never miss and never fly so far from his hand that it would not find its way back, and when he wanted, it would be so small that it could be carried inside his tunic.


I also incorporated the Horns of Odin into the design.

As my tattoo artist said, one does not just stop at one. So i decided to take on another one on my right leg. The weakest of the 2. I took on Paul Wong's design of the 5 dragons. The tattoo has always fixated and attracted me for the longest time.

Presenting the end product...

I probably won't stop here. Will go on and plan for designs on the left side.

That being said. If you are planning to get a tattoo. This guide might help you see where the painful areas are.

This may just apply to men as women are built differently from men. They have higher pain thresholds. It may be painful for the guys to get inked on their rib areas, not for the ladies.

I am no expert in tattoo having only 2. But after getting one, you really have to keep it clean and moisturizer will be your best friend. The skin will take about 48 days to fully heal, it will be itchy but don't scratch it.

I did my research and looked around for a suitable artist, got a recommendation through a friend. I highly recommend Vernon of Tejomaya Studio. That guy is brilliant. Check out his Facebook page here and see some of the pieces he has done. Do drop him an email at tejomayastudio@gmail.com if you are interested.

The Suits

Incase any one was wondering what are the suits featured in Iron Man 3, here are some excepts. Go get Marvel's Iron Man 3: The Art of the Movie Slipcase.

I think in the movie other than Mark 42, he puts on Mark 33 (silver centurion), Mark 16 (night club) and finally Mark 40 (shotgun)

Photos courtesy of William Lau, One sixth Republic Facebook page.

Iron Man 3, a spoilerish review

 

Honestly? I have mixed feelings about this movie. Fun and exciting as it may seem, there are certain points that really disappointed me.

The hype of The Mandarin leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. I mean Jon Favreau set the stage for Mandarin in the first Iron Man. So why let Killian take over and spoil it? There will be so much more damage The Mandarin could have done with his rings. So why write off one of the most formidable foes in Iron Man universe?

In Iron Man, you can clearly see the 10 Ring logo as well as one of the rings from the leader

Infact you can actually see a reference to Fin Fang Foom as well in a blink and miss scene.

The whole Extremis storyline could have been better played out. I would have loved to see Ezekiel Stane come back to take revenge for Obadiah.

Iron Patriot was kind of disappointing, would have loved to see more action sequence from the suit.

Complains aside, as a whole the movie was quite fun and bold. The whole Pepper putting on the suit and removing it was beautifully executed. The soundtrack by Brian Tyler was amazing. The ending battle showcased a variety of his suits though it was kind of fast to catch. RDJ again plays Tony Stark as how he should be.

Special mention to the Ty Simpkins as Harley. The boy played an unforgettable role in the movie.


Shane Black took a risk and moved the first part of the Marvel movie Phase 2 in a new direction. It leaves many wondering what is going to happen to Tony? Is he going to be back in Avengers? What is going to happen to Iron Man 4 if there is any.

The after credit scene is just fun, compared to the previous after credit scenes in the movies of the first phase.

Time to look forward to Thor 2 coming up in November. Another movie which I have high expectations for.

There was additional scenes in the China version of the movie. Check out what you missed.