I think that I will be missing my self soon...
A new beginning awaits..... Vamos!!
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Back in SG!
Back in sunny Singapore after a short getaway to Japan with the girlfriend over the past week. Mainly stayed at Tokyo, but I also did a daytrip to Nikko. Wonderful looking shrines and temples, but also a great experience soaking in all things Japanese. Gotta love the food there. (Though I'll steer clear of it for some time, especially after all the raw fish & oyster at Tsukiji!)
Anyway, had Commencement yesterday... Cut short my Japan trip just to make this ceremony so inside I was really hoping that it wouldn't be a letdown since the trip was shortened. Turns out I was pleasantly surprised with the event... simple, fast, caught up with old friends (who weren't hesitating about making full use of networking time), and took loads of photos =) To think of it, this would likely be my last ceremony for some time where I'm getting some award or sort of. And possibly my last step into NUS for some time, bar the tennis sessions heh. In any case, to all my fellow graduate friends, happy Graduation!
Will upload photos as soon as I get my hands on them, for both Japan and Commencement, so stay tuned for it.
Oh, and thank you Rafa, new Wimbledon champion, for justifying my trust in you... [see previous post]... Vamos!!!!
Anyway, had Commencement yesterday... Cut short my Japan trip just to make this ceremony so inside I was really hoping that it wouldn't be a letdown since the trip was shortened. Turns out I was pleasantly surprised with the event... simple, fast, caught up with old friends (who weren't hesitating about making full use of networking time), and took loads of photos =) To think of it, this would likely be my last ceremony for some time where I'm getting some award or sort of. And possibly my last step into NUS for some time, bar the tennis sessions heh. In any case, to all my fellow graduate friends, happy Graduation!
Will upload photos as soon as I get my hands on them, for both Japan and Commencement, so stay tuned for it.
Oh, and thank you Rafa, new Wimbledon champion, for justifying my trust in you... [see previous post]... Vamos!!!!
Monday, June 30, 2008
Mid-Wimbledon Prediction
I'm gonna stick my neck out and say here, that the best player in Wimbledon 08 is not Federer, but Nadal. Money's on him to win the championships.
Let's see if this pans out in a week's time.
Let's see if this pans out in a week's time.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Journey through history...
2 rather interesting flash animations depicting
- the influence of religion through ancient times (of the 4 major religions today), and
- Rulers of the Middle East region through known history
Note: flash was too large to be embedded, so they open in a new window.
I've always been interested in historical Europe, especially circa 500 BCE to 1500 CE. I've been hoping to find some maps actually, that show snapshots of the european theatre in this period. To that end, these 2 resources, were the closest I can find for what I want. Sadly, the 1st one, while very detailed, starts from 1CE, while the 2nd while, is a larger macro view of the world empires (though mostly hunter-gatherer societies pre-Antiquity). Enjoy if your are a history buff like me!
http://www.euratlas.com/time1.htm
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Template:World_History_Maps
- the influence of religion through ancient times (of the 4 major religions today), and
- Rulers of the Middle East region through known history
Note: flash was too large to be embedded, so they open in a new window.
I've always been interested in historical Europe, especially circa 500 BCE to 1500 CE. I've been hoping to find some maps actually, that show snapshots of the european theatre in this period. To that end, these 2 resources, were the closest I can find for what I want. Sadly, the 1st one, while very detailed, starts from 1CE, while the 2nd while, is a larger macro view of the world empires (though mostly hunter-gatherer societies pre-Antiquity). Enjoy if your are a history buff like me!
http://www.euratlas.com/time1.htm
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Template:World_History_Maps
Monday, June 09, 2008
O Lewis, where did you get your driving license from?
In a surprising Canadian Grand Prix, the BMWs came in 1-2, with David Coulthard 3rd. Now wait. Where are the McLarens and the Ferraris?
Basically, to keep a long story short, during a busy pitlane session after the safety period, Raikonnen and Kubica lined up at pit exit due to a red light.
Soon after, Hamilton comes cruising along at pit lane speed limit, and crashes unceremoniously into the back of the Ferrari. End of race for both drivers. Kubica was not bothered by the circus of events going on 2 metres from him, and went on to win the race.
From left to right: Kimi (car underneath), Lewis (car in mid air), Kubica (laughing in the car)
Interestingly, Hamilton was facing 2 cars side by side, and when he realised too late that the lights were red, he 'manouevred' to the left, where the red car was. No further suggestions necessary.
Quote by Kubica: "Last year Fisichella and Massa went by, I stopped as the first car. This time I stopped side by side with Kimi and after a few seconds Lewis came flat out and crashed into him. I have to thank him that he chose Kimi and not me."
Quote by Kimi: "Obviously, anyone can make mistakes, as I did two weeks ago in Monaco, but it's one thing to make a mistake at two hundred per hour but another to hit a car stopped at a red light. I am not angry because that doesn't achieve anything and does not change my result.
I am unhappy, because I had a great chance of winning."
To be fair, Hamilton knew he was in the wrong and he did apologise. Its just one of these things that crack me up -- F1 driver trying to beat a red light with 2 stationary cars in front of him. This already reminds me of the incident in Shanghai where Lewis parked his million dollar McLaren in the world's most expensive carpark (read: gravel)
Having said that, I still cannot understand why the pitlane has to be closed during pitstops, or why the exit is closed when the entrance is opened. I believe the former is due to not letting any driver gain an advantage of the safety car by pitting in, although this would be negated easily if everyone did the same. I presume it would benefit backrunners the most, but hey, safety car sessions always benefits backrunners.
I think we should see some new rules coming out in the next few weeks.
Sunday, June 08, 2008
The Incredible Rafael Nadal
Nadal uses the same strategy against Federer for the past 4 years; still has Fed's number
French Open 2008 was such a one-sided final. Roger Federer, world number 1, only managed 4 games against Rafa. It was a massacre through and through. Sometimes it can be rather stupefying watching a relentless Rafael Nadal own a player of Federer's calibre like it happened today.
Well, today, like the rest of the past 2 weeks, Rafa played perfect tennis. Without a doubt, he has improved further on clay, and today's final was a complete annihlation. Bagel in the final set. ouch. ouchhh.
What was sad to see was how easily dispirited Federer gets. Sure, its easy to sit on your couch and commentate, but watch Nadal, after he makes a (rare) unforced error. He curses under his breath, and then does his routine again, walk to the back, strings, sweeps the line, spits, hair, bounces, picks his shorts, get on with it. Roger? shoulders drop, curses, plays tentative on the next point. Of all people, he should know that at that level of tennis it is all physical and mental. And clearly, everytime he faces Rafa (on clay), he already starts off on a losing foot with his mental outlook. Somehow, and I actually think it is a matter of ego, he can't quite come to terms that he being the world number 1 for the longest time ever, being considered possibly the best player ever, is being ridiculed in such a manner.
Well Roger, face it. We might as well accord Nadal the title of best player on clay, ever. Let's talk tactics. When an average player faces a clearly better player, the average player is extremely unlikely to outplay the better player. He has to play to his own advantages and bring the better player out of his comfort zone. Then, he has a chance. He might still lose, and lose even more, but there is a better chance of winning. Otherwise it is still 80-20 in the better player's corner. And that's exactly how it panned out. I think Roger still cannot believe he is inferior to Rafa on clay by this much; his approach should then be to try different shots and plays that he himself seldom uses to surprise Nadal. Granted, some effort was done today. More volleys, drop shots. So what went wrong?
1. Fed's volleying was poor today. It was poor during the entire French Open. 30% of the time it is good, and it looks elegant and beautiful. But he still loses on 70% on other times.
2. The top spin backhand. Nadal has been going to Fed's backhand for 4 years (in Paris), and Fed almost always insists on hitting back his top spin back hand. and 80% of the time it is a mid court ball, which is Rafa's money shot area. I felt he could have sliced more today. Yes again, he might have lost in any case ... simply because ...
3. Rafa was just amazing today. Some of the volleys to the back of the court were returned exceptionally well. Passing shots, lobs, you name it. Rafa played perfect tennis today.
Somehow, the idea of winning got lost for Roger. In tennis, foremost to any player, is to win. And to win is to score points. Yet somehow one gets the feeling that Roger is going for the beauty shots, as if he will be crucified whenever he wins ugly. As for Rafa? Today's game was seemingly a cake walk. He broke Roger so many times early in the set, and if I was him I would think, if it ain't broken, why change my gameplan? Roger's throwing me the trophy! Heavy balls back to his court, and let him attempt his line cleaning shots.
Watching Federer is like watching a dance; elegant, artistic, enjoyable. Watching Nadal is inspiring. I like Federer -- don't get me wrong -- but there is much to learn from watching a grinder like Nadal play as well. At the very least, at the amateur level, we can grind better than we can play drop shots 1m from the net.
Aside from the match, I thought it to be pretty funny that Bjorn Borg and Mats Wilander came out and said Roger had a good chance to win (prior to the match, obviously). Surely, if they have been following the events of the past 2 weeks, it was clear that Rafa was playing at the top of the clay court game the world has ever seen. I honestly put the match at 80-20 to Rafa. I think deep down, Borg probably wanted his record of 4 French Opens in a row not to be bested by anyone, so rooting Fed was probably right. And if Borg went on record to say Nadal was surefire to win, I think Fed would have even less belief in himself facing Rafa!
Another aside: Didn't anyone think that the commentators were severely biased towards Roger? I mean, I like Fed, but I'm sure the Nadal fans would be seriously annoyed by his constant prejudice. Everything he talked on was from the viewpoint of Roger, seriously, everything! Rafa's fantastic play today deserved so much more praise than was given by the commentator. Perhaps this is something the TV station needs to take note of.
Aside #3. I was quite looking forward to this game, even though I predicted a whitewash. Nevertheless, I offered 4/1 odds to a friend for Fed to win. This friend (who shall not be named -- suffice to say he is a Fed fan) refused to take up the odds! haha. So much for support! (just kidding dude) As the game went on, it was quite interesting to see that Fed odds were given 7/1 , then 10/1, and on the final set at 5-0, an amazing 201/1 !!!
All in all, great play for Rafael Nadal, extremely deserving of his 4th consecutive French title, and very possibly many more to come. For the sake of tennis too, I do hope Roger gets his act together and puts on a good run in Wimbledon.
French Open 2008 was such a one-sided final. Roger Federer, world number 1, only managed 4 games against Rafa. It was a massacre through and through. Sometimes it can be rather stupefying watching a relentless Rafael Nadal own a player of Federer's calibre like it happened today.
Well, today, like the rest of the past 2 weeks, Rafa played perfect tennis. Without a doubt, he has improved further on clay, and today's final was a complete annihlation. Bagel in the final set. ouch. ouchhh.
What was sad to see was how easily dispirited Federer gets. Sure, its easy to sit on your couch and commentate, but watch Nadal, after he makes a (rare) unforced error. He curses under his breath, and then does his routine again, walk to the back, strings, sweeps the line, spits, hair, bounces, picks his shorts, get on with it. Roger? shoulders drop, curses, plays tentative on the next point. Of all people, he should know that at that level of tennis it is all physical and mental. And clearly, everytime he faces Rafa (on clay), he already starts off on a losing foot with his mental outlook. Somehow, and I actually think it is a matter of ego, he can't quite come to terms that he being the world number 1 for the longest time ever, being considered possibly the best player ever, is being ridiculed in such a manner.
Well Roger, face it. We might as well accord Nadal the title of best player on clay, ever. Let's talk tactics. When an average player faces a clearly better player, the average player is extremely unlikely to outplay the better player. He has to play to his own advantages and bring the better player out of his comfort zone. Then, he has a chance. He might still lose, and lose even more, but there is a better chance of winning. Otherwise it is still 80-20 in the better player's corner. And that's exactly how it panned out. I think Roger still cannot believe he is inferior to Rafa on clay by this much; his approach should then be to try different shots and plays that he himself seldom uses to surprise Nadal. Granted, some effort was done today. More volleys, drop shots. So what went wrong?
1. Fed's volleying was poor today. It was poor during the entire French Open. 30% of the time it is good, and it looks elegant and beautiful. But he still loses on 70% on other times.
2. The top spin backhand. Nadal has been going to Fed's backhand for 4 years (in Paris), and Fed almost always insists on hitting back his top spin back hand. and 80% of the time it is a mid court ball, which is Rafa's money shot area. I felt he could have sliced more today. Yes again, he might have lost in any case ... simply because ...
3. Rafa was just amazing today. Some of the volleys to the back of the court were returned exceptionally well. Passing shots, lobs, you name it. Rafa played perfect tennis today.
Somehow, the idea of winning got lost for Roger. In tennis, foremost to any player, is to win. And to win is to score points. Yet somehow one gets the feeling that Roger is going for the beauty shots, as if he will be crucified whenever he wins ugly. As for Rafa? Today's game was seemingly a cake walk. He broke Roger so many times early in the set, and if I was him I would think, if it ain't broken, why change my gameplan? Roger's throwing me the trophy! Heavy balls back to his court, and let him attempt his line cleaning shots.
Watching Federer is like watching a dance; elegant, artistic, enjoyable. Watching Nadal is inspiring. I like Federer -- don't get me wrong -- but there is much to learn from watching a grinder like Nadal play as well. At the very least, at the amateur level, we can grind better than we can play drop shots 1m from the net.
Aside from the match, I thought it to be pretty funny that Bjorn Borg and Mats Wilander came out and said Roger had a good chance to win (prior to the match, obviously). Surely, if they have been following the events of the past 2 weeks, it was clear that Rafa was playing at the top of the clay court game the world has ever seen. I honestly put the match at 80-20 to Rafa. I think deep down, Borg probably wanted his record of 4 French Opens in a row not to be bested by anyone, so rooting Fed was probably right. And if Borg went on record to say Nadal was surefire to win, I think Fed would have even less belief in himself facing Rafa!
Another aside: Didn't anyone think that the commentators were severely biased towards Roger? I mean, I like Fed, but I'm sure the Nadal fans would be seriously annoyed by his constant prejudice. Everything he talked on was from the viewpoint of Roger, seriously, everything! Rafa's fantastic play today deserved so much more praise than was given by the commentator. Perhaps this is something the TV station needs to take note of.
Aside #3. I was quite looking forward to this game, even though I predicted a whitewash. Nevertheless, I offered 4/1 odds to a friend for Fed to win. This friend (who shall not be named -- suffice to say he is a Fed fan) refused to take up the odds! haha. So much for support! (just kidding dude) As the game went on, it was quite interesting to see that Fed odds were given 7/1 , then 10/1, and on the final set at 5-0, an amazing 201/1 !!!
All in all, great play for Rafael Nadal, extremely deserving of his 4th consecutive French title, and very possibly many more to come. For the sake of tennis too, I do hope Roger gets his act together and puts on a good run in Wimbledon.
Friday, June 06, 2008
Sean Carving
Saturday, May 17, 2008
conspiracies, funnies and hotties
I'm currently following Carl Icahn's Extreme Makeover: Boardroom Edition (quoted from fool.com) with a lot if interest. I was quite surprised when Yahoo turned down Msoft's offer; it was quite good value I thought given market valuations and sentiments. Now that the activist Carl (check out what he did with Motorola and BEA) is trying to bring in his own board onto Yahoo, it could simple push Yahoo to reconsider MSoft's offer, and yield Carl himself a nice profit from his Yahoo stake. Well played.
Not sure if Steve Ballmer had a part in this as well (haha! conspiracy threories...)
******
Speaking of conspiracy theories, something smells fishy with Carlyle's takeover of Booz Allen Hamilton's governmental consulting arm. Carlyle has been trying to separate itself from any governmental connections in the recent past, but now, a takeover for BAH's government consulting arm? Sounds wrong??? If it's true Carlyle engineered the wars/govt projects, wouldn't their consulting arm now reap the most benefits. What a way to earn money. "Propose" a project, and let the consulting arm earn from it....
Having said that, BAH (commercial part left) is now left to fight with the big 3 in the business, without their rather exclusive govt contracts. interesting, no?
******
Hilarious Stuff: some guy tried to bank in a $360 billion cheque.... sure.
******
K.C. is hot =)
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Ronnie wins world championships; threatens to quit snooker (again)
There we go ... the most talented snooker player in the world wins his overdue 3rd World Championship, beating Ali Carter even though Ronnie wasn't playing at his best. Quite a fitting final as well, as the 2 players who hit 147 in the championships went on to play in the finals (I believe this is a first). Well done to both players.
As I mentioned before, I do hope that Ronnie finds new focus and concentration in his game. I actually think the game needs him than he needs the game, as snooker without him now, is quite a dull setup.
Again, his usual hint that he may quit the game now, exiting at a high. He said it before a few times, and one could literally hear the groans from the crowd when he said that during the prize presentation. Oh well. It would be great to watch him play on and win a couple more championships at least. It does seem like his life is back in order =)
As I mentioned before, I do hope that Ronnie finds new focus and concentration in his game. I actually think the game needs him than he needs the game, as snooker without him now, is quite a dull setup.
Again, his usual hint that he may quit the game now, exiting at a high. He said it before a few times, and one could literally hear the groans from the crowd when he said that during the prize presentation. Oh well. It would be great to watch him play on and win a couple more championships at least. It does seem like his life is back in order =)
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Ronnie O'Sullivan hits another 147; claims snooker is not his first priority....
First off, I know there has been a lack of updates, but well, nothing that much interesting other than the fact that I'm grauduating soon. But enough about me, here's something quite interesting.
I'm not a hardcore snooker fan but do enjoy watching some matches every now and then. The maximum break one can hit in a snooker game is 147 points, which means all the red-black combinations and the full colour set at the end. It's not done often, and it's always magical to watch another one (I would assume it to be about 5 times as hard as hitting a perfect bowling game...).
Ronnie O'Sullivan, my fav snooker player has just hit another 147 in his win over a 2-time world champion, in the world championships recently. Now he holds the record for 147 break in competitive matches, I think.
I really like this guy a lot as he is wonderfully talented. Natural with both hands, he really makes the game look easy when he's on fire, very much like Federer does with tennis at times. Plus the fact that he is ambidextrous gives him a huge advantage over his peers. Thought by many to be the most gifted snooker player of his generation, albeit lacking in consistency and focus.
Ok, so he seems to be on form now... this break took 8 mins (his record is 5mins ++ which is also a world record...) Seriously, how good is this guy?
Shockingly, he claims snooker is not his primary interest!
From hereO'Sullivan's perfect clearance, in the 25th anniversary year of Cliff Thorburn's first Crucible max, was worth £157,000.
However, he later claimed the cash was irrelevant.
"I don't really spend a lot of money," insisted the world No.5.
"I just don't need money. I don't know what to do with it.
Maybe there are things I can do and when I'm out running I'll think of a few good causes.
"Snooker is secondary to me.
This is just my training camp for running. It would be nice to win the tournament but running is my No.1."
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
the end is near
it really is near when most ppl's msn nicks contain the word "end", "countdown", "can't wait"....
FYP is finally over, and just the little business of 2 reports due next friday and 2 papers starting in a fortnight's time.
Life's good =)
FYP is finally over, and just the little business of 2 reports due next friday and 2 papers starting in a fortnight's time.
Life's good =)
Thursday, March 20, 2008
what's the difference...
.... between talking on the phone when driving, and putting on your makeup when driving???
I mean, I saw this OL using the liner and brusher for easily 5 mins, slowly applying her makeup through this morning's wet weather and heavy traffic.
Well, I'm not for banning putting on makeup but I just feel the ban on hp when driving could be unnecessary. I'm not sure if it does really cut down on accidents. So how about talking to your passenger with hands all over the place while driving? Should the ban be removed?
On the other hand, Singaporeans ain't that good at driving. Just compare to any European, American, or even Malaysians. Put us to shame.
But still ... lady, don't distract me from driving! hahaha.
I mean, I saw this OL using the liner and brusher for easily 5 mins, slowly applying her makeup through this morning's wet weather and heavy traffic.
Well, I'm not for banning putting on makeup but I just feel the ban on hp when driving could be unnecessary. I'm not sure if it does really cut down on accidents. So how about talking to your passenger with hands all over the place while driving? Should the ban be removed?
On the other hand, Singaporeans ain't that good at driving. Just compare to any European, American, or even Malaysians. Put us to shame.
But still ... lady, don't distract me from driving! hahaha.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Decisions...
we all have to face them. some have it easy, some have it tough. some ... we just don't get.
***************
A friend commented to me recently, said that with my grades and overseas SEP experience, it shouldn't be too hard for me to land a IB job, one that pays ~2k over what I'm offered right now. While I already knew of my options then, nevertheless, these words seem to run through my mind every now and then. Of course the work will be quite different, some say tougher, while others say it's easier. In any case, it did leave me with a decision. Should I pursue other options?
Anyway, my conclusion thus far is that I'll stick to what I have now. I think it has good prospects in any case, and it's a commitment to my earlier choice. Will I regret? Only time will tell. But for now, no.
***************
Another friend of mine, who went SEP to IC with me, is facing a tough decision. He landed an offer from DB recently, pays real well, and looks set and happy. Recently he waas offered a post grad position in MIT ! Wow, what a decision I would love to face. I'm happy for him honestly, and I suppose whatever choice he makes, it will be one he wouldn't regret. both options are really, really good. (I'll probably pick DB, but my penchant for research isn't half as strong as his heh.)
***************
On a cards board I played a couple of days ago. I held T3 and called the big blind. some guy in LP called too, the rest folded. Flop came 6 K T, rainbow. (i forgot the suits but a flush wasn't on the board.) So I raised the pot amount, and he called quickly. The turn was a T. I raised, and this time, he reraised! Strong play I must say.
So I wondered, with me having a set, did he actually have a set of KK, 66, or KT for the full house? Those were the hands I was afraid of. very playable hands in any case. I thought he may be bluffing, and in any case with a straight draw remotely possible, I reraised him again. He called, to my surprise. He must have something strong I thought.
River came the Q. Bad card for me. I checked. I thought if he made his straight he would raise for sure. He checked! He seemed afraid.... I was certain I won the pot at this point....
Until he flipped over AJ. Wow. that was a seriously weird play.
While I can't comment on his play pre-river, which on hindsight was unusual perhaps but still not a bad play considering he had outs, but his check on the river really threw me off. I mean, if you were waiting on the 1 card that you think can beat the other players, and when it came, you checked in the last position????? So weird.
So much for decisions. =)
PS I lost 300 in that pot.
EDIT (20/4/08): Re-reading this post, I realized I may have made an oversight. What could have happened was that even though he made his straight, my strong betting made him think I might have a FH with the board being paired. So, just in case I did have the FH, he would check on the river, for 2 reasons: He can win a showdown if I did not have a FH, and still win a substantial pot, and also , if I did have the FH, he would minimise losses in case I was check-raising him. So it might be a viable, conservative play. However, it still doesn't address the fact that knowing I might have a FH, he still went on to call my raise on the turn for his straight draw. In other words, he was just gambling on the turn and I got drawn out (in fact, he must have realised that he only had Q as his only out against me, or unless he thought I was bluffing. And he still called 2-to-1 on the turn). You gotta gamble, to win big.
***************
A friend commented to me recently, said that with my grades and overseas SEP experience, it shouldn't be too hard for me to land a IB job, one that pays ~2k over what I'm offered right now. While I already knew of my options then, nevertheless, these words seem to run through my mind every now and then. Of course the work will be quite different, some say tougher, while others say it's easier. In any case, it did leave me with a decision. Should I pursue other options?
Anyway, my conclusion thus far is that I'll stick to what I have now. I think it has good prospects in any case, and it's a commitment to my earlier choice. Will I regret? Only time will tell. But for now, no.
***************
Another friend of mine, who went SEP to IC with me, is facing a tough decision. He landed an offer from DB recently, pays real well, and looks set and happy. Recently he waas offered a post grad position in MIT ! Wow, what a decision I would love to face. I'm happy for him honestly, and I suppose whatever choice he makes, it will be one he wouldn't regret. both options are really, really good. (I'll probably pick DB, but my penchant for research isn't half as strong as his heh.)
***************
On a cards board I played a couple of days ago. I held T3 and called the big blind. some guy in LP called too, the rest folded. Flop came 6 K T, rainbow. (i forgot the suits but a flush wasn't on the board.) So I raised the pot amount, and he called quickly. The turn was a T. I raised, and this time, he reraised! Strong play I must say.
So I wondered, with me having a set, did he actually have a set of KK, 66, or KT for the full house? Those were the hands I was afraid of. very playable hands in any case. I thought he may be bluffing, and in any case with a straight draw remotely possible, I reraised him again. He called, to my surprise. He must have something strong I thought.
River came the Q. Bad card for me. I checked. I thought if he made his straight he would raise for sure. He checked! He seemed afraid.... I was certain I won the pot at this point....
Until he flipped over AJ. Wow. that was a seriously weird play.
While I can't comment on his play pre-river, which on hindsight was unusual perhaps but still not a bad play considering he had outs, but his check on the river really threw me off. I mean, if you were waiting on the 1 card that you think can beat the other players, and when it came, you checked in the last position????? So weird.
So much for decisions. =)
PS I lost 300 in that pot.
EDIT (20/4/08): Re-reading this post, I realized I may have made an oversight. What could have happened was that even though he made his straight, my strong betting made him think I might have a FH with the board being paired. So, just in case I did have the FH, he would check on the river, for 2 reasons: He can win a showdown if I did not have a FH, and still win a substantial pot, and also , if I did have the FH, he would minimise losses in case I was check-raising him. So it might be a viable, conservative play. However, it still doesn't address the fact that knowing I might have a FH, he still went on to call my raise on the turn for his straight draw. In other words, he was just gambling on the turn and I got drawn out (in fact, he must have realised that he only had Q as his only out against me, or unless he thought I was bluffing. And he still called 2-to-1 on the turn). You gotta gamble, to win big.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Classy Milan
We all know Eduardo of Arsenal suffered a horrific career threatening injury over the weekend, but AC Milan was real classy about it and issued a get-well-soon wish via its official website.
Now, how many clubs in the world would do that. Some more they were Arsenal's next major opponent in the CL.... Another reason to love my Milan =)
Breaking news
COME ON EDUARDO!2/23/2008
MILAN - Eduardo Da Silva has broken his left leg in the match against Birmingham today, as reported by the BBC. The Rossoneri's family wishes the Arsenal striker all the best and a quick return to playing.
Now, how many clubs in the world would do that. Some more they were Arsenal's next major opponent in the CL.... Another reason to love my Milan =)
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
my virgin (golf) experience
haha.
nothing much really... just went to the range with my cousin for about an hour or so, so that he can teach me some basics of golf. I realize its wayyy harder than it seems on TV. There's so much to take note of and really requires concentration. I guess it's like tennis, gotta keep practicing till the stroke becomes 2nd nature. Right now, 80% of my balls swerve right, implying something is still fundamentally wrong... hahaha!
nothing much really... just went to the range with my cousin for about an hour or so, so that he can teach me some basics of golf. I realize its wayyy harder than it seems on TV. There's so much to take note of and really requires concentration. I guess it's like tennis, gotta keep practicing till the stroke becomes 2nd nature. Right now, 80% of my balls swerve right, implying something is still fundamentally wrong... hahaha!
Monday, February 04, 2008
Amazing Race Asia -- Budapest!
So coincidental today that when I turned on the telly, I caught the Amazing Race Asia 2. I knew they were in Europe and there was this particular bridge that they were counting the bars on. I thought that looked familiar like Hungary, and it turned out that ya.. it was in Budapest!
I was there last May with Teresa for a short trip, so I can still remember the place quite well. Next thing I knew, they went to the Buda castle labyrinth, which was basically a scary and dark tunnel maze. Yea the same light carrier too, but the labyrinth was wayyy darker than that in real life. Oh well. (But they entered from the exit I think....)
Then they went to Margaret Island, which we went too! Did the pedal carts, which I was quite tempted to do but I think it was quite ex then. haha. Next they went to Heroes Square, which we went too! and it was near our hostel!!! hahahhaha. It was really so coincidental. But again, these are the generally touristy places. Budapest has more than that of course, but still it was nice to revisit Europe.... heh.
I was there last May with Teresa for a short trip, so I can still remember the place quite well. Next thing I knew, they went to the Buda castle labyrinth, which was basically a scary and dark tunnel maze. Yea the same light carrier too, but the labyrinth was wayyy darker than that in real life. Oh well. (But they entered from the exit I think....)
Then they went to Margaret Island, which we went too! Did the pedal carts, which I was quite tempted to do but I think it was quite ex then. haha. Next they went to Heroes Square, which we went too! and it was near our hostel!!! hahahhaha. It was really so coincidental. But again, these are the generally touristy places. Budapest has more than that of course, but still it was nice to revisit Europe.... heh.
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Lenny Kravitz rockin' on
I hope I'm not getting ahead of myself, but the new Lenny Kravitz album "It is Time for a Love Revolution" sounds really really good. Normally I take a few listens before an album grows on me, but this one didn't take long. Hope the feeling doesn't go away too soon either.
Anyway, the music world needs more of such rock bastions to keep rock alive among all the black and pseudo-black rap that's filling the airwaves.
Anyway, the music world needs more of such rock bastions to keep rock alive among all the black and pseudo-black rap that's filling the airwaves.
Success can be double-edged ....
haha. no it's not about me.
Remember Football Manager 2006? Having not played it for months, I went back for an hour today to take a peek at the 'empire' that I created haha.
Well I've always been priding myself on building up a team from youth, so my game plan has always been to scout and pry the top youngsters from around the world to train in my world-class academy. And yeah it has been a very successful program feeding my 1st team, which has been all conquering in recent seasons.
In my 10th season already, and normally, as a habit I would play the AC Milan full team vs the AC Milan Under 20s, as a pre-season warm up for both teams. And also as a morale booster for the first team b4 the season kicks off, since I would expect the European champions to crush the U20s anyday, no? (yes i know... this is just a database game... but I tend to personalise the characters in my game..... 10 seasons! )
So the 1st team has been crushing the U20s for years... until this year. 2016. Half time score.... Milan 1 - U20s 5. big fat sigh. My youth team was crushing my 1st team! I was tempted to just play the youth team for the upcoming European Super Cup rather than my lacklustre 1st team.
Gave them a lashing at half time "I expect a better performance after halftime!!!!!!". And my 1st team began to play. the match ended 6-6, and it went to Extra time. 1st time the match ever got to ET. the 1st team got their act together n put in 2 more to make is 8-6 final, but what a embarrassment it would have been if the U20s actually won! It would have been a demoraliser, which does actually impacts the game....
Oh well. Success can be double-edged, no? (I should give my Assistant Manager a raise for his brilliant effort... hmm)
Haha.... all this over a game.
Remember Football Manager 2006? Having not played it for months, I went back for an hour today to take a peek at the 'empire' that I created haha.
Well I've always been priding myself on building up a team from youth, so my game plan has always been to scout and pry the top youngsters from around the world to train in my world-class academy. And yeah it has been a very successful program feeding my 1st team, which has been all conquering in recent seasons.
In my 10th season already, and normally, as a habit I would play the AC Milan full team vs the AC Milan Under 20s, as a pre-season warm up for both teams. And also as a morale booster for the first team b4 the season kicks off, since I would expect the European champions to crush the U20s anyday, no? (yes i know... this is just a database game... but I tend to personalise the characters in my game..... 10 seasons! )
So the 1st team has been crushing the U20s for years... until this year. 2016. Half time score.... Milan 1 - U20s 5. big fat sigh. My youth team was crushing my 1st team! I was tempted to just play the youth team for the upcoming European Super Cup rather than my lacklustre 1st team.
Gave them a lashing at half time "I expect a better performance after halftime!!!!!!". And my 1st team began to play. the match ended 6-6, and it went to Extra time. 1st time the match ever got to ET. the 1st team got their act together n put in 2 more to make is 8-6 final, but what a embarrassment it would have been if the U20s actually won! It would have been a demoraliser, which does actually impacts the game....
Oh well. Success can be double-edged, no? (I should give my Assistant Manager a raise for his brilliant effort... hmm)
Haha.... all this over a game.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Driving Tips
There are some things which I feel rather strongly for and thats the good thing about having a blog to rant about it. Today's topic: Driving tips.
Since I've been sitting shotgun for quite a few rides recently, I've had the pleasure of 'noticing' how other people drive. While most people believe they are above average drivers, the fact is, that can't be true! Anyways, heres some tips which I hope can help my fellow drivers.
1. A good road driver is one who drives smoothly, and driving is a carefree motion.
Think about it. A smooth ride is much more enjoyable than a rushed, jerky ride (unless rush for time, then the cause of the problem is something else) Many times I have seen drivers who see the red light in front by about 200m, and still continue to accelerate till 50m to the red. That, my friends, is bad driving. Unnecessary acceleration wastes petrol, for no real gain in work done. You just managed to reach the red light quicker.
Similarly, some people enjoy tailgating. Maybe they like to scare the drivers in front. Ok. But more often than not, the passengers in the car would be more afraid. People are more afraid of things out of their control, so while it may feel alright to the driver, it may not to the passenger. Tailgating = lots of braking and accelerating. you are just wasting expensive fuel, and adding on the global warming, again for no gain bar a minor ego boost (which no one really cares)
2. Learn the macro, but master the micro.
Macro is pretty much the route map to take. Knowing the route, the quickest, smoothest, least traffic, least lights, etc. These are not mutually exclusive. Many times, the shortest distance is the most packed. It's always better to go on main roads as the traffic lights are in your favour. Some times it's a game of percentages, other times it's luck. And after driving the same route often, you will realise which lights are in sync. Usually it is timed to the main roads.
Learning the macro comes with experience, especially knowing all the short cuts to somewhere else.
But more importantly, master the micro. Defined as the near space within the car. ie front back left right. Know the environment. It will help so much to attain smoothness of driving which is tip 1. Know the car lengths and widths well. If in doubt, ask your passenger to get down and check for you (esp when doing blind reverses, or areas where you can't see) Put your pride aside. Learn how to park properly, within 1 adjustment. As a passenger, one is able to tell within 5 mins of a ride whether the driver is a good driver or not. If you enjoy the ride, he/she is pretty much a good driver.
Don't forget, you aren't the only person in the car. You are also responsible for their safety, so do not take unnecessary risks, esp when driving others around. There was once I drove quickly into a rather narrow section as a truck was taking up part of my lane. To me its quite routine because I know the car's width quite well, but it shocked the hell out of the gf. haha. It kinda frightened her, so I guess it could be nasty if I drove some old fogeys around. So yeah.
3. Overtaking. The key is anticipation.
Overtaking is something we all do often, but somehow not quite good enough. Everyone, including me, can improve much more on this area. But the 1 tip I would encourage people is to ..... Focus on the front, and not so much on the side.
Remember, you are travelling FORWARD. even if you wish to cut right, the main motion is FORWARD. the immediate space in front of you (most likely within metres to another car, you impatient fella), harbours the most danger. Only when you can safely presume the front car wouldn't do a e-brake, then you can start focusing on the left/right.
So many times have I noticed drivers looking left/right once they catch up with a car and wants to overtake, or just to switch lanes. And when the front car brakes slightly, the brake lights lit up so brightly in front, and now you are the one doing a e-brake, even more so than the car in front. This happens to me too, and I'm still trying to correct it somewhat.
The key is anticipation. Know your micro-environment. I personally view the mirrors every 5-10s, depending on mood. haha. But it gives you a clear picture of whether any cars are zooming into the lanes on the side, or any bikes coming along. So in the case you need to make a quick lane switch, it is done with absolute smoothness. Signal, check blind spot, and bear left/right. (Note: don't bear too drastically, as if you were turning! Its jerky and uncomfortable, though it could be fun for you....) As long as you keep track of the micro-environment, lane switching is really an easy matter.
Like a racer, you should always be more concerned with the car in front, than the car to your side. Always remember that. In any case, if you veer right, the car on the right can horn at you, but the car in front can't! you're always worse off being the rear car in accidents.
Find a gap while you are cruising. when the gap comes, signal, move into the lane slightly 1st, blind spot, and go. shouldnt take more than 3 seconds. If you master the micro, you can do 3 lane changes in say 400m , easily. Remember smoothness is key.
4. While smoothness is key, be alert when the need arises.
When it's time to be kancheong, or more alert, sit up. Especially rainy days, or red light cameras. Decide on a path and go ahead. Think about it, a summon sometimes is a much cheaper price to pay than an accident. In any case, I would recommend always having a CD of songs that really get your heart pumping, just to wake u up sometimes during a long/boring drive. AC/DC usually works for me, but to each his own.
Remember too, always always take note of bikers and m-cyclists. It's very dangerous for them, and don't make it even more so with reckless driving.
Haha. Obviously I did feel quite strongly about the driving thing. Do you think my recommendations are valid?
Aside: more ERPs! 85% of motorists will have smoother rides. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Does that mean that 85% of all my drives will be supposedly smoother, or does the 15% just belong to those who drive from 1am-6am? I'm rather wary of these so-called projections. Maybe these jams will make people more inclined to ride motorcycles/bikes, which traditionally have higher %s of incidents compared to 4-wheels. This is not a desirable effect. Maybe I will think of alternative solutions and post them at a later time.
Since I've been sitting shotgun for quite a few rides recently, I've had the pleasure of 'noticing' how other people drive. While most people believe they are above average drivers, the fact is, that can't be true! Anyways, heres some tips which I hope can help my fellow drivers.
1. A good road driver is one who drives smoothly, and driving is a carefree motion.
Think about it. A smooth ride is much more enjoyable than a rushed, jerky ride (unless rush for time, then the cause of the problem is something else) Many times I have seen drivers who see the red light in front by about 200m, and still continue to accelerate till 50m to the red. That, my friends, is bad driving. Unnecessary acceleration wastes petrol, for no real gain in work done. You just managed to reach the red light quicker.
Similarly, some people enjoy tailgating. Maybe they like to scare the drivers in front. Ok. But more often than not, the passengers in the car would be more afraid. People are more afraid of things out of their control, so while it may feel alright to the driver, it may not to the passenger. Tailgating = lots of braking and accelerating. you are just wasting expensive fuel, and adding on the global warming, again for no gain bar a minor ego boost (which no one really cares)
2. Learn the macro, but master the micro.
Macro is pretty much the route map to take. Knowing the route, the quickest, smoothest, least traffic, least lights, etc. These are not mutually exclusive. Many times, the shortest distance is the most packed. It's always better to go on main roads as the traffic lights are in your favour. Some times it's a game of percentages, other times it's luck. And after driving the same route often, you will realise which lights are in sync. Usually it is timed to the main roads.
Learning the macro comes with experience, especially knowing all the short cuts to somewhere else.
But more importantly, master the micro. Defined as the near space within the car. ie front back left right. Know the environment. It will help so much to attain smoothness of driving which is tip 1. Know the car lengths and widths well. If in doubt, ask your passenger to get down and check for you (esp when doing blind reverses, or areas where you can't see) Put your pride aside. Learn how to park properly, within 1 adjustment. As a passenger, one is able to tell within 5 mins of a ride whether the driver is a good driver or not. If you enjoy the ride, he/she is pretty much a good driver.
Don't forget, you aren't the only person in the car. You are also responsible for their safety, so do not take unnecessary risks, esp when driving others around. There was once I drove quickly into a rather narrow section as a truck was taking up part of my lane. To me its quite routine because I know the car's width quite well, but it shocked the hell out of the gf. haha. It kinda frightened her, so I guess it could be nasty if I drove some old fogeys around. So yeah.
3. Overtaking. The key is anticipation.
Overtaking is something we all do often, but somehow not quite good enough. Everyone, including me, can improve much more on this area. But the 1 tip I would encourage people is to ..... Focus on the front, and not so much on the side.
Remember, you are travelling FORWARD. even if you wish to cut right, the main motion is FORWARD. the immediate space in front of you (most likely within metres to another car, you impatient fella), harbours the most danger. Only when you can safely presume the front car wouldn't do a e-brake, then you can start focusing on the left/right.
So many times have I noticed drivers looking left/right once they catch up with a car and wants to overtake, or just to switch lanes. And when the front car brakes slightly, the brake lights lit up so brightly in front, and now you are the one doing a e-brake, even more so than the car in front. This happens to me too, and I'm still trying to correct it somewhat.
The key is anticipation. Know your micro-environment. I personally view the mirrors every 5-10s, depending on mood. haha. But it gives you a clear picture of whether any cars are zooming into the lanes on the side, or any bikes coming along. So in the case you need to make a quick lane switch, it is done with absolute smoothness. Signal, check blind spot, and bear left/right. (Note: don't bear too drastically, as if you were turning! Its jerky and uncomfortable, though it could be fun for you....) As long as you keep track of the micro-environment, lane switching is really an easy matter.
Like a racer, you should always be more concerned with the car in front, than the car to your side. Always remember that. In any case, if you veer right, the car on the right can horn at you, but the car in front can't! you're always worse off being the rear car in accidents.
Find a gap while you are cruising. when the gap comes, signal, move into the lane slightly 1st, blind spot, and go. shouldnt take more than 3 seconds. If you master the micro, you can do 3 lane changes in say 400m , easily. Remember smoothness is key.
4. While smoothness is key, be alert when the need arises.
When it's time to be kancheong, or more alert, sit up. Especially rainy days, or red light cameras. Decide on a path and go ahead. Think about it, a summon sometimes is a much cheaper price to pay than an accident. In any case, I would recommend always having a CD of songs that really get your heart pumping, just to wake u up sometimes during a long/boring drive. AC/DC usually works for me, but to each his own.
Remember too, always always take note of bikers and m-cyclists. It's very dangerous for them, and don't make it even more so with reckless driving.
Haha. Obviously I did feel quite strongly about the driving thing. Do you think my recommendations are valid?
Aside: more ERPs! 85% of motorists will have smoother rides. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Does that mean that 85% of all my drives will be supposedly smoother, or does the 15% just belong to those who drive from 1am-6am? I'm rather wary of these so-called projections. Maybe these jams will make people more inclined to ride motorcycles/bikes, which traditionally have higher %s of incidents compared to 4-wheels. This is not a desirable effect. Maybe I will think of alternative solutions and post them at a later time.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Red January
I seldom post things about the financial markets, but I guess this would be an exception.
When the Fed Bank of USA cuts by 75 basis points (during a non pre-determined meeting), it is not a recovery signal. It is not a bail out. It is an indication that "Ok, we're in recession, we admit it, and hopefully this cut can help tide this period over."
Not.
Dow responds with -400 opening. It has been a very red January, esp for those who are still vested. That includes me, who is staring at huge losses. Blue chips though, so I guess I will just hold on to them. However, I would strongly suggest others to consider taking losses for now. Even I'm seriously considering taking losses. Hmm.
When the Fed Bank of USA cuts by 75 basis points (during a non pre-determined meeting), it is not a recovery signal. It is not a bail out. It is an indication that "Ok, we're in recession, we admit it, and hopefully this cut can help tide this period over."
Not.
Dow responds with -400 opening. It has been a very red January, esp for those who are still vested. That includes me, who is staring at huge losses. Blue chips though, so I guess I will just hold on to them. However, I would strongly suggest others to consider taking losses for now. Even I'm seriously considering taking losses. Hmm.
back in black.
Um. Don't know why I put up that title, but was just inspired by Fed's night all-black attire. Anyway, realised that I ain't gonna be updating much on the Aussie Open, but in any case, it's week 2 and the competition really comes alives. The survivors remain. I think almost all the top players have been tested very strongly thus far, maybe bar Nadal, so it should put him in good stead for the final =)
Hmm. oh yes ziggy. The loving couple won.... sigh. I mean, good for them, but I really wished gramp's team would be 1st. Actually I missed the final ep! haha. But I'm sure I will be able to catch the replay this weekend... totally forgot about it!
On another note, why does the ECE office have to make life so difficult for me. Obviously, when students go in to look for the admin officers, we are in some problem ourselves and we would request for some help from the dept. There's no way we would make their life easier, because we simply only add problems. Anyway the way they scowled at every student's request makes me wonder what some of their job scope was in the first place. Maybe they don't want to do any work at all. hmm shrugs. This is quite the opposite when 1 year ago I went to the office quite often to sort out my SEP stuff and they were overwhelmingly helpful! And I've always thought that the ECE office is one of the best admin offices in NUS ... until today. Maybe it's just a bad day. But tomorrow... I've gotta walk through fire again. Wish me luck. hurhur.
On the last random note (this post has been so random), it's really time to think about my grad trip plans. So far it seems like its Taiwan in end-May and Japan in July, but that leaves my June pretty much freed up. Honestly, I think the real problem is the lack of a travelling partner(s). Sighhhh. Better plan it up soon..... term's gonna get busy real soon....
Hmm. oh yes ziggy. The loving couple won.... sigh. I mean, good for them, but I really wished gramp's team would be 1st. Actually I missed the final ep! haha. But I'm sure I will be able to catch the replay this weekend... totally forgot about it!
On another note, why does the ECE office have to make life so difficult for me. Obviously, when students go in to look for the admin officers, we are in some problem ourselves and we would request for some help from the dept. There's no way we would make their life easier, because we simply only add problems. Anyway the way they scowled at every student's request makes me wonder what some of their job scope was in the first place. Maybe they don't want to do any work at all. hmm shrugs. This is quite the opposite when 1 year ago I went to the office quite often to sort out my SEP stuff and they were overwhelmingly helpful! And I've always thought that the ECE office is one of the best admin offices in NUS ... until today. Maybe it's just a bad day. But tomorrow... I've gotta walk through fire again. Wish me luck. hurhur.
On the last random note (this post has been so random), it's really time to think about my grad trip plans. So far it seems like its Taiwan in end-May and Japan in July, but that leaves my June pretty much freed up. Honestly, I think the real problem is the lack of a travelling partner(s). Sighhhh. Better plan it up soon..... term's gonna get busy real soon....
Monday, January 14, 2008
Aussie Open - Day 1
All you really need to know:
1. Jelena Jankovic fought a SUPERB comeback, to play a super long final set (2hrs?). Kudos to her and her opponent. What a match!
2. Andy Murray, star of the future, touted UK's no. 1. I mean, he IS the UK no. 1, dumped out on the first day.
1. Jelena Jankovic fought a SUPERB comeback, to play a super long final set (2hrs?). Kudos to her and her opponent. What a match!
2. Andy Murray, star of the future, touted UK's no. 1. I mean, he IS the UK no. 1, dumped out on the first day.
Amazing Race finale .....
The Amazing Race will have its finale next week, and boy, will I be supporting the Grandpa and the Kid. Nicolas and David I think .... I think its superbly inspiring to see a 68yr old gramps huffing and puffing along with his grandson. and they are in the final 3 of the comp! Vamos Gramps!!!
Sunday, January 13, 2008
weird...
my body's telling me something, but I still haven't figured out what it's trying to tell me. And neither have my GP and loved ones.
it's rather worrying.... sigh.
(sorry don't want to reveal details here ...)
it's rather worrying.... sigh.
(sorry don't want to reveal details here ...)
Saturday, January 05, 2008
computers .. computers...
Ah well. since I'm so free these days, decided to tweak the computers in my house. as it stands, there are 3 desktops (1 spoilt), and 3 laptops. Out of which ALL are ancient dinosaurs (and snails), except for my mum's laptop, which ironically is under-utilised by my sister.
So by some weird twist of fate, the person who doesn't use computers much (and properly I must add ... haha) gets the fastest chip in the house. Oh well.
Happy new year everyone! =)
So by some weird twist of fate, the person who doesn't use computers much (and properly I must add ... haha) gets the fastest chip in the house. Oh well.
Happy new year everyone! =)
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