Phew! *Wiping sweat off my forehead* I have disappeared from the Blogosphere for a while but now I am back! Now.. what have I been busy week the past 3 weeks???
A picture paints a thousand words... just take a look....
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Incident Report
On 27th October 2008 (Monday) at around 10:00am, the owner of the Samsung D880 Dual Sim Handphone woke up and made his wake to the toilet to wash up. En route to the toilet, the owner picked up his handphone to read some of the SMS sent to him in the night. He brought the handphone into the toilet and after reading the SMSes, the owner placed the Samsung D880 handphone on the flushing system cover of the toilet bowl before proceeding to wash up.
After brushing his teeth and washing his face, without drying his hands, the owner reached out to grab his Samsung D880 handphone from the toilet bowl flushing system cover and wanted to proceed out to the living room for breakfast.
However, for unexplainable reasons, the owner didn't manage to get a good grip of the Samsung D880 handphone and it slipped through his fingers and tumbled into the toilet bowl below.
The Samsung D880 handphone executed a 1.5 somersault move before a perfect plunge into the waters of the toilet bowl. The owner watched in despair and within a split second plunged his right hand into the murky toilet bowl waters to rescue the Samsung D880 handphone. Within 5 seconds, he managed to rescue D880 out of the waters, but it had already been knocked unconscious.
The owner immediately rushed out, grabbed a dry towel and quickly started drying Samsung D880. He took out D880's battery, SIM cards and Memory Card to dry them and also performed CPR (by blowing away any excess water) in hope to resuscitate Samsung D880. However, at this point, Samsung D880 was still unconscious.
After 5 minutes of frantic attempts, the owner decided to bring Samsung D880 down to the Ah-Beng handphone shop nearby and seek immediate help. While at the Ah-Beng handphone shop, the "doctors" opened Samsung D880 up and found traces of rust on its metallic parts. At that point, the "doctors" declared Samsung D880 dead, and there was no way of reviving it.
Attached along is a detailed autopsy report:
News Reporters from the Cha-Pa-Rang Times caught up the distraught owner of the Samsung D880 handphone. Check out what he says about the sudden death of Samsung D880:
"It's just so sudden! I never thought such things could happen... I mean... I have heard about such freak accidents happening to my friends before and I always laugh it off. I never thought it could happen to me! *Sob sob*"
"I will NEVER bring my handphone to the toilet again!!!" Read more on this article...
Yes! Believe it or not! I went to catch the movie High School Musical 3 yesterday! And I am seriously thinking of catching High School Musical 2 (if my schedule permits me) which will be shown on TV5 tonight!!
Now, what's my take for HSM3? *Drumroll*
Storyline:
One word - CHEESY!
Music, Singing & Dancing:
Amazing vocals, choreographed dance moves and how everything pieced together! You will definitely be shaking your leg or grooving to the beat of the songs
Family Entertainment Value:
Am sure the kids will love it. I've watched it with a 11 year old boy whom said this after the show, "I don't mind watching it again!". The songs and dance will really engage the entire family. But of course, parents and adults please help to process and "debrief" with your children that real school life is not like that. And be careful of those short skirts flying around during the dances, may stumble the kids.
In overall.......
If you are a High School Musical fan, you should catch this to follow through what you have watched.
If you have never seen any High School Musical series (just like me and my girlfriend), go catch it as well! Best when watched without any expectations.
If you are true blue action movie fan, you should try watching HSM to appreciate a bit more about musicals. (minus the cheesy storyline though....)
Read more on this article...
News and photos taken from Telegraph.co.uk
Giant spider eating a bird
The pictures show the spider with its long black legs wrapped around the body of a dead bird suspended in its web. The startling images were reportedly taken in Atheron, close to Queensland's tropical north.
Joel Shakespeare, head spider keeper at the Australian Reptile Park, said the spider was a Golden Orb Weaver. "Normally they prey on large insects… it's unusual to see one eating a bird," he told ninemsn.com .... "It uses its venom to break down the bird for eating and what it leaves is a food parcel," he said. (full report here >>>)
Leopard savaging a crocodile
The giant cat raced out of cover provided by scrub and bushes to surprise the crocodile, which was swimming nearby.
A terrible and bloody struggle ensued. Eventually, onlookers were amazed to see the leopard drag the crocodile from the water as the reptile fought back.With the crocodile snapping its powerful jaws furiously, the two animals somersaulted and grappled.
Despite the crocodile's huge weight and strength, the leopard had the upper hand catching its prey by the throat. Eventually the big cat was able to sit on top of the reptile and suffocate it... The whole scene happened in the course of about 5 minutes. Then the leopard was gone. (full report here >>>)
Mouse bites snake to death
A mouse bit a venomous viper to death after it was thrown into the snake's cage as a lunchtime snack. The tiny rodent killed the snake after a fierce 30-minute battle, emerging with "barely a scratch on him", according to on person who saw the fight. The furry creature had other ideas. Instead of cowering from the 12in snake's gaping jaws and long fangs, it went on the offensive.
"It attacked the snake continuously, biting and scratching it," one firefighter said. (full report here >>>)
Heron catches rabbit
Enjoying a leisurely wade in the waters of the Dutch undergrowth this grey heron decided to go in search of lunch when he came across this unsuspecting black rabbit.
Undeterred by its size, the grey heron, the largest bird of its kind in Europe, swooped down and gobbled the rabbit up in one mouthful... The rabbit screamed loudly when it was hanging helplessly in the bill of the big heron.
The heron tried to kill the rabbit by putting it under water. After about half a minute the rabbit was almost dead but as it moved it was put under water by the heron again.
When the poor little rabbit had finally died the heron swallowed the rabbit completely. It was not that easy because of the size but finally the heron was successful. (full report here >>>)
Food 4 Thoughts:
Am totally struck dumbfounded by these news.... It wonder what got into these animals that made them react/behave this way. Genetics? El Nino? Or have they just gone bonkers? Mother Nature also has her whacky days....Not everything can be explained by science itself. Yicks!!! Read more on this article...
Did I manage to catch you attention with the headlines? Haha... I was sharing with some student through my Cyber Wellness lessons that in blogging, one of the ways to catch peoples' attention to read your blog further would be using a shocking headline.
Well, I didn't literally experience near death like an accident or what at Bedok Reservoir. It was just that I was almost out of breath by the time I reached Bedok Reservoir during my marathon training run on Monday. *duh*
Check out my marathon training till date. I clocked in 11KM on Monday! *Yay!!*
This was the furthest distance ran till date for me. But what was disappointing was that I really took a much longer time. I had set a target of 1 hour 15 min, but ended up in 1 hour 30 min! A couple of probable reasons as I sat down to reflect after the run:
1. There was no push factor. I was running by myself without anyone alongside to spur and encourage me on. Thus, naturally there wasn't any urgency to push to run faster or even maintain consistent speed. I ended up running slower and slower.....2. I tried a new route and wasn't mentally prepared. I changed my mind halfway through the run and opted for a new route. I couldn't visualize what was ahead and soon I really regretted embarking on this untried journey. When the dreaded feeling sets in, I also lost the momentum and desire to run. I just felt like stopping to walk my way home. But with every last ounce of my willpower, I literally dragged myself through and forbid myself to walk. It was really a battlefield in the mind.
My 20 Cents worth of Thoughts:
Interestingly, isn't that much about how our daily living is as well?
We all need a friend alongside us to spur and encourage us on. Especially when we are going through tough times, it really means a lot to have someone stand by you cheering, encouraging and motivating you on.
Many times when the odds are stacked against us, we really really feel like throwing in the towel. Our spirit may be willing, but the flesh is weak. Someone may be blowing smoke from a cigarette in your face tempting you to try smoking, and if you don't, he taunts you for being a cowardly chicken. Do you give in?
Trust me guys and girls, many time you have to exercise your willpower in making decisions and not allow your feelings get in the way. If you strongly believe in the values and principles that were taught to you by your parents and teachers, then will yourselves to follow it. Do not just blindly follow your feelings and end up walking the road of regrets. Read more on this article...
Well, we have all read news about Siamese twin babies all around the world. Check out this news about Siamese twin FISHES!! Here's an excerpt from the article:
"It is so incredibly rare that you would think Siamese twin fish attached at the stomach would never survive.
But at eight months old, these two Nile Tilapia fish in Thailand have found the perfect way to cope with life upside down... or the right way up if you're the lucky twin.
The bigger fish protects its smaller sibling on the bottom, while it in turn looks for food.
The Nile Tilapia fish is a common freshwater species found in tropical rivers, canals, lakes and ponds but these two were found in a Bangkok aquarium.
The fish can reaches a maximum of 2ft in length and can weigh up to 9lb.
Behind shrimp and salmon Nile Tilapia is the third most imported fish to the U.S."
Food 4 Thought:
Life can be somehow very unfair at times... even to fishes! But do they give up and just die? NO! Though born with handicap and deficiencies, this pair of conjoined twin, they have somehow developed a sense of resilience and continued to pursue survival in their unnatural environment! (Try living your entire life upside down man!)
If a fish can develop such tenacious, never-give-up attitude... Why can't us human beings? Think a bit more about it... we are more than a fish right?!?!
Read more on this article...
Tears welling up in the little boy's eyes, he fought hard to prevent the tears from trickling down. Tears are a sign of weakness and boys do not shed tears. Standing in the middle of the living room and with a surge in audacious boldness, the little boy pointed at his Mum and shouted with great anger in his tone....
"Mum! You go and die! I don't want to friend you already!"
With clenched fists, the little boy turned around and stormed back into his bedroom, throwing his face into the pillow and punching the bed mattress. He thinks within himself, "I hate you Mum! Why won't you buy me that Transformer toy?!?!"
The little boy's Mum heaved a sigh of sadness and walked back into the kitchen to continue with her household chores. She's speaks to herself, "Sigh... When will this boy ever learn that earning money is not easy?"
Such a scenario just keeps repeating itself through the next few years. Tempers somehow just easily flare up resulting in quarrels with cursing remarks and vulgarities flying about. From refusal to buy toys, to failing tests, to stealing money, to forgetting to flush the toilet after use. Seemingly ANYTHING could result in a quarrel in this family.
------- (Pause) --------
This is no ordinary family... Welcome to MY family.... 18 years ago. And yes, the little boy above is non other than me. You must have skipped a heartbeat upon knowing this right? Far cry from the goodie goodie guy you know of me today. Ignorant, arrogant, ill-tempered, want everything my way....etc. You name any spoilt-child like attitude, I almost have them all. I never knew why I behaved like that in those years. Perhaps it was bad peer influence. Perhaps it the lack of a Father figure in my early childhood years as my Dad was working hard overseas. Perhaps it was just any child's growing up phase. Well, I never got down to diagnosing what really it was.
But one thing I know.. I am really thankful that my Mum never gave up on me despite all the verbal abuses I hurled at her in those growing up years. Instead of shutting me out or exchanging verbal abuses with me, she continued to love and care for me faithfully in the little everyday things which I had often taken for granted. Things like covering blanket for me in the middle of the night, washing and ironing my clothes, preparing breakfast for me daily before school, giving me tuition, piggy back me to the doctor when I injured my leg...etc. And the list is never ending even until today.
I know that a large part of who I am today is because of my Mum - how she has given to me and how I have modeled after her. She does have her flaws in many ways and may not be a perfect Mum (no one is perfect anyway), but to me, she's the best Mum in the world! *clap clap clap*
Photo taken when I was 17 years old on a family vacation in South Africa.Thank you Mum! This post is specially dedicated to you! Love you!
To all out there: In your journey of growing up, have you taken your Mum for granted unknowingly? Maybe it starts with saying 'Thank You' to your Mum the next time she does something for you. It's as simple as that. You don't need to wait for Mother's Day to make it special for your Mum. You can make everyday a Mother's Day for your Mum by appreciating her! Read more on this article...
... (continued from previous post).... I slotted in my debut token and started my first arcade game adventure. I lost the first game within 5 minutes. Not satisfied, I put in another token again. This time I won the first game but lost the second. Without consideration, I put in another token and before I knew it, 2 hours had just zipped by and I have finished up my $5 worth of tokens!
I left the arcade center feeling proud of my achievements within those 2 hours... It was a satisfying feeling long never felt before, definitely not when I am playing on the real soccer pitch with my friends. I thought to myself, "Hmm.. I kinda talented in Virtual Soccer. Give it a few more tries, I am sure I can do much better and beat any player who tries to challenge me! And this is definitely better than slogging out on the court with my friends whom always tease me. If I excel in this game, I will be King!"
Subsequently, days hanging out in the arcade center snowballed to months. What started out as Fun soon became an Obsession (or should I say addiction even). My reputation in the arcade center grew as I got better by the day on the virtual soccer field. I would attract a fairly large crowd watching me play and even cheering me on when I challenge other players.
"Wow! In school, I am a Nobody.... In this game, I am Somebody. I am a Force to be reckon with! Don't mess with me or I will trash you!"
News spread like wildfire and soon my classmates got wind of my new found fame on being the 'King of Virtual Soccer'. Now, no longer do they tease me, but instead they are asking me for tips and advices on how to play well in Virtual Soccer! Sometimes I would hear my classmates whisper to students from other classes...
"Hey, EeJay is really good at Virtual Soccer! He trashes everyone whom challenges him at the arcade center! If you need advice on the game, you should look for EeJay! He's a Pro!"
Gosh! I suddenly feel like the Senior Consultant of Virtual Soccer! *smug look on my face*
I was simply basking and enjoying this new found fame until things came crashing down to earth when one day a student from another class came up to me and said..... (to be continued)...
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Check out my marathon training route today with Semukun... 10KM!!
We did it in approximately 1 hour WITHOUT stopping... and Boy... We really ran our lungs, calves, ankles, knees, hamstrings out! We were still crapping happily for almost 3/4 of the run. But by the time we hit 8KM, we could barely catch our breathe. Crapping ceased, silence took over with heavy panting and gasping for air.. It was all serious business from then on as we worked our way up the final stretch of Depot Road 10-degree slopes which was tormenting!
One important thing I reflected during the run today was that once Semukun and I embarked on the run today, there was no turning back...No money to flag cab...
No EZ-Link card to catch a bus ride...
All we had was each other, and We Are In This Together!
Finishing the 10KM today means more than just marathon training, or exercising. (---> Check out the fat boy photo. I don't want to be like that again! Yikes!) But it speaks volumes about Commitment to finish what we started out together.
"In the fast-food society we live in today, Commitment is a cheap word. We can easily start out on something, and once we hit the bumps, we throw in the towel. We don't care whom gets hurt or left behind, all we care is about ourselves. Friendships, work, studies, relationships..... everything has become wishy-washy or broken today because of the lack of commitment."Do you have an issue with being committed and following through what you do today?
Don't just take the easy way out. Learn to finish what you started.
Special thanks to Semukun! Thanks for the inspirational run today man. Greatly appreciate the commitment (both vocal and silent period) through the run. Let's get Mr Bang Bang to join us too! Read more on this article...
Check out my latest buy! A Newbie Polo T-Shirt!
Can you imagine? I never heard about this brand until my youths told me about it months. And I have NEVER seen a Newbie apparel until last Saturday when I was shopping for a birthday gift for one of my youth. Yes yes.. Laugh at me all you want for being a Mountain Tortoise (Sua Ku)... *sulk*
But YES! Today I am proud to say that I am part of the Youth Revolution! New World Order!
Gone are the days of Gianne Versace, Giogio Armani, Polo Ralph Lauren, Valentino.... Nay... those are Dinosaur generation stuff... I have "Crossed Over" to Newbie, Pure Milk... (anymore? Those are the only two brands I know now. Someone please educate me... keke..)
PS: I am not advocating materialism. Just sharing my journey of jumping my Fashion-sphere to connect with the young people. =)
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8.5KM. That's the distance I covered today. Not too bad considering that this was my third run within a span of four days! I felt good after the run and could still have gone on to complete 10KM. But the aroma of my Mum's cooking was just too alluring to be ignored, so I headed home instead.
A random thought... 13 years ago, I could never imagine myself jogging. To me then, you might as well kill me if you want me to run! Why? Check out this photo below and you will understand why... (can you spot me?)
Ok Ok... back to the more serious stuff...
Something that I reflected and learned from my run today. Because I was running along the road, I had to take occasional pauses due to traffic lights (Yes, I am a good citizen whom only occasionally jay-walk, but not all the time!). These pauses helped me to catch my breathe and actually helped me a lot in lasting the distance to complete the run. I figured that if I had ran at a constant pace without stopping, I probably wouldn't have lasted 8.5KM. Maybe at 5KM I would have been breathless and took the short-cut home!
Isn't it something like life? Sometimes we go through life at such break-neck speed and try to accomplish many things at one time. We multi-task, work late, bring work home, constantly checking our email on our BlackBerry/PDA/iPhones... The culture, technology and environment we live in never seem to know how to slow down!
That's why, all the more, we need to INTENTIONALLY take pauses along the way to relax, recuperate, regroup and reorganize. It helps to be more effective and efficient in the work that we do. It helps us to last this frantic pace of life without breaking down or burning out.
Have you Rested today? Read more on this article...
That's the number of days left before I enter the battlefield where Mind, Body, Soul and Heart will be challenge - The Standard Chartered Singapore 42KM Marathon 2008. Having completed two previous marathons in 2005 and 2006, I thought I would be rather numb or near dreadful about taking on this year's run, but somehow I am very high spirited and looking forward! The major reason has got to be the fact that I am actually making effort to train for this marathon as compared with previous runs where I just grind my way through.
Special thanks to Shem and Joy whom have been my jogging buddies as we toiled round our Bukit Merah route. It's really motivating to have someone running alongside you, especially someone like Shem whom I can crap with along the way. Hahaha... I REALLY wish we could crap through the entire 42KM!!
Here's the route that I ran with Shem and Joy yesterday after work.. 5.8KM. But it was a killer route with breath-taking up-slopes!
And here's the route that I just ran today.. 6.7KM. Flat terrain but had to battle in my mind to complete the run having already ran yesterday.
My next target would be to run 10KM non-stop!
I'm gonna be blogging more often about our training progress. So keep in tracks with me!
You can also check out Shem's blog @ http://semukun.blogspot.com to see if he enjoyed running with me! Wahahaha...
Acknowledgements: Special thanks to http://42.195km.net/e/jogsim/ for making our jogging route tracking possible! Read more on this article...
Let me translate what the SMS says:
ADV: Sexy voices hotline, quench your desire for love, re-igniting the passionate love within you @ XXXX-XXX-XXXX (island-wide lowest rate of $0.78/min. Indulge yourself in passion! To unsubscribe, reply 'CR')
Shocking! A couple of thoughts flashed through my mind the moment I received it. How in the world did these people get my handphone number? What happens if a young child receives such an SMS? Gosh! The propagation of pornography is really rampant... seemingly EVERY platform of information transmition has been 'utilized' to become avenues of flooding pornography or sexual connotative materials!
You may or may not have received such SMSes before, but brace yourselves for them to come. Such spams and floodings are going to be the common thing in this digital age as everyone is working through all channels to get everyone's attention via every means.Honestly, there's just no way to track down how they got my mobile number and try to ban them. After a while it will still come back again. But there are still ways we can help ourselves.. so let me, the Cyber Wellness guru, share with you some practical tips:
1. When you receive such spam SMSes, delete it immediately! You never know.. some of these SMSes may be tagged along with a virus that will damage your handphone! Do not forward to your friends as well!2. DO NOT be drawn in and call back to these hotline. Firstly it is for your personal well-being. A lot of these SMS are just but a front to attract people. Behind it lurks the danger of pornography and sexual services. Secondly, you may think that 0.78cents/min is petty cash. You're WRONG! Once you call, the hotline services will just lure you with those purring and seductive voices and before you know it, it's 30 minutes! 30 minutes X 0.78 cents = $23.40!
3. DO NOT unsubscribe from these marketing SMS by replying to them. E.g. in my case above, replying "CR" back to the sender won't help. Because most of these SMS are mass spamming - they are just randomly sending out to everyone within this series of mobile number i.e. 9100 0001, 9100 0002, 9100 0003.....etc. By replying, you are effectively telling them that your number is Active and they will just keep spamming you with more of such SMSes! So the best way is to just ignore and delete.
Read more on this article...
.. (continued from previous post)... How is it possible that I've got a history of computer gaming addiction? What actually happened??? It all started back in Secondary 3 where I was totally fed-up with my friends for constantly gearing, picking at me and their sarcastic jokes.
Since Secondary 1, I was already an avid soccer fan and would stay back after school daily hanging out with my friends on the soccer field or court. However, there is something about me then which makes every player wish that they would not be in the same team as me. Because at 13 years old, I was standing at 1.60 meters tall and weighing in at 85KG!! Humongous right? It was like a Sumo Wrestler trying to play soccer! Naturally at such an incredible hulk frame, I was easily the most clumsy and slowest person around on the pitch (and presumably the entire school!), therefore no one would want me in their team because it seems like they would have an added liability!
A typical scenario would look like this:
We would split into our random teams via the age-old traditional method of "Oh-Ah-Bei-Ah-Som" (if you do not know this methodology, you definitely belong to the Generation Z! *blink blink*)
Whichever group that unfortunately has me in their team would usually react this way, "Alamak!! Sure lose liao! Got Fatty Bum Bum in our team! Siao liao lah... we must work extra hard now cos we are one man down. Can we put him on the Free transfer list?!?!"
Hanging my head in disgust and discouragement, I would drag my feet and walk to my publicly-assigned and self conceited position - the Goal Post!
Sometimes I would voice out requesting to play in other positions to try out, hoping to get more involved in the real soccer action. Some common response from my friends would be...
"Please lah... just stay where you are and don't run out! Give us some hope by staying where you are.."
"Oh man... please don't come out. You are DESTINED to be a goalkeeper! You look so cool standing there.. and plus.. look at your waistline! It is almost the same width as the goal mouth! All you need to do is to shift your buttocks left and right, and you can block all the shots! Plus you go so much fats.. the balls will rebound really far away! You are born to be a goalkeeper man!!!" (said with a snigger and sarcastic tone)
I was always bombarded with these negative comments and the only thing I could do was to just swallow them down and accepted them. I didn't want to walk away from my friends because I don't have other friends and didn't want to be seen as a loner too. So for the entire four years in Secondary School, I was constantly bombarded with these crude negative remarks and would ALWAYS play as the goalkeeper. *Sad* In my mind, I was thinking, "I am lousy in my studies. Now I am also a loser in the soccer game. Gosh! Am I a loser in life?!?!"
Things went further downhill for me two years later in Secondary 3. Out of boredom one day, I decided to drop by one of the Arcade center near my house and wanted to play any games to distress and ventilate my frustrations. The "Virtual Soccer" game caught my attention and since I also like soccer as well, I was thinking maybe I can try out all the skills I wanted to in the real game, but never had a chance to in this game!
I slotted in my debut token and started my first arcade game adventure. I lost the first game within 5 minutes. Not satisfied, I put in another token again. This time I won the first game but lost the second. Without consideration, I put in another token and before I knew it..... (to be continued).....
Read more on this article...
Computer games of today are so much different compared to those that I played when I grew up back 15 years ago. When I was in Secondary School days, the Internet had only slowly begun coming into trend, and back those days, the fastest available Internet speed around was via the 56K dial-up modem using the household telephone line. Surfing the net was a dread due to the slow congested speed and by the time one gets to read through all his emails, one season of English Premier League would have already gone by! (exaggerated)
When teenagers play online computer games today, they are literally spoilt for choice! From the fantasy games like World Of Warcraft and Cabal, to the cute-looking 2-Dimensional games such as MapleStory. Teenagers typically get glued to the screen for hours just fulfilling in-game quests and virtual landscape explorations. This scene is vastly different in my 'dinosaur' time - the Internet wasnt' so well developed yet and thus not to mention the idea about games. My computer then was black screen with green lines and the only noise it makes is "Teh Teh Teh!"
However, back in those days, I was very much drawn into playing a different kind of computer games. In fact, I was so hooked that my whole world would just orientate and revolved around that game. I was 'addicted' to the arcade game - Virtual Striker, a soccer game where it could be player vs. computer or player vs. player. I spent most of my free time and the arcade center and was almost like the P.R of the center. Even the center manager would recognize me and treat me a can of Coke from time to time!
Screenshot from arcade game - Virtual SoccerHowever, this 'addiction' was so potent that it brought me to a point where I isolated myself from my friend for almost a year and even almost got kicked out of school because of declining school grades!!!
Look at me now.... 29 years old, enjoying a good and fulfilling career, happily in love, and family doing well. How is it possible that I've got a history of computer gaming addiction? What actually happened???
It all started back in Secondary 3 where I was ..... (to be continued) Read more on this article...
Article from TODAY, 13th September 2008
Many of you would have heard the news by now: Lance Armstrong, the 7-times Tour de France champion whom retired 3 years ago, is back in the professional cycling scene and attempts to challenge for his 8th Tour de France title next year!
Now, what makes this "resurrection" from retirement evermore so impressive and inspiring was the fact that Lance Armstrong is a cancer survivor. Having started out his pro-cycling term on the Tour de France in 1993, he was getting better in his performance by the year and many would have expected him to win the Tour de France in 1996. However, that was when disaster struck - Lance Armstrong was diagnosed with Testicular Cancer, and (listen to this) the cancerous cells had already spread to his lungs, brain and abdomen! Doctors have listed that Lance's chances of survivor was just a mere 40%.
Pause. How would you have reacted under such circumstances if you were Lance Armstrong? Honestly for me, I would be totally devastated and lost hope on everything in life! Or probably I would give up on cycling, stay home to sulk and complain that life is just seemingly so unfair.
Story continues. But that was not the response from Lance Armstrong. He spent the next two years undergoing intensive regiments of chemotherapy, brain surgery to remove the tumors and even an orchiectomy to remove the diseased testicle (ouch!).
Lance Armstrong's death-defying comeback to the cycling scene began in 1998 on a local competition where he came in 4th. Then in 1999, he won his first Tour de France, leaving the second place cyclist breathing in his tracks of dust by a hefty 7 min 37 seconds! Tremendous accomplishment for a guy whom just a year ago was battling surgeries, rehabilitations and threaded along the brink of death! This road win in 1999 marked the first of the next 6 Tour de France win that was to come. Between 1999 - 2005, Lance Armstrong won 7 Tour de France titled in total, achieving 22 individual stage wins and 11 time trials!
There has been much commotion since the public announcement about why Lance Armstrong wants to come out from retirement. Was it for the money? Was it just another commercially viable publicity stunt? What's Lance Armstrong trying to prove here?
Frankly speaking, it doesn't really matter whether Lance Armstrong wins another Tour de France title or not. Just by looking at his illustrious and adversary-denying track history, I am already inspired by his never-say-die attitude. Whatever the circumstances of life, this guy just refuse to take it lying down and rises up to challenge the odds.
I like what the article above mentioned about Lance Armstong: "He's prepared for the mother of all comebacks, because Armstrong the cancer survivor is all about how men and women can overcome great odds, to reach the mountain top."
May you be inspired by Lance Armstrong's testimony. Irregardless of the odds that may be stacked against us in life, we can choose to rise up and fight on! You can be a 'Lance Armstrong' in every way.
Glossary:
(1) The Tour de France is the world's best-known bicycle race. Started in 1903 and run every year excluding the world wars, it is nowadays a 23-day, 21-stage road race usually covering more than 3,500 kilometres (2,200 mi).
(2) Castration (also referred to as: gelding, neutering, fixing, orchiectomy, and orchidectomy) is any action, surgical, chemical, or otherwise, by which a male loses the functions of the testes. In common usage the term is usually applied to males, although as a medical term it is applied to both males and females.
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A month ago, I had a rather traumatizing encounter while shopping at a shopping mall. This incident happened while I was traveling up on the escalator. Sited ahead of me, next to the step out point from the escalator, there was a shop brandished with perfumes and cosmetic products. What shocked me at that particular point was that one of the salesgirl, back facing the store entrance and wearing a mini flair skirt, was climbing up on a ladder and stocking up products in the cabinet. She was totally oblivious to the fact that in that position, she was going to almost let everyone around have a free upskirt show!
It didn't need to take supersonic senses for me to understand what was coming next if I were to continue staring for another 10 seconds. Instantaneously as this salesgirl started her climb up the ladder, I immediately turned my eyes away to look elsewhere. Phew! A huge sigh of relief.... (I will explain my point later in this post. Read on.)
Traumatized enough, I wasn't prepare to stay around to spot the "Ti-Ko-Pek"s whom may be drooling at this free view nor see if there were anyone whom would go and get this salesgirl down from the ladder. I zipped off to the next level and carried on with my shopping.
Gosh! What has happened to the dressing culture of the teenage girls of today? Aren't they worried of over (or indecent) exposure when they wear such short flair kind of skirts? Honestly, I have nothing against girls wearing skirt, but I just feel strongly that there's got to be a limit to how far this can go. There has been enough horror stories of molest cases and people using handphone cameras to capture upskirt pictures. I seriously think girls can go one step further to protect themselves by giving their mini-skirts a bit more cloth-lengthening.
To the Girls: Yes, you do have the free-will to wear anything you like. Yes, guys should learn to be more self-controlled and not have wandering eyes. But the truth is that you will do yourselves and the guys a huge favor by re-considering your approach the next time you want to wear those short skirts. You can take active measures to protect yourselves. Example: If you are wearing those mini-skirts, do use you handbags to block or get a friend to stand behind you while you travel up the escalators. and for goodness sake, girls please do not climb ladders when you are wearing skirts. I am sure there are plenty of gentlemen around whom can lend their muscles to help you. Honestly, we guys are all visually stimulated, that slight upskirt/buttline/over-fleshy exposure will trigger a lot of reaction through our mind.
Having said this, Girls, you do not need to wrap yourselves up like a dumpling. Either opt for longer length skirts or learn to take proper preventive measures. I am certain beauty and proper cover can co-exist.
To the Guys: Now, be truthful and do not just bluntly shift all the blames to the girls. Let's also learn to exercise self-control and respect the ladies. Be alert at ALL times! And learn to turn your eyes away when you expect some of these exposure may come. If you have a girlfriend, learn to share this with your girlfriend and ask her to help give you warning signals! And sometimes if by accident you do catch a glimpse, just turn away and walk off. DO NOT allow yourself to be glued!
Some of you may say, "Wah.. but free show mah, why don't see? Anyway it's not harmful mah!" WRONG! Honestly, how is staring at upskirts of ladies different from watching pornography???? The end results and effects are the same - our values and moral standards towards sexuality becomes eroded! And some may end up becoming perverts whom take upskirt photos as their secret obsession!
So guys, be alert and stay clear!!!
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