Top 10 People of 2011

I am back! Yes, I am back and so is this blog.

I have stopped blogging for almost four months due to my army enlistment but since basic training is coming to an end in six days and I have more spare time now, I decided to revive this place and have one last post for 2011.

Speaking of which, 2011 has been yet another interesting year for all of us. It's the year which Steve Jobs, Amy Winehouse, Muammar Gaddafi, Osama bin Laden, Kim Jong Il  and those mosquitoes which I killed died in.

Since it's the last post of the year, I shall end this orbital period of Earth with my annual top 10 people of the year post. Who will make it to the list? Don't waste your time trying to guess, just scroll the page down.






























Number 10


Ralph Steinman

A cell biologist from Rockfeller University, Dr. Steinman was one the the two who discovered the immune system's sentinel dendritic cells more than three decades ago.

The scientist was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discovery of and research on dendritic cells and their functions. Unfortunately, Dr. Steinman had passed away three days ago when the Nobel Committee announced its winners.

Although rules state that Nobel prizes are not awarded posthumously, the committee still went ahead in having his name in the roll of honours.



Number 9


Amy Chua

Yale University law professor Amy Chua shot to fame when her latest book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, was launched in January.

Chua talks about her efforts in parenting her two daughters. The book was supposed to be a memoir but ended up as a publication which argues why Chinese parents are better than their Western counterparts.

I did read some parts of it earlier in the year and I would say the content of the book is tantalizing enough for me to place her name in this list



Number 8


Girls' Generation

Last year, I ranked them at number two. The reason why this nine-member Korean group has stayed in the list but slipped six places is due to the continuity of the Hallyu wave and their successful breakthrough into the American market.

The Korean and English versions of the music video "The Boys" accumulated 10 million views in Youtube within three days. Needless to say, they have swept the major awards at major music awards events.



Number 7


Yam Ah Mee

Forget about Nicole Seah, Chen Show Mao or Lee Kuan Yew (where is he?) The biggest star of this year's general elections is none other than Returning Officer Yam Ah Mee.

Man, I didn't know that having neatly gelled hair and speaking in a monotonous voice can make one become an overnight celebrity.

Pursuant to section 49, sub-section 7E, paragraph A, I declare Yam Ah Mee as a miracle.





Number 6


Rebecca Black

Justin Bieber tasted what stardom was like at the age of 16, Miss Black also experienced it. The only difference is that she underwent this phase at a much tender age of 14 for negative reasons.

The music video "Friday", fully sponsored by her mum, was her first and feeble attempt at breaking into the entertainment industry. "Friday" is certainly one if not the most hated song for me as well as you.

I know what's in your head now, the chorus of the song replaying like a broken recorder.



Number 5


Tony Tan

Winning by an embarrassing margin of only 0.35% in the Singapore presidential elections, this former deputy prime minister has ended up as the most hated president in the republic's history.

Blame it on those brainwashed senior citizen voters if you want to.





Number 4


Kate Middleton

The Duchess of Cambridge married Prince William in April and all eyes were on how fashionable the girl can be whenever she attends a public event.

TV reporters and newspaper writers vie for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to interrogate her and she never fails to live up to her title as Princess.

If Hollywood actresses seem too mundane for the average you, there is always a gem in Britain as an alternative.



Number 3


39.9% of Singaporeans who didn't vote for PAP

I didn't know what picture to post so I decided on a food which most Singaporeans love eating

This group of people chose not to support the ruling party because there have seen the true colours of it and i am not referring to white.

While analysts are quick to describe the general elections as watershed, I suggest that it is just the beginning of the end for the men in white.

Slowly but surely, a change in tide will soon occur in the local political landscape.





Number 2


Japanese People

The 9.0 magnitude Tōhoku earthquake on 11 March caused a myriad of accidents, deaths, damage and inconvenience to the land of the rising sun. However, the disaster failed to dampen the spirits of those who managed to survive.

Orderly and organized, they queued up to collect food rations and receive necessary help from aid organizations. The same cannot be said of Singapore where people of all shapes and sizes elbow each other for anything which is free of charge.

The calmness and positive mindset of the Japanese in such a situation definitely makes them the runner-up in my list.



Number 1

Ok lah, you know that I know that you know who is it
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You!

Congratulations to you for coming in first. You readers are the reason why this blog keeps going so keep it up and continue giving your support!

I will be back in 2 weeks.

Bye Bye!

K-pop girl groups

The effects of Hallyu (Korean Wave) has hardly subsided after nearly three years of dominance. Since the start of 2009, numerous Korean groups have emerged, particularly female ones. Today, we shall take a look at the music industry of South Korea. Which girl group has what to boast? Who will survive? Who is just a passer-by? Who will outlive the rest?

Oops, this one is AKB48 of Japan.

I don't know the exact number of girl groups singing pop songs in South Korea but it should be no less than 25. After some research, I decided to group them according to ratings. Of course, the ratings are of my own opinions but without being biased (hell, how can I be biased in this kind of thing?)

Those who score a B or above are the ones who will prevail. they started off in the industry before/during the "girl group boom" era which is between early-2009 to mid-2010. Those who received a B- are also popular but struggling to see their ratings increase.

The rest who are below B- still have a long way to go but if they continue to work hard and have a bit more luck, a B+ is still achieveable. These groups are usually those who debut after the "girl group boom" era, hence making it harder for them to survive in the market.

Without further ado, I shall list out the groups which I believe "can make it" or you can say able to survive in the pop scene.

The traditional Big Four of Wonder Girls, Girls' Generation, Kara and 2NE1 are a shoo-in. The remaining ones are After School, Brown Eyed Girls, f(x), 4minute, T-ara and Miss A.

Among the Big Four members, Wonder Girls is arguably the most successful since they are the original singers of "Nobody"-the most famous K-pop song to date. However, relying on only one song is unrealistic and luckily, they didn't do that.

Let's go slightly more in-depth by analysing each of the "can make it" groups.

Wonder Girls: A

The so-called wonderful years for Wonder Girls are nothing but just history. They never really made it big with a studio album or the image and concept they wanted to portray. However, these girls must have been blessed with endless luck to rise to stardom with one song.

Now, that's a feat very few singers in the world can achieve. However, they have yet to fully shed away their image from this song which was released for more than three years ago. When people think of Wonder Girls, they usually only think of "Nobody".

"Nobody" has also been over-commercialized due to its popularity in many countries. Therefore, it appears to be seen if Wonder Girls can truly look like a musical group.

Girls' Generation: A

If this 9-member band doesn't deserve an A, then why bother calling them Girls' Generation? Never mind that it took them 18 months since debut to become well-known after releasing "Gee".

Although "Gee" pales in comparison to "Nobody" in terms of popularity, it is the song which propelled Girls' Generation to become one the most successful bands in K-pop.

Without much debate, one can say that SNSD (the band's other name) has replaced Wonder Girls as the leading girl group for more than a year.

It boasts other popular songs like "Tell Me Your Wish" and "Run Devil Run".

Kara: B+

The only group which can pose a challenge to SNSD. Debuting in the same year as the above two, Kara has seen ups and down since then.

The most notable controversy occurred early this year when four out of the five members filed a lawsuit against their agency. The dispute was resolved three months later and all five members teamed up as one again after much deliberation.

But no matter what, there is already a dent on their image and it is not wrong to suspect if their days are numbered in the industry. They deserve an A but internal conflicts made me opt for a B+.

Most successful single was "Mister" along with the butt dance choreography.

2NE1: A

Easily scores an A. Their powerful and heck-care image has won them many supporters. Top it up with electro-pop songs that sound so addictive and you get a an A-class group.

Their strong emphasis on female empowerment, reluctance to flaunt their legs and "un-uniformed" costumes make them stand out of the crowd and at the top.

Will continue to pose a threat to conventional girl groups like SNSD until they finally run out of ideas, something that is highly unlikely to happen.

Most of their songs will sound pleasant if you like the up-tempo, electro-pop genre.

And now, for the B graders. The following groups are good enough to make it to the shore and stay there for good but are also the first to be swept away if a huge wave pays a visit.

After School: B+

Has many members. As of now, there are eight after a few changes. Constant modifying of members will only make the band look messy and disorganized. Never really made it big with any of their songs. But the group name still rings a bell in many heads. "Shampoo" is their most decent piece of work so far.

Brown Eyed Girls: B

One of the oldest girl groups around. 3 out of its 4 members will be 30 this year. They have not release an album for more than two years and look likely to be overtaken by younger counterparts. Most successful single was "Abracadabra" and it looks like their only song.

f(x): B

Hails from the same label (SM Entertainment) as Super Junior and SNSD. Might not have risen to stardom so quickly had it not been "the younger sisters of Korea's two most successful bands". The youngest member, Krystal, happens to be SNSD's Jessica's sister so it is inevitable to think that f(x) relied on their label mates to gain popularity.

They also have a tomboy and a Chinese leader in their 5-woman team to make things a little unique. "Hot Summer" and "Danger" are highly addictive songs.

4minute: B

The first post-90 Korean girl group. None of the five members are older than 21. Their style is something in between 2NE1 and f(x) but with a 100% Korean ensemble.

Started off with a bang with hits like "Hot Issue" and "Muzik" and portraying a powerful image. Has seen subsided after a couple of years. Their musical style has become blurred somehow.

T-ara: B+

Do not mistake it as Kara or its label mate. Both ara-s are of different agencies. One of their members, Soyeon, used to be a SM Entertainment trainee and was poised to become part of SNSD but nothing materialized eventually.

Their most famous and only song of note, "Bo Peep Bo Peep", took the pop scene by storm since its launch. Ironically, their youngest member, Jiyeon, turns out to be the face and representative of the group. This 7-girl team is still quite a strong force till date.

Miss A: B

They could have gotten a B+ but B looks more suitable at the moment. Made up of two Koreans and two Chinese, Miss A is not exactly a K-pop band. Being label mates with Wonder Girls hardly affected them at all as they portray an independent image of the latter.

Their debut single "Bad Girl Good Girl" is still their only song of note to date. Miss A is still a long way from getting an A.

Secret: B?

I would like to include Secret here because they are like sort of stuck in the middle. Still stranded in the sea but very near to the shore, hands not long enough to reach the fringe.

Their extremely successful single, "Magic" propelled the four girls to instant stardom. After that, things started to return back to square. Maybe After School or T-ara can loan them a member?

Other groups like Sistar, Rainbow, Dal★Shabet, Jewelry, 5dolls and SeeYa still linger around the B- to C area. Anything below C- equals out in my opinion.

Anyway, in the long run, I foresee the K-pop girl group battle to be between the conservatives and liberals. Conservatives refer to SNSD while the liberals are 2NE1. Do you agree with me?

Which slogan will outlive the other? "Right now, it's Girls' Generation!" or "What's up, we 2NE1!"

Oh anybody still remember Baby V.O.X and Fin.K.L? What's with all those . . . in the names of these once-famous-now-defunct bands?

September 11 attacks 10th anniversary

Then and Now

A decade ago, New York suffered one of the most infamous terrorist attacks of the century as Al-Qaeda extremists crashed aeroplanes into the World Trade Center and Pentagon aka US Department of Defense headquarters.

Ten years on, the man who was responsible for the suicide attacks no longer exists on earth. It was not until four months ago that Osama bin Laden was killed in Pakistan by special operations forces of the United States.

To all the victims of the September 11 attacks, rest in peace. Justice will always prevail.

finland education

Yesterday, I was reading an article in Lianhe Zaobao which is an interview with distinguished education sciences professor, Pasi Sahlberg. Professor Sahlberg is from Finland and the interview discusses about his country's education system.

Unlike the Singaporean model where competitiveness and results are the norm, the Finnish education system adopts an egalitarian approach. In the article, Prof. Sahlberg mentioned that it is against the law to give ratings or marks as an assessment for a student before he/she reaches primary six.

Since the last four decades, Finland has thoroughly revamped its school system by abolishing ratings and standardizations of examinations both in and out of schools. In short, the Finnish do not believe in examinations.

In the entire 12 years of basic (9) and tertiary (3) education, the sole examination which the Finnish student has to take is the one which he/she requires for admission to universities.

According to what I researched as it was not stated in the article, those entrance exams are usually not the typical loads of MCQs which is commonly used by Singapore schools. They comprise of longer and more complex questions that go beyond just testing a person's memorization skills.

In one paragraph, Prof. Sahlberg puts it rather bluntly but honestly by saying "our teachers do not teach because of exams, students do not learn because of exams."

The absence of assessment, streamings and competition, however, did not lower the quality of education in Finland. Prof. Sahlberg thinks that teamwork is more crucial than competition. Also, one should not learn how to compete via competition but through teamwork.

Although, the Finnish education system differs from the majority, it is still at the forefront in maths, science and reading ability at the triannual PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) for the past decade.

For years, the myth that Singapore's education system is "good" has been moulded into a fact by many. However, they might have to think twice when using its Finnish counterpart as a reference.

Like what Dr Chee Soon Juan wrote in his letter to Barack Obama in 2008 "If you squeeze an apple hard enough, you will extract some juice. Its the crushed pulp that we mourn over."

The joy of learning has certainly deteriorated or even ceased to exist in our school students nowadays because of the good old education system we trust in.

35% equals pass

 

This is quite hilarious. I wonder if school students will be influenced by our new head of state.

h&m

Taken from www.hm.com.sg

Fashionistas and the fashion-obsessed in Singapore will certainly know what 3rd September means for the local fashion scene. If you are one of them, you should have guessed it by now. Swedish retail-clothing company H&M is poised to open its first shop here tomorrow.

H&M or better known as Hennes & Mauritz is perhaps the largest high-street retail-clothing chain to open in Singapore since the arrival of Japan's Uniqlo. The shop in Orchard Road happens to be H&M's first opening in Southeast Asia.

The company is known for its collaborations with designers like Stella McCartney and Roberto Cavalli. It is also regarded as one who offers fast-fashion apparel. However, the main thing has got to be the word "high-street" which it is described as.

High-street, in my opinion, equates to quality products at prices affordable to the masses. That means you can own a piece of quality clothing that is comparable to branded ones at a more affordable figure.

In terms of "concept", Uniqlo and H&M are very much the same. Excluding the country which they hail from, the differing factor between the two are that Uniqlo goes for high-street casual while H&M opts for a high-street chic approach.

I foresee the addition of H&M to Singapore's fashion sphere to be a total success, if not, redefine the trends and choices of the industry here.

Well, you can call it a revolution or maybe a liberation to inject more democracy into the local fashion landscape.

If it caused a flurry in Japan, a place already full of fashion outlets, I don't see why it can't spark off a new wave of H&M-ism here when it starts operations tomorrow?

ten facts

Please take a minute to read this

I know ten facts about you and I shall list them here

1. You are reading this now

2.You are realizing that is a stupid fact

4.you didn't notice I skipped three.

5 You're checking now

6. You're smiling

7.You are still reading my comment

9 You didn't realize I skipped eight

10. You're checking again and smiling about how you fell for it again.

11. You are enjoying this

12. You didnt realize there are only supposed to be ten facts.

black rice

Today, I would like to share with you some information regarding food and health or you can say it's a fusion of both of them. In short, I would like to recommend this super food to you.

Once upon a time, you heard how good and nutritious brown rice was and why people are choosing it over the ubiquitous white ones. Now, meet black rice, the cousin of brown rice, which is even more powerful.

Actually, black rice is really just brown rice with a different pigment. The main thing is the bran. When uncooked, it is purplish in colour but looks dark enough to be classified as black.

If you agree that blueberries are costly and want a cheaper alternative as a source for anti-oxidants, why not try some black rice? (Please continue to eat fruits too for more vitamin C)

Black rice has more anti-oxidants, fiber, Vitamin E yet contains less sugar and costs less as well. It is also a good source of iron and amino acids.

If you would like to check it out and cook some, do take note that the rice cooker you utilize for your usual white rice may not work well with these dark-coloured grains. The same applies to brown rice as well.

This is because, unlike white rice, the husks of brown and black rice are intact so it is necessary for them to be cooked for a longer duration. A simple solution to this problem is to soak the rice in water for about one hour before cooking.

Do give it a try and give your health a boost!

tony tan list of nicknames

So two expected events happened over the weekend in an unexpected manner. PAP-endorsed man Tony Tan won the presidential election by a pathetic 0.34% votes while Manchester United humiliated Arsenal 8:2 in a one-sided match.

I will only be talking about the first event since countless of arrogant supporters of the Red Devils have mentioned about their win.

I shall list a number of nicknames and tags for my country's new head of state. See? I am so concerned about him.

1. Most-disliked president in history

2. Unglamorous winner of the 2011 presidential election

3. A president with only 35% of the people supporting him

4. Someone having cosy ties with the ruling party

5. Good friend and watchdog of Harry you-know-who

6. Unifying figure according to himself

7. Dividing up Singaporeans in reality

8. Set to be Nathan No.2

9. The difference only lies in their races, languages and religions.

10. Brings (less) confidence for the future.

11. An agony when seeing and hearing speak Mandarin on TV

12. Speaks Mandarin with random pauses and funny eye expressions

13. Undisputed person do endorse Brylcreem.

14. Reason why thick black spectacles never go out of fashion

15. Supporter of the PAP's ultra-flawed foreign talent policy

16. Makes our CPF money look suspicious with him around

17. Unproven to be clearly independent of the government

18. Doesn't seem likely to prove it during his 6-year term

19. Just a PAP puppet

20. Will only last as a one-term president

Alright, this may sounds weird to you but Libyan rebels who crashed their way into Muammar "most stupid leader of Libya" Gaddafi's residence discovered a photo album containing pictures of former US Secetary of State Condoleeza Rice.

It may not sound surprising to you if you happen to know that Gaddafi used to speak highly of Dr Rice during his reign.

In 2007, during a television interview, Gadaffi said stuff like "I support my darling black African woman" and "Leezza, Leezza, Leezza..I love her very much, I admire her.."

Fast forward to 2008 and Dr Rice made a trip to Libya, a milestone in American history, where she she met her so-called Libyan fan. Gaddafi even invited the US official to his home for a meal.

The Libyan leader also presented gifts to his visitor amounting to more than 200,000 USD although the latter is prohibited from accepting gifts according to rules.

Ironically, it seems that ties between America and Libya started to strain again ever since the US changed governments during the start of 2009. Rice might have been the healing pill had she remained as the in-charge of her country's foreign affairs.

I am planning to join this contest. No, I mean I have decided to join this contest. It is one where participants submit their own stories and compete who has the best one. I already have a few sets of them in my mind which have been floating around for quite some time. The ideas are in my brain just that I never really transformed them into words with my hands.

I do have a problem though. The story which I believe is the best of all is too lengthy to be used for a storywriting competition. The worst part is I haven't penned down the details yet. I think I am more of the type who is better at twisting and turning story lines instead of writing them from scratch.

Anyway, you would need a Twitter account to follow Channel 8 on the microblogging site and I can hardly recall what is my password after isolating it for almost a year (actually it is two but I remember I did login once during last year for fun).

Do you have an exceptional story to share? Do take part in this contest too and see if yours can beat mine!

PE 2011 FAQs

Are unsure about what the upcoming presidential election is all about? Or are you unable to explain the differences between it and the general elections? (Darn, they are actually almost alike just that it's a one-man show now)

Fret not because I, as always, have been kind, gentle and helpful to people so I decided to come up with some FAQs about this electoral battle. However, do take note that information on this blog have not always been factual and sometimes ridiculous.

You might need to read this if you want to act like you know a lot to impress your friends.

Why are the surnames of the four candidates all Tan?

Tan is most common family name in Singapore. Therefore, there is a high chance that someone with that surname might contest in an election. It is just a coincidence that the four presidential hopefuls share the same surname.

Moreover, there isn't a single Tan in the Cabinet (current ministers) but there are two powerful Lees in the parliament(although one has stepped down). So maybe the Tans think that it's time for them do make their ancestors be proud of them.

So confident that we can afford to be upside down!

Why is Tony Tan's logo a pair of spectacles? Shouldn't it be a lightning?

Tony Tan has quit the PAP and the election which he is participating now is the presidential one. It is above politics and nonpartisan.

Then why did he choose spectacles?

The Presidential Elections Committee did not allow contact lenses or sunglasses as an election symbol.

The slogan looks more suitable for the general elections

Why did Tan Kin Lian choose hi-5 as his trademark in his campaign?

Shaking hands can be tiring if you do it non-stop for nine straight days. It may also hurt your wrist if you overdo it. Hi-5-ing people is a more practical way to engage voters and you can do it easily with both left and right handed people.

Alright, I know, you know. He might have watched the popular kids show, Hi-5, the night before and came up with this splendid idea.

Don't worry my wife, you're still and always No. 1

How the heck did Tan Cheng Bock get confidential information like our addresses to mail out brochures to every single household in the country?

According to electoral rules, the names and addresses of voters were made available in the form of CDs to the candidates.

However, environmental activists will probably not vote for this guy since they see this as a waste of paper.

What about the liver, kidneys and intestines?

Why is Tan Jee Say so eager to take part in another election after losing one during the general elections in May?

Well, he wants to give Singaporeans a choice and he will be a non-PAP president who has never been affiliated with the ruling party in his entire life.

On second thought, it might be more believable to say that he is an opportunist who is out to seek revenge and making use of this chance to be a rebel against the PAP. Quoting the title of a Lady Gaga song, "Born This Way".






If you type his name in Youtube to search, this is the first video at the top of the results page

Is Tony Tan the man who has the highest chance of winning?

If you are talking about winning over the PAP, some unions, CCIs (Chamber of Commerce and Industry) and a bunch of Teochew clan associations, then he is certainly the undisputed champion.

If you are talking about winning the votes of the people, then I would say it is a 50-50 probability. In my opinion, 3 out of 10 Singaporeans will choose him. It is how the votes are split among the remaining 7 to determine if Tony will be victorious.

A bonus answer to this question for you. The ones who are likely to be the three who will mark a cross beside Tony Tan's face on their ballot slips are an elderly couple and someone who works as a civil servant.





Skip to 1:28 to listen to the Tamil version

Tan Kin Lian spoke about the flaws of his rivals. Does that mean that he is the flawless Tan?

Definitely not! Well, you see, no one is perfect but Kin Lian is really the "least-flawed" candidate. He is multi-lingual as seen on Nomination Day where he used 4 languages in his speech. Damn it, even Lee Hsien Loong only used 3 for his National Day Rally.

He claims that he is truly neutral and independent. He has never contested in a general election hence, can act independently of all political parties.

He forgot to clarify why did he not contest in an election when he was still a PAP member. Maybe because he was not yet "polished" to be sent to the battleground? If one fails to even make the cut to be an MP, how to be President?




I apologize if you are not a Teochew Nang

Does Tan Cheng Bock have adequate financial experience to fulfil the role of safeguarding the reserves?

Cheng Bock studies medicine and is a physician by practice. He is also a non-executive chairman of a company and is not directly involved in the management.

Unlike, the other three Tans, Cheng Bock does not possess much experience in finance. Honestly, we can say that he is the one with the least experience. But who knows? He might be a thrifty man who knows what/where to shop for good lobangs. Might have to ask his wife about this.




All you fans of Little Nyonya Nicole, your idol has spoken

Tan Jee Say mentioned that, if elected, he will provide checks and balances on the government. Does that mean that he will be constantly finding fault with PM Lee and co.?

Judging from his political background where he contested in the general elections in May as a Singapore Democratic Party candidate (and failed to win!), there is a high possibility of him clashing with the ruling party.

The heated exchange of him with PAP-endorsed candidate Tony Tan at a forum hosted by The Online Citizen is just a trailer of what we expect to see of him when he becomes president.

PM Lee and his ministers will most probably not vote for this man unless they want to have more headaches in their work.

Special Question

Tony Tan, Tan Kin Lian and Tan Jee Say should eat lots of apples during their campaign.

Why? What about Dr. Tan Cheng Bock?

An apple a day, keeps the doctor away.


One final video to suan all the Tans and make myself look independent and objective

That's the end of my FAQ segment, I hope it quelled some of your doubts and not increased them after reading. Thanks for reading!

Face to face 2

Hey guys, if you have about an hour to spare, why not click the play button and check out this uncut and unedited video about the four presidential hopefuls taking part in a forum organized by The Online Citizen. Part 2 is yet to be released.

PE 2011

So, Nomination Day was yesterday and it is confirmed that the upcoming presidential election will be a four-cornered fight consisting of four men by the surname of Tan. However, other than having the same surname, they differ from each other in a myriad of ways.

Today, I shall give you my own analysis on Singapore's first presidential election in 18 years.

***

Disclaimer: This post was written without doing any research beforehand. It only represents the writer's point of view and impression of the candidates. Hence, readers should not take offence should they find it displeasing. However, the writer would like to assure all that he did exercise caution before penning his thoughts.

***

Below is a humble self-drawn diagram by myself about the ideologies of the four gentlemen vying to be the head of state of my country.

As you can see, the diagram is divided into four parts, liberal/conservative for top/bottom and capitalist/socialist for right/left. However, I have added some extra diagonal ones in between the vertical and horizontal lines for a more detailed approach.

If you are eagle-eyed, you should have, by now, noticed that one name sits in a different region from the rest. That is "JEE SAY" (Tan Jee Say).

I placed Tan Jee Say on the right (capitalist) because of his emphasis on the economy in his campaign. Moreover, he has a rich background in economics having studied and worked in that field.

Tan Jee Say is the only one who should be in the vicinity of the liberal area as he is the only one who is truly independent of the ruling party.

Like Jee Say, Tony Tan opts for a more "glam" approach in his campaign. He also speaks about the economy and portrays more of a capitalist than being interventionist for social reasons.

However, the difference between Jee Say and Tony lies in their political backgrounds. There is still a very conspicuous white shadow wherever Tony Tan is at, if you catch what I mean.

Due to his cosy ties with the ruling party, it is inevitable that Tony will be perceived as biased no matter how independent he proclaims himself to be.

Likewise, Dr. Tan Cheng Bock, situated at the opposite end on the left, is also a conservative after being a PAP member for decades.

However, he differs from being a liberal left-winger (top-left quadrant) as he believes in striving for the greater good or rather interest of the majority. Just like his campaigning where he talks about promoting mulitracialism and bonding Singaporeans together.

Cheng Bock is also not similar to Tony as he is always prepared to "interfere" when there is a need to. Just like the days when he used to be a Member of Parliament before quitting in 2006.

Lastly, it is Tan Kin Lian. Honestly, I do not know much of him except that he used to be the CEO of a life insurance company whose name is also that of Singapore's most popular supermarket.

I decided to label him as communitarian due to him having the moral courage to be the voice of the common man. (He looks too common anyway). He might be popular among the grassroots but winning the pro-establishment votes may seem to be a bit difficult.

That's all, thank you for your time. Please vote wisely on Polling Day.

napfa test

Oh man, time flies like a spaceship. My Napfa test is finally around the corner. It is either make or break, do or die and pass or fail for me this coming Wednesday morning.

I still have no idea whether am I able to pass the sit and reach exercise since I can't find a place that has that "thing" to practise with. Also, standing broad jump used to my trump card during the days when I wear uniforms to school. Now, it is sort of a hindrance and headache.

Ironically, pull-up and 2.4 km run, the two test items which I used to fail in are now the two which I am quite confident of passing. Sit-up shouldn't be an issue since I practise it frequently.

As for the shuttle run, I believe I just have to sprint like there are ten tigers chasing me from behind when taking the test.

Anyway, the main objective of today's post is to share my thoughts about this physical fitness test.

Firstly, I do not understand why must it commence at 7.30 in the morning? What's more, it is held at Toa Payoh stadium. A thousand and one stone throws away from my home. That means I have got to leave my house by 6.30 am.

I think it should begin one hour later at 8.30 or even 9. This is to provide convenience to participants who do not live near the area.

Secondly, the sit and reach exercise should be scrapped. It is not a test of one's core muscles or the flexibility of our bodies. In fact, it is an unfair test since everyone, regardless of your height, start from the same position.

It is easier for shorter people like erm, myself to pass this station since our legs are not long. Whereas taller people will be at a disadvantage as their knees are further away from their body.

Thirdly, the passing range for pull-up should be lowered as too many people since a long long time ago have difficulties overcoming this obstacle. For D grade, one has to accomplish at least five within half a minute. I reckon that it should be reduced to four.

Lastly, failing one station should not be equivalent to failing the entire fitness assessment. A big and sturdy person may score well in pull-up and sit-up but fail marginally in the shuttle run segment should not be labelled as unfit enough.

He has a high volume of muscle mass which constitutes to him having a low centre of gravity. Since shuttle run is a test of agility, he may have problems as plyometric movements are part of the exercise. So, he doesn't deserve an overall fail just because his body mass, not his muscles or energy system, failed him at one station.

If someone fails only one out of the six stations, he should be allowed to retake it again within a certain period of time, example two weeks. This is to be fair and understand that a person may just need more intensified training to pass a certain exercise.

Get a skinny marathoner from Africa and ask him to lift huge amounts of weights, chances are he will not be able to accomplish the task. However, his cardiovascular fitness cannot be doubted since he beats everyone else in a running competition.

Everyone is different and nobody can be perfect. Perhaps, Mindef can be more liberal in the way they assess the fitness of pre-enlistees?

Presidential election preview

As most of us know, the upcoming Presidential Election will likely be a four-cornered fight. Four men coincidentally by the surname of Tan will battle for the right to be Singapore's head of state in a fortnight.

The four Presidential hopefuls are (clockwise from top left): Tan Kin Lian, effective only at grassroots level but doubful in representing the country on the international front.

Tan Jee Say, former top civil servant who lost in the General Elections in May and wants to take revenge by making a comeback.

Dr Tony Tan, the most famous Tan among the four eligible candidates, who is also closely linked to the men in white and heavily endorsed by the latter.

Dr Tan Cheng Bock, the former MP who constantly disagreed with his party's ministers and policies but shockingly still chose to remain in that party after many years.

The two crossed-out faces are Andrew Kuan and Ooi Boon Ewe. Both of them tried their luck in the previous contest in 2005 but were disqualified. Being naturally thick-skined President wannabes, they decide to try again.

The Presidential Elections Committee is not that dumb to contradict itself by issuing that two monkeys a certificate of eligibility this time. By the way, Mr Ooi is a private tutor and doesn't hold high posts in an organization in his life before. What?

Since people say that the Presidential Election should not be politicized and the President is above politics. I chose not to state any political parties in this entire post.

However, I will do so when I give a more detailed analysis of the four eligible candidates in an upcoming post somewhere near Polling Day which falls on 17 August.

ostrich

Check this out! Watching the first 45 seconds already made me hungry.

LFC greets singapore

Wow, this is so cool. The official Liverpool FC fan page actually wished Singaporean supporters happy national day! Needlessly, those who commented were mostly Singaporeans who seemed to be super elated by this greeting. I wonder if Liverpool is hinting that they are planning to employ some Singaporean staff for the club.

Allow me to do some recommendations. How about Izwan Mahbud as your reserve goalkeeper and understudy to Jose Reina? Oh, and a certain young gentleman named Raymond can be understudy to Kenny Dalglish as well.

Singapore boring?

For this year's National Day special post, I shall drift away from being historical and political. Instead, I find it imperative to inject some fun into this post to celebrate my country's 46th birthday.

Singapore has come a long way and still has a long way to go. From a fresh and innocent girl to an auntie now, many things about her has changed. These include the infrastructure, environment, economy and even the amount of foreigners living here.

However, one the few things that has not changed is the "boring" tag used to describe the Lion City. Is Singapore really that bloody boring or is that just a myth started by Westerners and some bored Singaporeans?

Let's analyse to see which are genuine boring stuff and which are stuff worth wasting your time to do in this small little city-state.

Going to the Istana: Boring

Oh come on, should be a cool thing right? Neh, the gates are only open to the public on some public holidays. Otherwise, on any other day, you would see two guards immobilized in a rusok-senja-ta position facing each other while walking past the gates.

The only thing that people can legally do there is photographing. Chances are you might get arrested for wearing an opposition party outfit even if you are just strolling on your own in the Istana.

Going to Sentosa: Not Boring

Sentosa used to stand for So Expensive and Nothing TO See Actually. As for now, we can add an "Almost" in front of the "Nothing". It's still the Siloso, Palawan and Tanjong beaches and none of them look like a world-class beach.

But with the launch of Resorts World Sentosa, there seems to be a glimmer of hope for the Singapore Tourism Board after all. I shall go straight to the main point and point out the iFly Singapore.

This indoor skydiving wind tunnel lets cowards like you fulfil your dreams of parachuting minus the clouds. Anyone who is seven years of age and above are eligible to take the plunge. Man, even George Yeo tried it out to kill time after losing the General Elections!

Take the Singapore Flyer: Boring

The biggest observation wheel on earth doesn't equate to giving you the biggest satisfaction in the world after paying almost thirty bucks for a ride.

It encountered at least four breakdowns since its launch in 2008 with the most notable one in December that year where 173 passengers had to hold their bladders for six hours.

What do get to enjoy for thirty bucks? I have not checked it out yet but with my geographical knowledge about the Marina Bay area, you would most likely be seeing cars on expressways, blocks of flats and some greenery.

Nightlife: Not Boring, hell no

Like fellow Asian cities, Hong Kong, Seoul and Bangkok, Singapore has a vibrant nightlife with a myriad of nightspots to choose from.

Although you tend to hear your friends mention clubbing at St. James, Zouk, Butter Factory or shisha at Arab Street, there are still outrageous amounts of places which ask you the question "Why sleep?". If everywhere else is full house, there's still the Night Safari.

And can you believe it? None of the places mentioned above have been visited by me before. I am really a boring person.

Reading newspapers: Boring, except for the entertainment section

With only one printed media company which is closely linked to the government, you can easily predict what sort of news would appear in the front pages and what will be censored completely.

In fact, reading newspapers is more like reading newsletters in Singapore. No wonder, Gen X and Y have turned to the Internet for good during their spare time.

Speaker's Corner: Boring ring...

This free speech area does not differ from your void deck other than standing on grass instead of cement. It falls other three legislative acts, Public Order 2009, Public Entertainments and Meetings and Parks and Trees Regulations.

The first one bans the making of demonstrations publicly anywhere in the country even if it is only one damn person. The second states that only "approved" places can be used for "speaking".

As for the last one, I do not study law so I do not comprehend why must trees get involved in this.

Counting the number of PRCs you saw when outside: Not Boring

If you take the MRT, shop in the heartlands or go to Chinatown, you will most probably be counting one more every thirty seconds.
This is bound to keep you entertained throughout your train ride in case the battery of your smartphone runs low or there's nothing worth buying at the shops.

If that fails to prevent you from being bored, why not calculate the number of Filipinos, Burmese or Vietnamese you encountered to see who is the champion? That is provided if you can differentiate their li-an-goo-eech first.

Lunch at the hawker centre: Boring

This may sound debatable but hang on, let me state my reasons for labelling it as boring first.

It's lunch time, your stomach is protesting and all the tables are occupied by either plates of food or tissue papers. Your colleagues try to look for an empty table to no avail. Your mind starts telling you to go somewhere else when a hand waves at you.

An auntie from a drink stall signals for you and your colleagues to approach her while gesturing that there's an available spot. The moment your butt touches the seat, the auntie will be asking what drinks would you people like.

Then slowly but reluctantly, one by one, each of you will say the name of a beverage and most of times, you will have to repeat it as the auntie is erm, an auntie.

In the end, you would either settle for vegetarian bee hoon (and console yourself that it's good not to eat meat) or the chicken rice stall which hardly attracts more than two customers at a time.

That's what makes it boring to dine in hawker centres when the sun is at its highest.

Reading this blog: Not at all

I hope this post wasn't that boring after all. How can a blog written by me be considered boring? Ok maybe it is, but if so, then why are you still reading it?

Fair increase

Without a single doubt, the Public Transport Council (PTC) has granted approval a 1 percent increase to bus and train fares.

The good news of this bad news is that the amount of the raise is less than half of the 2.8 percent proposed by SBS Transit and SMRT. The 1 percent increase is equivalent to an additional two cents per trip for adults.

Those who opt to pay via cash will need to fork out an extra ten cents per journey. That is definitely a whole lot more.

It is reported in the news that 85 percent of commuters are affected by this fare increase. Well, they can put the blame on the 60.1 percent who marked a cross beside a lightning during the May elections.

Fares keep going up and up while service standards continue to deteriorate, Does this sound logical at all?

Please vote wisely for the upcoming Presidential Election (provided if there is more than one eligible candidate). It is our final chance to save ourselves and this country

IE low iq

According to a research by consulting firm AptiQuant, users of Microsoft  Internet Explorer browser have an average IQ lower than those who use Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome and even Apple's Safari.

Aptiquant apparently gave free online IQ tests to 100000 people before plotting the scores against the browser on which the tests were taken.

Firefox, Chrome and Safari users achieved a slightly higher than average result of over 100. It is pleasantly surprising to know that the smartest lot (over 120) were those who surfed with the old-school Opera and unknown Camino browsers.

Since the report was published, Internet Explorer fans have made no secret of their anger at it. Some have even threatened to pursue legal action.

Within the group of Internet Explorer users, those using version six attained the lowest scores while users of version 8 fared better according to BBC News.

Well, this test is somehow true in the sense that IE 6 users are too dumb to upgrade. Or you can say too dumb to switch to using a different browser.

On the fringe

On  will be the first Mediacorp Channel 8 drama which I will be following this year. Yes, I have not watched one for like for than half a year. So much so for being a patriotic fan of local productions. The last drama which disciplined me to sit in front of the television every night was Breakout - the show which had a number of erratic and abnormal characters.

None of the Channel 8 serials aired this year caught my attention or managed to made me continue watching it after having viewing half of the first episode. I almost wanted to watch CLIF but after watching the debut episode, I knew that it's gonna be a Fail show. The police don't even wear gloves when searching a suspect's house?

The main reason why I decided to watch On The Fringe is to show my support for Li Nanxing. He has been my favourite local actor ever since my primary school days. Furthermore, with arguably the most successful Singapore-born actress Fann Wong and reigning Best Actress award winner Rui En in the cast, this show should be worth watching.

It would have been a perfect production if I were the one to play the role of Li Nanxing's son. Haha, just kidding, my image how can act as gangster? I look more like some wealthy boy from the social class right?

Home

Forget about Kit Chan being the original singer of it, JJ Lin re-singing it unpleasantly as a rap five years later or even the failed attempt by a whole lot of attention-seeking Singaporean celebs (though some of them are unknown to me) singing it for this year's Total Defence campaign.

The ever-popular and only song that Kit Chan relies on to gain a bit of spotlight here is back again, but with a spoof and loads of parodies this time. Chua Enlai as the main character in the video more than enough sums up what kind of entertainment you are about to enjoy upon clicking the play button.

This is what you call genuine creativity from a dull and boring place called Singapore. Kit Chan, as a veteran in the entertainment industry, should understand the phrase "withdraw when it's enough". "Home" has been a hit among the young and elderly but re-singing it again and again with the same style will only make it more and more tasteless.

Oh and before I forget, how the heck did they manage to find someone who resembles Tin Pei Ling so much to act as that unpopular woman in white?

IamSingaporean

Don't play play hor, every Singaporean (and I don't mean PRs) ought to check out this website, www.iamsingaporean.com. In conjunction with the upcoming National Day where Singapore will celebrate its 46th birthday, this website was launched to celebrate the uniquess of being a Singaporean.

All you have to do is to connect your Facebook with this website and the latter's programme to search your profile on the social networking site for proof of Singaporean-ness like using Singlish words and complaining just about anything. The number of times you checked in at a hawker centre will also be totalled as the amount of "chopes" you ever made.

I am 81% Singaporean. Quite a decent result but I think I deserve to score at least a 90.

Singapore vs malaysia

What a bunch of losers! Balek kampong lah!

Singapore and Malaysia will face each other again in the second leg of their second round World Cup qualifier tomorrow at the Bukit Jalil Stadium in Kuala Lumpur. In case you don't know, the Malaysians were humiliated 3-5 by Singapore during the first leg last Saturday.

Oh, and what bad losers were they with the Tigers' captain Safiq Rahim claiming that Singapore is noting without their foreign imports. Coincidentally, all the five goals scored by the Lions in the first leg were from naturalized players while Safiq is banned for the second leg due to a red card.

Maybe it is because that he won't get the chance to compete with players who are better than him that prompted Safiq to make such comments. It is certainly true that the Malaysian team as well as the Malaysians who supported them are sore losers.

If you lose a match, you can blame it on the referee, weather or even yourself but never your opponent. Your opponent is there for you to beat but if you fail to take the chance, then don't put the blame of him/her.

Seriously, if Malaysia was really that good, they would be able to win any team with players of any nationality. The fact that foreigners chose to take up citizenship in a tiny country compared to one that is 476 times larger than it explains the difference between the two.

Moreover, the Malaysian defence cannot even stop a 41-year old striker called Aleksandar Duric in the first leg. How are they going to fare when playing with younger opponents who have more agility and energy to boast?

Of course, Singapore is not going to have it comfortable despite having a two-goal advantage. The Bukit Jalil Stadium will be a living hell for the Lions with 80000 Malaysian bad losers cheering on their team.

Singapore's main problem for the upcoming match is the right-back position as Ismail Yunos is suspended after copycat-ing Safiq Rahim by collecting a red card in the same match.

Isa Halim looks set to be the replacement although there is also a possibility that Juma'at Jantan will be shifted from left-back to cover that position with Shaiful Esah taking over the former's role.

Either way, Singapore will still go on to advance into the third round hence making Malaysians aka ultra sore losers (the word "Ultra" is what Malaysia fans call themselves) hate their Causeway neighbours even more.

My prediction? A 1-1 draw where Singapore either score from a penalty or rely on some stupid goal. Most probably netted by a naturalized player.

top 50 most delicious food

Taken from insing.com

Recently, Cable News Network or better known as CNN cooked up a list of the 50 most delicious foods on earth after its reporters scoured the planet, as claimed by them. Without even looking at the list, one can conclude that it is just an opinionated thing.

Anyway, I have decided to give my own opinion on this. However, before doing that, I would like to let you know that Singapore's name appeared not once but twice on the list. Sadly, the two Singapore delicacies, chilli crab and chicken rice, settled at a modest 35th and 45th place respectively.

The controversial champion was Thailand's massaman curry, an ubiquitous food that can be bought at almost every street in the country. Number two was another humble dish that consists of a few ingredients called neapolitan pizza from Italy.

Filling up third to fifth place were chocolate that came from Mexico, Japan's iconic food, sushi and China's popular Peking duck.

In my opinion, some of the questionable food which made it to the list include hamburger of Germany (No. 6), donuts in America (No. 14), egg tarts from Hong Kong (No. 16) and erm ketchup (America) which managed to attain 39th place?

The real taste of hamburgers have been blurred after being over-commercialized and too common in every country excluding North Korea. Also, when CNN mention hamburger from Germany, are they referring to the ones cooked in Hamsburg where the food originated from?

Donuts hailing from the United States is another vague one. Who the heck understands what kind of donut is it? Oh, and why must it only be from America? I believe those made in Bangladesh will be equally tasty.

Hong Kong's egg tarts are certainly a decent piece edible material but it is of utmost disrespect and a total insult to Portugal that the latter's one is not featured at all. Authentic Portuguese egg tarts are a class above the rest. Just like Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ketchup can also make it? Then what about sambal chilli, kimchi, peanut butter or ikan billis? I guess I need not elaborate on this unless you are a great fan of tomato sauce.

If fast food is included, I bet KFC's deep fried chicken will be the only one that can garner a spot on the list. McDonald's french fries might be unforgettable to most people but not good enough to be listed within the top 50.

Actually, I think that fish head bee hoon should be included. Chinese people from other parts of the world like Taiwan and even ang mohs adore this delicacy a lot due to the velvety texture of its carefully-bolied soup.

After writing all the above paragraphs, I am feeling hungry now and I mean very. Here comes my "Out to Lunch" tag.

A Meat Eater's Guide to Climate Change and Health

Was reading an article about how to eat well and save the earth at the same time during noon. It is about this book titled "A Meat Eater's Guide to Climate Change and Health".

This 90-page publication draws the line for you between the food that you heck-care-just-eat to satiate your cravings and those where your conscience will be clear and crystal clear after consuming them.

The books emphasized that different kinds of meat and differing health and environmental impacts. Topping the list of carbon polluters is lamb, which amounts approximately 40 kg of carbon dioxide for every kilo consumed.

Taking the runner-up spot is beef which generates about 27 kg per kilo eaten. The book further justified the findings by allowing readers to understand from another perspective.

Enjoying a mere 110-gramme slice of lamb shank is tantamount to driving a mid-sized car for 21 kilometres. The same amount of beef is equivalent to just over half of that distance.

It is also mentioned that Americans eat (much) more meat than most developed countries, with a century of kilos produced annually for every adult man, woman and child.

Coming in third for generating the most greenhouse gases is cheese due to the fact that considerable amounts of milk is required for producing this diary product.

Seeing how critical the writers are of meat consumption, the conclusion of the report shouldn't be too hard to predict. That is, vegetables are virtuous.

But then again, some would argue that eating too little meat or going for a vegetarian diet is not the right way because of a lack of protein and how nutritious can a herbivore meal be? It is a vicious cycle.

amy winehouse death

British singer Amy Winehouse was found dead at her London home on 23 July 2011. The cause of it is yet to be known. As her death continues to shock celebrities and fans all over world, the media crowded outside her house to pay their respects to a musical talent gone too soon.

Winehouse has only two studio albums to boast in her entire showbiz career. However, one of them sold more than a million copies, won five Grammy awards and was also nominated for Album of the Year.

Her distinctive and unique style like the trademark beehive hairdo which makes her impossible to spot from fifty metres was also what made her stood out from the crowd. Needless to say, her powerful vocals was the main reason why she has propelled to fame.

The 27-year old was also credited to have paved the way for female singers with unconventional styles in the mainstream music industry. One of them who indirectly benefited from Winehouse's presence in showbiz was Lady Gaga.

A clash of talent, success and poor impulse control can be summed up into a name called Amy Winehouse. The singer's problems with drugs and alcohol regularly overshadowed her musical achievements and this self-destruction carried on until the day she rested in peace.

Her death is certainly not the end of a decline that started more than half a decade ago. In fact, her legacy will continue as people will switch to remembering her for positive reasons.

Like what pop culture writer Chuck Klosterman wrote "the greatest career move any musician can make is to stop breathing"

In memory of the talented British pop singer, I say each and every one of us buy a bottle of (genuine) honey to remember her for that unrivaled and outrageous hairstyle.

Street soccer competition

The day has finally arrived.

My competition will be held this evening and if you are still guessing what the hell am I participating in, I shall stop torturing you and reveal it.

H2O Energy drinks. Check. Powerbar energy gels. Check. Stylish (and fashionable) adidas apparel as attire. Check. Good old unknown brand sports shoes of mine. Check. Watching lots of football videos on youtube. Check.

Yes, you guessed it (at last). I am joining a street soccer competition. There are eight teams in total split into two groups to play round-robin. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals followed by the final.

Each team consists of four players and one reserve. Every team must have at least a female member. Each match comprises of 2 five-minute halves but I don't how long is the half-time break.

I have been maintaining a strict diet for the past few weeks to keep in shape and maintain my fitness for this event. People might think that I am too taking it too seriously but I believe in no pain, no gain.

Ok, that's all for now. Hope to blog about some positive news about the competition soon.

transport minister talk big

I was surfing The Straits Times' website earlier today and happened to read an article titled "Ministry to focus on transport service quality".

The first paragraph of the article was unbelievably shocking. Shocking in the sense that it is a big lie that has been told for countless of times.

It was mentioned that Lui Tuck Yew aka the PAP minister who is always seen taking public transport but hardly improving the system noted that more needs to be done to increase the standard of transport here.

He informed that his ministry is examining how much to reduce intervals between trains during non-peak periods. He also said that the current quality of service delivered by operators are not good stringent enough.

Well, I say why not reduce ministerial pay, starting with him, and use the money to improve the transportation infrastructure in Singapore? The money can also be used to subsidize transport fares for the elderly.

It is obvious that Mr Lui is just being a copycat to Raymond Lim who was succeeded by the former as Transport minister after talking big and doing nothing much year after year.

Since he is from the unpopular PAP, Mr Lui is likely to follow in Mr Lim's footsteps and be given the boot out of the Cabinet for being a canon king (da pao wang). Then, he wouldn't even dare to step into an MRT anymore for fear of being booed out of the train.