Long Road Home

Whistler, July 2011 -- Skiing in Summer

2011-07-08T22:59:00.000-07:00

Whistler in Summer; still amazing...must come back in Winter...

I am getting ahead of myself...this pic was taken on Whistler-Blackcomb, in July 2011. Blazing hot at ground level, snow and skiing up here...

Whistler is about 90 mins away from Vancouver by coach.

And soon I saw the snow capped mountains

This is Whistler village.

It once held the winter olympics.

Elephant and castle pub. But the menu did not look interesting...

This is the front of my hotel, the Holiday Inn Whislter (lobby 2nd floor)...ground floor, shops and restaurants.

Dinner was Peking Duck...

and fried seafood "shang" mien

Vancouver, July 2011 -- A truly beautiful city

2011-07-05T22:38:00.000-07:00

Arrived in Vancouver, Canada, in a truly interesting and beautiful airport. Now, I don't normally comment on airports, but this one is really nice. It really makes the very long walk to passport check at least interesting...

This is the view from my hotel room window...with the mountains in the background and a marina up front.

The next morning, after the meetings went for a walk, and guess who I saw (didn't see them in Boston)...

Vancouver's waterfront is stunning...

The main shopping street downtown is served by trams...

Some interesting ways of sprucing up the library

The view of the Science Center from across the river.

The BC Place stadium, where they host American Football and Soccer games.

This is the typical arch at the entrance to Chinatown, which is very unlike other Chinatowns, it is a living area rather than a dining or tourist area...

Time out for lunch, it was PEAR cider...wonderful

... along with a simple fillet mignon steak

Boston, June 2011 -- Boston Common, Revere Beach, and South Wharf

2011-07-03T03:29:00.000-07:00

Last day in Boston, it was a Sunday. So took a leisurely walk all over town.

Actually, my hotel was just across Boston Common, but I never had the time until Sunday to visit it...and I chose the nicest sunniest day. I am a genius.

And being a nice sunny day, guess who was at the gate of Boston Common?

Statue of George Washington

"Industry"

Just beyond Boston Common was the pub which was used to film "Cheers"

Later that afternoon,went to walk at Boston's Prudential Centre, the biggest mall in downtown...

There was a Catholic Chapel in the mall, and being a Sunday, there was evening Mass when I was there...

It was getting late, so I headed to Don Carlos, where I had the best meal EVER. Seafood Paella, for about US$18, and it was fantastic. I wrote a review at Trip Advisor, here

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60745-d1534577-r115001712-Don_Ricardo_s_Restaurant-Boston_Massachusetts.html#REVIEWS

On the way back to the hotel, I stopped by to see 500 Boylston, the offices for Boston Legal!

The next morning, I headed out to Revere Beach...the nearest beach for Bostonians and connected by subway...I had been here almost 15 years earlier, and nothing had changed. Unfortunately, the morning was cloudy and cold...

This former chapel at the Beach is now the police station.

Later that day, I went to South Wharf, which was a newly developed area...it housed the Aquarium. And these guys were outside near the entrance.

I have no idea what these steel installations are supposed to represent, but it I thought they looked like laptops!!!

Further down the Wharf is their municipal court house and office. Very beautiful architecture.

For dinner, it was BBQ ribs. Seriously, couldn't finish.

Later that evening, walked back to Pru to get a train back to the hotel, chanced upon this beautiful fountain at the Christian Science Plaza...at sundown (9pm summer)...

And since I was at the Pru, I stumbled upon the Cheesecake Factory...oh well, Chocolate Cheesecake for breakfast tomorrow...

Boston June 2011 -- Downtown and Museum

2011-07-02T01:31:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics of downtown Boston.

This is Copley Square. Where the new meets the old.

On Copley Square is the Boston Public Library. A beautiful classic building.

It even has a lovely little fountain in the courtyard.

Also visited the Boston Museum of Modern Art.

Interesting stuff inside...not sure what this is supposed to be (with cafe in background).

Without a doubt, the highlight was Dale Chulily's glassworks. Totally awesome.

Pls do click pic to enlarge...

Also other nice art pieces, like this carpet tapestry...

and some Picasso sketches.

Boston is also a place for really great food at great value.

I learnt about "steak tips" at Silvertone Restaurant

http://www.silvertonedowntown.com/

At US$15, this was totally awesome. Cider was separate.

Then another time, it was Baby Lobster and Fillet Mignon at

http://www.atlanticfishco.com/

US$35 (includes clam chowder as starter). Again, great value.

Boston, June 2011 - Chinatown, Harvard, MIT

2011-07-01T17:35:00.000-07:00

You can click on the pics to see full size.

Touched down in Boston in the middle of summer; it was bright, sunny and cool. Perfect.

This is the hotel where I stayed, the Boston Park Plaza, smack in the middle of town. Very old and falling apart. And my room was tiny.

First opportunity to go walkabout was to head to Chinatown, which was 5min away from the hotel.

After breakfast at Chinatown, it was to Harvard. This is the view as you exit the underground station. Very commercialised, and lots of tourists everywhere.

One block away from the station is the University proper. And here you see the classic old "English" style buildings. Nice.

Statue of John Harvard.

One of their many libraries.

Soft spot of mine: the Harvard YenChing Centre for Asian Studies. Wow, it's name is so big, but the center is so small...

Lucky to see a "farmer's" market in Harvard on the day I was there...organic produce etc.

Was also nice to have small decorative fountains just outside Science Faculty building...kids loved it.

A classic old church outside Harvard.

Taking a break at STARBUCKS!!! Harvard.

Later, it was lunch at UNOs, where you can order from a tablet at the table. Cool. Except that I didn't use it, because the waiter was more helpful.

Afternoon was spent at MIT. A much more modern environment (architecturally), but there were a few classic buildings.

Interesting sign at the labs...

One thing that MIT has is art everywhere...

The most awesome one was "The Alchemist"; please do read all about it

http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2010/plensa-installed.html

Me by the Charles River...a short walk from MIT.

Kuching - hotel, dining misc (june 2011)

2011-06-08T04:50:00.000-07:00

When in Kuching, we stayed at the Sheraton 4 Points, near the airport. It was a brand new hotel and was very comfortable.

The next few pics were taken during dinner at the Kuching Sheraton, looking out to Kuching River. As usual, Ainsley must have his cabonara.

These couple of pics were taken at MyRestaurant, recommended to us by Andrew Aeria. Good western food...

Guess what Ainsley ordered again?

Dining at the Sheraton 4 Points was also very good and not that expensive...this time Ainsley has a burger, with a bowl of beef stew for me.

Lamb shank was also excellent...very soft.

One last thing to do before checking out to head home...SWIM!!!

Damai Beach, Kuching, Sarawak - June 2011

2011-06-08T04:38:00.000-07:00

Damai Beach is Kuching's resort area; two huge hotels and a golf course. We decided to break our stay in Kuching and spend two nights at Damai Beach Resort.

The beach itself is pretty and quiet, even over a weekend during the school holidays.

 We booked a "chalet" room, and it was worth it. It was massive and comfortable.

Just around the corner from the Damai Beach Resort is the entrance to Mount Santubong, where there are several waterfalls.

 There are up to 5 waterfalls, and there is supposed to be a great view from the peak. But we don't think we will do a 5 hour treak to get to the peak today...so it is to waterfall #1.

 So off we go, headed to the first waterfall...

 As ambrose says: "That's it?"

 Near Damai Beach there is a village where there are more seafood restaurants than homes. Not complaining.

 Back at the Damai Beach Resort, the kids (and slightly older kid) try mini golf.

 As we leave Damai, the clouds come over Mount Santubong.

Kuching -- June 2011 (downtown, Bako)

2011-06-07T06:59:00.000-07:00

During the June 2011 school holidays, we skipped over to Kuching, Sarawak, for our 2nd trip to Borneo.

Kuching means cat, and the tourism industry will of course take advantage of that...

Downtown, by the bank of the Kuching River, stands the Astana.

The next day, we headed to Bako National Park. The only way into the Park is by boat.

Arriving at Bako, there was a brand new visitor centre, which has showers, chalets and a canteen.

After a short break, we headed towards the "secluded beach."

This beach is a cove, and the only way to get there is to climb over a very very tall hill.

After lunch, we headed back and guess who we saw at the visitor centre?

Descent(1)

2011-06-06T23:39:00.000-07:00

By sheer coincidence, I watched two movies consecutively that were done by Darren Aronofsky.

The first, was The Wrestler, which is easily a modern day classic.

Mickey Rouke plays Randy the Ram, a washed up wrestler that is too old, too beat up, and has a weak heart. He's not very responsible, nor does he do relationships very well. He only does one thing well, perform wrestling.

Yes, PERFORM wrestling. This movie will be eye opening for those that do not know that pro-wrestling is totally scripted (however I think EVERYBODY knows it is scripted); instead, this movie shows how the wrestlers script it. It won't be the glitzy WWE backdrop, but it is around the "independent" wrestling circuit...

Still, although it is a movie about wrestling, it is not about wrestling. It is about who one is, and who one wants to be. If you don't understand what I mean, i guess the simplest way is to watch the movie.

Rouke is pretty awesome as the wrestler; but his supporting cast is pretty good too. Overall, this is a truly good movie; I'd dare even suggest it will appeal to those who don't like wrestling too...

The second, which i also want to write a lot about, is the Black Swan. Coming soon

Se7en

2011-05-10T06:26:00.000-07:00

Almost excellent.

This is an extremely troubling movie, in a good way. It combines the dark / noir style with the cop buddy genre, and the outcome is a ride that I will never forget.

The noir is also updated, from the pseudo-b/w style to the more comic book / mtv style thriller style. With the soundtrack (or lack of it), the overall mood is wonderfully dark. Plus the occasions of the rain really help.

The two opposite cop genre has been worked to death (and this even includes the spoof -- The Other Guys, which I will review soon); here Pitt is the hotshot hothead while Freeman is the soon-to-be retiring cerebral detective. The point of most of these movies is to start by using the differences as the clash, but eventually the differences become complimentary.

In this case, there is no force complimentarity. The individual cops remain, but somehow, they push their way through the case, and the ending just totally makes realistic sense. Congrats to the writer(s) for not forcing the 'harmony'. Sometimes, dissonance sounds good.

I should not say much about the plot, other than what is written on the back of the DVD box. Two detectives have to solve a case where the serial killer is murdering to make the point of each of the seven deadly sins.

Overall, I think the plot works too; there might be some inconsistencies, but it just about holds together.

Both lead actors do an amazing job. They may be criticised for being 'typecast' - in other words, Pitt could not take Freeman's role in this movie and vice versa - but despite being perfectly cast, they still had to internalise the roles. In this regards, both deserve commendations.

Overall, se7en is a great -- almost excellent -- movie.

Remind me again why I watch shows like the Green Hornet?

Tron: Legacy

2011-05-03T07:53:00.000-07:00

Really wanted this to work, but overall, fail.

I wonder what the real intent of remaking Tron? I can remember vividly when i was very young and visiting Disneyland for thd first time. Sure i enjoyed the rollercoasters and all that, but what struck me most was Tron, which was being promoted in the theme park, as it was produced by disney.

I accept i was blown away by the graphics, but it was also the story of the fight against capitalistic authoritarianism that resonated in me. So i made it a point to go watch the movie while in the usa (paying 3 times the ticket price) but also to play the tron arcade games and most importantly to sit in the semi-vr ride simulating the lightcycles. What a rush.

Many years later, i managed to get a dvd of the original movie (above), and both kids loved it.

Fast forward a few more years, and i heard about the tron sequel. Now, by rule of thumb, sequels of great movies will fail...the only question was fail by how much?

Unfortunately, tron legacy fails by quite a lot, not just as a sequel to tron, but also as a movie in general. the plot is somewhat similar, but executed badly. The characters are no more than pure cartoonish caricatures, and even the great jeff bridges cannot (a) reproduce his magic from the original tron, and (b) nowhere come close to his best in 'True Grit'.

Returning to the quedtion posed at the beginning, i think this movie was made to allow the sfx people to have a field day to go 3d and to blow our minds. Ok, the sfx sequences are pretty cool, but they don't mean a thing if they aren't part of a logical story!

In the end, the only thing i liked best about the movie is the totally awesome soundtrack done by Daft Punk. The score is intentionally or otherwise the best application of minimalism, and i have watched movies with philip glass scores. Although i have pretty much put the movie out of my mind, am still returning to the soundtrack. I don't care if someone else orchestrated the music, nor the dance floor remixes.they somehow work, much better than the movie. Beauty and genius. Anyone who wants the soundtrack, just drop me a line.

Green Hornet (2010)

2011-04-17T07:23:00.000-07:00

Major Disaster.

I could not imagine a greater contrast to Zombieland's wit and class (despite being a zombie action film) than Seth Rogen's Green Hornet remake.

Simply, it is a terrible terrible waste of 2 hours.

I can't remember much about the original Green Hornet TV series; I vaguely remember seeing some episodes, but it does not matter. It at least was "neutral" as far as I am concerned; the remake is awful.

Rogen's Hornet is intended as an un-hero. Not the anti-hero (i.e. the hero who doesn't want to be the hero, but is forced into being a hero -- like SpiderMan or even Iron Man), and defintely not a true hero (i.e. it was always the destiny of Batman and Superman to be heroes)...Rogen's Horent is a total doofus, idiot, moron, with almost NO redeeming qualities, and totally out of his depth as a hero...intentional.

What was the motivation for creating a character that is useless and incompetent? Maybe Rogen wanted to show that regular fools who accidetally happen to have a martial arts expert and weapons designing engineer (Jay Chou) and/or top brainy criminologist (Diaz) as friends can also be "a hero"...fine. I suppose when we watch movies, SOME suspension of belief is necessary; for this one, we have to suspend all belief.

Overall, nobody comes out unscathed from this movie. Rogen is totally irritating; Jay Chou's Kato is pure ridiculousness; and Diaz is just eye candy.

Dead loss.

It was so bad that it made the next movie I watched Tron Legacy, somewhat tolerable.

Movie Review (Zombieland)

2011-04-09T23:01:00.000-07:00

Easily the best movie I've seen since last year....i.e. from Jan 2010 until Apr 2011

I had no expectations for this movie. In fact, I did not even plan to watch this movie. But I accidentally stumbled upon this movie, and it was so compelling that I had to find the DVD.

I was not disappointed. It is very very clear, and fresh with new ideas. Maybe I haven't been keeping up with the "smart" movies recently...you see the list I've watched recently (expendables, Harold and Kumar etc.)?

However, this Zombieland is just so different.

It goes old school by having a first person narrator; and then goes all post-modern by having graphical inserts...

For example, the rules for surviving a zombie apocalypse:

Don't worry; this won't spoil the movie for you.

In addition, there are truly great performances from Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg...

Lastly, it is outright funny. Funny in a smart way. And the funniest bits -- outside of the rules -- would be the most unexpected cameo from a big time hollywood star (which you can google now, but would ruin the movie for you).

Sure, some others might complain it is a "road movie" of sorts; or that it is about "finding humanity" (in a zombie world).

Ok, that's fine by me, because it mainly doesn't get in the way of the movie.

There are also some scenes that don't gel well, and some that simply distract. But overall, it is a clever compelling movie.

The best, recently. Go watch it.

(and in case you are wondering its not a horror-scary movie, nor a spoof...its just great!)

Which easily ruined my next movie...The Green Hornet. Review (or complaint list) coming soon.

The Twelve Apostles, Melbourne, Mar 2011

2011-03-22T00:51:00.000-07:00

The Twelve Apostles, Great Ocean Road
Amazing, worth seeing...too bad about the weather...

From our base at Apollo Bay, we headed to the Twelve Apostles; it was late summer in Melbourne, but on that day, it was about 10degrees, and raining, and the wind was blowing real strong.

Erskine Falls, The Great Ocean Road, Melbourne, March 2011

2011-03-20T01:34:00.000-07:00

The Great Ocean Road

This stretch of outer Melbourne is among the most beautiful, so we headed there from Philip Island, via the Mornington Peninsula. 

If we didn't take this ferry, we'd have to drive 3 hours back through Melbourne central, and then 2 hours west to the Great Ocean Road. So now it was an hour from Phillip Island to Sorrento...

...and then 45 mins on a ferry to Queenscliff.

That's our simple little rental car, comfortable for 2.

When we reached Apollo Bay, we stayed in a nice Youth Hostel.It was newly renovated, and we liked the kitchen most...

Unfortunately, the next few days we wet and windy...not the best for sightseeing...

First, we headed to Erskine Falls.

Then we headed to the Triplet Falls...and the rain got heavier

Overall, these are nice waterfalls, with easy access...worth visiting, subject to the weather. Note:these are pretty impossible without your own car.

Philip Island, Melbourne, March 2011

2011-03-19T01:15:00.000-07:00

At San Remo, which is just before Philip Island, where there is Pelican feeding everyday at 12noon.

Guess who showed up? Stingray, maybe 1.5m long...

At the edge of Philip Island.

Go Karting at Philip Island circuit; Ambrose's first ever drive.

Sorrento, at the edge of Mornington Peninsula...took the Ferry to Queenscliff, towards the 12 Apostles.

Melbourne, March 2011

2011-03-18T00:50:00.000-07:00

Iron Man 2

2011-02-26T22:59:00.000-08:00

Dangerously close to being "for comic fans only"

To me, Iron Man (the movie) was very good, because it could appeal to the old-time followers of Iron Man (the comic) as well as casual movie goers.

This time, as the franchise seeks to become an empire, the problem will clearly begin, where fans will expect one thing, and casual movie goers will expect another.

So Marvel are trying to infuse a whole series of characters (Fury, Widow) which quite frankly, while not really "disturbing" the core of the movie, does distract.

On the other hand, its been 2 movies in a row where the Iron Man battles a variant. In the first movie, Iron Man battles a lumbering Stane in a bigger more powerful suit. Now, Iron Man battles an army of Iron Man drones, the War Machine, and even Whiplash is a variant, of sorts.

Its getting boring.

What does keep some interest is Downey, who plays Stark really well. Yes, there might be some parallels between the self-destructive Stark and Downey himself, but I've seen Downey do everything from Chaplin to Holmes to a blackface White guy playing a black guy (Tropic Thunder). Downey is that good. He can play anyone, including himself.

The other thing that rocks would be the action sequences. Compare this with the Expendables, and well, Iron Man 2 is from the 21st century, whereas the Expendables is clearly from the previous century.

Overall, it might be worth watching on Blu-Ray with a really good sound system just to enjoy the movie.

Date Night

2011-02-19T00:09:00.000-08:00

Slightly tolerable.

A comedy of errors.

A ridiculous plot.

A long list of big name "guest stars".

A ridiculous plot.

Jokes that are not that funny.

A ridiculous plot.

Is this meant to be a parody, or a feel good movie?

A ridiculous plot.

Did I mention already that it has a ridiculous plot?

The Expendables

2011-02-14T19:12:00.000-08:00

Fail.

The premise might have been fun; to get a battalion of "action movie" superstars together for an (what else) action movie.

Throw in a smaller group of former wrestlers and mixed martial arts star names, and a lot of pyrotechnics, and the master plan was to have a blockbuster of a movie.

There was enough hype to get me excited enough to hunt down this movie; but overall, i despite my low expectations, this movie failed. Badly.

It had a stupid plot. I did not even have any expectations regarding any plot...sure, it was about some mercenaries on a ficitious central american island somewhere eventually taking out a drug lord/evil general/CIA turned evil operative...

It had really bad lines. Imagine Stallone and Schwazenneger doing their very worst cliches, and then parodying those cliches.

But the worst thing about the movie?

The so-called action scenes were not good. In fact, they weren't even close to HK actions scenes of the 1990s. The times have moved on...the technology has moved on...but these scenes, like many of the actors, are past their "sell-by" date.

I suppose if this movie is shown at 10pm on Channel 5, and if there is really nothing else on, I might leave the TV on...or maybe, just save electricity and switch the TV off.

My First Ever F1 Weekend

2010-09-30T06:27:00.000-07:00

Attended my first ever F1 race. Its a long story, but essentially, it was unplanned. I was at my credit card payment, and saw a link for discounted tickets (since the credit card company was the main sponsors). So I decided to click through, and the next thing I know, I was looking at acquiring at super prime seat, 3rd row from the front, in the Padang Grandstand, at a ridiculous price.

So i carried on, and paid for the ticket, and within a few weeks, it was here.

Friday was practice day, and was my first experience of the F1 engine noise. In short, it was totally painful, despite SAF standard earplugs.

It rained earlier on Friday, leaving the track wet for the practice session; as such, the drivers were not even going full out.

The funny thing was that Missy Elliott was probably louder than the F1 cars.

Daughtry

2010-09-28T08:08:00.000-07:00

I attended my first ever F1 race. And as a perk, I got to watch my favourite American Idol contestant, Chris Daughtry.

His performance of the song "Its Not Over" was probably his best effort of the evening. Enjoy

(Apologies for the lame audio, video and camera angle, but it was the best I could do; after all, its been nearly 20 years since i was last in a mosh pit)

Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle

2010-08-22T08:40:00.000-07:00

I had high hopes for this movie; after all, since its release in 2004, I had heard a lot about it, and seen several clips of it on youtube. And more recently, I managed to get my hands on the "editor's cut" version, which meant an extra 4 minutes which was not deemed appropriate for cinematic release (in the US, not even Singapore). Uh...right. Anyhow, i feel obliged, even though this is not a movie review, that i do what all movie reviews must do, and give you the plot outline.

Harold and Kumar are two Asian-Americans that decide to go to a fast food restaurant called White Castle one night just to get their favourite burgers. Happens that this place is on the other side of town, and the point of the movie is that a whole series of disasters, which are played for gags, befall them on the way.

Was the movie funny? Overall, yes. Was the movie any good? No. It was disappointing.

This critical subtext in the movie was stereotyping; more specifically cultural and racial stereotyping. For example, "orientals" like Harold are viewed as either super nerdy computer science geeks and financial analysts, or at the other extreme, if female, porn stars.

Along the way, the movie takes swipes at blacks, whites, rednecks, and even movie stars (Neil Patrick Harris). The premise is good; we all function utilising stereotypes, since stereotyping helps us simplify our rather complex lives...but obviously, there will be many that do not conform to the stereotypes.

So Harold and Kumar, while stereotyped by white high school bullies and low intelligence cops, themselves stereotype others, such as the car mechanic they meet, who happens to live deep in the forest beside a swamp. So, just because he looks like Freddy Kruger (Nightmare on Elm Street), must it mean that he's a serial murderer?

Unfortunately, the movie loses its way by trying to milk every sort of cheap gag, usually inspired by marijuana based jokes. And most significantly, it deviates from reality too far. Sure, it is all right to have dream sequences (cut scenes) where Harold's or Kumar's vivid imaginations are done as cheesy MTV like music videos; but all this is lost when "the cheetah" scene is done. Since I don't want to spoilt the movie for those who haven't seen it, i can't elaborate.

So what is most disappointing is that what could have been an absurdist critique of racial stereotyping became pure absurdity, just to crack some laughs.

I am not sure I want to follow them to Guantanamo Bay.

Anyways, anyone who wants a copy of any of the movies covered here, just drop me a line.

This week, I also watched Up In The Air (George Clooney) and the Illusionist (Ed Norton).

Green Zone (2010) -- Matt Damon

2010-08-17T08:28:00.000-07:00

Watched Matt Damon in "Green Zone," over the last few trips to work...you know, I might as well do something during my 52minute ride.

I have to say the movie really caught my attention from the very first few images, looking like a very classy video game introduction, with Damon leading an ops team to search for weapons of mass destruction in US-occupied Iraq.

Damon's character, "Chief" (Warrant Officer) Miller isn't interested in the politics, or even the military issues in Iraq. He just wants to do his job, which is to find and dismantle any WMD.

Of course, he finds none. And after several attempts coming up empty, he gets fed up and confronts his superiors.

Here's where Green Zone shifts from a war movie to a conspiracy thriller. Where Damon's character shifts from a career soldier, to a movie action hero.

I don't want to give the movie away. But overall, the story is really tight, as it is told over at most 3 nights in Iraq.

The ending is not your typical Hollywood blockbuster finale; there are bullets flying all over the place and explosions too, but they are not central to how the movie ends.

Instead, the movie ends on a "what the hell???" note, which is, after all, the point of the movie.

And I have to say, overall, I bought the story. It was told well, filmed well, and most importantly, acted well.

Not just Damon, but also the two main Iraqis in the film, "Freddie" the interpreter, and General Al-Rawi. And the rogue American soldier too, i forgot his name...he's crazy but effective. I only have a problem with the journalist, but she's necessary to move the plot forward...so, i guess, i have to live with that...

I would have to say that over the course of my new life, this was the standout movie so far.

I would strongly recommend it.

Just uploaded Harold and Kumar Goes To White Castle to my device. I wonder if it will inspire me to write another review...

Get well soon, Dollah

2009-10-05T06:52:00.001-07:00

'GELEK KING' COLLAPSES, UNDERGOES SURGERY
-----------------------------------------
SINGAPORE - Local football legend Dollah Kassim was rushed to
hospital last night after collapsing during the curtain raiser of the
Sultan of Selangor's Cup at the Jalan Besar Stadium.

The 60-year-old former Singapore international is warded at Tan Tock
Seng Hospital (TTSH), where he is understood to have undergone
emergency surgery last night.

At press time, he was said to be unconscious but in a stable condition.

One of the most-loved players to have worn the No 10 shirt for
Singapore, the man known as the "Gelek King" because of his dribbling
skills famously won the Malaysia Cup for Singapore in 1977 after
beating Penang 3-2.

Last night, Dollah played the first 10 minutes of the match between
Singapore veterans and their Selangor counterparts. He looked
uncomfortable on the pitch and collapsed on the sidelines after being
substituted.

The veterans' game ended 1-1 at full-time, with Singapore winning 4-1
on penalties.

The doctor at the scene said it was a "cardiac event", according to
sources. Paramedics had to resuscitate Dollah at the pitch side and
in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.

He arrived at TTSH at 7.20pm and was sent to the Invasive Cardiac Laboratory.

At about 10pm, former Singapore international Ho Kwang Hock, a friend
of the family, revealed that he was out of surgery and in a stable
condition, but had yet to regain consciousness. He is in the
Intensive Care Unit.

Dollah's son and daughter, who are both in their 20s, were
understandably distraught.

Dollah is not the first veteran footballer to have collapsed during a match.

In August 2003, Ali Bakar, 56, died of heart failure during a
friendly between Singaporean and Malaysian ex-internationals in the
Sultan's Gold Cup at Tampines Stadium.

In May 2006, former Singapore international S Rajagopal, who was in
his 50s, suffered a mild heart attack during a Singapore Veterans
versus Selangor Veterans match at the National Stadium. He was on the
pitch for 5 minutes when he collapsed, complaining of breathlessness.

The Football Association of Singapore said in a statement that "all
the players in the Singapore Veterans team who reported for the game
were well and were eagerly looking forward to the game".

Racial Classification in Singapore

2009-07-24T23:16:00.000-07:00

TODAY 21 July 2009

95 RACES IN S'PORE
------------------

Besides the four main ones, there are 91 other race classifications for Singaporeans, revealed Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng. Other than Chinese (78 per cent), Malays (14 per cent), Indians (7 per cent), the remaining 1 per cent are mostly Eurasians and Arabs.In a written answer to MP Irene Ng's queries, Mr Wong clarified that while the "general rule is that a person's race follows that of his or her father", it can be registered differently if parentage is mixed - "a child of Chinese and European descent can be registered as Chinese, European or Eurasian".In the NRIC registration process, "a declaration by the parents will be accepted so long as it falls within normally accepted notions of ethnicity by lineage", he said.

Holiday in Borneo: Day 5 (Niah Caves)

2009-07-24T01:00:00.000-07:00

Well, this was supposed to be the highlight of our trip; a visit to the Niah Caves, located in the Niah National Park.

The World Heritage site is about an hours drive from Miri town. If you are renting a car for this trip, take the coastal road (starting from the Miri Marriott or Brighton Beach or Taman Selera beach/recreational park) because it is less twisty than the alternative, which is trunk road between Miri and Bintulu. The coastal road took us 1hr 10mins legally, while it took us 2hrs to drive back from Niah to Miri on the trunk road slowed down by many lorries and buses.

Once at the Niah park hq, you will buy tickets and head towards the cave. Wait, even before you start, you have to pass a checkpoint gate, where you must rent their flashlights (5RM each), if you didn't bring any. And then, past the checkpoint, you might be surprised to find that you have to take a ferry ride just to get started!!!

Just to cross a 5m/15ft river, you get on a small motorized boat, and pay the boatman 1RM per person each way. I guess building a bridge is not feasible?

Once on the other side, you will see very clearly signposted trails. We were headed to the most famous caves, the painted caves, which was 4.1km from this sign.

Then entire trail is on an elevated wooden path. Convenient.

Finally, after about 3km, you will reach the mountain.

After a short climb, we reached the trader's cave.

These wooden structures represent where houses were built.

Nice limestone formations...

Further along, we reach the "great cave". This is a huge cave, and after this point, the trail goes entirely into darkness. Hence, the flashlights.

Behind the fence is on-going archeological work...

Up, down, up, down, in total darkness...

Ainsley asked why it was raining inside the cave. I just said "yes, it rains." I didn't tell him what the "Rain" was ... until later...

There were a few places to take a break...before pushing on to the painted caves.

More fences, but these are to protect the wall paintings. You see, you could be so close that some idiots might just try to touch the 40,000 yr old paintings, or choose to add to them...

Here's one which my zoom could capture...

There are actually two major areas where there are paintings. However, the second (further away) site was closed because there was apparently some major dig going on...

And then the reality sunk in...there is only one way out, the same way...

So it was on the walk back that something happened. While in the pure darkness, something "jumped" at Ainsley from the floor and then hit me as well.

He asked: "What was that?"

I said: "Lizard."

He said: "A hairy lizard???"

I finally told him: "Ok, that's a bat."

He said: "Felt like a dog, furry."

And I explained that the rain was probably bat droppings. Whoopee...

There are other places to visit in the Niah national park, including some peaks and a small waterfall. But this 10m trek was enough for us.

Overall, how would I rate the Niah Caves as a tourism or historical site?

I would say nice, but underwhelming. Somehow, lacking that WOW factor. As caves, it pales beside those at Halong Bay in Vietnam...or even the Batu Caves near KL...but I guess the draw was the painted caves. Still, I am not sure about whether I would say this is a MUST SEE place before you die...

Holiday in Borneo: Day 4 part two (Kinabalu-Miri)

2009-07-22T01:03:00.000-07:00

We touched down in Miri and headed to our hotel, the Marriott. A bit old, but nice.

Room

Lobby

Best part? the Pool!

Holiday in Borneo: Day 4 part one (Kinabalu-Miri)

2009-07-22T00:14:00.001-07:00

Day 4 was a "short" day. We only had a bit of the morning, before we had to fly from KK to Miri.

So we visited the "botanical gardens" of KK, known as Tun Stephens Fuad Park.

There's a small water theme park inside the park itself, but we didn't fancy it in the short time we were there.

So we just took a short walk around the lake/reservoir. Reminded us a lot of MacRitchie!

At the entrance of the park, there are a whole group of restaurants. Must be quite lively at night.

Anyhow, we didn't have much time. So off we went to the airport, and to Miri.

what is "discrimination"?

2009-07-17T05:19:00.001-07:00

THIS IS TOO FUNNY.

THIS IS THE FULL TRANSCRIPT OF AN EMAIL "DISCUSSION" ON THE SUBJECT OF "DISCRIMINATION" AMONGST NUS FACULTY.

JUST NOTE THAT ALL NAMES WERE REMOVED BY ME.

---------------------------------

(1) From XYZ's message, the notice seems to be "No access for contractors Fine $500" This essentially prohibits contractors, but not the workers from using the toilet. I am surprised that the contractors want to prohibit themselves from using public toilets. Perhaps what they mean to say is "No access for foreign contract workers Fine $500" "

(2) If the NUS/FASS administration does not permit contractors to put up the sign ""No access for foreign contract workers Fine $500", they would not be able to do so. So I assume that the contractions have the implicit permission of NUS/FASS administration.

(3) Any discrimination against the underprivileged can be justified on the basis of statements like "They are dirty, "They are not quite human", "They are not rational", "They have no aptitude for science and math", and so on. The folks who denied voting privileges to women and (as XYZ points out) didn't want blacks to dirty their buses and pools had their reasons. They believed that women are not equal to men in their intellectual capacity, and that blacks were not quite human.

(4) Assume for the moment foreign workers do dirty the toilets. Assume also that Singaporeans from low income groups also dirty toilets. (This may not be an unreasonable assumption.) Would that justify movie house owners putting up notices like "No access for people whose annual income is below $5000. Fine $500" , with the provision for separate dirty toilets for the low income groups?

(5) A prohibition like ""No access for females. Fine $500" in the NUS toilets would indeed be discriminatory if if turns out that (a) women's toilets, unlike men's toilets, are cleaned only once a week, and (b) women prefer using men's toilets while men do not want to use women's toilets (For the purposes of this point, I incorrectly assume that men do not want to peep.) But if men's toilets do not have any special privileges, and the majority of women want separate toilets, I don't see why having separate women's toilets is discriminatory. And if we do allow separate women's toilets, and a significant number of men are embarassed (rather than thrilled) by having women around when they pee, I don't see why having separate men's toilets is discriminatory either.

ABC

-----Original Message-----
From: REMOVED
Sent: Fri 7/17/2009 5:49 PM
To: REMOVED
Cc: REMOVED
Subject: RE: Against Discrimination

Hey XYZ don't get your jockeys in a knot. I am sympathetic to your call. Just pointing out that the contractor has a practical reason for the sign, and that the sign is not put up by NUS. Plus, that there are issues of discrimination that are then likewise open for attack. I would be all in favour for making toilets unisex for instance.

Of course, foreign worker discrimination is so rampant that this instance appears to be one too.

Cheers, 123.

_____________________________________________
From: REMOVED
Sent: Friday, July 17, 2009 5:42 PM
To: REMOVED

Cc: REMOVED
Subject: RE: Against Discrimination

Dear 123,

The blacks have their swimming pools and seats at the back of public buses too.

Best,
XYZ

_____________________________________________
From: REMOVED
Sent: 2009?7?17? 17:39
To: REMOVED
Cc: REMOVED
Subject: RE: Against Discrimination

Hi REMOVED,

Such signs have been there as long as I can remember (I've been in NUS 7 years now) when there is any contracting work done. I was shocked initially as well, until I realized that the workers have their own toilet cabins nearby, and that the sign is put up by the contractor because they don't want to make the toilets dirty with mud, wet concrete, and paint etc.

Of course it's 'discrimination', but likewise, having male-only or female-only toilets is effectively also discrimination, no?

Cheers, 123.

_____________________________________________
From: REMOVED
Sent: Friday, July 17, 2009 5:21 PM
To: REMOVED

Dear REMOVED,

My colleague XYZ has forwarded the message below to me and like him, I feel very disgusted. We should take this matter very seriously and send someone to remove the notice IMMEDIATELY. Then we should issue a warning to the people who put up the notice.

Best
REMOVED

_____________________________________________
From: XYZ
Sent: Friday, July 17, 2009 5:00 PM
To: REMOVED
Subject: FW: Against Discrimination

FYI

______________________________________________
From: REMOVED
Sent: 2009?7?17? 12:42
To: XYZ
Cc: REMOVED
Subject: RE: Against Discrimination

Thanks XYZ for your feedback.

It is likely that the notices are put up by the main Contractor or its sub-contractors. I understand that the workers have their own designated toilet. It could be the case that the contractors/sub-contractors wish to limit the boundaries of their operations, so that they do not have to spend too much time in cleaning up or clearing up the sites daily. Or it could be part of their agreements not to dirty the surrounding place with mud from their boots, or concerns of liability issues related to cleanliness etc.

Our faculty does not put up such notices. I will ask my colleague, REMOVED to convey your concerns to the Project Manager from Office of Estate & Development (OED).

Best Regards,
REMOVED
_____________________________________________
From: XYZ
Sent: Friday, July 17, 2009 10:46 AM
To: REMOVED
Cc: REMOVED
Subject: Against Discrimination

Dear REMOVED,

I read with disbelief, if not horror, of two notices posted at the entrance of the male toilet (AS1-03-MALE2) outside LT9 in two languages. The notices say that:

"No access for contractors Fine $500" or in Chinese "???? ?????? ????$500.00 "

I am not sure whether are these notices posted by our faculty. If so, I do have a few questions:

1, Is it legal to bar any group of people to use the toilet?
2, Is there really a legal basis that empower us to fine them?

Legal questions aside, we are after all the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. We, of all people, should know that no form of discrimination should be tolerated, and this should be one of the core values that we teach our students.

I can imagine some of the logistic reasons for banning the contractors/workers from using the toilet, but I am sure there are other more humane ways of dealing with it then this convenient ban.

If the notices are not posted by our faculty, we should let whoever that is responsible for that know that discrimination is not tolerated here!

The same notices are also posted outside AS1-01-MALE, and I have no idea at how many more places.

Thank you for your kind attention.

Yours,
XYZ

On foreign workers...

2009-07-13T01:00:00.000-07:00

TODAY July 13, 2009

SERVICE JOBS: READY FOR A QUOTA CUT?
------------------------------------
SIX years ago, companies in the service sector could hire up to three
foreigners for every seven local employees. Effective last month, the
ratio now stands at five-for-five.

With services primed as the long-term driver of the Singapore
economy, and more job opportunities opening up in this sector
relative to others - is this the perfect time to consider trimming
back on the foreign-worker quota?

As the new Economic Strategies Committee takes advantage of the
downturn to reconsider the country's gameplan, this is one question
it could consider. Certainly, some Members of Parliament (MPs) think
the ratio for the services sector needs to shift back in favour of
local jobs.

Madam Halimah Yacob, who heads the Government Parliamentary Committee
for Manpower, argues that the quota was the result of years of
economic growth, and hence should be reviewed given the latest
overall job losses. Also, if more locals get replaced by foreigners,
she worries this could "deplete the skills base of Singaporeans in
the service sector". It could prove a painful loss.

Unlike manufacturing or construction - sectors with a high foreigner
ratio - the service sector cuts across a wide spectrum of the economy
- from finance, transport and communications services to hotels,
restaurants, food courts and social services.

It accounts for 65 per cent of the gross domestic product and 68 per
cent of total employment. Last year, foreigners snatched a larger
share of this pie - they filled 73,400 service positions, compared to
the 63,100 that went to locals.

Foreign labour serves to fill current shortfalls in this growing
sector where local manpower is lacking, but over-reliance in the long
run isn't healthy by any measure. "The easy way will be to raise our
dependency on foreign workers. But for how long can we do this?"
wondered MP Charles Chong.

And as he points out, it is not as if these are jobs Singaporeans
lack the skill to do. Quite the contrary.

Take the revolving door syndrome - foreigners tend to leave for
greener pastures after working a few years here. In a sector where
knowledge of local language, customs and geography are often key to
the job, standards will suffer if there is a dearth of workers
familiar with the local milieu, not to mention experience.

But are there willing S'poreans?

Ask employers, and they will put up a strong case for raising the
foreign worker quota.

Ms Joyce Ng, who runs The Whiskey Store, tried to hire a local worker
last month. After running six classified advertisements, only two
responded - and both bolted after trying out the job.

Food and beverage chain Coffee Club's training manager Mazlan Zain
puts the difficulty this way: "A foreigner asks if he can work
overtime. A Singaporean asks if he has Sundays off."

The chain has tried to get local labour. Coffee Club partners
education institutions and pays $500 to hospitality students for
working part-time for three days; more than half the students dropped
out of this scheme, said Mr Mazlan.

So, while there are some 16,000 vacancies in the service sector this
year according to the Employment and Employability Institute, one
wonders how many Singaporeans are actually rushing to grab at these -
and if they will stay on if hired.

Ultimately, if the move is made to lower the foreign-worker ratio,
steps must be taken to ensure employers can fill those positions with
locals. To ease the transition for employers, the Government could do
the reduction gradually.

Even so, as club operator Timbre's co-managing director Edward Chia
says: "The issue we face now is that there are less and less
Singaporeans willing to join. The fundamental issue is that there is
no stable staff base to train."

Perhaps the root of the problem - even as the Government is spending
millions to improve the professionalism and standards of the service
sector through its Go the Extra Mile for Service scheme - is the
stubborn perception that a job in services goes nowhere and is often
unappreciated.

Companies can tackle the view of services positions as "transient"
and lacking in long-term career prospects, by offering clear career
plans and better human resource practices.

As for the unpopular shifts and hours, this requires flexibility and
innovation in firms' operations. Could they find ways to harness
technology so that staff can be more productive or split the shift
hours on Sundays?

An oft-heard complaint is how customers here fail to recognise good
service with a smile or compliment. So if Singaporeans would like to
be served by a local, maybe they can play a part - starting with a
simple "thank you".

More women to be in (Singapore) politics?

2009-07-04T08:46:00.000-07:00

TODAY, July 4, 2009

MORE WOMEN TO BE IN POLITICS
----------------------------
WITH 17 People's Action Party (PAP) women MPs already in Parliament,
the groundwork has begun towards beefing up the ranks with at least
half a dozen more - starting with the upcoming General Election, due
by early-2012.

But even as PAP Women's Wing chairman Lim Hwee Hua (picture) spelt
out her hopes of "gradually" having women make up 30 per cent of MPs
in Parliament, she cautioned against setting a minimum quota and
using the Women's Wing as a lobby group.

"There is no queue out there wanting to be admitted ... also, I
wouldn't want anyone to doubt or question the quality of women MPs,"
said Mrs Lim, who was speaking on Friday at a press conference ahead
of the Women's Wing's 20th anniversary celebrations this weekend.

Around the world, various governments have committed to increase
female representation in politics. The Malaysian government will soon
launch an action plan to allow women to hold at least 30 per cent of
leadership positions in both the public and private sectors.

Since the Women's Wing was founded, the number of female MPs here has
swelled from four to 17. And despite making up only about 20 per cent
of the total number of MPs, the current batch of women MPs had tabled
42 per cent of all parliamentary questions in the first half of their
term, said Mrs Lim.

Still, she made it clear who should be given much of the credit for
the greater female representation in Parliament.

"It is really through the vision of the men who were in charge ...
Most of us came through because we were identified by the leaders who
were men," she said.

Mrs Lim became the first full woman minister when she was appointed
in April as a Minister in the Prime Minister's Office.

Pointing out that there are now five women activists heading the PAP
branches, Mrs Lim also shared how women - especially the younger ones
- were keen to get their views across during closed-door feedback
sessions by the Women's Wing.

While women have "gone beyond" the point of seeing politics as the
exclusive domain of an elite few, getting them to stand for elections
was a different story, due to factors such as the need to juggle
competing demands of career, family and political work, said Mrs Lim.

THAT FEMALE EDGE

The value of women in politics is apparent, given their greater
sensitivity and attention to detail, Mrs Lim noted. Such qualities
give them an edge in the "social aspect" of politics.

At meet-the-people sessions and house-to-house visits, women
activists and volunteers are deliberately deployed at the frontline
to "draw out" needy residents who might be too shy to seek help.

"The reality is that, for example, when we do house-to-house visits,
when you have a woman knocking on the door, it's likely that the door
will be opened a lot faster than if it is a man," Mrs Lim quipped.

While her appointment to the Cabinet has invariably cast her as a
champion for women's issues in a male-dominated line-up, Mrs Lim was
clearly uncomfortable with that tag.

Citing her professional background in finance and economics, Mrs Lim
said: "When I first came into (politics), at some point (I was) a
little irritated because I keep getting asked: 'What are the women
issues that you are going to bring up?'"

"But that's not to say that I won't speak on women's issues. If
there's a real cause to be pursued, we will obviously take it up and
do our best for it."

Holiday in Borneo: Day 3 (part two)

2009-06-18T05:20:00.000-07:00

LUNCH, BEACH and a GREAT DINNER

After the Aquarium, we headed into the center of Kota Kinabalu. We were hungry, and we decided to eat in the Italian restaurant inside the Jesselton Hotel.

The Jesselton Hotel is positioned as the premier "colonial" hotel. Somewhat like the Raffles in Singapore and the Eastern and Oriental in Penang.

Regardless, the food was really good. And arriving after lunch hour meant some discounts!

It was a very hot and sunny day. So we spent a while in some of the shopping centers in the heart of KK. Bought the usual stuff (pirated DVDs, fake football jerseys etc.).

When it was approaching evening, we drove south towards the airport in search of Tanjung Aru beach. Definitely worth hanging out there...

After a few hours on the beach, we headed a short distance to the Shangri La Tanjung Aru Resort. We checked out the buffet dinner; it was ok, but we thought that the price of RM88 was too high given the average spread.

Instead, we went to the Shang Palace and had perhaps the best Chinese meal of our lives (so far!).

Holiday in Borneo: Day 3 (part 1)

2009-06-18T02:29:00.000-07:00

AQUARIUM AND MUSEUM

The next morning, we took the very very short drive "next door" to the Universiti Malaysia Sabah campus (it is really just beside 1Borneo) to visit the Marine Aquarium and Museum.

It is not a true commercial (read for-profit) aquarium (apparently, they are building one inside 1Borneo); instead, it is an extension to the University's marine biology dept. So it isn't huge (the Museum is about the size of one badminton court; while the Aquarium is about the size of a large garage). But is is worth about 1 hour of your time, somewhere to go that is cool and still interesting.

Admission is free. The Aquarium and Museum during lunchtime (12-2pm).

Holiday in Borneo: Day 2 (part two) -- Poring Hot Springs

2009-06-17T08:47:00.000-07:00

So after another 45mins drive, we arrive at the Poring Hot Springs. (The admission fee to the Kinabalu Park also includes admission to this park)

Actually, there are a lot of places to visit in this park, but (a) we didn't have enough time and (b) didn't feel like trekking through a muddy path for 1 hour to see a waterfall and maybe a Raffelsia plant.

So our target was just the Hot Springs. First, we had to cross a "bridge".

Ambrose tried the hot springs "spa" first...

Then myself and Ainsley got in...hot hot hot, nice nice nice...

After that, a stop at a petrol station for fuel and other snacks, before a very very long drive back to 1Novotel.

Dinner was -- unfortunately -- within the 1Borneo, considering we were all too tired to go anywhere else.

Pizza Hut? Oh well...

Holiday in Borneo: Day 2 (part one) -- Mount Kinabalu

2009-06-17T04:30:00.000-07:00

17 June 2009. Kota Kinabalu was dry and a little cloudy as we set off for THE Mount Kinabalu. Since we didn't do any training (nor did we do all the bookings), we opted NOT to climb to the 4000m peak. Instead, our target were Mt. Kinabalu National Park and the Poring Hot Springs.

Just for anyone who wants to know, it takes about 1.5 hours to drive from Kota Kinabalu, and the drive is challenging itself with winding roads and often slow trucks. Ainsley decided to take a break...

Just to add to my fun, once we reached the mountain, the clouds descended on us.

It became wet and foggy. Great.

After paying the entrance fee at the gate, we headed to the Mount Kinabalu National Park Comlex (or center). It was about 18 degrees celcius, at around 12noon.

The complex also has hotel rooms (below).
Here's Ainsley in the lobby area.

We decided to have lunch there. Since it was run by a 5* Malaysian hotel chain, we were prepared for "coffee house" prices. But overall, food was Ok, and not THAT expensive.

Also housed inside the Complex is the Kinabalu Park Museum.

There's Ainsley trying to imitate one of the flying animals displayed in the Museum!

So further up the road was the entrance to THE CLIMB. Minimum 2 days required, and with us not preparing, it wasn't an option this time.

Taking the car back to the main gate, there was THE picture spot, a well prepared platform which -- on a good day -- would have given a great picture of the Kinabalu Peak. Oh well...better than nothing...

Already 3pm, we pushed on further. Not long after leaving the Park, we arrived at Kundasang village, where we found another great picture opportunity of the mountain.

We continued on, heading to our next stop: Poring.

Holiday in Borneo: Day 1 -- Kota Kinabalu

2009-06-16T03:18:00.000-07:00

Arrived in Kota Kinabalu in June 2009. Checked into the 1Novotel in 1Borneo in 1Sabah in 1Malaysia.

This particular hotel was good for us as it was located within a huge shopping mall, and had a kids stay (sort of) free policy. In our case, what was best was that our room, which was basically a 1 King bed configuration, was allowed to request for an extra single bed for 1 kid under 16 free. Not too bad a deal.

The 1Novotel's pool was on the 7th floor. Small, and the water was freezing despite the blazing sun (more later...)

So one thing good about staying within a mall is to have all the amenities nearby. For example, we had lunch at NYNY, and the items were more or less half the price (compared to Singapore). Note the large plate of ribs? Well, on the menu it said: "Serving portion for 2 diners." Well, Ambrose finished it by himself.

After lunch, we took a short drive north towards the (Shangri La) Rasa Ria Resort. Nice pool.

Ainsley loved the beach.

Later that afternoon, we went to downtown Kota Kinabalu. This pic is Ambrose on the "Waterfront," a row of restaurants by the sea.

Dinner was at the Meridien, which is across from the Waterfront. Very high class food.

After dinner, we took a walk back along the waterfront, and found a huge pasar malam. That's not a badly taken photo...it's SMOKE! Ambrose said he wanted a pic OF the bbq/satay section...crazy.

Regarding downtown Kinabalu, there's not an awful lot to see or do, beyond some shopping malls. The big adventure was the Mountain.

How do you deal with religion in a secular society like Singapore?

2009-05-28T10:04:00.000-07:00

TODAY 27 May 2009

‘A RECIPE FOR DISHARMONY’
-------------------------
NMP Thio Li-ann speaks out against ‘militant secularism’

WHILE Singapore’s secularism dictates that religion should not be mixed
with politics, religion is "not separated from public life and culture",
law academic Thio Li-ann asserted in Parliament yesterday.

And those who engage in public debate cannot be expected to do so
independent of their religious views, the Nominated Member of Parliament
stressed.

In his speech last week when he reconvened Parliament, PresidentS R Nathan
remarked that the recent Association of Women for Action and Research
(Aware) saga demonstrated a new style of politics that does not involve
political parties.

Describing such politics involving lobby groups as an "ideological"
contest, Prof Thio criticised the "militant secularism" and the biased
media coverage - "particularly in one paper" - of the Aware saga which
involved her mother, former law dean Thio Su Mien, who had drawn flak for
her viewpoints as "feminist mentor" to the group.

With the senior Thio looking on in the public gallery, Prof Thio argued:
"Secular fundamentalists are oppressive where they seek to mute
religiously-informed convictions in public debate." They do so "by
demonising a view as religious in attempting to make religious faith a
cause for embarrassment, or to distract citizens from the merits of an
argument by discounting a speaker whose values are shaped by a religious"
faith.

Such militant secularism is "a recipe for social disharmony", she added.

In the aftermath of the saga, Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng had
reiterated the Government’s position that religious individuals "have the
same rights as any citizen to express their views on issues in the public
space, as guided by their teachings and personal conscience". But they
should also be mindful of sensitivities, he had added.

Yesterday, noting the power of the press "when it comes to moral
disagreements and public policy", Prof Thio said that journalists "are
entitled, like all citizens, to have their own opinions; however, they do
a disservice if they report contentious issues in a one-sided fashion".

While the "proper limits of religious activism" was a valid issue that
arose, she felt that other issues were "strangely subdued" in the media,
including "whether it was really a debate about values, rather than
religious overstepping".

Gotta love Singaporeans and their mobile phones

2009-05-15T10:01:00.000-07:00

TODAY 15 May 2009

DURING A ROW, BUT NOT DURING SEX
--------------------------------
SINGAPOREANS will take mobile phone calls almost anywhere, no matter
how inappropriate or dicey the situation - such as when driving.

But at least, most stop short of agreeing it’s okay to propose over
the phone, unlike their counterparts in China or India, revealed a
Microsoft Windows Mobile poll.

Singaporean respondents would answer their phones in the middle of a
wedding (35.2 per cent), a funeral (18.7 per cent), at places of
worship (22 per cent), while driving (48.4 per cent), or even in the
midst of a quarrel (16.5 per cent).

Most have taken calls during meals with others (93.4 per cent), while
nearly two-thirds of some 100 respondents polled last month have
yakked on the phone while in the loo.

Ms Chiam Ru Lin, 30, an auditor who carries her phone “wherever I
go” because she feels “handicapped” without it, told Today:
“Singaporeans are technology-driven, whether it’s for work or
their personal lives.”

Still, there are some occasions when they would let their mobiles
ring off the hook: The heat of passion being one of them (93 per
cent). “Singaporeans have good bedside manners,” concluded the
report’s authors.

And when it comes to marriage proposals, they would never use the
phone to pop the “would you marry me” question. Almost nine in 10
feel it is unacceptable behaviour.

“The right guy would make the effort to make it special for me. It
shouldn’t be like ordering take-out,” said Ms Zhou Shimei, 28, a
corporate communications executive.

By contrast, some 50 per cent of those surveyed in China and India
thought it was okay to propose on the phone.

Of course, there are those who would not pick up a call at a funeral
or a film screening.

Ms Wee Mei Jin, 29, a corporate communications manager, said: “Some
Singaporeans have no idea of what constitutes graciousness, and
probably have no sense of respect for the environment they are in.”

Other findings

47.3% have flirted with someone other than their spouses or partners
on the phone

45.1% have taken calls during business meetings

12.1% have broken up with their partners using SMS/MMS/IM

10% have shot a voyeuristic picture/video with their phones

Singapore's First Full Female Minister in Parliament

2009-04-01T23:57:00.000-07:00

Singapore Straits Times
March 31, 2009
Cabinet changes: Lim Hwee HuaMerit, not gender

PRIME Minister Lee Hsien Loong will consider Mrs Lim Hwee Hua to head a ministry of her own if she continues to perform well and when an opportunity arises.

And she was promoted to become a minister because of merit, not gender, he added.

Mrs Lim, 50, the Senior Minister of State at the Finance and Transport ministries, will become Second Minister in both ministries as well as a Minister in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) from Wednesday.

Said Mr Lee: 'We can't take her out from these two ministries now, but I will consider her to head a ministry on her own if she continues to perform well, which I'm sure she will, and when the opportunity arises.'

He added that she is fully engaged at the two ministries and her being placed in the PMO is 'a technicality because she is a full minister'.

He pointed to labour chief Lim Swee Say as another example of a full minister placed in the PMO but whose responsibilities are elsewhere.

In Mr Lim's case, they are at the National Trades Union Congress, where he is the labour movement's secretary-general.

Mr Lee said that Transport Minister Raymond Lim has told Mrs Lim she will be responsible for maritime and aviation issues at the Transport Ministry.

Asked if Singapore would see more women ministers, he said: 'Well, I hope we will have more female ministers. If you look at the Parliament, we've had more female MPs. I hope that among them, there will be more potential office holders and in due course more ministers.'

There are now 22 women among the 93 Members of Parliament. They include five Nominated MPs and one Non-Constituency MP, a post given to the best loser in a general election.
---------------------------------------

'It's just the way things turn out, particularly in politics, that there are more men than women.'
PM Lee

----------------------------------------

If it took nearly 40 years for a woman to be appointed as a full minister (not counting Dr. Seet Ai Mee being appointed ACTING minister for health) in Singapore, AND if appointments are made by merit not gender, THEN it follows that women in Singapore perform worse then men in parliament specifically, and in society generally?

grrrrrrrrr......

MM Lee on Singapore's social future

2009-03-20T23:57:00.001-07:00

TODAY newspaper, March 21, 2009

TOP NEWS
========

WILL WE BE LAST OF THE MOHICANS?
--------------------------------
Without more babies, S’pore must take on new citizens, PRs and challenges
that they bring

EVEN after the millions spent on Baby Bonuses and other parenthood
incentives, policy-makers are confounded by a problem that goes to the
very heart of survival: Singaporeans are still not reproducing themselves.

And on Friday, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew reflected on this challenge
:at the National University of Singapore Society’s (NUSS) dialogue on
"Singapore and Singaporeans: A Quarter Century From Now".

In Singapore, he said, it is becoming a "lifestyle choice" for women past
the age of 30 to stay single as they are well-travelled and have no one to
worry about.

"My daughter is one of them. What can I do? When she was in her early 30s,
my wife used to tell her, what you want is a ‘MRS’. She did not think it
was funny.

"Now she is 50-plus, her mother is bedridden, I’m on a pacemaker, I got
this rambling house. Everything is looked after now. What happens if we
are both not there?...

"She says, "I’ll look after myself’. But we know she has not been looking
after herself all these years. When she went to Boston for training, her
cooking was to just to put her salmon into the microwave."

Mr Lee added: "But that’s life. It’s a choice that she has made, and a
choice that 30 per cent of our women are making. Who am I to complain?
Society lives with the consequences it is making."

The problem that this trend creates: "Without new citizens and permanent
residents, we are going to be the last of the Mohicans. We are going to
disappear".

But immigrants bring their own challenges to a society.

Some Singaporean parents have complained about migrants entering schools
and competing with local children. He urged parents: "Would you want them
to compete against you or with you as part of the team? If you don’t have
them with you as part of your team, they will be on the Chinese and Indian
team."

Some of these migrant students, he acknowledged, use Singapore as a
stepping stone to other countries. So "why are we so stupid" in allowing
this?

"Because more than half (of these students) do not make the grade to go to
America, and the second tier is not bad for us."

Singapore needs to draw from a big talent pool beyond its own shores, "so
that we can continue to punch above our weight. No other way".

"Would you want the pie to grow? You want a small pie with your children
taking the last portion, or a big pie where you get a bigger portion, even
though the talented person may get a bigger slice? That’s life. If you are
afraid of talent, you will not succeed."

One catch he foresees: Even as the second generation of today’s immigrants
become more Singaporean, one dubious habit they might also adopt, is to
have only one child.

"So we got to make this breakthrough, otherwise we are going to have a
constant problem.

"We got to get people to realise that if we don’t have 2.1 (babies) to
replace ourselves, we are always dependent."

Earlier in the evening,Mr Lee officially opened the new NUS Alumni
Complex, which comprises the redeveloped NUSS Kent Ridge Guild House and
Shaw Foundation Alumni House.

Key Words Translated for Men

2009-02-24T21:33:00.001-08:00

NINE WORDS WOMEN USE
(1) Fine: This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shut up.
(2) Five Minutes: If she is getting dressed, this means a half an hour. Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given five more minutes to watch the game before helping around the house.
(3) Nothing: This is the calm before the storm. This means something, and you should be on your toes. Arguments that begin with nothing usually end in fine.
(4) Go Ahead: This is a dare, not permission. Don't Do It!
(5) Loud Sigh: This is actually a word, but is a non-verbal statement often misunderstood by men. A loud sigh means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you about nothing. (Refer back to # 3 for the meaning of nothing.)
(6) That's Okay: This is one of the most dangerous statements a women can make to a man. That's okay means she wants to think long and hard before deciding how and when you will pay for your mistake.
(7) Thanks: A woman is thanking you, do not question, or faint. Just say you're welcome. (I want to add in a clause here - This is true, unless she says 'Thanks a lot' - that is PURE sarcasm and she is not thanking you at all. DO NOT say 'you're welcome'. that will bring on a 'whatever').
(8) Whatever: Is a woman's way of saying F--- YOU!
(9) Don't worry about it, I got it: Another dangerous statement, meaning this is something that a woman has told a man to do several times, but is now doing it herself. This will later result in a man asking 'What's wrong?' For the woman's response refer to # 3.

formulae

2009-02-03T21:16:00.001-08:00

ROMANCE MATHEMATICS
Smart man + smart woman = romance
Smart man + dumb woman = affair
Dumb man + smart woman = marriage

OFFICE ARITHMETIC
Smart boss + smart employee = profit
Smart boss + dumb employee = production
Dumb boss + smart employee = promotion
Dumb boss + dumb employee = overtime

SHOPPING MATH
A man will pay $200 for a $100 item he needs.
A woman will pay $100 for a $200 item that she doesn’t need.

GENERAL EQUATIONS & STATISTICS
A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband.
A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.
A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend.
A successful woman is one who can find such a man.

HAPPINESS
To be happy with a man, you must understand him a lot and love him a little.
To be happy with a woman, you must love her a lot and not try to understand her at all.

LONGEVITY
Married men live longer than single men do, but married men are a lot more willing to die.

PROPENSITY TO CHANGE
A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn’t.
A man marries a woman expecting that she won’t change, and she does.

DISCUSSION TECHNIQUE
A woman has the last word in any argument.
Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.

HOW TO STOP PEOPLE FROM BUGGING YOU ABOUT GETTING MARRIED
Old aunts used to come up to me at weddings, poking me in the ribs and cackling, telling me, “You’re next.” They stopped after I started doing the same thing to them at funerals.

current favourite song

2009-01-31T22:12:00.001-08:00

Finger Eleven -- Thousand Mile Wish

as i grow old...

2009-01-30T23:20:00.000-08:00

Click to enlarge

i am in love

2009-01-12T17:34:00.000-08:00

the song, i mean, which is making me want to spend $699 on the PS3 just to hear it in lossless audio...

Durian Perangin Waterfall, Langkawi

2009-01-09T04:22:00.000-08:00

This was the third "easy" waterfall in Langkawi (the others required a lot of REAL climbing or trekking). The Durian Perangin was more or less easily accessible by car.

From the car park (and shops and foodstalls), it was a short walk up some steps and you'll be at the falls.

Got to explain this one...

Was walking around the rocks and pools, and suddenly, a micro frog hopped onto my foot...you have to take my word for it, its not dirt, its a micro frog. Cool.

Temorong Waterfalls, Langkawi

2009-01-05T18:13:00.001-08:00

We headed towards the northwest part of the island (its along the road towards the Datai) in search of Temorong Waterfalls.

This waterfall is closest to the main road, and only took a short 5 minute walk to reach the main falls.

Unfortunately, due to many weeks of dry weather, the water was only a drip. Oh well...

Langkawi Bird Paradise and Wildlife Park

2009-01-04T03:40:00.000-08:00

Another nice place to visit for a couple of hours (especially if you have young children) is the Langkawi Bird Paradise.

Although there weren't that many species, what was most fun about the place was that you get to feed the birds (and other wildlife). In fact, they sell animal feed at the ticketing counter...

Ambrose found that the ostriches were really hungry.

That was fast!!! @ Yahoo! Video

Ainsley got a bit worried when the peacocks started swarming around him...

Other Nice Bits of Langkawi

2009-01-04T02:54:00.000-08:00

A little known aspect of Langkawi is Perdana Quay. Its not theoretically a tourist attraction, but it soon became one of our favourite places to find dinner (and lunch!).

It is a few minutes away from Burau Bay, near the Langkawi GeoPark. It essentially is a row of restaurants.

One evening, we came by to the Steakhouse to have their Brazilian churaschuria. Eat all you can for about RM57 (beer, during happy hour, is RM3 or RM6 at other times!). Ainsley had a nice burger instead.

Can you see the mega-yacht in the background? It has (at least) 3 levels, and based on our guesstimate, the size of the yacht is bigger than my home.

Wow!

Anyhow, on another day, while we were nearby during lunchtime, we decided to go back to Perdana Quay for a bite, and ended up back at the steakhouse for their set lunch RM25.

One thing about the Quay is that despite the hundreds of yachts, the water is still clean and clear!

mathematical sociology

2009-01-02T20:52:00.000-08:00

click refresh to view again

Seven Wells Waterfall, Langkawi

2009-01-02T02:42:00.000-08:00

I think this was our top attraction for Langkawi, even despite the fact that we came in December (which is the dry season -- and this will pretty much affect our trip to the other waterfalls).

Some details:

This waterfall is "right beside" the Kilim GeoPark (Oriental Village/Cable Car). It has a small entrance area at the foot (Rm2 per entry parking) with shops and such.

Then it is a climb to TWO landings.

After about a 10 minute walk up steps, you reach the "lower falls."

And then, another 10 minutes ... no, make that 20 minutes (since already very tired from the climb to the lower falls)

...we reach the "middle falls" which includes the "WELLS". Now, these are called wells because there are small gentle falls here, some of which resemble pools.

In fact, some people -- like Ambrose -- felt that some of the wells were nice spas.

Some other wells were very deep...as dropping in a boulder showed...

Ainsley found building dams theraputic.

Busy little boy! @ Yahoo! Video

Now, the middle falls was only the beginning of several other trails. One of which of course, led to the highest falls. However, the signboard said that it would take 3 days to get to the top (i.e. camping involved) and "climbing equipment" was recommended. Right.

Anyway, there was lots to do at the middle falls.

Xtreme waterfalling (not!) @ Yahoo! Video

Overall, the Seven Wells Waterfall is a must-do if visiting Langkawi. It can be covered in 2-3 hours, but we chose to stay about 5 hours (to let the kids soak in the cool and clean waters).

There are some toilets and changing facilities. Pretty basic, but "will have to do."

:)

Langkawi GeoPark

2008-12-31T00:58:00.000-08:00

A nice place to spend half a day is the Langkawi GeoPark. Although pretty huge in size, this park can be broken up into three main sections:

The Oriental Village
The Cable Car Ride
and the Machincang Mountain Range

Located on the west of Langkawi Island and near Burau Bay, we arrived in the morning, and parked at the Oriental Village. Once we walked in, Ambrose wanted to take pictures with the 10kg python...

Ainsley, on the other hand, preferred the animal enclosure, where he could buy carrots to feed the rabbits.

There were deer there as well...

And this tamed eagle is a resident too...

However, the HIGH-light of the GeoPark is the cable car ride and a trip up Mt. Machincang.

That's the "bridge walk" at the peak...

The sign says 710m above sea level...

The view is quite nice, but there really isn't a lot else to do up at the peak.

There are some "jungle walks" around the peak, but it didn't look like they were headed anywhere interesting (i.e. we didn't know how far these walks were, and what we would reach to see...), so we decided to go back down.

And the one thing the boys enjoyed more than anything was Iced Milo. Especially from the foodcourt at the Oriental Village.

Just some notes about the GeoPark:

The queue for the cable car can sometimes be very long. On the Friday that we were there, we were informed that the queue was at least 2 hours (lucky for us, it eventually only took about an hour before we got onto the cable car).

If there are strong crosswinds, the cable car will not operate.

For those planning their own trip, the GeoPark can be done within 2-3 hours. That would leave you time to go to the fantastic Seven Wells Waterfall nearby.

Langkawi Dec 2008

2008-12-25T19:54:00.000-08:00

First stop: Langkasuka Beach Resort (our hotel)

We were quite aware of the extreme reviews (from very good to very bad) on Tripadvisor. However, we are also very used to various sorts of hotels in southeast Asia, from 5* to no-star.

Overall, we had a good time at the hotel, because we were NOT very often in the hotel. The one thing said about the Langkasuka Resort that is definitely true is that it is CHEAP. It was even cheaper when we selected the HOT WHEELS package, where for RM150, you get a two-queen bed room plus a basic manual transmission (excludes fuel) car per day without breakfast. Note that most other car rentals on Langkawi are about RM50-100 per day excluding insurance. Ok, don't expect a brand new car...just a car that is working and can bring you around the island.

15 year old Proton Saga!

We could have pre-booked breakfast, which is RM20 per person for either western or Asian buffet breakfast, but we found out that it was the same price if you just showed up at the cafe anyway. So we figured we would only have breakfast on selected mornings at the hotel, while the rest of the time, we would drive out for breakfast and touring...

The room is fairly spacious. It is somewhat clean, but this is dependent on how the cleaners do up the room each morning.

The toilet has both a long bath and a shower area.

The F&B are ok. We ate a la carte on one day and it was acceptable by price and quality.

The kids had a good time at the recreation room...

Ambrose almost hit the bulls eye (i.e. he hit the 25)

The beach is very good, very clean...lots of hermit crabs and other live sea creatures (including jellyfish!!! be careful) in the water.

The free form pool is also ok, the kids would love it.

Some drawbacks of the hotel would be its location: it is near nothing. To the left, there is some construction going on; to the right, there is an abandoned water theme park, where there supposedly is a Korean restaurant (didn't go check it out).

so if you want to have a meal other than those served at the hotel, you must travel a minimum of 10-15 minutes either north or south, or to the airport (which is nearby).

So here are some of our tips for this hotel:

1. Book this hotel if you intend to explore Langkawi island extensively. i.e. you will be only using the hotel for sleeping and OCCASIONALLY jumping into the pool/beach.

2. Do not expect 3 or even 4 * service; many of the staff cannot speak English (they can understand. but cannot reply you), only the front desk is good enough in English.

3. Very good value for a family of 2 adults and 2 kids (given that they have 2 queen sized beds), thus better value than other places which you have to pay for extra bed(s).

4. You can save even more money by getting a free (but complicated) transfer to-from the airport. You can walk out of the airport, head towards the left carpark, and about 50m ahead
you will see Helang Hotel (which is also owned by Langkasuka Resort). Go to the Helang front desk and tell them you want to go to Langkasuka Resort, and there is a shuttle or car that goes between the two hotels regularly. FREE.

The other way to go FREE to Langkasuka Resort, is to WALK. Out the airport, head left, walk past Helang Hotel, past the Exhibition Center, come to the T-junction (about 1km), then turn right another 500m you are at Langkasuka Resort. Only for the brave.

The other way is to book the HOT WHEELs (room+car) package, where they can arrange to pick up and drop off at the airport. (minor cost involved)

Conclusion: this is the cheapest hotel where you get some nice facilities (pool/beach) (the ASEANIA is about this price, great pool but they don't have their own beach).

Do not have 4-5* expectations. Think "budget" and "utilitarian" and you will have a "value for money" time.

seasons greetings

2008-12-23T22:33:00.000-08:00

NUS Staff Basektball Team 2008

2008-12-02T22:05:00.001-08:00

Men Don't Get It

2008-12-01T18:21:00.000-08:00

Click to enlarge

joker

2008-11-20T18:58:00.000-08:00

From SSA1201 Singapore Society 2008/2009

Thanks to the guys that first posted this in our IVLE forums...

Immigration: About new citizens

2008-11-11T18:29:00.000-08:00

Ha! This gives me an opportunity to bring some glamour to this blog for the first time.

By the way, this -- in my humble opinion -- is her best movie...

--------------------------------------------

Today 12 November 2008

CHINESE NETIZENS SLAM ACTRESS OVER SWITCH

BEIJING — Chinese actress Gong Li's decision to become a Singapore citizen
sparked an online debate in China on Tuesday, with many branding her a
traitor but others defending the star. Ms Gong, who served recently as a
Chinese parliament delegate, collected her Singapore citizenship over the
weekend.

The move requires her to forsake her Chinese citizenship, and the decision
triggered some fierce condemnation of the 43-year-old star of Farewell My
Concubine and Memoirs of a Geisha.

"All traitors will be nailed to history's mast of shame. We should
resolutely reject any further contact with such people," said one post in
a chat forum on the popular portal Sohu.com. Added another: "Traitors like
this don't even love their own country. These people were only fake
countrymen of ours. Let them slink off to other countries and die!"

Xinhua news agency said speculation that she was actively seeking foreign
citizenship resulted in Ms Gong being left off the list of delegates at
the session of parliament earlier this year. However, many people also
expressed understanding for her decision, noting the pressure such stars
face in China and making veiled criticisms of life in the communist
country.

"Why doesn't anyone ask why people want to emigrate? We see one Chinese
person after another take United States citizenship," one person said on
Sohu. "Why don't we see Americans taking Chinese citizenship?" Another
suggested that many of the critics would leap at the chance to emigrate,
like a moth to the flame: "My compatriots, as you blab here, can you
really say you love your country? Ask yourself, how many of you are not
moths as well?"

The backlash comes after a spike this year in nationalist sentiments in
China. Those passions were partly triggered by Western criticism of a
crackdown on Tibetans following an uprising in March against Chinese rule.

In Singapore, most Singaporeans were nonchalant about the news but
welcomed the actress to contribute to the nation, with discussions online
about the possibility of her acting in local drama productions.One
HardwareZone forum user said: "Welcome to Singapore. We have a big
superstar among us Singaporeans."

Singapore netizens also discussed the uproar in China's cyberspace over Ms
Gong's new citizenship and how "the disappointment must be huge". An
SGClub forum user said: "They should just get over it. Going as far as
calling her a fake is a little extreme. It's her life, let her do whatever
she wants. Renouncing her citizenship doesn't mean she's ashamed of being
Chinese." Others felt there was no need to fuss over the matter. "Frankly
Singapore is already home to a few Hong Kong celebrities ... really
nothing to shout about," said one person on SGClub.

There was also speculation as to why Ms Gong took up Singapore
citizenship.

One person suggested on the Find Singapore forum: "As long as she is
working overseas, all her income are tax-free ... it's also easier for her
to travel to many countries visa-free, as well as easier to apply for
foreign PR and citizenship ... so you see, Gong Li is one smart cookie to
opt for Singapore citizenship, especially (as) she's abroad all the time."

AFP, withadditional reporting by Ong Dai Lin

Job assignments

2008-10-23T22:37:00.000-07:00

HOW TO PROPERLY ASSIGN NEW EMPLOYEES
1. Put 400 bricks in a closed room.
2. Put your new hires in the room and close the door.
3. Leave them alone and come back after 6 hours.
4. Then analyze the situation:

a. If they are counting the bricks , put them in the Accounting Department.
b. If they are recounting them, put them in Auditing.
c. If they have messed up the whole place with the bricks, put them in Engineering .
d. If they are arranging the bricks in some strange order, put them in Planning.
e. If they are throwing the bricks at each other, put them in Operations.
f. If they are sleeping, put them in Security.
g. If they have broken the bricks into pieces, put them in Information Technology.
h. If they are sitting idle, put them in Human Resources.i. If they say they have tried different combinations , they are looking for more, yet not a brick has been moved , put them in Sales.
j. If they have already left for the day , put them in Marketing.
k. If they are staring out of the window , put them in Strategic Planning .
l. If they are talking to each other, and not a single brick has been moved, congratulate them and put them in Top Management.

Foreign Workers, discussed in Parliament

2008-10-21T19:14:00.000-07:00

My views are at the end of this newspaper report...

OFFSHORE HOUSING FOR FOREIGN WORKERS?

---------------------------------------

TODAY, 22 Oct 2008

COULD foreign workers be housed in floating dormitories on nearby offshore
islands, or even across the border in Johor?

These alternatives were suggested in Parliament yesterday, as the issue of
foreign workers in Singapore continued to draw questions from Members of
Parliament.

Madam Ho Geok Choo of West Coast GRC wanted to know if the Government had
considered floating dorms, or renting space to build dorms in Johor, since
Singapore was "bursting at the seams"?

Another MP, Mr Zaqy Mohamad (Hong Kah GRC), wanted to know if the workers
could be housed on Jurong Island.

Responding to Mr Zaqy's suggestion,National Development Minister Mah Bow
Tan said the dorms on Jurong Island currentlyhoused about 10,000 foreign
workers, who mainly worked at the plants there.

The Government's first choice, Mr Mah said, is to house workers as close
to their work sites as much as possible, but these options have been
"exhausted", hence the need for other forms of housing.

As for Mdm Ho's suggestions, which were addressed to Acting Manpower
Minister Gan Kim Yong when he answered questions about helping foreign
workers to integrate, Mr Gan said he would leave it to the Ministry of
National Development to consider.

But with the economy heading for a slowdown, would there still be a high
demand for workers, as well as more dorms?

Mr Mah replied that the Government would monitor the situation closely.

"But I can say that, as at this moment — in fact, for the next year —
because the demand, especially for construction workers, is still going to
be there ... I don't foresee that there will be a drastic drop in the
demand for foreign workers," he said.

Agreeing with Ms Irene Ng (Tampines GRC) who said it was expected of a
"decent" society to provide decent housing for foreign workers, Mr Mah
added that if Singaporeans did not want foreign workers' dorms built in
their residential areas, more illegal, overcrowded housing could spring
up.

This would create even greater health and safety risks for both the
workers and the surrounding community.

Ms Denise Phua (Jalan Besar GRC) felt that more "aggressive" short-term
measures were needed to complement the existing outreach efforts to
foreign workers.

Beyond broadcasting messages to workers and handing out booklets and
videos on proper behaviour, Ms Phua suggested having uniformed patrols in
areas with foreign workers, and making employers more accountable for
workers'conduct.

Mr Gan said her suggestions would be looked into, adding different
strategies would have to be considered for different areas.

---------------------

Dr.P. says...

What is really interesting is that I see history happening all over again.

Remember our first lecture on Singapore's colonial history?

We saw how the British colonial government brought in "foreigners" to fill specific jobs in the economy, such as coolies working at the ports (Chinese), construction workers (Indians), rubber plantation workers (Indians), policemen (Malays) etc.

Deja vu (1).

Imagine how the British viewed all these immigrant workers during colonial times. They housed them far away from their own residential estates; where the Europeans were living along Orchard Road, the immigrants were housed (a) either near their occupation (Chinatown, beside the Singapore river; Serangoon where the plantations were...) or (b) just simply far away.

Deja vu (2).

Most Singaporeans today seem to have forgotten their roots as the immigrant worker community. They have become so "middle class" that they seem only to think about themselves. To see the MPs here internalizing the irrational fears of the citizens is truly frightening...now they want to "enclave" foreign workers, house them far far away, both geographically (on Jurong Island or in Johor) or visually (house them in dorms that are more like jails...).

I would like to try to understand why Singaporeans perceive foreign workers to be like pariahs. But I can't...

Of course, not every Singaporean is like this...but so many are like this. And this combination of "fear and loathing" of foreign workers has transmitted up to their MPs, and is at the feet of the government.

Why? Why is it so hard to see them as human beings who are here to try to make a decent living?

Still hopping mad...so added this next bit...

I think if we want Singaporeans to stop hating the foreign worker and treating them like murderers and prostitutes, there is one simple solution:

They all go on strike for one year. Let's see how long Singaporeans can survive without construction workers, garbage collectors, waiters, cleaners, maids, etc.

I guarantee you that after a year, we will welcome them with open arms.

Unfortunately, this won't happen, because they need the money, and are willing to take all the abuse we throw at them.

So how?

Lastest on Migration

2008-10-20T23:38:00.000-07:00

Original weblink: http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_293011.html

Singapore Straits Times
Oct 21, 2008

Adjust to foreign workers
There may be social impact if numbers grow but Govt will review figures if needed: Mah

By Kor Kian Beng

Since February last year, the Government has released 11 sites for dormitories, which will provide up to 65,000 beds by 2010, said National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan. Till then, temporary dormitories may need to be built on vacant state lands and converted state properties, which tend to be nearer residential areas. However, he stressed it was only a temporary measure. -- ST FILE PHOTO

THERE is no running away from it.

Whether Singapore chooses to have more or fewer foreign workers, there is a price to pay, said National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan.

With more of them, growth is faster but there is the social impact of their presence. On the other hand, fewer of them will reduce this impact but it will mean slower growth.

So far, the Government has gone for growth, Mr Mah noted, as it is good for the country and its people.

'But going forward, there may be a need to review if a new balance is needed,' he said in Parliament yesterday.

Mr Mah was replying to Mr Zaqy Mohamad (Hong Kah GRC) and Dr Lim Wee Kiak (Sembawang GRC). They wanted to know the Ministry of National Development's (MND) plans and considerations in housing foreign workers and steps it would take to address people's concerns over the social impact of these workers.

Mr Mah, in his reply, set out starkly the choice facing Singaporeans.

'If we want more foreign workers, we must collectively make adjustments to resolve the social problems.

'If we want fewer foreign workers, we must be prepared for slower growth, higher costs, lower service levels and delays in the completion of our flats, our roads, our rail lines.'

But, if necessary, things may change in future, he added, without elaborating.

The controversy over foreign workers arose recently when many in Serangoon Gardens opposed having them housed in a temporary dorm in their estate. They expressed concern over a rise in crime, disorderly behaviour and traffic congestion.

However, the plan is going ahead. A school will be converted to house up to 600 workers, mainly factory workers in the IT and electronics industries.

Official figures show Singapore had 475,000 foreign workers in 2006 and it jumped to 577,000 last year, excluding 180,000 maids. This is 102,000 more, or double the increase in 2006.

The swell is sparked by the strong economic rebound in the past two to three years, as more were brought in to keep a lid on business and living costs.

But in housing them, Mr Mah said his ministry has taken a range of measures.

They include making it easier for them to be housed where they work, letting them rent residential premises, allowing industrial premises to be converted into dorms and providing permanent dorms.

Several factors are considered when deciding where to develop a dormitory, said Mr Mah. Among them is whether the infrastructure is adequate.

'As far as possible, worker dormitories are located further away from residential areas,' he said.

There are 25 developments providing almost 100,000 beds for foreign workers. These are in and near the fringe of industrial estates in the West, East, North, North-east and Central planning regions.

Since February last year, the Government has released 11 sites for dormitories, which will provide up to 65,000 new beds by 2010, said Mr Mah.

But time is needed to build the infrastructure, such as roads and sewers, as these buildings are in more remote areas in the West and North regions, he added.

Meanwhile, temporary dormitories are needed. These will be built on vacant state lands and converted state properties, which tend to be nearer residential areas. 'However, they are meant as temporary measures only, until permanent dormitories are available,' he stressed.

Whether temporary or permanent, the MND has asked dormitory operators to provide amenities within the premises and introduce security measures to deter illegal activities. The ministry will also work with grassroots leaders on specific measures to reduce inconvenience to nearby residents, said Mr Mah, citing a new access road being built in Serangoon Gardens to completely segregate the dorm from the estate's traffic network.

The minister also noted that as land-scarce Singapore becomes more built up, the dormitories will get closer to residential areas. He also said the Government will build permanent dormitories of a higher density, should demand keep rising. These will have amenities to make them self-sufficient.

But the issue of foreign workers cannot be resolved by the Government alone, stressed Mr Mah. He urged Singaporeans to chip in even as the Government plays its part in ensuring adequate housing for foreign workers as well as enforcement against crime or littering.

The community can also work with police and dormitory operators on joint projects to enhance the safety and security of neighbourhoods, he added.

In a written reply, Mr Mah told Dr Lim the Government has tried to spread the developments across various parts of the island, but 'it is not possible to work towards a totally equal distribution of dormitories across various constituencies'.

The reason: In picking potential sites for permanent dormitories, MND has to consider the area's zoning purposes and feasibility issues, such as adequate sewerage facilities, utilities and roads.

CHOICE AND CONSEQUENCE

'If we want more foreign workers, we must collectively make adjustments to resolve the social problems. If we want fewer foreign workers, we must be prepared for slower growth, higher costs, lower service levels and delays in the completion of our flats, our roads, our rail lines.'
National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan

ANXIETY AND ASSURANCE

'We recognise that some Singaporeans may feel threatened by the number of immigrants that Singapore is absorbing. This is a natural human response. However, Singaporeans should be assured that this Government will always consider the interests of Singaporeans first. This is reflected in the way our policies are crafted, from health care and housing to education and other social policies.'
Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng

Women!!!

2008-10-17T21:30:00.000-07:00

This report, from March 2008, is directly relevant to the lecture on Gender.

For your comments and discussion, please...see you at the ILVE SSA1201 Forum

-------------------------------------------------

Man enough to carry her handbag?
Sat, Mar 01, 2008
The New Paper

HE opens doors for his date, pays the bills and sends her home.

He even carries her handbag.

Sounds too good to be true?

Not if you are Mr Jaycee Ong, 33.

The Singaporean technical support engineer will do all that and more to make his girl feel special.

He has, for instance, peeled prawns for his beloved, massaged her tired feet and even wiped her wet hands dry.

'It's not that I should do it, I'm doing it because I love her and I want to pamper her,' Mr Ong said. He is single and a member of the Social Development Service.

As for being the 'handbag man', he added without hesitation: 'If she wants me to carry it, I would. I'm quite open-minded. What era is it already?'

He's not alone in playing the gentlemen during dates.

A report in The Sunday Times last week had asked if Singapore's modern women were demanding too much from their dates.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

It was based on a survey on singles by the Social Development Service (SDS), which found that many female respondents expect their dates to dress up for them, open doors for them, foot the bills, send them home, and even carry their handbags.

What's surprising is that many Singaporean men are willing to go the extra mile to spoil their women silly.

For instance, the SDS survey showed that one in four women expect their guys to carry their handbags, but 70 per cent of the male respondents said they would gladly do so.

In addition, nine out of 10 men will open doors for their dates, even though half of the women expect it.

So, does this mean Singapore men are more chivalrous than expected, or are they just doing it to impress?

The New Paper spoke to 100 men and it appears chivalry is very much alive.

We found that 85 per cent of the respondents would open restaurant doors for their dates and 61 per cent would open car doors.

Eight in 10 would pay for dating expenses, and nine in 10 would send their dates home.

Even when it comes to the supposedly manhood-compromising act of holding girlie handbags, half of the men polled would still do it.

Some men said they do it because the bag is too heavy for the woman, or she needs to free her hands for browsing clothes.

Chef Kelvin Chew, 30, said he would do it in a heartbeat.

'It's 10 per cent love, 30 per cent because it's a guy's job, and 60 per cent because I'm used to it and it's a routine and a must.'

Banking officer Casey Tan, 34, disagreed.

'It's embarrassing,' he said.

'I know it sounds chauvinistic, but we have our own wallets and that's their personal stuff, their wallet and phone. Would they carry our haversacks?'

Student Chen Jing Hean, 21, said he has friends who would carry their wives' handbags - albeit with a reluctant twist.

'If they die-die must carry them, they will put the handbag in a plastic bag and carry it. Because they think it's not 'man' to carry a woman's handbag.'

As for opening doors for their dates, it seems the men are more willing to open restaurant doors than car doors.

Mr Hussein Salim, 43, a clerk, thinks it is 'quite troublesome' for him to get the car door for his date, and it is 'much more convenient' for her to let herself out.

But he would get the restaurant door. 'It's on the way, so I don't mind. I should even get the seat for her.'

When it comes to paying for dates and sending the women home, the majority of the men seem to agree that both are must-dos.

Operations manager Andrew Lin, 27, said: 'Guys should be paying at least for the first date. It's not about flaunting your wealth, it's just (something) nice to do.'

Financial consultant Adrian Ong, 25, takes sending his date home seriously.

'It's a way of telling her parents that I'm accountable for her. It's a responsible thing to do.'

SHOULD HE...

CARRY HER HANDBAG?

No: 51%

Yes: 49%

OPEN RESTAURANT DOORS FOR HER?

Yes: 85%

No: 15%

PAY FOR HER ON DATES?

Yes: 80%

No: 20%

SEND HER HOME AFTER A DATE?

Yes: 91%

No: 9%

GOOD DATES

On the surface, both our poll and the SDS survey seem to suggest that Singaporean men make good dates.

SDS's general manager Joan Peirera said they commissioned the survey last December to find out the dating expectations of men and women, in order to help facilitate 'a smoother dating process'.

Ms Peirera said: 'Leaving a good impression is very important especially during first date.

'It is the ticket to getting to know each other better and (the beginning of) a possibly meaningful relationship.'

But the sceptics would scoff: Surely the men are doing it to score brownie points with their dates and not because it comes naturally to them?

Student Jeremy Yeo, 23, puts it simply: 'If the women demand, the men accommodate.'

Mr Jamie Lee, who co-founded the dating agency Lunch Actually with his wife Violet Lim, thinks that gentlemanly behaviour varies according to experience in dating.

'Generally, men who have dated more often and have more experience with the opposite sex know the importance of being gentlemanly and treating the woman right, so it's not so much something they force themselves to do, but simply something they should do as a man.'

Ms Lim, however, thinks that some men are naturally chivalrous while others resort to chivalry to 'portray themselves in a favourable light'.

GOOD INTENTIONS

But she added that 'as long as the efforts and intentions are genuine, I think we should commend Singaporean men for their efforts'.

Mr Andrew Chow, managing agent for social networking portal Romancing Singapore, said he loves to 'be a gentleman' and coach male singles on how to treat women right.

But he draws the line at carrying handbags - it is ego-bruising and he feels it makes him less of a man.

He feels that those who do so are trying to too hard to impress.

'I'd coach them on how to give surprises and remembering little things about their dates, but not carrying their bags.

'When a man carries a handbag, he is demoted from partner to man-in-waiting. If she cannot carry her own bag, then she's better off not carrying any bag.'

IT manager CY Chiam, 37, has the last word on such chivalry.

'Once you're married, all the best show is no more. Once you win her heart, there's no more false pretence.'

New Paper Survey Findings:
(100 men were interviewed)

SHOULD HE...

CARRY HER HANDBAG?

No: 51%
Yes: 49%

OPEN RESTAURANT DOORS FOR HER?

Yes: 85%
No: 15%

PAY FOR HER ON DATES?

Yes: 80%
No: 20%

SEND HER HOME AFTER A DATE?

Yes: 91%
No: 9%

Original Link
http://www.asiaone.com/Just%2BWoman/News/Women%2BIn%2BThe%2BNews/Story/A1Story20080303-52398.html

More on migration

2008-10-09T02:30:00.000-07:00

Dr. P asks: "What's wrong with this newspaper report?"

TODAY, 9 Oct 2008
HERE TODAY, GONE TOMORROW

---------------------------
Not many want to settle down here

Lin Yanqin

yanqin@mediacorp.com.sg

IT IS one of those questions that is never far from the lips of
Singaporeans when it comes to immigration: Will a large number of the
children of expatriates here remain in the country and, hopefully, sink
roots?According to one survey by HSBC Bank International, it seems less
likely to be the case here than in other countries.

Four in five of the expats surveyed were unsure if their children would
remain in Singapore, which meant that this group was the least certain
about where their children would choose to live. The remaining respondents
all felt their children would leave — either for their country of origin
(6 per cent) or to a new country (13 per cent).

At the other end of the spectrum, of the 14 countries compared in the
survey Canada seemed the most popular, with 33 per cent of expatriates
there suggesting their children would stay on; another one-third were
unsure, while the rest said their children would move back home or
elsewhere.

China and India were joint eighth and Hong Kong, 12th.

Yet, Singapore was ranked the best country in Asia for expatriates to
raise children in, and the fifth overall in the survey of 870 respondents.

So, why might they not stay? Nanyang Technological University sociologist
Caroline Pluss suggested that one possible reason is that expat children
might feel less rooted to Singapore if they attended international schools
instead of local schools. "The children would have had less opportunity to
integrate with Singaporeans, and feel less of a connection," she said.

The survey, which was done earlier this year and comprised at least 30
respondents in each country, did not capture more data about the
respondents. Nonetheless, university lecturer Andrew Duffy, 43, from the
United Kingdom, thinks that because Singapore is "a great place to raise
children", the island-state may not lose out permanently on this pool of
young immigrants.

"When they have children of their own, they might come back to Singapore
again to raise their children," said Mr Duffy, who has three children.

Based on other criteria, Singapore ranked well in terms of having a lower
cost of raising children, in the academic improvement of their children
and the amount of time the children spent outdoors. These were based on
whether respondents felt the situation had improved in the new country
compared to their country of origin.

In terms of languages picked up by children — the fifth criterion —
Singapore fared less well, with just one-fifth of expat children picking
up a new language.

Academy Award -- NOT!

2008-10-05T19:56:00.000-07:00

Would you believe people have been asking about this...?

Original:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoS8Wy0YUzI&feature=related

Hack:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L80lGOJQtls

Lyrics:
Welcome my son, welcome to the machine.
Where have you been? its alright we know where youve been.
You've been in the pipeline, filling in time, provided with toys and
scouting for boys.
You bought a guitar to punish your ma,
And you didn't like school, and you know youre nobodys fool,
So welcome to the machine.

Welcome my son, welcome to the machine.
What did you dream? its alright we told you what to dream.
You dreamed of a big star, he played a mean guitar,
He always ate in the steak bar. he loved to drive in his jaguar.
So welcome to the machine.

Comments?

Ideas for my next subversive project?

You like meritocracy!

2008-10-03T02:36:00.000-07:00

Just a quick word.

I've gone through the scripts of 3 tutorial groups, here's what I found:

Question 1: Multiracialism = 23 attempts (30%)
Question 2: national identity = 8 attempts (10%)
Question 3: Meritocracy = 45 attempts (60%)

Just so you are clear: I DID NOT MARK THESE SCRIPTS; I JUST COUNTED THE QUESTIONS ATTEMPTED ONLY.

One other thing...I won't read sentences written in non-English languages. And that includes Chinese, SMS-short forms, Martian etc. I'll just ignore those bits.

Evaluating Policies

2008-10-01T23:31:00.000-07:00

I know this has nothing directly to do with our module, but this is a good example of "good policy, badly implemented."

From TODAY 2 Oct 2008

WHEELCHAIR FRIENDLY –BUT SORRY, YOU CAN'T BOARD

-------------------------------------------------

THE message of the little blue sticker seems obvious: We're a
wheelchair-friendly bus. But, as disabled commuters have found out the
hard way, it doesn't necessarily mean they're welcome aboard.

Mr Lee Jun Hui (picture), flagged down SBS ServiceNo 57 outside One
Raffles Quay three weeks ago. Though the decal declaring it a
wheelchairaccessible bus (WAB) was displayed on the windscreen, the driver
refused to let him on.

"He said he was not authorised to do so. I'd understand if the bus was
crowded, but it wasn't," said the puzzled 27-year-old, who works as an
auditor at KPMG.

To ensure this was no fluke, Mr Lee, in the company of this Today
reporter, recently tried to board services 128 and 130 at Robinson Road
after 6.20pm. The drivers of all four buses were apologetic.

Despite displaying the blue decal, they told him they did not have
approval from the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and SBS Transit to ferry
wheelchair-users.

Nonetheless, 20 minutes later at Cecil Street, he flagged down service 57.
The bus driver got down, laid the ramp on the kerb and wheeled Mr Lee
aboard. At Novena, Mr Lee alighted and went the rest of the way home by
train – as confused as ever about WAB services.

While there are just 16 official WAB routes, buses on other service
routes, such as the three above, do also carry the wheelchair-friendly
decal.

"I wished the authorities would be more consistent," said Mr Lee. "What's
the point of displaying the decal when the bus drivers are not authorised
to take users like myself? It gives the wrong impression that there are
many more WABs on the roads, when effectively, there aren't."

He is not the only one confounded. In June, student Thomas Teo, 19, faced
similar rejection by service 14 – in this case, one of the 16 approved WAB
routes – at a Lower Delta Road bus stop.

"I was very upset. That experience put me off totally; I prefer to use the
MRT," said Mr Teo.

SBS TRANSIT'S EXPLANATION

Their frustrations follow expectations that were heightened when it was
announced, earlier this year, that 40 per cent of public buses here would
be wheelchair-accessible by 2010, and all of them by 2020.

Recently, SBS Transit revealed it is spending $147 million on 400 new WABs
next year, which would come with low floors, wheelchair lots and
retractable ramps at the doors. A quarter of SBS' 2,800-strong fleet now
has such features.

Said Ms Tammy Tan, SBS Transit's vice president of corporate
communications: "Although we only have 16 WAB services, we have many more
wheelchair-accessible buses that ply the roads on other routes."

She added: "Not all routes can be designated WAB routes because of the
infrastructure along the way."

For one to be so designated, 80 per cent of the bus stops along the route
must be wheelchair-friendly, or such passengers would have difficulties
getting on, off or around the bus-stop.

For these passengers' safety, said Ms Tan, "bus captains will not allow
them to board if they are not plying wheelchair-accessible routes. This
was what happened in the incidents cited by Mr Lee."

As for the bus captain of Service 57 who allowed him on board, SBS Transit
said this was "actually not allowed due to safety reasons and will remind
all Bus Captains to comply with guidelines".

Still, Mr Lee's point is: If the buses are not on designated WAB routes,
why display the wheelchair-friendly sticker in the first place?

SBS Transit said this was "for deployment issues". It is "reviewing what
can be done to distinguish" WABs on designated routes from those that are
not.

Introduced in 2006, WAB services are gradually: replacing existing fleets.
The LTA said: "These services are rolled out by bus operators based on the
available pool of WABs and are subject to scheduling and operational
considerations."

The 16 wheelchair accessible routes:

Service 2, 7,12, 14, 21, 51, 72, 76, 80, 123, 143, 147, 174, 185, 196 and
198

Singapore Demographic Snapshot

2008-09-27T00:28:00.000-07:00

Click on this link to see pdf image

http://www.straitstimes.com/STI/STIMEDIA/pdf/20080927/10086042%20-%2026_09_2008%20-%2022.24.12%20-%20080927_popnos.pdf

Population/marriages/family

2008-09-26T23:43:00.000-07:00

SINGAPORE STRAITS TIMES
Home > Breaking News > Singapore > Story
Sep 27, 2008
Population up by 5.5%
Biggest increase is among foreigners, the result of a buoyant economy

By Li Xueying, Political Correspondent

THAT feeling of a growing squeeze in shopping malls, MRT trains and hawker centres is now borne out by official figures.

Singapore's population has shot up by a record 5.5 per cent to 4.84 million this June. It is the biggest annual spike since collection of such data began in 1871.

Foreigners are mainly behind the rise.

Drawn here by last year's fast-trotting economy, their numbers soared by 19 per cent to 1.2 million, said the National Population Secretariat yesterday.

But secretariat director Roy Quek was circumspect about the rise in the number of foreigners, saying this is a group that expands and shrinks with the ups and downs of the economy.

'There are levers so we can manage the inflow and outflow,' he added, pointing to measures like the approval of work permits and employment passes.

Latest figures show 757,000 work permit holders, 143,000 on employment passes and 85,000 foreign students.

Citizens and permanent residents (PRs) also added to the population rise, though at a slower pace.

With more births, the number of citizens rose by one per cent. The rise in PRs is 6.5 per cent. Together, they raised the resident population to 3.64 million, from 3.58 a year ago.

Mr Quek stressed that the spike in the population does not mean Singapore is hurtling towards the 6.5 million figure used by government planners as a guide.

It will take 20 to 30 years to get there at the current pace, he said. He expects the resident population to hit 4.8 million by 2030.

The population swell fuelled by foreigners comes at a time when the foreign worker issue is again in the limelight.

Serangoon Gardens residents have been up in arms over the possible siting of a foreign worker dormitory in their residential estate.

Singaporeans interviewed yesterday also expressed concerns over the competition for jobs, as the economy slides.

Accounts executive Iris Sen, 33, said: 'I notice the cleaners at coffee shops and food courts are now mostly young Chinese nationals. What happened to the Singaporean aunties?'

Mr Desmond Lee, 32, who runs a private school, wondered about the 'social costs' of having many foreign workers, citing their tendency to group at void decks to drink.

Mr Quek acknowledged their unease but said Singapore needs the manpower to propel its economy.

He hoped Singaporeans would make the effort to help foreigners integrate even as the Government looks at ways to alleviate their concerns.

As for the Serangoon Gardens uproar, he said it was not possible to isolate all foreign workers on the Southern islands or Tuas.

Meanwhile, on the baby front, the first half of this year saw 18,032 births, 707 more than during the same period last year.

At this pace, the total fertility rate - which was 1.29 last year - may hit 1.3. Still, it is far from the 2.1 replacement rate.

So, Singapore continues to rely on immigration.

The number of citizens and PRs is set to hit a new record this year. In the first half, there were 34,800 new PRs and 9,600 new citizens. The comparative figures for last year were 28,500 and 7,300 respectively.

The statistics show the population's ethnic make-up shifting too. The Chinese proportion has slipped to 74.7 per cent from 76.8 per cent in 2000, while the proportion of Indians inched up to 8.9 from 7.9 per cent.

But Mr Quek did not expect the ethnic picture to change drastically.

Just as more foreigners have arrived, more Singaporeans left to work and study abroad. About 153,500 are now overseas, 6,000 more than last year.

MP Josephine Teo, who is also NTUC's assistant secretary-general, saw common ground between Singaporeans who go away and foreigners who arrive.

'They share a willingness to adapt to different cultures, a certain work ethic and a desire to make good for their families,' she said.

'We need to emphasise the common- ness that draws us closer rather than the differences that pull us apart.'

Additional reporting by Kor Kian Beng

See Home Page B9

Gender/marriage/feminism

2008-09-26T23:39:00.000-07:00

TODAY, 27 September 2008

MEN IN THE 21ST CENTURY

-------------------------
Men have to do to the boys what women have done to the girls

Constance Singam

A RECENT survey in this newspaper highlighted the problem men here are
facing. It found that one of the reasons Singapore is seeing fewer
marriages is because men here lack confidence — that they are shy and
lonely.

There is a need, urgently I think, to figure out what it means to be a man
in the 21st Century.

Unfortunately the men — and more importantly, their sons—are not getting
much help from the larger culture or from their government. Consider the
most recent rejection of the call for paternity leave for fathers!

A friend who has a teenage son told me, rather angrily, that so much
attention is being given to girls to empower them that the boys are
suffering, confused and disempowered. I would argue that instead of
feeling threatened by the gains girls have made, society needs to study
the women's movement, its strategies and use them as a model for raising
boys.

Firstly, discussions of masculinity revolve around women's equality,
either as a curse or boon to men. Where some argue that the women's
movement has freed men from the straitjacket of traditional roles, others
blame it for depriving them of their identity.

Yet, the greatest threat to modern manhood may lie elsewhere — in the
denial about women's and men's changing roles and obligations, in the
public images, in the lack of life skills education for boys.

Secondly, all the messages, and indeed education, focuses on meeting the
needs of the economy. Even, I suspect, the debate on falling marriage and
fertility rates is driven by economic concerns.

Instead, public policies and education itself should be framed to take
into consideration the overall quality of life, the balance of the society
itself. Political discourse and public policy have failed the men. Issues
of work-life balance, marriage and fertility rate areaddressed to women.

I remember a young man, well-educated and charming, who told me that he
would consider the use of a match-making agency to find him a bride from
Vietnam. All he has to do, he said, is to pay the agency $10,000, choose a
bride from a selection of photographs and appear at the wedding. The
agency would make all the arrangements. Men like things made simple, easy
and arranged for them.

Fundamentally, the men of today are no different to the men of previous
generations. But they do have to change. Societal demands have changed.

After generations of advocacy on the part of the women's movement, girls
have learnt that they are capable of success in a man's world, that
anything is possible if they make up their minds about it. The girls got
the message. But the boys are confused.

Men have to do the same with boys as the women's movement has done for the
girls. As it is now, men don't even have the language to discuss what it
means to be male. They rarely address the consequences of living in a
culture where marriage and parenting — the basic processes that form the
foundation of all societies — are constructed as the responsibility of
women and where men are left out.

Finally, since it is the men who are making the decisions, men have to be
willing to care about the way boys are being brought up and advocate for
them. They should provide good role models: Men must be in the schools —
at the parent-teacher conferences, not just in school boards, in classes
teaching or just talking about their jobs, relationships, marriage and
parenthood.

Young men must take a stake and volunteer to coach, to counsel, to read to
kids. Fathers and community leaders must mentor a new generation of boys.

Our culture has to celebrate men who embrace their roles as fathers and
husbands. Women may still bear the greater burden of domestic work, but
there are men today who do more at home than their fathers did, and are
happy doing it.

According to an American Families and Work Institute study, the percentage
of college-educated men who said they wanted to move into jobs with more
responsibility fell from 68 per cent to52 per cent between 1992 and 2002.

A Radcliffe Public Policy Centre report released in 2000 found that70 per
cent of men between the ages of 21 and 39 were willing to sacrifice pay
and promotions in exchange for a work schedule that allowed them to spend
more time with their families.

Times have changed and are changing. Boys need empowering and education to
live successfully and happily in the 21st Century. Shy, lonely men lacking
in confidence is not good news for either men or women.

This is a call for action for gender equity.

The writer is a civil society activist who is concerned about gender
equity.

Migration/population/marriage

2008-09-26T23:37:00.000-07:00

TODAY, 27 September 2008

4 IN 10 SINGAPOREANS MARRIED TO FOREIGNERS

--------------------------------------------
Population also grew atthe fastest rate since 1980

TEN years ago, performance poet Chris Mooney, 44, came to Singapore to
explore opportunities in the emerging art scene.

He found work — and a wife — in Ms Savindar Kaur, whom he met at a poetry
slam. The couple could have re-settled Down Under, but Mr Mooney, who
converted to Sikhism and feels both Asian and Australian now, prefers to
stay here: "More of us are seeing ourselves as global citizens."

Couples like the Mooneys, where one spouse is Singaporean and the other is
a non-citizen, are growing in number.

Nearly 40 per cent of Singaporeans married either a permanent resident or
a foreigner last year — or 8,086 of the 20,775 marriages involving at
least one citizen, of which 75 per cent were to non-residents.

In 2000, there were 6,627 of these marriages. Past population data did not
include the number of marriages involving at least one Singaporean, but
there were more marriages a decade ago.

Marriage and other population figures were released yesterday by the
National Population Secretariat (NPS) at the Government's first-ever media
briefing on the state of the population.

For the first time, a breakdown of the number of citizens and permanent
residents was given. These used to be categorised together as the resident
population.

The move to reveal more, said NPS director Roy Quek, was prompted by
"greater interest in population-related information among the public". He
said: "The Government seeks to provide the public with a more coherent and
comprehensive picture of the state of the population."

Overall, Singapore's population grew 5.5 per cent to 4.84 million in June
from 4.59 million one year ago — the fastest growth rate since data was
compiled annually from 1980.

Non-citizens accounted mainly for the increase: The number of Permanent
Residents (PRs) rose by 6.5 per cent to 478,000, while the number of
non-residents jumped by 19 per cent to 1.2 million. There were 287,500 PRs
and 754,500 foreigners in 2000.

While citizens made up 65 per cent of the total population, the local
growth rate was only 1 per cent — rising from 3.13 million to 3.16
million.

In July, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew said Singapore needed at least 65
per cent of her population to be "born and bred" here to ensure new
immigrants are rooted.

Based on the current trend and fertility rate, Mr Quek expects the number
of Singaporeans and PRs to increase to 4.8 million by 2030, which would be
about 74 per cent of the Government's planning parameter of 6.5 million
people. The proportion is currently 78 per cent.

With immigration growing, some Singaporeans are not surprised that more
are marrying foreigners.

Said Ms Ronda Ng, 29, director of a public relations firm and married to a
Briton: "Singaporeans are well-travelled these days, so we're more
open-minded about marrying people of other nationalities."

Indeed, last year, Singapore men found 6,005 brides from Asia, while
Singapore women married 1,232 men from Asia, 300 from Europe, 118 from
Oceania and 112 from the United States and Canada.

One implication of the trend of trans-national marriages: Singapore's
"classification of four races will become less meaningful", said Asia
Research Institute's Professor Gavin Jones. "Forty per cent of
Singaporeans marrying a foreigner is a big rise from a few years ago.

"Singapore is becoming increasingly cosmopolitan. We'll be seeing more
kids from mixed cultural backgrounds," said the population expert.

It is a global trend. The numbers are increasing "in Japan, Korea and
Taiwan, in particular," he added.

Moody

2008-09-26T00:34:00.000-07:00

I'm famous...sort of...

2008-09-18T01:59:00.000-07:00

TODAY, 18 Sep 2008

A DANGEROUS DIVIDE

--------------------
Mah: Stop demonising workers, residents and start accepting them

LOCALS versus foreigners. Heartlanders versus private home owners. The
foreign-worker furore sparked off in Serangoon Gardens — which has
escalated to a national debate on social tolerance and class — is leading
to a polarisation of Singaporeans that worries National Development
Minister Mah Bow Tan.

Noting how the controversy has "taken on a life of its own", since a
residents' petition began circulating late last month against plans for a
workers' dormitory in Serangoon Gardens, he said: "Some of the debate has
been framed as between one group against another. It will polarise the
ground if we carry on and cause harm to social cohesion."

For instance, he felt, some of the comments about foreign workers eking
out a living in Singapore were "a little over the top ... We shouldn't
demonise them".

"In the same way, some of the comments about Serangoon Gardens residents I
thought were also a little bit beyond the pale. Don't demonise them, they
have concerns ... It's an issue about living conditions in their estate,"
he added.

During a 90-minute press briefing yesterday, Mr Mah instead urged the
public to focus instead on what was constructive: Figuring out how to
balance the economic imperative for foreign workers with their own
concerns.

In recent weeks, comments that have appeared in blogs and letters to the
press have branded Serangoon Gardens residents as "intolerant", "racist",
"snobs" and "smug", while foreign workers were labelled "uncivilised",
"drunks" and "criminals".

Mr Mah said that it was time to "calm down" and look at the issue
rationally.

The key question: How to strike a balance between both Singaporeans and
foreigners, so that the negative social impact would be minimal?

Some have suggested building townships, like an entire HDB estate, to
house foreign workers. But such complete segretation, said Mr Mah, was not
possible in land-scarce Singapore. Nor was it desirable "from a social
point of view".

And restricting the number of foreign workers – as others have proposed –
was "not an option" if Singapore was to go ahead with projects such as the
Integrated Resorts, and building more public housing for citizens, he
stressed.

The Government's long-term approach is to construct more purpose-built,
self-contained dormitories away from residential pockets, to accommodate
the burgeoning numbers of such workers vital to economic growth.

Accommodation needed –in more ways than one

But, for the next two to three years, this migrant workforce – now
numbering around 600,000 – will have to be housed in transitional
premises, all located near residential estates.

And even when these workers move into their new dorms, Singaporeans would
inevitably have to get used to sharing their public spaces, such as on
weekends when workers go out to unwind.

Confronted with their different culture, habits and customs, Singaporeans
will be bound to feel uncertain and suspious, said Mr Mah. That is the
social cost to pay. How to ameliorate this?

Employers would have to do their part by providing adequate housing and
educating them on behaviour in Singapore; while the Government would work
with various agencies to build more gathering spaces for workers, said the
Minister. Already, there are plans to add four or five more such spaces in
Little India to the existing two.

What of the biased attitudes "festering" among Singaporeans?

"I think a lot of it is due to ignorance. These people are here to earn a
living, they work very hard, they need some time and some space to relax,
so we have to try to accommodate," said Mr Mah. Their stories reminded him
of "our own forefathers" from China from India, who too came here and
lived in dormitories, "sometimes in substandard conditions".

But convincing Singaporeans – who may agree with the need for foreign
labour, but protest at close contact with them – to break out of this "not
in my backyard" mentality would be tough, said sociologist Alexius
Pereira, of the National University of Singapore.

Segregating foreign workers into contained dormitories was the
"short-term, lesser of two evils" answer, and there may be "no real
solution".

The never-ending cycle?

He added: "The construction workers are lowly educated, a bit rough around
the edges and, most importantly, only here for the short term. So, assume
you try to integrate one worker – by the time he's used to Singapore or
accepted by Singaporeans, his two-year work permit has expired and he's
gone.

"And the cycle continues."

MP Lim Wee Kiak, who sits on the Government Parliamentary Committee for
National Development and Environment, suggested that employers work with
grassroots leaders to organise dorm visits for residents, to foster mutual
understanding.

Both Assistant Professor Pereira and Dr Lim felt the media, by playing up
crimes committed by foreign workers, had to shoulder some of the blame.
"There is only a few black sheep ... but they have resulted in a bad
public image," said Dr Lim.

Mr Mah, meanwhile, admitted to possibly "poor planning" on the
authorities' part when it came to accommodating foreign workers.

"We plan for a certain level of increase (in the influx) but we never
expected the demand to go up so high," he said. In 2006, the increase in
foreign workers numbers was 55,000, compared to 102,000 last year.

So is Singapore planning adequately, going forward? "If we get more people
to accept the trade-offs, I am confident we can meet demand," said Mr Mah.

"please, get out of my elite uncaring face."

2008-09-15T02:10:00.000-07:00

Dr.P's introduction:

This is the blog that kicked up a huge fuss in 2006. The blog -- "please, get out of my elite uncaring face" -- was written in response to another blog entry written on "The Future of Singapore" by Derek Wee (also reproduced below).

Link to the text: http://tomorrow.sg/archives/2006/10/19/please_get_out_of_my_elite_uncar_1.html

This is the preamble by yet another blogger, who archived the whole debate.
------------------------------

Some of us have read the commentary, Future of Singapore, by Derek Wee, a 35 year old Singaporean. The commentary has made its rounds in cyberspace and is reproduced below for those who might not have come across it yet.

The purpose of this thread is to highlight a response to Derek Wee's commentary from a very bright RJC girl. The response is taken from her blog. She shares the same surname as Derek. Her academic achievements are impressive. She was from the elite gifted program at RGS who went on to top Singapore in the GCE 'O'-levels in 2004. She also won the Prime Minister's Book Prize for purportedly being effectively bilingual in Chinese and English (even though she often expresses her disdain for the Chinese language). And she is fluent in French. Her dad is one of the men-in-white. Naturally, hers is a highly affluent and privileged background. And without doubt too, hers is the perfect pedigree for joining the ranks of the highest echelons of the government.

Reproduced below are firstly, Ms Wee's response to Derek Wee's commentary and secondly, the original commentary by Derek Wee.

*************************
From Ms Wee's blog:

http://www.suchvividnothing.blogspot.com/

Please, get out of my elite uncaring face

Thursday, October 19, 2006

mom's friend sent her some blog post by some bleeding stupid 40-year old singaporean called derek wee (WHY do all the idiots have my surname why?!) whining about how singapore is such an insecure place, how old ppl (ie, 40 and above) fear for their jobs, how the pool of foreign "talent" (dismissively chucked between inverted commas) is really a tsunami that will consume us all (no actually he didn't say that, he probably said Fouren Talern Bery Bad.), how the reason why no one wants kids is that they're a liability in this world of fragile ricebowls, how the government really needs to save us from inevitable doom but they aren't because they are stick-shoved-up-ass elites who have no idea how the world works, yadayadayadayada.

i am inclined - too much, perhaps - to dismiss such people as crackpots. stupid crackpots. the sadder class. too often singaporeans - both the neighborhood poor and the red-taloned socialites - kid themselves into believing that our society, like most others, is compartmentalized by breeding. ridiculous. we are a tyranny of the capable and the clever, and the only other class is the complement.

sad derek attracted more than 50 comments praising him for his poignant views, joining him in a chorus of complaints that climax at the accusation of lack of press freedom because his all-too-true views had been rejected by the straits times forum. while i tend to gripe about how we only have one functioning newspaper too, i think the main reason for its lack of publication was that his incensed diatribe was written in pathetic little scraps that passed off as sentences, with poor spelling and no grammar.

derek, derek, derek darling, how can you expect to have an iron ricebowl or a solid future if you cannot spell?

if you're not good enough, life will kick you in the balls. that's just how things go. there's no point in lambasting the government for making our society one that is, i quote, "far too survival of fittest". it's the same everywhere. yes discrimination exists, and it is sad, but most of the time if people would prefer hiring other people over you, it's because they're better. it's so sad when people like old derek lament the kind of world that singapore will be if we make it so uncertain. go be friggin communist, if uncertainty of success offends you so much - you will certainly be poor and miserable. unless you are an arm-twisting commie bully, which, given your whiny middle-class undereducated penchant, i doubt.

then again, it's easy for me to say. my future isn't certain but i guess right now it's a lot brighter than most people's. derek will read this and brand me as an 18-year old elite, one of the sinners who will inherit the country and run his stock to the gutter. go ahead. the world is about winners and losers. it's only sad when people who could be winners are marginalised and oppressed. is dear derek starving? has dear derek been denied an education? has dear derek been forced into child prostitution? has dear derek had his clan massacred by the government?

i should think not. dear derek is one of many wretched, undermotivated, overassuming leeches in our country, and in this world. one of those who would prefer to be unemployed and wax lyrical about how his myriad talents are being abandoned for the foreigner's, instead of earning a decent, stable living as a sales assistant. it's not even about being a road sweeper. these shitbags don't want anything without "manager" and a name card.

posted at 12:08 PM

-------------------------------

Derek Wee's original commentary which prompted Ms Wee's response above.

By Derek Wee
Oct 12, 2006

When I read the Straits Times article (dated 24 Sep) on PM Lee calling the young to be committed and make a difference to Singapore, I have so much thought about the issue.

I am 35 years old, graduated from University and gainfully employed in a multinational company. But I cannot help but feel insecure over the future of Singapore. Lets face it, it's not uncommon to hear, "when you are above 40, you are over the hill".

The government has been stressing on re-training, skills upgrading and re-adapt. The fact is, no matter how well qualified or adaptable one is, once you hit the magical 40, employers will say, "you are simply too old".

We have been focusing our resources and problem solving on low unskilled labour. But in reality, our managerial positions and skilled labour force are actually fast losing its competitiveness.

I travel around the region frequently for the past 10 years. It didn't take me long to realise how far our neighbours have come over the past decade.

They have quality skilled workers, and are less expensive. When I work with them, their analytical skills are equally good, if not better than us.

It's not new anymore. Taxi drivers are fast becoming "too early to retire, too old to work" segment of the society. I like to talk to taxi drivers whenever I am heading for the airport.

There was this driver. Eloquent and well read. He was an export manager for 12 years with an MNC. Retrenched at 40 years old. He had been searching for a job since his retrenchment.

Although he was willing to lower his pay expectations, employers were not willing to lower their prejudice. He was deemed too old. I wouldn't be surprised if we have another No. 1; having the most highly educated taxi drivers in the world.

On PM Lee calling the young to be committed and make a difference. Look around us. How dedicated can we be to Singapore when we can visualise what's in store for us after we turned 40? Then again, how committed are employers to us? But we can't blame them. They have bottom lines & shareholders' gain to answer to.

Onus is really on the government to revamp the society. A society that is not a pressure cooker. A society that does not mirror so perfectly, what survival of the fittest is.

But a society, where it's people can be committed, do their best and not having to fear whether they will still wake up employed tomorrow. Sadly, Singapore does not offer such luxuries and security anymore.

On the issue of babies. The government encourages us to pro-create. The next generation is essential in sustaining our competitive edge. Then again, the current market condition is such that our future has become uncertain. There is no more joy in having babies anymore; they have become more of a liability. It's really a chicken and egg issue.

Many of my peers, bright and well educated have packed up and left. It's what MM Goh called "quitters". It's sad but true, Singapore no longer is a place where one can hope to work hard their lives and retire graciously. It's really the push factor.

A future is something we sweat it out, build and call our own. Unfortunately, people like me, mid 30's going on 40's, staying put by choice or otherwise, we can't help but feel what lies ahead is really a gamble.

To PM Lee and the Ministers, we are on a different platform. Until you truly understand our insecurity, the future of Singapore to me remains a question mark.
------------------------------------

Dr.P says: come to the SSA1201 forum to discuss, or rant...whatever...

Being Samoan

2008-09-12T22:24:00.000-07:00

Some of you came to ask me, what's Samoa?

Samoa is a country in the pacific ocean, about halfway between New Zealand and the USA. Samoa consists mainly of two islands total size 2,831 km² (Singapore is 707.1 km²). However, compared to us, they only have 220,000 people on both islands.

Go read more about Samoa, the country (Wiki)

I've not been to Samoa, but I've seen pictures. I think if there were a paradise on earth, it would be Samoa.

Pics from Samoa Tourism Authority Website

Anyway, that's beside the point. This is about "being Samoan" not Samoa, the country.

I first got to know about "Samoans" by watching wrestling. I saw Samoans as being the ultimate warriors (pun not intended).

There were the "Wild Samoans"

Then "Rikishi"

And now..."Umaga"

In real sports, Samoa have an awesome rugby team. I died when Samoa lost to Tonga in the 2007 Rugby world cup match.

It doesn't get more intense than this: the Samoan Haka

The reply Haka, from Tonga (in red)

The other two countries that do Haka are Fiji (another island country nearby), and New Zealand (which adopted the haka of the indigenous Maori people) In case you didn't know, the Haka -- or at least this type of Haka -- is a war ceremony. i.e. "you are going to die..."

Again, i digress...

Anyway, thanks to the media, my funny name, my size (back in primary and secondary school) and my bunch of crazy friends, I got called "Samoan".

Then i realized being Samoan was really cool. Everybody walked away. Nobody gave me trouble. It got even better when I learned to wrestle (Freestyle, not WWE).

That is, until I went to Los Angeles and called myself Samoan.

After that, I will only be Samoan in Singapore. Until the Samoans start migrating
here as well.

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