Merdeka Countdown

The 49th Independance Day of our country is just round the corner, to be exact you may view the countdown timer above. Under the new Principal, he has planned a Countdown Camp for selected 20 students from each uniformed body. On the 30th August Wednesday morning during school hours, there will be the marching competition and in the evening the Camp will start. Those not involve may visit the camp on the eve of the Merdeka Day for the Merdeka Countdown, sweet.

From what I had heard, there will be laser light presentation on the school's main building (whatever that means) and the Merdeka Countdown will come with fireworks when the clock strikes 12am.

I am just here to wish all the viewers of this site a Happy Independance Day and let the spirit of Merdeka burn in you. Btw, no school on Thursday. Wheee`

MERDEKA~! MERDEKA~! MERDEKA~!

Memoirs of a Sea Scout: Entry 005

As I was nosing around at the scout den one afternoon after school, I heard some heated discussion inside between a few people. I paid more attention and realised they were my seniors and the topic of discussion turns out to be the indifference of us junior scouts towards scouting life now.

One of the seniors who I respect said this:

Majority of the junior sea scouts seem to show no interest in sea scouting life. Most of them say its just a waste of time whereas there are some who still think its interesting. They never seem to put much effort and take the initiative to learn knowledge or ask us questions by themselves. If we didn't push them, no progress would be made. What else can we do other than telling them the benefits of scouting and the fun of it? It is something they must learn to like on their own because we cannot force them to do or like what they don't.

I find what he said to be quite true. I admit that there are many junior scouts who are really just not interested at all. We just do not show enough passion. Even my passion for sea scouting is fading. It's truly sad. Is my seniors to be blamed for this or is it just me? As this was running through my head, another senior spoke up.

I agree with what K said. It's true that most of the juniors are now losing interest in scouting life. Most of them are getting bored with what they usually do such as the daily patrol corners. They are also getting bored of the meetings as it is just like they come and learn new stuff every week. In fact, the attendance for the patrol meetings are not really good. Almost half of the members of a patrol only turn up during patrol meetings. Other troops have their meetings by starting it with a football match and followed by knowledge teaching after that. That attracts a lot of members to turn up for meetings and the attendance is very good. I think we could make our weekly patrol meetings more enjoyable for the juniors. We do not need to follow the same thing like other troops are doing during their patrol meetings like playing football. ATL W had already suggested that we should maybe have monkey crawl and vertical climb instead of the same things every week. This can be something new to the juniors and they will enjoy it. Besides that, we can still have other stuff for the juniors. It will be more enjoyable for them during patrol meetings and hopefully more members will turn up for the weekly meetings. Can anybody suggest what more can we do during the patrol meetings to make it more enjoyable and fun?

How true...how true. I actually have a few suggestions to make the meetings more attractive but how do I get the ideas to them? Will they accept what I suggest or will they scold me instead? Should I go see an EXCO to tell them my ideas? I'm very afraid actually because they are just so fierce. What would you do?

1st Anniversary Quiz Challenge

Just a week ago, this website celebrated its first year of existence. Today, there's something else to celebrate about - its 100th entry! Yes, this is the 100th post in here. There has been that much crap.

To mark this double celebration, why not let someone have a chance to celebrate too! Introducing the 1st Anniversary Quiz Challenge. Email the answers to the questions below to 8thsouth+quiz[at]gmail[dot]com to participate. Only entries through email will be entertained. Answers of course can be found on this website itself. Good luck!

Questions:

1. It has been wrongly mentioned here that the first webmaster of 08online was Daniel Phoon. The fact is, there was another webmaster before him albeit a short period of time only. Name that person.
2. We have our very own podcast. What is it called?
3. When was 08online officially launched?
4. When was 08online.v2 - Simplicity released?
5. A previous 8thsouth website is still lingering in cyberspace. Provide the full URL.
6. Where can you get information about our Troop Tag? Provide the full URL.
7. Name the two models under the Our Uniform section.
8. Decode this Morse Code: [ -.. --- -. .----. - / .--- ..- ... - / ... .- .. .-.. / .- .-.. .-.. / -.-- --- ..- .-. / .-.. .. ..-. . --..-- / -- .- -.- . / .-- .- ...- . ... .-.-.- .-.-.- .-.-.- ] (Hint: there is a tool introduced somewhere in this website that could easily translate that)

Tie-breaker:

A tie-breaker question will be emailed to contestants if there is more than one person whose entry has all the right answers.

Deadline:

Midnight of 31st August 2006

Winner and Prize:

The winner will be notified by email before CTC06 and is required to collect the prize at CTC06 itself. If the winner is unable to collect the prize personally, arrangements will be made later for the winner to receive the prize (at the discretion of the Troop).

This quiz challenge is open to all followers of 08online. We reserve the rights to change or amend the rules and regulations above at anytime as we deem fit. All decisions of the jury are final and cannot be appealed.

The Amazing Troop Leader Race Season 2

Yes people, the time has come for the journey to continue, in an all new season live on Astro Channel 17 AXN. Aikss, sorry wrong channel, to those which are not able to attend the Annual General Meeting, u may catch the race live on 08online. The race is currently between three main conterders, the current Prob. Assistant Troop Leaders– Aric Oon and Jeffrey Lee and Prob. Venture Unit Leader Kelvin Lim. Ready, seto, go~!

Aric Oon is the current holder of the Best Patrol Leader Challenge Trophy which he won during Combined Training Camp 2005, CTC05. There is no doubt his leadership skills played a role in him landing that challenge trophy along with numeral other trophies despite his loss to Jeffrey Lee during CTC05 and would prove to be a tough cookie to beat. Besides being a talented Scout, he is also fond of break dancing and always shows his moves during meetings (I wonder weather breakdancing is taken into account).

Jeffrey Lee the Patrol Leader of CTC05, which led his patrol Xothique to emerge as Champions of the camp. Being a winner in our most prestigious camp of all proves Jeffrey is not just a talented one but a capable and able leader. He was elected as the Senior Patrol Leader for the Senior Patrol last year and this proves he has what it needs to be the TL. From an unknown source, Jeffrey is said to be a understanding, friendly and smart scout. A recent scoop during the ASSTC 2006 shows that he loves to play chor tai ti and as everyone knows, he is a Dota freak (lets hope that it is taken into account also).

We surely cannot discount Kelvin from the race. Although he is not currently a Prob. ATL, he seems to possess the qualities that could sway support his way. Although the occurrence of a current none-EXCO being appointed as the Troop Leader doesn't seem likely, it doesn't however mean it is not a possibility!

Kelvin Lim the current Webmaster of this website also a Patrol Leader of CTC05, although he did not win the camp but he manage to obtain several notable trophies. Further more, he is currently leading his Ventures to a clean strike, emerging as winners in almost every competition imaginable. He is known for his g-a-y-n-e-s-s and playful-ness (ahemmxx, guys beware~!!) but he is also known to be very smooth with the ladies (if that is also taken into account). Weird!!!

One thing I find in common between these 3 contenders is of course all of them are avid and skilled players in playing the game Warcraft Dota. Owning~!! And not to forget there is still Senior Scout Jordan The Great on standby to snatch the post, gosh why cant he just wait for next year for his turn to come?

Warren Loh the other Prob. VUL is of course a dark horse in this race. Any chance of him being appointed TL instead of the favourites above? How about Prob. VUS Lau Ka-Yin? Will his frequent use of SK-II products to maintain his good looks help in any way? The other Prob. VUS Moy Wei-Sern will probably want a say in this too.

Of course, there are always the outsiders who would lay claim to the right of office. Would the outgoing TL – Lim Ming Yeng declare himself TL-for-Life? Would the still popular former ATL Phuah Wen Hoong steal the post from under their noses after missing his chance 2 years ago? Would the former TL Alvin Tang return from retirement to save the Troop? Would the current ASSL - Simon Loh sacrifice everything to help revive the Troop by reinstating himself as TL again? Would Mr. Lim Ah Seng try his hand at being both GSM and TL? Would Boo Soon Yew miss scouting so much that he comes back for another stint as TL? How bout former Troop Leader, Head Boy, GSM whatever post u name it, Chng Geam Liang which recently reappear in the scouting world snatch back his post? How bout Lee Kuan Shern, the editor of this site, would he want to be TL for another term? How about ATL of the Century - Ong Teong Khuan? Would he finally get his chance? Could this really be his year? Lest we forget, the TL of the Millennium - Andy Tai Khing Khoon! Who can count him out of the race? He is after all THE Troop Leader of the Millennium, you know. Anyone I forgotten, notify me if I missed out anyone~! ahahax.

So guys, place your bets now, thats not right, what I meant was start voting now at the top of this website where u can find the polls of *Who will be TL 2006/2007*. At the time this entry is posted, Jeffrey and Kelvin is tied at first place to grab the TL post this year with 27% of the votes each while Jordan the Great is a very close second along with Aric Oon garnering 18% of the votes each. Who will be the Troop Leader of 8th Georgetown South Term 2006/2007? The next pit stop for this leg of the race is coming very soon. Who will be the first to arrive? Who will be eliminated? Wait a minute, is this the Amazing Race?? Stay tuned to find out!

*some parts and ideas of this post are taken and
edited from the previous and original Amazing Troop Leader Race*

Memoirs of a Sea Scout: Entry 004

The 'coffee break' was exactly how my seniors warned me before this. The EXCO Kopitiam memang very ganas. They open shop to certain people only. Not everyone is so 'lucky' to experience the kopitiam. You must get invited first. The 'coffee' they serve you can really be so hot it can force tears to come out from your eyes. Don't they have Coke or 100plus instead? The 'coffee' can be really bitter to taste. All I did was just fall asleep. Can you blame me? I was really so tired. After hiking for two hours and the hot sun hitting at us which could easily cook an egg, I just fell asleep. The leaves were just so nice to lie on. They just felt like my mattress at home compared to the beach sand which kept on getting into my underwear. Geseran lah! The shade that the trees provided and the breeze that blew on my cheeks were just like the aircond in my room compared to the scorching sun out there. I just couldn't resist it. Can you really blame me for that?

The two excos that was part of the coffee session are two people that always stood out to me. I call them A&W cos of their names. One is tall, skinny like tekko and fair like snow white. I think he use SPF30 sunblock or SKII whitening lotion too much. Haven't he heard of the term tall, DARK and handsome? Mana ada tall, snow white and handsome one??? The other one is also tall but fat and damn lawak. We juniors like him cos he always lawak with us but the other one always very serious and fierce. I very scared of him.

I think the coffee session would have been worse if not for the lawak exco around. He makes things more bearable. He is like sugar that makes the coffee less bitter. Why can't all excos be like him? Then our lives will be so much easier. Actually I understand why cannot also. If everyone as nice as him, sure all of us will climb over their heads and berak there. Confirm one. I myself will sure do that already. That's why I also still respect the fierce exco although he always scold me. If don't have fierce exco like him, sure the troop kandas already by now. I think balance is important - yin and yang.

Inter Patrol Competition : Football : Results

The gruesome football match between the 8th Georgetown (South) Venturez ™ and the 8th Georgetown (South) Juniors had finally ended. It was a match filled with spirit, courage, luck, anxiety and most of all, teamwork. The match fell into the hands of the 8th Georgetown (South) Venturez ™ when they overpowered the 8th Georgetown (South) Juniors to a final score of Venturez 4 - Juniors 0. The 8th Georgetown (South) Juniors were in a state of depression due to their loss in the big game. However, like any other 8th Georgetown (South) Sea Scout, they didnt give up and will be training for the second football match at the end of the year. VS Ong Kuok T'jun (striker) scored 3 goals while VUS Lau Ka-Yin managed to score 1 goal due to his lawak skils. Kudos to the winner of the match and a big round of applause to those who attended the meeting.

Inter Patrol Competition : Football

The football war is on as the all time champions, Penang Free School's very own 8th Georgetown (South) Venturez™ is challenged by the 8th Georgetown (South) Juniors. They claim theirselves to be -undefeatable-....BUT!!! we shall see the payoffs of prob ATL Jeffrey Lee, Prob VUS Moy Wei Sern and VS Ong Kuok T'jun's 'special' training during the past weekend. Both teams will strive their hardest to earn the 8GTS cup during this heart-pounding and exciting game. Will the juniors get past the mighty defence of Prob Vul Kelvin or will they be able to score through the ultimate wall of strength/defence of VS Matthew Ng. Everything will be revealed after the match. Tickets are going on sale with a minimal price of RM 2 per spectator(lol jkjk). Good Luck to all who will be participating.

Attire: Casual

Date: 12/08/06

Venue: Penang Free School Field (UMP)

Time: 0830 hours - 1130 hours

Happy 1st Anniversary 08online

Yes it is true, the Official Website of 8th Georgetown South is officially 1 year old. But i think many people fail to realise that, its okay guys. Wow, me my self could not believe how fast time has past. Lets play fireworks~


Here is a few info. The website here was launch on 8th August 2005 08.08.05 and today is 8th August 2006 08.08.06, i cant wait to celebrate in the 08.08.08, savvy isnt it. When this site first started, it was handled by me, daniel.lawbreaker and in the new term, it is now currently under the hands of Prob. Venture Unit Leader Kelvin Lim aka kel, and not to forget our advisor and longest serving moderator Lee Kuan Shern aka kshern (applause please). In the whole duration, 08online has gone through 3 major layout change and this new one is to commemorate the 1st Anniversary of this site I suppose (thanks once again to kshern).

With the launch of this blog, present Sea Scout was able to communicate with former Sea Scouts and Old Frees. People were able to voice out their concerns on the Group and the school. Many things has happen in this 1 year within the Group and the school. A few notable ones are the Rule Changes, Sea Scouts Going Bald, the Leaving of the HM and the Arrival of the new HM, the Retirement of Mr Loh Hua Sin and the Appointment of Mr Goh Teng Keang, the passing of a few icons like Mr Sober and Mr Ooi, the Another 40min of Horror, Scouting - Dead or Alive and the Scouting Centenary 2007: One World One Promise.

In this same year, the Group has existed for 45 glorious years, our Grand Old Lady Penang Free School is reaching its Grand 190th Anniversary this 21st October, Malaysia is celebrating its 49th Independance Day and not to forget I am 16 already, lolx.

Lets sing the birthday song~!! By the way, we have not receive any 1st Anniversary presents yet, hahahax. No need to take the trouble to get us one, just write in your birthday wishes as a comment will do. Remember it is the thought that counts. Lastly, I hope 08online will continue to exist the in world WILD web and the same goes to 8th Georgetown South in the real world. May all of us live to celebrate the 101st Anniversary of 08online and the 145th Anniversary of 8thSouth. Just joking, peace out.

08ONLINE - BE THE FIRST TO KNOW

Annual Sea Scout Training Camp 2006: Results

Sadly ASSTC 06 has come to an end. Hope all of u enjoyed and learned new and interesting stuff during the camp and meetings. 8GT(S) would also like to wish many thanks to all the ex-scouts who managed to visit and brighten up our camp especially to Mr.Ch'ng Geam Liang who was an ex troop leader. Congratulations to all who did their best and showed their sea scout spirit during the camp. Here are the results of the camp.

Patrol Trophies

Best Overall Champion : Beaver patrol
Best Patrol: Penguin patrol
Best Gadgets : Venture patrol
Best Grand Ball Room : Penguin patrol
Best Campnite : Otter patrol
Best Ancient Sculpture : Beaver patrol
Best Drilling : Venture patrol
Best Modern Cooking : Venture patrol
Best Flag and Flagpole : Beaver patrol
Best Logbook : Penguin patrol

Individual Trophies

Most Outstanding Patrol Leader : Adrian Chuah
Most Outstanding Patrol Second : Shukri
Most Outstanding Sea Scout (Senior) : Ong Kuok T'jun
Most Outstanding Sea Scout (Junior) : Por Kai Yann

Vicissitudes of Fate

If your tongue and eyeballs got all twisted and tied-up just by reading the title of this entry, don't worry...you are not alone. Some Eye-Mo and Vanilla Coke should just do the trick (eye-mo goes into the eyes and vanilla coke goes into the mouth and not the other way around of course). :P

If you do not know the meaning of that phrase which was chosen as the theme for ASSTC 2006, you can choose to google it up yourself or may I suggest you make a trip to the school grounds, have a visit to the camp and ask the EXCOs themselves. Maybe you can also contribute some of your old grand-scouter-in-law stories for good measure just to spice things up. ;)

Details of the camp which begins tomorrow can be found here.