Israel O Israel

All eyes are on Israel as the airstrikes continue and a possibility of a truce being discussed. It is amazing how much attention a relatively small nation of 7 million can draw.. Why? Cos there are 5.5 million jews there. Cos she's the holy land. Cos Jerusalem is there..

As I try my best to follow and be updated of what is happening, I cannot help but think will this be the last war?

Israel O Israel, how many years and how many attempts have others tried to bing you down. But the 6-sided star just will not fall.

After the late night talks and with EU meeting in Paris, many are pushing for a ceasefire and for peace talks to be on the way. However, we are talking about very violent people here. Will it be successful? There's a saying "a gentlemen's war". Will it be so for this case? Where the rockets now have longer range, practically the whole of south Israel is in danger. No one knows when will the rockets strike and where. "Iron Dome" will take at least another few years to complete. But by then, will it still be useful? Hamas has already issued a warning or rather a promise to Israel that "rockets will be on your daily agenda"...

On the south of Gaza strip, will Egypt open its borders? On the east of Gaza, will the Israeli tanks march in? US, with all the transition due to a change of president, may not be that well positioned to look into this situation in the mid east...

I think we can only watch and pray on for now.

3 more days to 2009

OK, it's the final 3 days of 2008. And I just realised that I will be working whole day on New Year's eve... Haiz. Ok, at least got New Year's Day yo enjoy. How I wish every week is a short week. Like last week... Hmmm.. Sounds like working in Australia. I think I desperately need a relaxed life. Things are really getting pretty stressful.

This coing public hol I will be doing lots of things. There's so many things waiting to be done.

SAF!!!!. Yay, the decisive force...

I sent an e-mail to ns.sg regarding a request for deferment. Previously, I had spoken to a customer service officer after calling 1800-3676767 (1800-eNSNSNS). This is the e-mailI sent to them..

Hi,

I called that day regarding a clash in ICT timing and spoke to a customer service officer.

I am XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX from XXX and I was told that I have an ICT somewhere in Sep 09 during the previous ICT. As I am in the midst of planning for my wedding, I intend to request for a deferment. I do not know how to go about doing it as my officer (OC) in my Unit cannot confirm when the ICT dates are and the customer service officer said that I should log in to the NS protal to apply for deferment there. I tried but I was not scheduled for any ICT (perhaps the dates are not fixed yet) and thus I cannot apply. My unit has also issued stern warning against personnel who apply for deferment straight without consulting the superiors first. We were told that the those who "jump the gun" would ultimately lose the ability to defer as it is the CO who has the final say. Although I can request for higher authority to look into things, I believe that by the time this gets through, the ICT will be well over. I have also defered once before and my CO told me that that would be the last time I can defer.

As mentioned, I had once requested for deferment and it was quite a bad experience as I still had to report to camp on Monday (despite requesting for it weeks before). To add to it all, I waited for 1 whole day until I get to see the CO and was subsequently released out of camp only at 8 plus 9 pm at night. On top of that, I was given a hair cut that made me looked like a complete idiot despite trying my very best to explain to a very unreasonable RSM that I was just here to settle some paper work and will be out of camp in a few hours. He was deaf for only the moment that I was speaking and said he would charge me if I didn't obey him. I had no choice but to follow the orders of a very power-humgry elderly man. His reason was that because I was meeting the CO, I had to cut my hair as the CO will only meet people with short hair. The image of the CO painted to me then was in a form a deity. This and that happend and all these led to a very unfruitful week as I had to go for an emergency hair cut after that and valuable time was wasted.

Putting that behind, I have no intention to repeat the same process again. This time, I will notify SAF 9 months ahead. This 9 months lead time, I hope, will be enough to cross any red tape that the SAF may have. However, I am facing a problem to notify the right channel and I seek advise on this. I hope to have the assurance that I will not need to be at my wedding in my Number 4 and I also hope to be given enough (ample) time for my wedding preparation (as it is stressful enough without SAF interfering).

I sincerely hope to hear from you guys soon.

Best Regards,
XXXXXXXXXXXX

And a Miss Tan from Div just called me. Telling me that I had to produce some form of ducument to let them know when my wedding date is. But from www.rom.gov, the earliest time that I can get the paperwork done is 3 months before wedding which will be in June. So she said that's ok, I can request for deferment when they serve the ICT. (serve means announce in SAF's language) And I can then apply then which she estimates will be in March 09... Now, they cannot serve the ICT cos the dates are not fixed yet. I told her I can only get the papers in June and she said "3 months is more than enough time to process".. We'll see about that... I'm just posting this to remind myself of what has happened and what was transpired in case there's a big foul up in Sep 09.

SIN/ADE/MEL/SIN (Part 1)

Arriving at Adelaide airport.




Our Motel for the night..

Go for a walk...


So young..


Famous pigs along Rundle mall in Adelaide...



Saw this in one of the marts... quite cool.

Big Santa...




Walking around Adelaide...




Confusing Sign boards.. To park or not to park???

Had Thai food for dinner...





The next morning.. A pub outside our motel..

The next morning..

Leaving Adelaide...



Alas.. Mt Lofty



View from the top.



Hi Mom....

This cool device is given if your food needs preperation time. Instead of them shouting "Ah boy.. come collect your food" This device will just beep like a pager. Singapore should have more of these.

Having a pie before walking in the reserve...

First animal in the reserve... They are NOT Rats...

But Are....

A Tasmanian Devil...


Kangaroo sighted...

Viewing Dingoes through Binoculars..



Their soft toys are really good... Looked so real.

In fact, they ARE real. It's alive!