Sanity… is for the Weak

Just something I saw while out over at the Gold Coast.

How’s that for worker motivation, huh?

XD XD XD

Now that I have a little more time…

Back from a 10-day course at the Seaworld Nara Resort (now why can’t more military courses be held in holiday resorts?) down under in the Gold Coast, Australia. Shan’t say much about what we learnt, but it was an interesting and rewarding course where people from all over the world can get together to learn a little, share a little and meet new friends ~ we’ve got diverse peoples from the UAE, Tonga, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Philipines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singaporeans, Indians, as well as Australians on the course:

Nice to have met you guys and girls, now lets all go and save the world, eh?

That aside, Wifey also took some time off to join me as the course ended for a little R&R, so we did the usual tourist things on the Gold Coast ~ went to Seaworld for a spot of dolphin-feeding and met the resident sharks.

Thereafter, we shifted accomodations to Cypress Ave Apartments, which was a little closer to Surfers Paradise, where the bulk of our activities were centered.

One thing ~ I think I’ve put on a few extra kg’s while on this trip ~ the great food we enjoyed did not help in my diet, neither did the constant tea-breaks while on course encourage me to moderate my food. Need to go exercise. Soon.

Although I suppose the (perhaps not-so) great idea of going to learn how to surf while we were there did burn quite a few calories, the scrapes and bruises we ended up with to show for it were painful, to say the least. I now have a better understanding of just how hard this sport is, and these surfer dudes really do deserve some respect.

Q & A
Unique Frequency: Well, it depends really. Most people won’t pay the money for the monthly fees for a game that isn’t even fully “MMO” ~ it’s instanced dungeons, more like Guild Wars (which is free!). But on the other hand, it’s D&D, so being a good little fan-boy I plonked my money there. Up to personal choice, neh?

P.S. How’s Japan?

It was a wonderful trip, and right now I’ve got my hands full unpacking, cleaning and other odds-and-ends that need to be done at the end of every trip (luckily, I’m on holiday till next week :p)

Pictures will be loaded at flickr as usual.

Be back soon… need to wash the furkids ~ they hae been digging up the in-law’s garden and getting all grubby and filthy!

Some early pictures ~ more to come!

Day three here now on a training course in Queensland, and the %$#@! hotel does not have a broadband connection in my room! So, I’m loggin this using the coin-operated machine in the lobby with a curious kid looking over my shoulder.

*stares at nosey kid till he walks away* O_o

Weather’s been great so far, with clear blue skies and cool temperatures despite the sun shine ~ going to have to find a way to upload the pictures ~ very pretty here! Unfortunately we’ve been just handed our first “homework” from the course instructors, so I’d better get cracking.

*headache*

Looking forward to wifey joining me next week

Flying in a few hours ~

All my bags are packed, I’m ready to go
I’m standin’ here outside your door
I hate to wake you up to say goodbye

But the dawn is breakin’, it’s early morn
The taxi’s waitin’, he’s blowin’ his horn
Already I’m so lonesome I could die

So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you’ll wait for me
Hold me like you’ll never let me go

‘Cause I’m leaving on a jet plane
I don’t know when I’ll be back again
Oh, babe, I hate to go

Bags packed, passport checked, gonna bring the dogs over to the in-laws to be spoilt shamelessly.

Be seein’ ya!

Here’s wishing all Buddhist friends a blessed Vesak Day.

In Other News
Flying tomorrow. Wheeeeeee!!!!!!

Was playing catch with the dogs the other day ~ Whippets in motion are a joy to watch; grace and speed in one lean package. Beautiful.

Counting down, before I head Down Under. Good news is, wifey managed to squeeze a few days off, so she’ll be joining me when the course finishes for a few days on the Gold Coast. However, it being winter in this time of the year, I guess we can pretty much rule out diving.

~sigh~

More D&D Madness

Finally made Level 4 on my cleric. Somehow, clerics are really popular on the servers ~ I suppose everybody needs a good medic while on adventures, much better than health insurance :p

Voting Day
Well, today’s the day ~ we went down to the polling centre earlier and cast out votes. However, I did notice one thing: Why is there a serial number on my balloting slip? And since the polling official takes down my sequence number and records it against my issued balloting slip, doesn’t that mean that my vote can be retrieved and traced back to me?

Disturbing thoughts until i came back and checked the Elections Department Website. On the section on Secrecy, I found this:

“Serial numbers on ballot papers enable strict accounting of all ballot papers issued and cast. That way, the number of papers found in the ballot box at the end of the election can be reconciled with the number of papers issued during the poll and the number of papers stocked before the poll began. This is a means to deal with the threat of ballot boxes being stuffed with false papers.

Ballot papers have to be numbered to provide evidence if there is an allegation of impersonation, i.e. that a voter has cast his vote pretending to be someone else. This is done if the court orders so, by matching the suspicious ballot paper with the counterfoil, on which the voter’s registration number is recorded. If proved, the vote can then be subtracted from the declared election results. Without the ballot paper having a serial number, it will be difficult to establish such an allegation, and to adjust the declared election results accordingly….

…After the count, all ballot papers and their counterfoils have to be sealed in the Supreme Court vault for 6 months, after which all the ballot papers and other election documents are destroyed. During those 6 months, these documents can only be retrieved by court order. The court will issue such an order only if it is satisfied that a vote has been fraudulently cast and the result of the election may be affected as a result. Our courts have issued no such order since elections have been held here since 1948.

The ballot paper number is there to protect the integrity of the democratic process, and not to undermine the secrecy of the vote.

The ballot paper number is still a feature of UK parliamentary and local government elections.”

Oh. So, I guess the next question would be: Do you trust your government, Citizen?
Strangely enough, my answer is “Yes“

And they show it with different antics:

Can’t blame them I suppose, we’ve been neglecting the housework so spent Sunday cleaning house and doing laundry ~ no playtime for the furkids.