Category Archives: Blogging

This article is taken from here.

Keywords: management, leadership, disaster response

I went and watched Mark Wahlberg’s movie on Friday…I cried quietly at several points. Yes, there were things that were inaccurate and there was artistic license taken in a number of places…but basic elements were all correct and 11 men died. So, what does this have to do with 6 degrees of separation? Well, you see, as is the case with many of us in the oil & gas industry, we’ve worked for a number of different companies. In my case I worked for both Transocean (May 1998-Jan 2001) and BP (Nov 2001-June 2016). On April 26th I reported for duty in the Houma ICS as part of the spill response, first as Assistant Safety Officer and then Safety Officer. When I first went to work for BP as a contractor (1998-2006) I spent a number of hitches on the Deepwater Horizon and got to know quite a number of the crew, so for me this was very, VERY personal! It has been personal since 2010! The movie just put everything on the big screen. So, my emotions and memories choked my throat and watered my eyes, and I cried…again.

I’ve been thinking about the events, the memories of those colleagues lost or severely injured in body and mind, the 24 hour news cycle that ran throughout my 6 months during the response but most importantly about the fact that this isn’t the first time we’ve had this type of disaster. In my short lifetime in the oil & gas industry I remember “Piper Alpha” (1988-167 died), the ‘Ocean Ranger’ (1982-84 died), the “Alexander L. Kielland” (1980-123 died) to name but 3. The “Deepwater Horizon” (2010-11 died) now gets added to that list. While each is different, they all have one common thread–decisions were made by a few people that changed the lives of hundreds, perhaps thousands. I was not directly impacted by any of these but like so many of you reading this, we have all been indirectly impacted. As the years go by I’ll forget details, the names and faces of some of the men and women who I worked with, and details about the Horizon. What I won’t forget though are the words of George Santayana (an American philosopher and poet) who famously warned “those who fail to learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them”. This is what all of us should take from these tragedies. Whether you are a roustabout, a safety officer, a CEO or (insert your role here) it is left to you and I to remember the “Deepwater Horizon” and learn a new mantra–“Do the right thing, for the right reason…THE FIRST TIME”. You and I have an obligation to speak up when something doesn’t look right, smell right, sound right…or it just doesn’t feel right. Will there be another ‘Deepwater Horizon’? Yes, probably so. But, how many potential ‘Deepwater Horizons’ can we prevent? This is what came to me after watching the movie (and I do recommend that you see the movie). So, I am renewing my commitment to apply what I’ve learned over my 27 years in HSE in memory of, and my tribute to, those who have lost their lives or been irreparably hurt. It is left to all of us to not forget and to stand tall when one of us needs to call a ‘safety time out’ to break the chain of events. Will you stand with me?

Thank You!

First day with MSE PT12

Today is the first day of my MANP 1433 class. There are three students in my class this semester. We will be seeing each other for the next three weekends.

Today they were asked to prepare a work breakdown structure for a simple project and they have decided that they wanted to build a house.

I hope that by the end of the day, they could understand the basic principles of project management and how to work together to start planning how to manage a project.

The good, the sad and the ugly

SEPTEMBER 22 ― The Malaysian Chess Festival which ended on Sunday represents everything that is Malaysian chess: the good, the sad and the ugly!

This article is written by Peter Long and can be found here.

Now in its 13th year, the number of events as well as local participants have increased (the good) and it remains popular with many from the neighbouring countries but the reality is that the flagship IGB Malaysian Open Championship has not been a leading regional event for quite a few years now (the sad).

And the ugly? I will get to that later!

Like all major local open championships we like to call international opens, the Malaysian Chess Festival is tied to the school holidays first and foremost as it is well understood that it is the participation of kids with the support of their parents which provide the numbers (and profits via entry fees).

The Penang Open and the newer Johor Open are also held during the school holidays in December and while not on the same scale as the Malaysian Chess Festival, are also supported by long-time chess patron Datuk Tan Chin Nam.

I was only able to catch the last day of the Malaysian Chess Festival and once again its organiser Hamid Majid has be congratulated as not many, perhaps no one else in Malaysia, is able to run this event given the myriad challenges together with the need to accommodate so many vested interests.

Let’s go back to sad.

No Malaysian has come close to winning the IGB Malaysian Open and this time round, we had the usual challengers. Unsurprisingly it was International Master Lim Yee Weng who was the best of the locals in 20th place with 5.5 points from 9 games, the same score made by FIDE Master Nicholas Chan who was really the only other Malaysian able to take any fight to the foreigners but who finished lower in 28th place.

Our absolute best player Yeoh Li Tian who while still a junior has been undisputed No. 1 the last two years did not play due to the coming SPM examinations.

In fact, Yee Weng, Nicholas, Li Tian, International Mas Hafizulhelmi who pulled out of the Olympiad team for personal reasons, and Sumant Subramaniam, the winner of the Malaysian Masters and the single Malaysian success in Baku, should be the national team everyone would pick.

They would certainly be up fighting for more than 60th position rather than the 134th place disaster!

Lim Zhou Ren and Wong Yinn Long with 5 points did well as expected of players who are capable of being a part of the national team’s future but quite a few others talked up by many as big talents were just not ready.

I am not sure if I can call this good, but Dilwen Ding, the surprising out-of-nowhere former Malaysian No. 1 (and now still Malaysian No. 2 at 2397 due to the vast accumulation of rating points gained from increasingly sensational performances during his yearly visits to Hungary), has improved as the nationally rated 1700+ player is no longer performing at that level but achieved a 2000+ performance rating and with his rating coefficient at 10 (it is normally 25 and set at the controversially high 40 for juniors who have yet to reach 2300), only losing 36.5 points.

All Malaysians are sure to wish him every success at the just started World Youth U-14, U-16 and U-18 Championships in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia where he is our sole representative.

What follows is not a criticism of the Malaysian Open or its organiser and is perhaps also an acceptance on my part that what I see as ugly might not even be even sad to others but can even be a celebration of what Malaysian chess is!

Cititel Mid Valley hotel’s ballroom is long due for a refurbishment and for some time now too small for the Malaysian Chess Festival.

The fact that families are setting up camp in the foyer; bringing mats, cushions, and even blankets to lie on shows an over-familiarity which is both good and bad but I do find it horrendous that the arbiters are in the main still as bad, and that spectators are happily using their phones in the playing area which for some reason no one has a problem with.

My point is that all this is against the rules and regulations ― let’s not forget barring of communications devices is the most basic of anti-cheating measures ― and certainly not allowed let alone tolerated in a FIDE internationally titled and rated event but then again, this is Malaysia and that was the Malaysian Chess Festival!

Arguably the organiser simply could not get the quality help he would have liked which would explain why in previous years the odd foreign arbiter was brought in.

But it is perhaps not the time to upset too many people with the Malaysian Chess Federation (MCF) election long promised in October now hoped for in November (although I believe it will not take place this year).

Datuk Tan’s nephew, Daniel Yong Chen-I, is the new president of the Chess Association of Selangor and the chairman of the organising committee of the Malaysian Chess Festival and is expected to challenge incumbent Tan Sri Ramli Ngah Talib.

Yet, some of what is being tolerated is simply putting the event at risk and what can one make of the fact that photocopied chess books were still being sold in a space provided by the organiser and at no charge?

I understand the local chess coach responsible was warned not to sell illegal copies but nowadays so many in Malaysian chess do not seem to understand what is right and wrong anymore or maybe they believe they can do as they please because they are answerable to no one?

That reality was perhaps best seen when a group of parents congregated for a rather serious meeting on the sidelines of the Malaysian Chess Festival together with a least one senior MCF official present.

Yes, it was about the non-payment by the MCF Secretary of fees and hotel accommodation to the organisers of international events their children had participated in. The most interesting outcome perhaps was the revelation that there have been quite a number of such incidents that till then had not been disclosed.

However, as expected, some were not prepared in make a police report, and some even accepted that the money was lost.

Was I sympathetic? Yes, in that no one should be cheated like this. But then again too many of them had also enjoyed the privileges of international participation and almost no one was prepared to take a stand. Looks like they can afford it or the money wasn’t too much to worry about!

It is clear to me that the issues in Malaysian chess are ultimately about accountability but it seems to me that we would rather forgive lies as it is apparently offensive to do so otherwise!

For months, we knew several men in the Malaysian team did not deserve their places but those left out as a result out did not complain, their state affiliates closed their eyes as did the officials in MCF, and instead we joined them in talking themselves up to a failure beyond comprehension.

Now we are being asked to buy their lie that their they sacrificed themselves instead to coach the girls to their success?

Not only did they let the team and country down with their shameful performance but now they are avoiding any responsibility while looking to grab the credit for the hard work the girls put in with their contrasting and really quite exceptional performance at the same Olympiad. Surely, this is not acceptable.

Wind Orchestra

The following video is the performance of the winning wind orchestra team at the recent Wind Orchestra Finale organized by the Ministry of Education Malaysia.

Wind orchestra is a performing ensemble that is composed of the woodwind, brass, and percussion families of instruments.

Read this article to know more about the differences between Wind Ensemble, Wind Orchestra and Symphonic Band.

Wind ensembles and wind orchestras tend to play more advanced literature and may include extra instruments, like the cello, typically not found in a band setup. Each ensemble serves it’s own purpose, but provides a different overall effect due to differences in density and timbre. Typically, a wind ensemble is a lighter version of a symphonic band and can be thought of as a soloist ensemble.

In both the wind ensemble and the wind orchestra, individual sections are out in the open and each players part is more transparent to the audience. Wind ensembles and wind orchestras are perfect for lighter, more technically difficult works while a symphonic band works well for marches, majestic works, and music compositions that require a great deal of instrumental power.

The Wind Orchestra

It’s not quite a wind ensemble and it’s not a symphonic band. The wind orchestra is more of a concept than an actual ensemble. In a wind orchestra, the style of playing is the most important element. Wind orchestras often have a small string section; however, it is much more than the addition of string instruments that makes this ensemble a wind orchestra.

The manner of playing in a wind orchestra is supposed to be different than that of a wind ensemble and symphonic band. Wind orchestra members are instructed to let the sound travel further and play in a style that mimics the continuous and flexible sound of the orchestra. Because of this, a good wind orchestra can create a unique sound where the tail ends of each note last just a little longer than with a traditional wind band.

The articulations and phrasing are smoother and instrumentalists attempt to imitate the variety of articulations available in the orchestra. A casual observer to a wind orchestra rehearsal may notice that the conductor asks the ensemble to play a piece with an up-bow or down-bow type of sound to get the right feel in specific sections.

Woodwind Section

The woodwind section consists of piccolos, flutes, clarinets, oboes, saxophones, and bassoons. Each one of these instruments creates their own unique timbre. In a wind ensemble or symphonic band, these instruments typically take on the melody or play the more virtuosic background parts since there are typically no string instruments.

Woodwind instruments have the capability of playing softer than any other instrument, but their dynamic range is not as wide as a brass instrument. Because of this, the composer must take care to orchestrate the woodwind section in a way that allows for the individual section colors to come through. A composer wouldn’t want to bury the flutes and clarinets in a sea of trumpets. One way around this is to have one section play the melody, while another section takes on the harmony parts.

Brass Section

The brass section is the most powerful section of the wind ensemble and symphonic band. The brass section contains a collections of trumpets (sometimes cornets), trombones, euphoniums, French horns, and tubas. While there is generally a similar orchestration to what you might find in an orchestra, a wind ensemble or symphonic band has many more players.

It’s not uncommon to find six or more trumpet players, four French horns, three trombones, two euphoniums, and two tuba players in a wind ensemble. Symphonic bands have additional members as well. The wind ensemble is all about color, while the symphonic band focuses on sheer power. Because of this, the wind ensemble and less frequently, the symphonic band, brings in less common instruments like the flugal horn to play solo parts. Composers must blend the brass section equally with the woodwind section to get a full, robust, and balanced sound.

Percussion Section

The percussion section in a wind ensemble or symphonic band is typically very large compared to an orchestra. Often, the wind ensemble and symphonic band will have four timpani, huge bass drums, xylophones, vibraphones, marimbas, and various artillery drums to counteract the massive symphonic forces. When writing for the percussion section, composers can be somewhat flexible in the notation.

There are many experimental percussion instruments in the percussion section that don’t have a standard method of notation. Because of this, composers are encouraged to use traditional percussion notation techniques and when in doubt, write in the part specifically how they want the percussionist to play a particular section.

The InfoVisual.info site uses images to explain objects.

Composing Band Music

When writing for band, composers need to have a solid understanding of how each instrument group in the ensemble works together. Each section can be combined with other sections to get new sounds. Combining a Euphonium with a Bassoon provides you with a sound that is almost string-like in nature. It’s a great combination for dark and brooding sections that need to have a bit of melody.

A basic orchestration course can help composers to learn to orchestrate more effectively, and while many of the same principles that apply to the orchestration of an orchestra, there are some wind ensemble and symphonic band specific methods of orchestrating that a composer needs to learn about. One of the best ways to learn to orchestrate involves getting an ensemble to run through your piece. However, this can be difficult for composers not affiliated with a university or college.

Sampling Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band Music

A suitable alternative is not the use of sampled sounds. Sampled sounds can help a composer that already knows how to orchestrate effectively, but for young composers that have little experience, sampled sounds give an unrealistic expectation of what to expect. Without a real understanding of how the wind band sections fit together, it’s not really possible to write a realistic sampled band demo without understanding the relationship between the instrument sections.

Even the best, most balanced samplers don’t provide the overtones that a real ensemble provides. Something that sounds clean coming from a sampler may sound muddy and unintelligible when played by a real concert band.

La Reverie 3

On Sunday 23th July 2016, SDAR Symphonic Band performed at Kolej Tuanku Jaafar (KTJ) Mantin. The La Reverie 3 concert is the 3rd in the series performed by the boys. KTJ has a magnificent hall with a very good sound system. The setting is comfortable and the boys can play the instruments at their best.

Since the college is a bit far from the hiway, the concert started a bit late as most of the guests had a bit of a problem finding the place.

The concert was divided into two acts. The first consists of English songs and medleys. The audience was very well entertained with hit songs from the Beatles and ABBA. Not forgetting the wonderful performance of difficult music scores of Around the world in 80 days and the African medley.

The entr’acte lasted for about 15 minutes. While waiting, we went out to stretch our legs. The guests were busy buying drinks and snacks. They also took the opportunity to take photos outside the hall. By the way, we were not supposed to record anything inside the hall during the performance. So the photos here were all taken either before, during entr’acte and after the show.

The guest artist for the night was Nash, formerly from the famous rock group Lefthanded. He sang 3 songs. My favourite was of course – Ku di halaman Rindu 🙂

The second act was better than the first one. The composition of the Malay songs rearranged by En Suhaimi was amazingly beautiful. I have heard TKC WO played Puteri Gunung Ledang (PGL) wonderfully well. In fact I have also heard the music at PGL show itself. But the arrangement of the piece from PGL performed by the SDAR Symphonic Band actually brought tears to my eyes. Lovely.

The performance ended with a medley of hari raya songs. Everyone enjoyed the show very much. Sweet and simple but at the same time memorable.

The guest of honor for the night was Dato’ Johari Salleh. The boys had a nice surprise when he actually insisted to go on the stage and personally said a few words to them. I am sure he enjoyed their performance as much as I do.