Jinjun's quiz 1.1

Somehow I've ended up getting this again. My answers haven't changed all that much, so if you read carefully you'll notice that most of them are actually pasted over.

1) The last person who tagged you is:
Jinjun

2) Your relationship with him/her is:
friend/bandmate

3) Your impressions on him/her is:
He's musical, lame, funny, carefree (in a good sense) and nice

4) The most memorable thing he/she had done for you:
Too much stuff to count

5) The most memorable thing he/she said to you:
"Thanks, you're a really great friend"

6) If he/she becomes your lover you will:
Jump off Tojinbo (wow I'm doing a lot of jumping off Tojinbo recently)

7) If he/she becomes your lover, thing he/she has to improve on will be:
His taste

8) if he/she becomes your enemy, the reason will be:
I defect to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or the Islamic Republic of Iran.

9) the most desired thing you wanna do for him/her now is:
Just be as good a friend to him as I can be.

10) your overall impression on him/her is:
Too nice a person

11) how you think people around you feel about you:
I still haven't found out, if you do, let me know

12) the character you love about yourself is:
As I said earlier, the word is "characteristic"

13) on the contrary, the character you hate about yourself is:
See above

14) the most ideal person you wanna be is
Still the best friend to others that I can be

15) pass this quiz to 10 people that you wish to know how they feel about you: (I think I'm retagging a few people, so the circle of life is probably going to continue, but feel free to not do it if you already have)

1. Shuotian
2. Ben
3. Alastair
4. Meiyi
5. Paul
6. Jeremy
7. Chester
8. Zi Guang
9. Jerald
10. Samuel

16) who is no.6 having a relationship with?
The universal set

17) is no.9 a male or a female?
Male.

18) if no.7 and no.10 are together, will it be a good thing?
NO IT WILL MOST DEFINITELY NOT

19) how about no.8 and 5?
ALSO A DEFINITIVE NO

20) what is no.2 studying about? right now?
I'm thinking the answer has to be Chinese

21) when was the last time you had a chat with no.3?
Yesterday

22) what music band does no.8 like?
No idea, really

23) Does no.1 have any siblings ?
No, I'm pretty sure he doesn't

24) will you woo no.3?
A TOTAL AND RESOUNDING NO

25) how bout no.7?
ABSOLUTELY NOT

...where's 26!

27) whats the surname of no.5?
Ng

28) whats the hobby of no.4?
Good question?

29) do no.5 and 9 get along?
Yeah, pretty ok

30) where is no.2 studying at?
RISS
RI
31) talk something casually about no.1?
someone who thinks high school musical is better than wall-E, i think his tongue suffered some serious damage

32) have you tried to develop feelings for no.8?
NOPE, NO, NADA, NEVER

33) where does no.9 live at?
Hmm not too sure

34) what colour does no.4 like?
Pink, I think

35) are no.1 and 5 best friends?
I don't know, quite close maybe

36) does no.7 like no.2?
I don't think no. 7 cares about no. 2 either way

37) how do you get to know no.2?
RIMB

38) does no.1 have any pets?
His pet mouse, I believe its name is Copperhead (or Diamondback, not too sure). He also has a pet keyboard named Lycosa.

39) is no.7 the sexiest person in the world?
HOW MANY WAYS IN THE WORLD ARE THERE TO SAY NO

Haha caps spamming to make a point, quite fun.

Jinjun's Quiz V3

1. What colour is your phone?

Plum

2. Who is the first person who comes under the letter M?
Mark

3. Who's the last person you called?

Jinjun

4. Who was your last missed call from?

My mother's office

5.Who's the 2nd person who missed call you?

Meiyi

6. Who's speed dial 2?

I didn't know I had a speed dial?

7. Who's the 3rd person who comes under J?

Jared

8. Who was your last received call?

Bertrand

9. Who's speed dial no. 4?

What's a speed dial?

10. What is your wallpaper?
My phone or my com? Actually both are Singapore Airlines Boeing 777-312ERs, but my phone's is 9V-SWA and my com's is 9V-SWB

11. How many text messages do you receive?
On my phone now is 2268

12. Who's speed dial no. 8?
In Soviet Russia, number speed dials YOU

13. What does the 5th message of your inbox say?
"Take care drink more water!" - Jinjun while my nose was bleeding all over an SBS bus 93

14. Who's the first person who comes under B?
Bass Clar

15. Who was your last text message?
Jinjun again

16. Name every person you have text messages from
No.

17. Have you seen the 101 Chuck Norris facts?
No, and not all that interested

18. Who's the 3rd person under U?
There's no one under me at the moment... oh wait
I have no Us

19. What does the 3rd message in your outbox say?
Under sent messages you mean. "Nah for me the Gibbs free energy of nosebleeds is negative, remember?" to Zi Guang

20. Who is the first name on your phonebook
Aaron (it's probably the most common first name on people's phonebooks, mailing lists etc)

Name 20 people you can think of right now.Dont read the questions until you've named 20 people.At the end of the quiz, choose 5 people to do this
1.Jinjun (you get to do this again, because no one else has a blog that I feel like tagging)
2.Paul
3. Shuotian (you get to do this)
4. Brian
5. Calvin
6. Chester
7. Zi Guang
8. Ben (you get to do this)
9. Samuel
10. Jerald (you get to do this)
11. Bertrand
12. Alastair (you get to do this)
13. Meiyi
14. Jeremy (EDIT: because I just realised you have a blog, you get to do this instead of Jinjun)
15. Shuyi
16. Karen
17. Zhou Chen
18. Wen Chong
19. Jonathan
20. Shuhui

1. How did you meet 14?
Way way back in Sec 1 at my first RIMB practice.

2. What would you do if you never met no. 1?
Probably die (goes for quite a few people on this list).

3. What if 9 and 20 dated?
What if? Why is it a what if question?

4. Will 16 and 17 date?
No I rather doubt it.

5. Describe 7
5 deans lists says it all.

6. What would you do if 18 confessed to you that he/she liked you?
Jump off Tojinbo

7. Who is 9 going out with?
20

8. when was the last time you talked to 13?
Just the afternoon

9. who's no. 2's favourite band/singer?
Anything Disney/Pixar

10. would you ever date 4?
No I rather doubt that too

11. would you ever date 1?
Yeah, if I get a date stamp, I'd be happy to stamp the date all over him

12. is 19 single?
I don't know, I guess so.

13. Would you ever be in a relationship with 11?
Yeah, a pretty good friendship.

14. School of 3?
Everybody on that list is from RI, either RI(S) or RI(JC)

15. where does 6 live?
Bukit Timah, opposite the road from 7

16. what is your favourite thing of 5?
His ability to get cheap Jetstar tickets.

17. Have you ever seen 10 naked?
Yes, actually, also 2, 3, 9 and 12, all together in the same place (which, before anyone gets any weird ideas, is a Japanese hot spring).

oh and i realised, this quiz did not involve nos. 8, 12 and 15 -.-

Differences between a band and a social club

Recently I've been asked by many people why, when it's so close to the A levels, I continue going for Rwinds pracs on Saturdays. The most obvious reason is that unlike most RJ people, I cannot mug 24/7 and doing so will not work for me. Rwinds provides a much needed break from that.

Another thing is also the concert, Coda 4. It's probably as big an event to me as A Tempo was, despite how others may feel about the concert, and I want it to be a success as much as I wanted A Tempo to be. Maybe even more so, I feel as though I actually have a stake in the band, or well, more so than in RJ anyway.

This leads to an interesting dilemma of the band vs the social club. Rwinds usually has a pretty open membership policy, with people in a random state of flux and most people only coming in the last month or so. Obviously this does not help the standard of the band. However, as an alumni band, it's not good to kick these people out either.

Rwinds is really caught in a vicious cycle, people aren't going to treat it as a good band unless its standard is there, which isn't possible unless its members take it seriously, which only happens when... the cycle goes on. Not helping matters is the 6 month break after Coda before the Rwinds cycle starts. I guess it's also the "I'll come if everyone else comes" mentality, which is fair for a social club, but not good for a band.

Unfortunately all the above factors are unavoidable, which really perturbs me, particularly this year when my batch is in the spotlight, most of them intending to join in late November before the concert. On the one hand, the difficulties to the band and the player are obvious, joining a band that has one or two practices a week one month before the concert isn't. On the other hand, they are my batchmates, and another aim of Rwinds is to try to bring the Raffles alumni together.

The challenge that Rwinds will face in the future is undoubtedly how to improve itself in the face of such overwhelming condition. I look forward to seeing that happen, and I hope I can do my part to help the band achieve this.

Alastair's quiz

1. Do you have secrets?
Not really, no.

2. Would you fall in love with a boy younger than you?
I'm going to innocently pretend that this question said "Would you fall in love with a girl younger than you?". The answer? The Boeing 747 is already 40, see below

3. Do you enjoy going to sch?
Depends on which side of that bridge you're talking about

4. What would you do with a billion dollars?
Start an airline? Or just buy a Boeing 747 and fly the world.

5. Will you fall in love with your best friend?
Friendship is a form of platonic love

6. Which is more blessed, loving someone or being loved by someone?
Hmm both have to be present for the whole thing to be blessed

7. What would be your perfect place of choice for a date?
The calendar. Seriously, North Korea, or any other scenic mountain reason.

8. If the person you secretly like is already attached, what would you do?
How should I know.

9. Is there anything that has made you extremely happy?
Raffles Institution Military Band. For a short four years.

10. List the artists you listen to.
X Y band, where X = any combination of words, Y = {concert, military, symphonic}. Also LSO

11. How would you see yourself in 10 years time?
In a photo?

12. Who is currently the most important people to you?
Various random people

13. What kind of the person do you think the person tagged you is?
Nice guy. Don't know him well enough, but I admire his love for band

14. Would you rather be single and rich or married but poor?
Good question. I know i'd rather not be single and poor though

15. What is your favourite colour?
Green and gold, wood too.

16. Would you give all in a relationship?
Depends on what kind of relationship. Friendship? Love? Family?

17. If you fall in love with two people simultaneously, who would you pick?
747 and 787?

18. Would you forgive and forget no matter how horrible a thing the someone has done?
Usually, yes

19. Do you prefer being single or having a relationship?
No idea. But seeing that I'm single and have no idea, I might try the other way later on in life.

20. 5 people I have tagged
Jinjun, Shuotian, Jerald, Brian, Ben

40 years ago...

...the world witnessed the birth of a new jet airliner. One twice as big as any seen previously, and one that would change the face of air travel.

30th September, 1968

N7470 was rolled out, the first Boeing 747 to be produced.

40 years on, the Boeing 747s are no longer the brand new machines that they are, their glory partially eclipsed by the Airbus A380. Yet a new breed of the beautiful airliner will soon take to the skies, and I hope for the 747-8 to grace them for a long time.

Rather than recount the whole history of the 747, which can be found at Wikipedia or by reading the book "747" by it's chief engineer, Joe Sutter, I'll make this a personal tribute to the Boeing 747, by showing off some of the pictures I've taken of this wonderful airliner.

My first experiences with the Boeing 747 came when I was 9 years old, headed across the Pacific Ocean to the United States of America. The trip involved a stopover in Tokyo, and while the transpacific flights were on American Airlines 777-223s, the flight to Tokyo, and the flight back, were both on United Airlines 747-422s. Young as I was, I could still recognise the familiar shape of the Jumbo Jet.

The next time I flew the Boeing 747 was on a Boeing 747-4H6 of Malaysia Airlines from Kuala Lumpur to Brisbane, and back from Melbourne. Regrettably I have little recollection of that trip.

After 5 years, in November 2005, my love for aviation had blossomed, as had my love for the 747. My family went on a very long trip to the United States again. Much as I loved the US, I missed home, and it was a joy to find that my ride home was a 747-412, 9V-SPF, carrying the golden bird of Singapore Airlines. I still regard that aircraft as my favourite in SIA's fleet.


Asiana Airlines 747-400 together with Singapore Airlines' 9V-SPF


My ride across the Pacific and back home, 9V-SPF


Cathay joins the Asian extravaganza with its own B-HUD, a 747-467 with rare Rolls Royce engines


Friendly rivalry over at Los Angeles International Airport


My family on board 9V-SPF on its way home to Singapore

Next year, in 2006, after another long trip in Europe, I had another chance to fly on the 747. A 747-4D7 of Thai Airways, from London to Bangkok. HS-TGR was my ride, and despite the lack of TVs, it was a very good flight. It was also my first experience deboarding a 747 from the remote stands (except maybe in Tokyo), and the first time I got to experience the size of that aircraft.


The cabin of HS-TGR


The massive PW4056 engine of the 747-400s of Thai, Singapore, Malaysi, United and many more


Siriwatthani

In 2007, Bertrand invited me along to Hong Kong, and we seized the chance to fly a rare bird. 747-146s, more than 30 years old, would be our ride. Our flights from Bangkok to Hong Kong and back were both on HS-UTQ, a former Japan Airlines 747-146SR. Great experience to fly on such a classic airliner, and to fly in the nose section, in front of the cockpit even.


Orient Thai's HS-UTQ, our ride to Hong Kong


HS-UTQ's vertical stabiliser in the setting sun


The classic interior of an old 747


The 747 classic's flight deck



Our aircraft departing Hong Kong the day after we arrived


In the business class section on my flight back

Later in the year, I secured tickets to fly on the first commercial flight (actually second) of the Airbus A380-841 from Sydney to Singapore. The aircraft that flew me to Sydney was the 747-412 9V-SMU. That aircraft is particularly special as it holds the line number of 1000, the 1000th Boeing 747 to be built


Dawn breaks over the South Pacific as 9V-SMU cruises along to Sydney


Thick fog obscures our approach into Kingsford-Smith International Airport in Sydney


Rollout after a nice landing in YSSY(SYD)


Met a sister ship in Sydney


The closest I'll ever come to flying an SIA 747-400


The office of a 747-412


9V-SMU bids us farewell for a while


She came back the next day, and left before our delayed flight on 9V-SKA, the first commercial A380 flight. There's a Thai 747 behind that as well.

Regrettably, that was the last chance so far I had to fly the Boeing 747. I'm looking to flying her a few more times before she leaves SIA's fleet in 2011, and hopefully one of those times will be on the upper deck. However, in late 2007, I met with a very special member of the 747 family, N7470, and it was a joy.


The first 747's nose


N7470's tail


No doubt who she is


Old, but gorgeous


Proud to be a 747


I'm standing under the nose, gives you an idea of the scale of the aircraft

The 747 was also the first aircraft I learned to fly well in Flight Simulator, thanks to the beautiful PMDG 747-400. I shall show her off a bit here.


My office in Microsoft Flight Simulator, the cockpit of the 747-400


My ride, the 747-412 of Singapore Airlines, 9V-SPF (the one that took me home from LAX)


9V-SPF's virtual counterpart taking off at Changi Airport


Overflying WSSS in a 747-412, 9V-SPF


Air New Zealand ZK-SUJ in special Lord of the Rings livery


ANA's Pokejet at Narita Airport, JA8962

Finally, the 747 has also gave me much enjoyment in models. I own quite a few of them, Cathay, ANA, JAL, the original N7470, a 747-8, Singapore Airlines and United Airlines.


A 1:500 747-400 of ANA I bought during the band trip to Osaka


1:500 JAL 747-100 Bertrand bought during same


A 747-400 model at Boeing in Seattle, I bought a 747-8 and a 747-100, opposite ends of the scale


This cute little 747 toy was inspired by (actually copied) one of the ANA Pokejets. I own an accurate scale model of this but it suffered a little... accident.

I'll continue by posting a few (actually a lot) of pictures I've taken of this beautiful bird.


G-CIVP at Bangkok Don Muang


747 vs 777 at Singapore


Two Qantas 747s at Hong Kong, VH-OJT and VH-OJO


Cathay Pacific and Asia's World City in Hong Kong


China Airlines B-18209 at Hong Kong


The old and the new, 747-200 of JAL and 747-400 of KLM at Hong Kong


The KLM 747 rotates at Hong Kong


The nose of Eva Air's B-16461 at Hong Kong


B-HUE of Cathay Pacific in Hong Kong


Garuda Indonesia's PK-GSH in Changi


A random 747 in Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport


Thai Airways' HS-TGX's tailfin


Another Orient Thai 747-146SR/SUD (stretched upper deck), HS-UTM, at Bangkok


Qantas 747s are common in Hong Kong


A Cathay 747-400BCF (converted from a passenger to a freighter)


The MegaArk takes off, 9V-SFA wearing larger SIA colours


A Qantas 747-438 rotates


2 Cargo planes, a 747-400BCF, converted from one of Cathay's old passenger planes, and a Kalitta 747-200F


B-HUB of Cathay Pacific breaks the surly bonds of Earth


9V-SPG of Singapore Airlines is about to follow


All the way from Amsterdam, the "Jakarta", PH-BFI, at Hong Kong


B-KAC, one of Dragonair Cargo's 747-300F


Rudolph the blue-nosed 747


The airline is now no longer in service, ex-SIA 747-400 B-LFA with Oasis Hong Kong


B-HMD, the "silver bullet"


Another 747-400BCF, this one of Martinair in Bangkok


HS-UTM yet again


Celebrating the Star Alliance, 9V-SPP of Singapore Airlines in Singapore


Malaysia Airlines passenger 747-4H6 in Malaysia. Their Hibiscus scheme rivalled the Tropical Megatops for beauty, sadly all 4 SIA and MAS specials are gone.


MASKargo, the sister airline, operates older 747-200Fs alongside 747-400Fs


Quintessentially Singapore, the iconic tower, the words and the Megatop, 9V-SPI


Another view of 9V-SPI


A pair of Korean Air 747-400s in Incheon


A United Airlines 747-422 at San Francisco International Airport


The 747-400LCF, aka the DreamLifter, built to carry parts for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, at Boeing's factory at Paine Field, Everett, Washington


On display at the Future of Flight Center in Boeing's base is this 6-storey high vertical stabliliser (tail) of a 747


The front section of a Northwest Airlines 747 in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington DC


A different view of the same


Korean Air 747-400 at a large aircraft carrier, Osaka Kansai International Airport


Probably the same guy, HS7461 of Korean Air

I hope this aircraft will continue to fly for many long years