"Conspiracy Theory" of Social Media

Facebook. Twitter. Foursquare. They ain't strangers to you right?

Somehow after coming across this comic, I kinda conjured up a conspiracy theory about social media. Food for thought! Here goes..


Conspiracy Theory: 


Do you know why US has so many innovative companies in the market that are seemingly "funded" by VCs with obscene valuation numbers? VCs are just the hands but the mastermind could be..


America is known for its secrecy with military intelligence like you know, Area 51. Oops, how did I know about this "secret"? Anyway, there might be something ongoing behind the scene in the US army that they have known of means to extract intelligence but it should be sugar coated to look as though they have no military agenda. So this probably explains why the sudden emergence and focus on social media in recent years.. Here are some objectives of the various social media websites and their functions for intelligence gathering:

Simple, to have a macro view of you interaction. What's more? The newly improved FB website has a tracklist of your actions. That's totally, it.

Trying to get funding for your terrorist activities? No sweat! Checking your LinkedIn account is as easy as ABC with your network of possible businessmen or VCs all listed there.

Exasperated at your foiled bomb plans or tired of hiding in that manhole? Venting your frustrations in less that 140 characters will do the trick in that short moment of anger. Once your position is in, they'll getcha!

Checking into a hotel might put yourself in great danger. Furthermore, money should be better spent to get more gun powder to load your ammo than soaking yourself in the jacuzzi. Foursquares not only allows you to check-in to Hilton, but also the hotdog cart near you. They will check you out in no time.

The newest kid on the block, providing better categorization of the people you know with acquaintances, friends, family but you can rename them easily to say, bombers. There are many under you and G+ makes sorting easy for you but easier for them to target you. 




Disclaimer: This is PURELY to amuse readers and was NEVER meant to be the truth or reality of any sorts. Please read the article with a pinch of salt and intention to forget in the next second after reading.

Where's Gary?

If you have bought a copy of the Sunday Times today, you would have noticed that Changi Airport was covered on the front page of the Lifestyle Section.

If you knew the purpose of me starting this blog, you would know what I meant. Ok, I won't let you strain your eyes so much to play a similar childhood game of "Where's Wally?". I've given you a hint on the photo below:

Get what I mean?

* Thanks to Choon Kiat for being so alert and the sms in the morning! hahaha

Missed Capture

I realized that I have missed this photo, which I thought was one of the highlights of the day.. This was taken from the outside where the 150+ were queuing.

There you go - the meditator and the relak one korner. 

The Moment of Glory

The moment has come.


I have gotten my iPad 2!!!!!!!!!!! See the victory smile of mine!!!!!!!!!!!! yays~

iPad 2 in my hand!

iPad Packaging.

Ta daaaaaa~ My iPad 2!!

All Prepped Up

It was about 6.30pm and everyone was preparing for the moment when the sales of the iPad 2 starts at 7pm!

Stand Up for iPad 2! Do the best we can!

Also got to take a photo of my seating spot for the past 12 hours...

Thanks 141~

From some distance, I managed to catch a glimpse of the Changi personnel issuing out the queue ticket for each person and I got mine quite soon~

My queue number and qualifying receipt!

Once I got the tickets issued to me, I immediately got into the payment queue!

In queue for payment.

People still in the "queue" even though they aren't.

I can now understand the true meaning of 不到黄河心不死!

Can SMELL the iPad 2 from here already!!

I'm next... yayyyy~

Thanks Papa

Finally, my dad reached the queuing venue at about 1515hrs and I can go for my toilet break already!! hahaha


I think my dad quite like my spot too cos I think he enjoyed reading his Straits Times there.. heEz

Can't believe I can tahan for so long~

Happy Family

During the period of queuing, there were moments of sianness, stoning, gazing and whatsoever just to kill time.

Somehow during such moments, I got to know the people sitting around me and we started chatting and talking about things around us. During lunchtime, I saw a person buying 8 packets of chicken rice not only for themselves but also for those who were sitting around them~ Also the person sitting beside me offered to buy lunch for me but I have already brought my own lunch. However, I'm still thankful that she asked!

Not bad to have such "Kampung Spirit" in times like that~ hahaha

A True Test of Determination

I am not flattering myself or the crowd with me in the queue.


This flattery goes to to those people who are the 150+. Not sure what I am talking about? Here's the answer..

Rumour was that if those iPad 2 units were not sold out at the transit areas, they would be transferred here to be sold. So I guess these people were banking on that rumour.


Nonetheless, they deserve my salute! Queue warriors!

Sights & Scenes

The thing about queuing up for something is that you inevitably become the centre of attraction or on the flip side of description, is that I've become a public exhibit.

The "Visitors".

For such promo you get to see some sights of human behaviour:


1. The Patrols

As you can see, we cannot place 100% belief in humans because the human brain is so much advanced which sometimes, rules are meant to be broken. Therefore the Cisco guards were employed to ensure that rules are not flouted and people adhere to the ground rules of the game.

Control Centre (2nd Level) & Executioner (Ground)

2. The Bangladeshis

No, they weren't skipping their work at the construction site nor they were tourists. They were actually brought into the queue by their Singaporean bosses - the foremen. 6 of them were present at site at about 8 plus in the morning with their bosses showing them the queuing place and the specific seats they should take up. It was about 9am where you see them getting into the queue orderly, with 4 being in queue and 2 outside waiting for stand-in. I overheard the bosses saying to them that they will only reach at about 6.30pm and true enough, they were here on the dot, substituted the Bangladeshis and all the 6 Bangladeshis gathered together and went back to their quarters. These foremen who stood in the queue eventually gotten their iPads without getting their asses ache a bit.


How to describe them? Smarty pants or scheming exploiters? I think the latter..




3. Ugly Singaporean


For every person in the queue, the Cisco guards actually give some leeway of 2 mins (or 3 mins) for them to visit the toilet, when you actually need a stand-in to replace you. With this, some people try to exploit this loophole and took the chance to take a longer time for a stroll, buy stuff or have their meal.


There was one particular incident where this Singaporean man (A) actually shouted at the Cisco guard (B) that his wife was out at Kopitiam to buy something back. When the Cisco guard replied him that the seat was empty for more than 2 mins, A became agitated and replied sternly back to B that he can call her back shortly in less than 5 mins. (eh uncle, 2 MINS is the privilege.. 5 mins you are saying.. WHAT TALKING YOU??) Then from afar, you can see the lady holding a tray of chicken rice set walking in and sat back to her seat. I think that Singaporean man even had the cheek to stare back at the Cisco guard after that.

Come on man, why Singaporeans can't be more gracious? If you can't follow the rules, don't be unreasonable and be rude to the enforcers. For goodness sake!




4. The Chinese

The tale of the Chinese. At the start, there were 3 old Chinese folks who were in the queue but were taking up 4 places with 1 of the seats being "choped" with a stool. They were let off twice by giving the same excuse (1 stool and 1 person going for toilet break) with the shifting of the stool and a different person going off. But at their 3rd attempt to explain to the Cisco guard, it's a no-no for them this time. Basically at every moment, there will always be 1 old lady missing with an empty stool and this time when the Cisco guard saw the same other old lady, he began to suspect something was amiss. He then explained in a stern manner to them that they have flouted the rule of having no stand-in (for the stool) and emptied the stool seat to let the next person sit. Once the old lady (3) returned for her toilet break, she was furious that one of her seats had been taken away and was making a big fuss out of it at her husband (1). She even tried to stand beside the seat which was taken up by the next person to "make sure" she had her seat back.


Then another Chinese lady stood up and kindly explained to old lady (3) about the situation and advised her to speak to the Cisco guard directly. She was adamant about standing near her lost seat but reluctantly left to speak to the Cisco guard, which she subsequently gave up her standing position because it was all futile.


Shortly, a young lady (2), whom I think it's old lady (3)'s daughter-in-law, came and stood in for another old lady (which I believe is old lady (3)'s sister/friend) and started to reprimand her for being late, told her that a seat was lost and the old man (1) needed to leave urgently for work. So when the other old lady got back, she replaced old man (1). Not long after, old lady (3)'s son came and took over the other old lady's seat. 


The bottomline is, there's really no reason for arguing something that you were wrong in the first place and wanting the Cisco guard to return your lost seat. Furthermore, lamenting at your daughter-in-law in front of public eyes was really not the way to do.




5. Complain, complain, complain..


Yet another Singaporean... -.-'''


Not sure what was the reason behind this person's (A) unhappiness, but he complained directly to the Changi Airport staff that his seat was removed because the Cisco guard realized that one of the seats had no stand-in and even though his family members tried to explain, it was of no use. The Cisco guard then called in another person (B) outside of the queue to replace the seat.

Finger pointing somemore.. Relak la bro!

Anyway, you can complain till the cows come home. A decision was made and the authorities will just stand by the decision of the Cisco guard unless the guard made a glaring mistake in his decision. If not, NO CHANCE, even you complain!

Gate Closed

That's it. It was all over right before 1000hrs where 150 seats have all been occupied! May the good wins~

All 150 seats snapped up!

Dawn Spells a New Beginning

6.10am - The time which my alarm clock went off. It was all it began. My mother was helping in a way she woke up earlier than me to prepare breakfast - fried eggs and luncheon meat, for my lunch because she knew I could not leave my spot. Thanks Mummy!

6.30am - Left home. Sharp on the dot.

7.30am - Reached the basement bus stop of T3 and walked briskly to the queue area and to see that only the 1st two rows (about 12 pax) being filled up. I heaved a sigh of relief and decided to go Macs for my breakfast! It's always a joy for me to have a big breakfast set at Macs in the morning! Yummyyyy~

McDonald's Big Breakfast Set.

8.15am - After having a hearty breakfast, I headed down to NTUC to get a set of Straits Times to kill of some time and then went on to survey the ground. A rough count of the queue would be at about 30 plus pax and it's still within the margin of safety. So I took a trip to the toilet first and then sat down at a nearby seat and started playing my Angry Birds - gotten 2 sets with 3 stars within a span of 30 mins which I have been trying for daysss! So it was quite "productive" to me in a way.. hahaha

Really gung-ho!

9am - A quick walk to the queue area shows that the queue now is nearly at 90 and that would mean there are still about remaining 60 seats left.

It hits 90 at 0900hrs!

9.25am - The situation seemed to be heating up with hoards of people coming in to fill up the remaining places. I got a little hyped up and started to patrol the ground and soon enough, I thought it was about time to get in but I took another trip to the toilet before taking on the real fight!


9.30am - I entered the fray and got cosy with my seat. Ta daaaa~

Queuing starts now!

All ready for it~

Seating Strategy

Before entering lala land, I decided to revisit the photo I took at the queue area as I thought that coming up with a "Seating Strategy" was quite an important task because of the following factors:


1. Waiting time (Arriving at T3 to Purchase of iPad 2) is estimated to be 12 hours.
2. Comfort at the sitting area should be top priority.
3. Mobility should not be compromised - walking in/out of queue area.


After discussing with my wife (as she had also visually picked out a good seating position when we were there), we finally decided that Seat 141 was the best amongst all because of the following reasons:

Escalator - Seat 141 is located just beside an escalator and it's just nice that the escalator's metallic supporting structure can act as a suitable backrest for me. +1.


A - Good space to place my rather big bag as it has 1 laptop, 1 netbook, 2 books, 1 notepad and a set of newspapers inside it. +1


B - This area is spacious and just perfect to stretch my legs if they are getting numb. Had the experience of going numb last time during secondary school assembly and it was really terrible! So this space is very crucial for me too! +1


C - It represents the movable barricade and shows the proximity for people to stand-in when the person queuing needs to go toilet. Also as it's near the barricade, mobility is convenient too. +1


D - Although these seats at this area is nearer to the payment counters, they are not conducive for me to queue for 12 hours because they are squeezy, restrictive and I would have serious difficult to move in and out of the rows of people. Not encourageable. -1


Some tips for those queuing for the other remaining offers!

On the Eve

Uncertainties were all in mind.

To remove all these unsettling thoughts in me, I decided to make a trip down to the booth and recce to get a good feel of the ground as well as the "terrain".

When I reached the booth at T3 (near NTUC), I was rather surprised that they actually pasted circles to demarcate a seat and they had instructions on each circle too. 

Quite professional yeah?

Also, they had a couple of boards displaying the rules & regulations for queuing. I also had the chance to speak to an Encik, who is the on-duty Cisco guard about this queuing rules. He said that they are very strict on the queuing and if a person goes to toilet, he/she will be forfeited and will need to re-queue. Also, he has told others who asked him about the iPad 2 promo on the timing to start queuing that 6 am will be a good timing. I was like.. What? 6am? OMG.. He should just give a later timing right.. But anyway, we have to play by the rules right? 

The R&R sounded less strict than the Encik.. Relak la boss..

Together with my wife, we had our dinner at Popeyes and lingered around till about 9.30pm to see if there was a queue forming before we left home on the bus. As there wasn't anyone queuing still, I decided to to have a good sleep on my bed first before I arrive there next day morning!

The Call & The Decision

The Call to Changi Group Customer Service

After receiving the flyer, I got all excited about this iPad 2 offer because it was really on a good discount for a brand new set! To confirm some of my doubts for this promo, I decided to compile the questions I had for this promo and they are as follow:

1. Can I camp overnight?

Ans: Yes you can. But you need to present a single receipt worth $30 with VISA payment or $60 for other modes of payment.

2. Is the purchase restricted to only F&B/Retail shops or any shop within the airport (T1-T3)?

Ans: Yes, any shop in all 3 terminals, including DFS.

3. What is the mode of payment for the iPad 2 if I get to qualify for the purchase?

Ans: You can pay by VISA, Mastercard, NETS or cash. But payment with VISA allows you to double your chances for the Changi Millionaire promotion.

4. How many units are up for grabs?

Ans: For the public area, there will only be 150 units. Within the transit area, there will be 350 units (I didn't ask if it's for all terminals or just T3). So in total, 500 units are available.

5. How is the past response for such promo like?

Ans: Usually the queue starts at about 5pm. But there were lots of calls to us regarding the iPad 2 promo so I think the queue will start much earlier.

Factors for Consideration

1. The 30% discount compared to normal retail price proved to be way too attractive to be ignored.

2. iPad 2 is considered to be a "milestone" product for Apple and my assumption is that even the launch for iPad 3 is rather soon in 2012, the specs would not be much of a difference compared to iPad 1 vs iPad 2.

3. I have an Off-In-Lieu from the Presidential Elections.

4. If I were to queue, might need to start queuing overnight, referencing from the opening of the H&M outlet with teens queuing up overnight to get the $250 H&M vouchers.

5. There should be some rules for queuing which I am currently unknown of and it might pose some difficulty if I am going alone.

Final Decision

Take an off day from work on 9th Sep 11 and with my past experience of queuing up, just be prepared with water, books and netbook to be ready for the "battle".

It all started with this Flyer..

The iPad 2 promo box is just too attention-grabbing!! I called Changi Airport the next day to know more details of this promo.. Just too hot not to get it (to me)!

At only $593.60, it's nearly $255 off the normal retail price of $848! Really value for money~~