March 2012 | SINGAPORE SHORT STORIES

Saturday, March 31, 2012

Yoga poses

I have taken to more research and self practice of yoga in order to keep my body fit. In this hectic society of ours, we do not lead a very healthy lifestyle as there are just so many things and committment for everyone of us to do. However I believe it is very important to be healthy. In fact, I rank Health before Family as without Health, no matter how I am committed to Family, I cannot take care of my family members.

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Earth Hour 2012

Tomorrow 31 Mar 2012 2030 hrs to 2130 hrs will be the annual Earth Hour. Earth hour is dedicated to raising awareness for environment conservation. In this hour, Singaporeans are encouraged to switch off electrical appliances and join the thousands of like-minded people in the different countries towards this common aim.

Outside Food

I was a bit shocked when I realised that I actually ate 8 sets of McDonalds set meal last month and that equates 2 such meals per week. These days I cut down on fast food. I love family-cooked food the most as no matter what food I consume outside of home, I will feel thirsty and this must be due to the presence of MSG in these food!

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Capitaland Hope Foundation

I find the embedded Capitaland Hope Foundation advertisement very touching. Singaporeans must not take for granted the good amenities and infrastructure we have.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Sun Xu’s punishment

The punishment meted out to Sun Xu - a name which I think I need not reiterate- was announced by National University of Singapore (NUS) yesterday. In accordance with the punishment, Sun Xu has to do a 3-month community service, pay a fine of $3,000 and have his scholarship benefits in the final semester forfeited.

National Bonus for political appointment holders

Political appointment holders from Parliament Secretaries to Deputy Prime Minister will get a 1.61 month of National Bonus. Though this is just 1.61 month, I think such a National Bonus is really a lot of times the average salary of Singaporean as in Singapore, political appointment holders’ salaries are high.

Not able to get a taxi

I waited for about 20 minutes but there was no taxi in the industrial park in the East where I was. I have no choice but to book a taxi this afternoon and paid an extra $2.50 booking fee.

A by-election in Ang Mo Kio together with Hougang by-election?

I think when the Hougang by-election is called, a by-election in Ang Mo Kio will also be called at the same time. One of the currrent MPs in Ang Mo Kio may make way for newcomer, just like the 1992 by-election which was called by then-Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong to induct Teo Chee Hean into politics. This time round, I believe Seng Han Tong may step down for Ong Ye Kung to come aboard.

Attempted kidnappings of children on the rise here?

I read with concern recently of a woman's account that a lady attempted to kidnap her son in Ang Mo Kio hub. Besides this case, I also heard there were one or two attempted kidnappings in the northern region of Singapore. I am not sure whether these attempted kidnapping cases were really real but I will be concerned if these attempted kidnappers are real and if they are not Singaporeans.

Yo-Yo Ma Plays Prelude of Bach's Cello Suite No.1

Too tired of all office politics

I am all too tired of all office politics. Some people just love to play office politics.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

A sedentary lifestyle

I find my bones aching more regularly after starting work. This probably has to do with a sedentary lifestyle. Holding an office job, I sit for so many hours a day in front of computer.

Mind Mapping

One of the take-aways from my reading of a book on Leonardo's thinking is to use mind maps. Mind maps may have found themselves popular only recently but the origin of Mind maps is Leonardo Da Vinci and not Tony Buzan. In Singapore, Adam Khoo is a strong advocate of mind maps.

Leonardo Da Vinci

As I immersed myself into the life of Leonardo Da Vinci, I realised he is really the wisest man on earth. He is a Engineer, a Scientist, an Architect, a polymath and so much more. He gave the world so much through exploration and research to fulfil his insatiable curiosity.

Colonel Nelson Yau: SMRT's new CEO?

Colonel Nelson Yau has officially handed over the baton of Chief Guard Officer and NDP 12 Chairman to Colonel Desmond Tan. According to newspaper reports, Colonel Nelson Yau is unlikely to breach any code of discipline. It was also reported that Colonel Nelson is not likely to stand for by-election in Hougang. I speculated Colonel Nelson Yau may be SMRT's new CEO as the search for SMRT's new CEO is underway.

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Mcdonalds' $4.50 meal

I had the Mcdonalds' $4.50 meal for the second time this week. With food sold in food centres easily and commonly at $3.50 or more, it is a treat to eat a burger, fries and soft drink for only $4.50. This is the reason which propelled me to consume Mcdonalds' $4.50 for the second time this week again.

of Gan Juay Kiat, Chew Hock Yong, Choi Shing Kwok,Lui Tuck Yew, Yam Ah Mee, Saw Phaik Hwa, Raymond Lim and the MRT breakdowns

Yesterday was the first time I saw Gan Juay Kiat, the CEO of SBS Transit on National TV. He was on public TV, apologizing to the nation for a MRT fault that caused a 10-hour breakdown in MRT services between Harborfront MRT and Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station.

Between SMRT and SBS Transit, I find that the train services run by the latter is much better: bigger trains, bigger seats, better ventilation, better-quality trains and there are always more staff than SMRT staff to direct human flow during weekends or public holidays. It is always a joy travelling in SBS Transit MRT trains than SMRT trains. I also observe the breakdowns in SBS Transit MRT trains are far fewer than those of SMRT. Referring to the latest breakdown in SBS Transit MRT services yesterday, at the very least, the MRT fault of yesterday was discovered by the maintenance team of SBS Transit before operations commenced, unlike the several train disruptions in SMRT services which occurred while commuters are being transported to their destinations.

SBS MRT breakdown between HarbourFront and Dhoby Ghaut

Since 5 am this morning, MRT train services between Dhoby Ghaut and Harbourfront are disrupted. At this time of writing, train services between the aforementioned 2 stations are still not in service.

Singapore top carbon emitter in Asia-Pacific: WWF

Recently, WWF released a report which places Singapore in the top spot for carbon emission in Asia Pacific. The report is rebutted by our local authority.

I have not gleaned the details of the report but if there is a possible reason why Singapore is the top carbon emitter in Asia-Pacific, it may be due to the huge volume of plastic bags we use.

5 Star Hotels of Singapore

The tourist landscape of Singapore has become stunning and exciting in the recent years. There are the opening of new attractions like the Marina Bay Resorts, the Universal Studios and the upcoming River Safari. With these developments in tourism, Singapore has been attracting record numbers of tourists to its shores. However, an exciting tour itinery filled great attractions is just part of the equation of a memorable holiday in Singapore; the other part of the equation will be a memorable stay here in Singapore. I will advise tourists to Singapore to check out the 5 star hotels in Singapore for a truly wonderful holidaying experience right here in Singapore!

Pushing myself to the very Best

I have decided to push myself mentally , emotionally, in terms of character and physically in order to be the Best of a man that I can be. This means to forgo the sufficient number hours of sleep and sustaining on just maximum of 3 to 4 hours a night. Though I am a man who requires 8 to 10 hours of sleep in order to feel refreshed, I feel that I can be able to sustain with just 3 to 4 hours of sleep per night… it is all about adjusting. I believe that in life everything can achievable with determination.

Is Colonel Nelson Yau the PAP Hougang Candidate?

Just last week, PM Lee stated in Parliament that he intended to call a by-election in Hougang, though he did not give a timeline for when he will do so. Immediately, over the weekend, a top colonel and Chairman of NDP this year, Colonel Nelson Yau indicated that he will be resigning. This uncanny short interval between PM Lee's announcement and the very rare sudden resignation of a top Military brass led many netizens to wonder whether Colonel Nelson Yau will be contesting in the Hougang by-election as PAP candidate.

Colonel Nelson Yau resigns suddenly

Colonel Nelson Yau, Chairman of this year's NDP and who is reported to receive his star (i.e rank of BG) this year resigns suddenly.

In Singapore where high-flying young scholars resign from top government posts, there are few reasons which are being tossed about:

1) Colonel Nelson Yau will be contesting in Hougang by-election: think Chan Chun Sing and Tan Chuan-Jin who resign suddenly as MG and BG of the Army respectively before they are fielded in the General Election of 2011.

2) Possible bad conduct? Some netizens wonder whether Colonel Nelson may be involved in some bad conduct. The case of Peter Lim Sin Pang and Ng Boon Gay- ex SCDF chief and ex-CNB chief respectively- seems to remind netizens.

Forbes Billionaires

Forbes has just released its list of the world's billionaires. Topping the list is Mexican Mr Carlo Slim with a wealth of US $69 billion! Mr Carlo's wealth is about half the size of the GDP of Ukraine in 2010!

Character-building to be inculcated to Singapore’s students

During the recent Budget 2012 debate, it is reported that the Ministry of Education will be boosting up character-building and development in our students.

$860,000 for Mercer’s help in Ministerial Salaries Review Committee

It was recently reported that a whopping $860,000 is paid to Mercer for its help in the Ministerial Salaries Review Committee.

I find that this amount given is really astronomical. Mercer should have donated this $860,000 to charity and treat the help it has rendered to the Ministerial Salaries Review Committee as “pro bono”.

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Hougang By-election to be called

PM Lee announced in parliament today that he intends to call the Hougang by-election although he does not give a time frame to do so. I have already expected PM Lee to call the by-election although there exists two camps of thought as to whether a by-election is mandatory by our law.

Mcdonald's $2 McCrispy Chicken Wings

I am shocked to find the Mcdonald's $2 Mccrispy chicken wings which I ordered this afternoon are so small!

Leonardo Da Vinci

These few days, I have been reading up on the life of Leonardo Da Vinci, who is deemed widely as the most intelligent man on earth. I am trying to adopt his thinking to improve my life.

$1,000 per month can buy a flat?

I have been following the threads of conversation among some netizens on DPM Tharman’s comment that a person earning $1,000 per month can buy a flat. The government has since publicised how it arrives at this deduction. I agree with DPM and other ministers on how a person earning $1,000 per month can afford a flat. What many netizens are touching on is much more: about sustaining a living after buying a flat, taking care of the family members including caring for the children, parents and the couple themselves. This is a different matter altogether.

Another copycat new Mediacorp TV drama?

I watched the trailer of another upcoming new Mediacorp drama. I know the name of the drama but I am not naming it here. The drama bears resemblance to a Taiwanese drama starring a member of Taiwanese popband “5566”- Sun Xie Zhi- which is now screened on weekday afternoons. While the Taiwanese drama centres on grapes, the new Mediacorp TV drama centres on rice. The protagonist in the new Mediacorp Drama is Shawn Chen and I think by now you knows what new Mediacorp TV drama I am referring to.

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Saturday, March 03, 2012

Tired of verbal sparring between PAP and WP in parliament

I am quite tired to read in the newspapers snippets of the verbal sparring between PAP MPs and WP MPs. Yesterday, I read how DPM Tharman asked NCMP Gerald Giam to catch up more on what the government has done. I am also quite tired to watch the daily parliament snippets in the TV news which show the verbal sparring between WP MPs and PAP MPs and the clip quite always ends with the WP MPs seen as "defeated" in the verbal sparring.

Adminstrative Service Officers and top civil servants salaries to be reviewed

Some days ago, I have written a post regarding the super-high salaries the top civil servants in the elite Adminstrative Service draw, which I think should be cut as a result of a civil service which is not too well managed -recently-by these so called elite adminstrative officers consisting of chairmans of statutory boards, permanent and deputy secretaries and senior directories of large ministries who are leaders in our civil service.

VK Nair rebutting Chen Show Mao

I read the strong exchange of words between MP V K Nair and the distinguished Mr Chen Show Mao in parliament yesterday in today's newspapers.

I am shocked to read again the same MP, V K Nair rebutting yet another Worker Party's MP. The other time, V. K Nair rebutted Mr Gerald Giam, this time round, it is the distinguished Mr Chen Show Mao whom V K Nair rebutts.

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