Encounters of the night

Was doing duty last night in base. At around 1plus am, me and my buddy, we both detected two apparitions (black in color), approx 200m out. Initially we thought someone is approaching our gate, but the speed 'they' were travelling at do not seem to be walking, more like running. BUT... they look more like they're floating across. WT*..... after a few seconds they turn into the hangar area where there's a canteen we called mango-tree canteen. It's dark at that area due to the presence of a few trees and so they disappeared into the darkness there. We were thinking if they were the dog handlers, but it's too unlikely due to the speed. It really made goosebumps on me and my buddy, though we didn't talk about it till our duty end. We left it at there and continued with our duty at the guardpost (or rather, do something to pass our time at the guardpost), which ended at 3am and our duties passed on to another pair.

The next morning, to our surprise, another of our mate saw the apparition as well, at exactly where we saw them. (looks just like a thumb, as described by Ooi who witnessed it at a later timing of 3-4am)

Eerie? Hmm... spooky. Remember that I learnt from someone/article that these apparitions, if you happen to see them near, they appear huge (prob like 2m tall? or prob taller?), and they seem to have no shoulders? (can't rem this part though). Seems to tally to what we saw, and of course the floating part. Judging from the size at that distance, they do appear huge.

This is my first ever encounter with the dark side. Wow, now I have my own story to tell!

Flashpoint

Managed to catch Flashpoint on Tues. The choreo of the fighting scenes were good, and seeing Donnie Yen reminds me of the times when he acted in a drama 精武门 as 陳真(best remembered as Bruce Lee's movie Fist of Fury).

The plot of the movie itself is a typical, where the hero (Donnie Yen) singlehandedly defeated the bad guys, and of course assisted slightly by his partner (Louis Khoo). A lot of efforts had been put in to make the fighting scences so good, including all the learning and practise from experts.

In the movie, Donnie Yen's character has the opening and closing statement, "Have I nabbed a bad guy wrongly?" "Police catch thieves, it's just that simple."
I was later telling my friend, "RP catch intruder, it's just that simple!"

After watching the movie, all the male hormones start to rush through body... WAH... must train myself! Haha... better embark on more training, spartan training to make stunting easier.

OOTW

Today is my 1st day of my 1st ICT (In-camp Training). Got some briefing from CO, my encik on what to expect and stuffs like that, and of course CO's prep talk.

In case you are wondering, the subject title stands for Operations Other Than War (OOTW). As the acronym itself suggests, should be self-explanatory.
Post-911, the whole world changed. The US's operation in Iraq is an OOTW, and likewise, our constantly ongoing counter-terrorism. My unit which was once the "lobo" unit where condemned personnels are sent, now is the high-flying unit of great importance in this OOTW, all thanks to 911. Are we indeed going to be empowered with more authority, and be able to do our daily operational tasks? I certainly hope so. RPs are always looked down on and disliked. A lot of servicemen(irregardless of ranks) often showed little respect for these men-in-green securing the safety of the base. What can be worse will be the lack of authority, where you are screwed for trying to do your job? Well, I certainly hope everything's changed. Indeed physically and structurally(to a certain extent), things have changed much since my last visit (that dates back to my ORD 5 years ago.. just a few more days). Let's hope the lives of these men-in-green are going in the correct direction.

Enough of that, now... on the 1st day of my ICT, we were showed certain (new) gadgets of the squadron. Hmm... interesting, "fisherman-gun", "pepper-spray", "electric-gun". I have amended the names of these gadgets for security purposes! And of course, don't expect any photos of that to be shown here, although pictorial would be extremely preferred and boost my viewership (if there's any.. well, seeing a comment from a friend recently shows some of my friends do visit my blog still! Thanks!). Okok... I will not breach any security. If you are indeed keen to know more about these gadgets, please PM me by all means.

Hmm, now for some interesting stories to share, courtesy of my CO. He was actually complaining about a newbie of the current Field Defence Course being conducted (or I think it's ending, not sure). During a stand-by bed, that newbie's field-pack was not operationally ready, which means not up to standard. So he was given confinement during the weekend. And so, he's feeling sad cause he won't be able to play his er-hu. He can't live without playing er-hu, apparently. Feeling depressed, guess what he did? AWOL(Absence Without Official Leave)!!!
He did called back subsequently, and was being persuaded to return to base (so that no criminal record will be etched in his bio-data), and of course he didn't heed the advice. In S'pore this island, how long can he escape? He's being blacklisted and just waiting to be caught. And 1 fine day, he's finally caught by MP, after AWOL for 30 days. Now, he will have to live with that criminal record. "Gu-niang soldier." That's quoted, and I agree! Are we breeding protectors or gu-niangs?

And of course, my dear CO also shared a little on the legendary xiao-Lee, who created a big hoo-hah recently. Well, he was charged, but what punishment he was given is of course unknown. And xiao-Lee's target was eventually court-martialed. There goes his career... he's made an enemy of the wrong person. (If you are keen to know more on the legendary xiao-Lee, courtesy of mrbrown)

Ok, that's all for my updates. Will be having IPPT and "computer games" this Wed. Hopefully my ICT will be fun-filled, without dangerous happenings though.

Fragile life

Just the 2 days past, I received two sms-es, each indicating that certain parent of my friend had passed away.
CK's mum passed away after felling from 16 storeys. A happy family, reason for fall is not known. When she's supposed to be enjoying her life.

M's dad passed away, after enduring the pains of lung cancer for the past 1 to 2 years.

The fragility of our lives.

Braddell Tree

I read with disappointment (refrain from using a stronger word), about the decision to cut down the 80 year old tree located along Braddell Road.

Few years back, LTA decided to keep it, after serious consideration, and impose a speed limit of 40kmph along that stretch to prevent any accidents from happening.

However, throughout this period, LTA monitored and noticed that few motorists actually adhere to the speed limit, often driving at speed deemed dangerous along the curvateous stretch of that road. They also received much complaints from drivers of near accident due to the tree. With that, they decided that to prevent any accidents and loss of lives, the tree has to go.


Several ppl have wrote into ST forum; with some commending and disagreeing with the decision. It's sad that despite previous efforts to preserve this iconic tree, which is older than the nation itself, all because of our own inability to drive slower and safer. Just like some readers mentioned, you have to educate ppl on drink driving, not by taking away alcohol. In the same way, we have to educate ppl about driving slower and safer along that stretch. With or without that tree, many drivers are still going to drive at speed dangerous along that stretch, probably faster than now, since the tree will be gone, and pose more dangers to other drivers. Is that going to prevent accidents from happening?

The tree has been cut; decision was announced in such short notice for any chances to salvage the situation.

Are you healthy?

Hmm... when I was asked this qn, I really pondered. A lot of people around me will definitely be stumped. How do we know if we are really healthy?
"I have no illness, no symptoms, so I am healthy." This seems right? However that is not really the case. No illness and symptoms does not necessarily mean you are healthy. This is the actual scenario in all big developed cities.
If you had read the papers, you might have realised that in January, 14 people died of sudden death. In fact, 14 is because that's the number of cases published in papers. There are definitely more than that in reality.
Now what is sudden death? Sudden death refers to natural death from cardiac causes, heralded by abrupt loss of consciousness within one hour of the onset of acute symptoms.
The most frequent underlying cause of sudden death is Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), accounting for 80% of sudden death.
It is happening from age group of 30-60 years old. It can happen anytime. Only few people have symptoms before sudden death.

Lifestyle is a very important factor in determining CAD.
1. Emotion; emotional stress is a big factor which can cause roller coaster ride for your heart.
2. Smoking; nicotine leads to vasoconstriction (narrowing of your blood vessels) which will lead to increase blood pressure (BP). The cigarette tar will also kill the alveoli (the bubble like part of your lung that is responsible for oxygen intake).
3. Sleep; irregular sleeping hours, sleeping too little, sleeping too much will also affect.
4. Working hours; working long hours is also a factor. Recommended to take short breaks in between long working hours.
5. Obesity; Every 1kg of fat mass will increase 709km of capillaries in your blood vessel network. In an average person, blood network is about 100,000km (2.5 times Earth diameter).

4 symptoms that may signify possibility of cardiac problems.
1. short of breath
2. dizziness
3. irregular heart beat.
4. feeling 'heavy' in the heart
*above symptoms do not mean definite cardiac problems.

For a normal healthy person
BMI 18.5 ~ 24
Waistline: Male <90cm
Female <>
Exceeding the range will increase possibility of cardiac problems.

333 Principle
Exercise 3 times per week, for at least 30 mins each session, making sure heart rate goes to 130 beat per min.
*if you have not been exercising for a long period of time, please increase your exercise intensity gradually.

What are the symptoms of cardiac pain?

• Minor pain, with breathing ok
• Referred pain; pain can go all the way from heart towards jaws, shoulders and hands. Atypical pain where the root cause of the pain is not at that location.
• Heart feeling heavy and tight. Breaking cold sweat.

We are all aware of cholesterol being a big factor in causing congestion of blood vessels. LDL cholesterol is the bad cholesterol.

Figure 1 – blood vessel. (reproduced by myself to avoid copyright issues)
Vessel lumen is where the blood flows.
Endothelium (single cell layer) is the inner lining of the blood vessel.
Subendothelial space is an empty space between endothelium and smooth muscle of blood vessel.

What exactly happens that leads to congestion of the blood vessel? LDL cholesterol (bad ones) enters into the subendothelial space and is easily oxidized by free radicals turning into oxidized LDL (oxLDL)

Monocytes (white blood cells) enter the subendothelial space and attempt to remove the oxLDL by engulfing them. This leads to the monocytes becoming damaged, and start to stick onto the endothelium, along with the huge amount of oxLDL it has engulfed, leading to accumulation of fats on the walls of blood vessels.

A complicated process that is termed inflammation of blood vessels is known in recent years to be the cause of atherosclerosis.

Root cause of heart disease is inflammation of the blood vessels due to oxidative stress.

• Oxidized LDL
• Homocystine
• Excessive free radicals

Above are some factors involved in the inflammation.

True prevention of CAD

1. Vitamin E
1. Fat-soluble
2. Incorporates itself with LDL (armour suit for LDL), protecting it against free radicals by giving out free electron to stabilize free radicals.
2. Vitamin C
1. Water soluble (flows through blood stream)
2. Preserve and protect the function of endothelium
3. Regenerates Vitamin E & intracellular glutathione
3. Glutathione
1. Made by our cells naturally
2. Most potent intracellular antioxidant
3. Requires selenium, Vit B2, niacin, cysteine
4. Bioflavanoids
1. Naturally occurring in fruits and vegetables
5. Decreasing homocysteine level
1. Increase in homocysteine is responsible for 15% of all heart attacks & strokes.
2. It occurs due to over-consumption of methione (present in canned foods, etc)
3. Methione will become homocysteine which is bad for blood vessel. In order to break it down back into methione and cysteine, our body requires folic acid, Vitamin B12, B6, otherwise the homocysteine will remain in that harmful state.

In summary

· Don’t smoke

· Be emotionally stable (be happy and optimistic always); avoid emotional stress

· Sleep regular hours

· Exercise regularly

· Ensure a proper diet balanced by good supplements (multivitamins and protein)
*Make sure to get good multivitamins. (that will take another chapter to explain)

Above are excerpts gotten during a health talk I attended, reproduced to the best of my knowledge. Health talks will be held monthly and I hope everyone will benefit from above information.

Yeah!!! Pass IPPT

Got silver~ yeah. After a week's of hard work, or rather, it's pure "nvr stop till it's the end" mentality during today's run, I finally managed to pass IPPT and avoid any possibility of RT. Haha~
Met a sec sch mate there as well. Had a chat with him.
It's been a tiring morning. After IPPT, went down to NUS to help with last training for Alphas. Get to stunt again. So fun.
After that, pop by to Vivo to watch the SKM (Singapore Kindness Movement) Cheerleading competition. Saw Singa the Lion (that's the courtesy lion), and Magnum Force alumni took part and they won. Denvers took part as well, and there's SAJC Serahs, Innova JC.

After a tiring day, have to rest well tonight.
Hmm, read on the papers about the white supremacy, that's been depicted in many movies. 300 for example, where the spartans were white manly figures, while the persians were depicted as dusky. It is quite true of how this has always been the case in hollywood movies.
If you actually went to find out more about the Greek-Persian war, you will notice that, after the persian defeat, it became the greeks' turn to be the aggressors, by invading Persians.


The movie has been linked to justify western aggression in war. Some food for thought...

Very tired, but very happy

In the countryside of India, there's a temple which gives out free food to commoners around the area. During the event, a villager came to help out. From the early morning, he started with all the chores around, tending to every tasks he can lay his hands on. Sweeping the grounds, cooking, fetching water. Till dusk, he's still toiling at the tasks, but still wears a smile on his face. Curious, a man steps up to ask him, "Aren't you tired, after working the whole day?"
He answers with a simple reply, "Very tired, but very happy."

Many times, we find ourselves being discouraged whenever we encounter problems, feel tired in what we are doing. However, if we probe deeper, we'll realise it's just a simple " Very tired, but very happy.", and we know it'll be worth everything we put in now.

Cheerobics 2007

Cheerobics 2007 is over.
Congrats to NTU Aces for winning the team category and to Team Spectrum for winning the group category.
Congrats to KR Steppers for winning second in the team category.

Congrats to Alpha Verve for finishing the competition with a nice crown.

Group category for the alumni for cheerobics 2008? I'm on for it. Must start my personal training, to make sure I can pass my IPPT first, haha, then stuntings here I come once again.

Spartan 战狼300

Finally went to watch the show this afternn. A brilliant show. By first, showing how the Spartans were being selected right from birth and how they were being brought up. Being taught how to fend for themselves (just like the Tibetan Mastiffs 藏獒).



Watching the show just brings about a raging fire burning within myself. 300 warriors fend off 300,000 or even more. It really goes to show how size is not the ultimate matter. Although eventually they perished, but the casualties of the Persian armies is way higher than the 300 Spartan warriors. Elite training can really make a difference, and how the whole Spartan army function as one entity, each protecting the right of another Spartan warrior, shows the team aspect of their fighting.

Let the Spartan fighting spirit be within us.

What Can You Do in 10 seconds?

This is what you can do in 10 seconds.

Multivitamins

Just read today's Mind Your Body in Straits Times, and realised there was so much furore on multivitamins.

After reading through, I will put in some review here in my blog for all to read.

Point 1) as stated in the article, the findings refer to synthetic supplements, that is, supplements that are created by means of human touch; man-made.
As such, when you are choosing a health supplements, it is recommended that you choose an certified organic one, i.e. everything natural right from the soil. If its soil has no story to tell, then it's not certified organic.

Point 2) as stated by Professor Barry Halliwell from NUS (a pioneer in research into free radicals and diseases), critics were missing the point in such studies. His main concern is not on "whether high doses of antioxidants are harmful or not. The question is, do they do any good?"
Studies suggest that large doses of single nutrients have the potential for harm.
Antioxidants are team players and reduce mortality in combination, which is why we take in a wide variety together, so that they can work together. Having too much of a single nutrient may also upset the body's metabolism.

Point 3) preferrable to take your supplements with meals, as most vitamins work better when there's food, as vitamins are workers who toil on the raw materials (carbo, fats, protein) to produce energy and manufacture our body foundation (e.g. skin, hair, nails, etc)

One thing that is not really mentioned is why organic supplements are most important. The importance lies in when the vitamins/minerals are extracted from the plants directly, along with them are the plant concentrates (phytonutrients, phytochemicals, phytofactors; there's many terms used for it) e.g. are lutein from spinach: good for eyes, lycopene from tomatoes: good for heart, prostate.
These cannot be synthesized, and can only be extracted from plants. This implies the quality of the plants is very important, which is why I mentioned that the soil must be very good in order to produce best plants. (What you cannot see affects what you see)

In summary, take a certified organic multivitamins/minerals. Consult me if you require any more info.

世間有四等人

In Alishan 阿里山 there's a 慈雲禪寺
寺旁起居室的窗外貼了幾句話：
世間有四等人....

1. 在無恩處，依然有恩：修行人，心平身自在。

2. 在有恩處，有恩：凡夫俗子，逢凶化吉，柳暗村明。

3. 在無恩處，無恩：人生不會有奇蹟。

4. 在有恩處，依然無恩：痛苦纏心，一無所有；身陷絕境，一無所剩。

Am glad that I am currently in a great environment where I am working towards being 1. or 2. Would be great if more ppl will join me in becoming 一等人 or 二等人.

Importance of Supplements

I have been reading a book on nutrition.
It's written by a doctor who was anti-supplements, until his wife's poor health constituition was vastly improved by antioxidants( vitamins and others). That's when he went on to find out more on antioxidants.

Everyday in our body, during the ATP cycle (a phase in our body where energy is produced using Oxygen) there exists the possibility of radicals being formed.
Radicals (scroll to the bottom half to see about the ATP issue) can attack our body cells leading to deterioration of our body. They are unstable due to an additional electron. They would require an additional electron, which can be obtained from antioxidants. The antioxidants don't become free radicals by donating that electron, because they are stable in either form (whether they have filled electron shell or additional electron). A similar process is iron rusting and a cut apple turning yellow.
Antioxidants can reduce oxidative damage to cells and biomolecules. Basic antioxidants will be Vitamins A, C, E, B complex, Coenzyme Q10.

In the book, it was mentioned about athletes, who train with great intensity, the amount of radicals produced will be greatly increased, due to the increase of ATP activities. In a book by Kenneth Cooper - Antioxidant Revolution, it was mentioned that over-exercise can actually be harmful, especially when accumulated throughout the years. Dr Cooper suggested people to have moderate exercise, coupled with antioxidants in their supplements & diet. Athletes who train vigorously will need a high dose of antioxidants supplement to prevent the harm of radicals.

You'll now ask won't taking more fruits & veggies be sufficient?
Those you obtain from our daily diet is like the frontline soldiers. In our battle against radicals, we'll need reinforcements, resupplies, 'food', 'ammunitions' , 'water', etc.
These will have to come from our supplements which are like our NSmen, who will be activated when the need comes. We need our NSmen to be ever-ready and fighting fit. Likewise, the antioxidants we consume into our body must be of the top notch quality as well.

I know there will be people who don't believe in supplements, nonetheless, I strongly encourage you all to start taking (if you haven't done so) multivitamins&minerals and even purely vitamins A,C,E, Bcomplex. Girls, vits ACE can help in complexion!
Other than vitamins&minerals, protein will be another important nutrients we need. I will supply more info on that later, otherwise mail too long.
If you need any information like how all these radical things happen, or which brand of supplements to get, pls feel free to ask me.

Dr Lee

Met Dr Lee today again. Learnt so much life experiences from him. Have included his link in my blog now. woohoo~, whoever complains that my blog no updates, well, can read his blog that has much info as well.
A small article from his blog.

8 generation under a roof!!??!! Wow... celebrate your grandson's 75 years old birthday!!! The advances of medical science.