Bye Bye Balotelli

After two and a half years in the English Premier League, controversial Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli will be returning to his native Italy. AC Milan have confirmed that Balotelli will be heading to the San Siro. It is clear that manager Roberto Mancini has ran out of patience with Balotelli and it is not whether but when will the player leave.

Mancini had previously stated that Balotelli would be given "another 100 chances" after a bust-up at the training-ground several weeks ago. In fact, the Italian striker only appeared in a Man City jersey for two more times before Mancini decided that it's time to part ways.

Balotelli is best remembered as a Man City player for his outstanding performance in the 6-1 thrashing of city rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford during the 2011-2012 season. He found the net twice in that game and people started to believe that he has the potential to be on par with Lionel Messi and co.

But with the Argentinian duo of Sergio Aguero and Carlos Tevez plus Bosinian hitman Edin Džeko in the same club, it wasn't always easy for Mario to shine. He did manage to make the headlines more than a couple of times though, for the wrong reasons.

After putting up commendable performances for Italy at Euro 2012, Balotelli's form has been deteriorating. This season, he is Man City's fourth-choice striker. What happened to the Super Mario who was once such a formidable figure on the field?

Balotelli is set to become the latest addition to the list of expensive failures, costly players who failed to make it at City, which includes Emmanuel Adebayor, Craig Bellamy and Robinho. While he can be destructive on the pitch, his off-field disorderliness have destructed his Man City career.

Population White Paper, a love letter

The government released the Population White Paper today. Here's a glance at what the latest love letter from yours truly PAP to the citizens is all about.

1. Improvements on the parenthood package.

No point improving on this when the cost of living continues to "improve".

2. Prevent a reduction in population by importing at least 15,000 new citizens per year.

That amount can go up to 25,000 and let's not forget about permanent residents. The PR population is expected to grow with approximately 30,000 foreigners being issued blue ICs annually.

3. Help new citizens integrate into Singapore's society

OMG. What the hell is this???

4. Two-thirds of Singaporeans will hold PMET jobs by 2030.

Being in a PMET job does not guarantee one to have greater financial freedom. Moreover, more and more of these jobs are being filled with foreign talent who are cheaper but probably not better.

5. Singaporeans plus foreign talent to deliver a competent economy.

Instead of delving into economics, why not we take a look at social issues first? China man, Pinoy and Singaporean hand in hand? You would need lots of imagination.

6. Decreasing workforce growth to 1% to 2% a year. By 2030 it will be 1% a year.

Nothing wrong with this since Singapore's population is ageing.

However, it was mentioned that relying less on foreign talent, better utilization of our resources and improving productivity is "the only sustainable way to grow the economy and raise real wages".

Even if a minimum wage is implemented eventually, we still have a weak purchasing power parity (even Malaysia and Thailand beat us) thanks to high price levels.

7. Invest in infrastructure, optimize land use and create new urban spaces.

PAP expects our population to hit, gasp, at least 5.8 million in seven years' time. This can go up to 6.9 million in 2030.
So they decide that building more MRT lines is the way to go in enhancing the public transport system.

Instead, lessening the burden of both public transport operators by outsourcing the role of rail operator (which maintains tracks and infrastructure) to a not-for-profit company may be a less complicated and effective solution.

Above are the 7 main points of the White Paper which you may choose not to read or read and forget about them. I think we'll be better off reading Bond Investing For Dummies.

By the way, the first sentence of the third paragraph under the Conclusion section is really questionable. "We must plan well ahead in order to build the best home for Singaporeans, both current and future."

The Lee Kuan Yew generation of ministers were indeed competent and far-sighted. The current men in white? Definitely still miles away from their predecessors. So, I find it very debatable and even controversial when the government says that it is planning ahead. Maybe planning ahead for their retirement and pension.

Lastly, according to our wonderful government, foreigners could make up almost half of the population by 2030. I hope that by 2016, opposition parties would amount to almost half of parliament.

41-megapixel Windows phone by Nokia?

 The father of all camera phones, Nokia Pureview 808. Looks like a grandfather is coming soon.

Nokia enjoyed a hectic 2012 with the launch of Luima 820 and Lumia 920, its new smartphones running on the Windows Phone 8 operating system. However, there are rumours that something bigger is coming in 2013. The Finnish company is planning to launch a new smartphone which has a whopping 41-megapixel camera.

At the Mibile World Congress 2012, Nokia has already showcased a handset with a 41-megapixel camera in the 808 Pureview. The only difference was that 808 Pureview runs on Symbian, an operating system which Nokia has officially said sayonara to.

Since Nokia 808 Pureview failed to make an impact in the smartphone market, Nokia may decide to roll out another mega-camera phone, one that is powered by Windows Phone 8.

Through the years, digital camera and lens manufacturers have had to deal with the increasing photographing potential of smartphones. The 41-megapixel camera phone which Nokia is reportedly launching may, once and for all, put a permanent dent in the market.

It is also rumoured that the new device will be named EOS. That reminds me of Canon and its DSLRs. I wonder what will Canon's reaction be if EOS was indeed used.

Although 41 megapixels sounds quite astonishing and somewhat ridiculous, I think that Nokia is moving towards being impractical. Samsung will still continue to rule the market after all.

What's the point of launching phones with such awesome cameras when IIs (Instagram Idiots, that's what I call them) can use the service to glam up (and unglam) their pictures? Also, what's the use of 41 megapixels if you do not have a decent amount of optimal zoom to go with?

To add on, one would probably be forced to resize pictures before being able to send them via Whatsapp. Users might also frown at the lengthy times taken to upload photos. Plus, the price might scare away many curious buyers who are constrained by their budgets.

But there may be a silver lining for Nokia.

If Nokia is able to combine its heavyweight megapixels with the float technology, they may be in to produce a phone that is capable of producing clearer and crisper pictures than its competitors

Punggol East by-election review

 I thought maybe I should put a picture of Nokia Lumia 900 to celebrate

At last, this is the 900th post! *claps, claps, claps* But that is not the end, I am aiming to reach the 1000th mark by this year. After that, I will consider whether to continue blogging or take a break. Anyway, back to the present, the ruling party lost another seat in parliament last night.

While some people think that the result was kind of unexpected, I find it completely normal. That is, even though Workers' Party won more than half (54.52%) of the valid votes. However, I pity both Kenneth Jeyaretnam and Desmond Lim who lost their $14,500 deposits.

I predicted that both the Reform Party and Singapore Democratic Alliance would be able to receive at least 12% but I guess Punggol East residents are more attracted to the hammer brand after all. So how did Lee Li Lian manage to beat PAP's Koh Poh Koon by more than 10%? The answer is pretty straightforward.

The majority of swing voters chose to support the opposition. Since the government is already formed, voters will focus more on the candidate than the party in a by-election. Ah Lian's victory shows that people want an MP who is "like them" so that he/she can serve them better.

Ah Koon, working as a surgeon, is the typical elite and high-calibre candidate which PAP is known for having. Nothing wrong with coming from the upper class but AH Koon lacks political sensitivity. His rivals seem to be able to "connect to the ground" better than him.

This by-election also highlights something important. A multi-cornered fight does not benefit the ruling party. If the brand of an opposition party is strong, it does not have to be afraid of batting another opposition party for fear that this might split the opposition vote.

In the next few days, there will definitely be one article or column in the newspapers which discusses moving towards a two-party system in Singapore. That's like scaling 3% of Mount Everest and claiming that you are near the peak.

Workers' Party may have changed the number of seats it has in parliament but in reality, our politics is still largely unchanged. But still, congratulations to Lee Li Lian and WP, I look forward to seeing you engage in more quality debates with PAP.

She Bangs She Bangs

Dubbed "the most significant event of the weekend" by her husband, Michelle Obama's new fringe has been garnering a lot of attention in America since she spotted the new hairstyle at the president's second inauguration.

While Barack Obama's oratory skills may have captivated the hearts of many, it was the bangs that his wife had which stole the show. Beyonce would have to thank those strands of hair for taking the limelight away from her lip-synced performance.

Michelle Obama has always been hitting the right notes as a fashionista, narrowly losing out to the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton. Not only does her new hairstyle suits her, it makes one think about the hidden meaning, if any, behind it.

From a fashion perspective, bangs have always been around but have only started to make an impact recently. Michelle Obama's choice of hairstyle clearly shows that she is in touch with the trends and possess good taste in grooming.

I think the bangs make an already young-looking First Lady even softer and more amiable. For your information, she just celebrated her 49th birthday last week. Even with tresses covering her forehead, Mrs. Obama doesn't look less fresh but surprisingly, the opposite.

Other than a fashion statement, I reckon that the bangs also make a political statement (since hubby is a politician). The haircut is meant to be seen as something new or revolutionary, something which Obama is looking forward to implement. Also, the fringe symbolizes America as an economy moving forward, keeping ahead with times.

Anyway, the critics are forever present to be wet blankets. At least one fashion editor took it to public about the First Lady's "royal behaviour". Michelle Obama reportedly requested 15 to 30 designers to submit entries before opting for Jason Wu's ruby-colored chiffon and velvet dress.

Jason Wu was also the architect of the First Lady's look at Barack's first inauguration four years ago. Some believed that going for the same stylist is a definite no-no but I thought it was alright, at least she pulled off the look.

Last but not least, there is an account on Twitter called FirstLadyBangs. Hillary Clinton should get some fashion tips from the First Lady after stepping down as Secretary of State.

Flying Wanton Noodles

The legendary flying wanton noodles from Johor Baru Jaya!!!

Punggol East by-election

You expected me to blog about the by-election in Punggol East didn't you? Well, I expected you to expect that so why not?

The last time Singapore saw a four-cornered electoral battle was the 2011 presidential election where Tony Tan won it unconvincingly. The current by-election, which also boasts four candidates, has several similarities to the presidential election.

Firstly, we have the conservative which is the PAP candidate and then the non-PAP candidate who hovers between right and centre on the political spectrum. The other two candidates sit between centre and left with one of them leaning more away from the middle.

No prizes for guessing who's who in the above paragraph.

Like the presidential election, the two candidates of higher winning probability have been the centre of attention of each other. The remaining duo are or used to be supportive of each other and they are expected to receive no more than one-third of the votes.

If it was a straight fight between PAP and the Workers' Party like the Hougang by-election, things would have been less interesting. The PAP would look like the only "bad guy" with the WP, being the opposition, criticizing it for its performance and policies.

However, the addition of Singapore Democratic Alliance and Reform Party has changed the roles of everyone. Both of them have criticized not only the PAP but also the WP. They believe that the WP is not doing enough despite having 8 seats in parliament.

They are certain that they can become the "third party" by presenting another side in parliament. In a whole, the biggest victim of this four-sided fight is WP. It not only has to spar with the PAP, dismiss claims by RP and SDA that it is not an effective opposition but also prove that it is the biggest (and maybe best) alternative party.

The advantage that PAP has in this by-election is that it is PAP. The PAP brand will definitely secure at least 30% of the votes, with brainwashed old folks making up the majority of this 30%.

At least another 30% of voters are hardcore non-PAP voters. This means that there are roughly 40% of swing votes which can go to either candidate. But the presence of two extra opposition parties will allow part of the 30% non-PAP votes to flow to them.

Assuming that 3 out of the 10 swing voters opt for the man in white, PAP would have garnered 42%, an amount which looks positive enough for a victory in a four-cornered election.

The candidates of RP and SDA would not see a defeat as a bad result since they managed to do some publicizing for their parties during the campaign. A defeat would also not feel like a defeat if they managed to get back their deposits for getting more than 12.5% of the votes.

So here is my prediction.

PAP: 37%
WP:  38%
SDA: 10%
RP:  15%

Despite facing attacks from three different sides, the Workers' Party will be able to make it through and claim an unglam victory over the PAP by a single percentage point.

SDA will be able to improve on its dismal 4.45% during the last general election but still lose the deposit. Newcomers (some label it as sabo king) Reform Party can receive a respectable 15% owing to the legacy of their founder, the late J.B. Jeyaretnam.

PAP have only themselves to blame for losing another seat in parliament. The greenhorn candidate which they decided on will cost them a number of previous votes which will go to the WP's candidate who had also contested in Punggol East in the last GE.

Oh, and nothing much will change after all since WP is rather patient and compassionate towards PAP.

RIP: Ah Nan

 
It was absolutely shocking to learn that actor and getai veteran Ah Nan has passed away today. Singapore, especially J Team, has lost a great talent in entertainment. I will always remember him as the sissy An Beng in I Do I Do and the chao keng reservist guy in The Ghosts Must Be Crazy. RIP Ah Nan.

Aeroplane Chess

Yesterday was the first time I played aeroplane chess in more than three years. My friends and I were so "into it" that we decided to continue playing this board game today. Playing aeroplane chess always gives me a nostalgic feeling. The older I get, the stronger the feeling. Anyway, I decided to blog about it since I am currently enjoying it.

Compared to other massively multiplayer role-playing board games (MMRPBG [do not confuse with MMORPG]), the funnest thing about aeroplane chess is that you can "kick" fellow players. This happens when you land on the spot of your opponent and send his plane back to the hangar.

In case you are completely out of the gaming circle, I shall use my my years of experience playing this 1%-skill, 99%-luck game to list several types of aeroplane chess players to give you a better understanding of it.

The Patient Guy

I am uncertain about how the games works in other countries but for the Singapore version, you can only move a piece out of the hangar if you roll 1 or 6. Unfortunately, there will always be one player who keeps rolling 2, 3, 4 or 5 for a long time before he finally gets to make his first grand move.

The Kicker

His objective is not to fly all his pieces to the central base ASAP. Instead, he prefers to stick close to his opponents and "kick" them whenever an opportunity comes by. Having this type of players would definitely increase the entertainment value of the game.

The Stacker

Loves to stack his pieces for the sake of convenience. However, his stacked pieces usually gets kicked by the Kicker or another player who just happened to land there.

The Camper

Players of this type will not move their pieces out immediately after getting them out of the hangar. They prefer to wait for an opponent's piece to pass by theirs before launching a chase.

The Jet

As the name suggests, this type of players move their pieces at a much faster rate than others. They always happen to land on a spot which is the same colour as their piece and are entitled to "hop" four spots to the next one of the same colour.

The Victim

Every game will definitely have one of them. The other three players will gang up against him because of his dominance n the game or he just happened to have lots of bad luck on that day as he keeps getting "kicked" innocently.

***

Although my win rate in aeroplane chess is less than 50%, I don't think that it is because of mediocre skills (heck, this game doesn't require skills!) but the fact that I am a Camper type of player. Most of the time when somebody passes by me and I give chase, I always end up being the loser of the chase.

The rules of aeroplane chess can also be tweaked to add more fun, laughter and difficulty. For example, every hangar would consist of the four different colours at the start of the game to make different pieces closer to one another. Or, players may opt to move in the reverse direction after completing one round (this is obviously for the kicker who places greater emphasis on kicking than winning the game).

If possible, do find the time to play a couple of customized aeroplane chess games with your family, colleagues or buddies. Use your creativity to make the game as fun as possible. Not only do you get to showcase your inventiveness, you would also get bond with others over laughs and "kicks"

Dogs for life

If you disagree that dogs are man's best friend, then you definitely have to admit that they are the best mourners of the animal kingdom.

Tommy, a German shepherd, has been runnng to the church its owner Maria Margherita Lochi used to go to before she passed away in November last year. The canine has been showing up for Mass daily for the past couple of months. The church was also where its owner's funeral was held at.

Lochi had adopted Tommy, then a stray dog, and both owner and pet have been to services at the Santa Assunta church in San Donaci, Italy ever since. After the unfortunate news of Lochi, Tommy was adopted by the village community with residents giving it food and water.

Churchgoers have generally spoke positive things about the heartbroken dog. It was said to have been rather quiet (unlike a dog) and waited patiently. No complaints by parishioners was ever lodged against it.

I personally would not choose a dog as a pet, not even the cutest one. But I believe that most dog owners are right about their reasons of keeping one. A dog is actually a pretty good investment if you provide it with proper training and nutrition.

If only all the dogs in the world could behave like Tommy. Then the nosiest living thing on earth might probably be China people then. Woof that!

National Service: Before and After

I was thinking about this earlier today and am 100% sure that almost 100% male (and maybe female) Singaporeans will agree with me. It was actually a pretty long thought so I decided to summarize things into a few simple sentences. Take your time to read and give some comments.

Before Enlistment: NS is a waste of time. We waste two years of our lives to protect foreigners who come and go. Oh, and I need to wake up at unearthly reveille times, eat army food, sleep on some lousy bed and there goes the 60-dollar haircut I did at La Coco.

During full-time service: Why am I stuck in this camp? The food is still edible although I'm sick of the same stuff. The bed still can make it lah. At least I am not a botak anymore. Never mind. I can endure this. 2 more days to book out day and ORD in 497 days!

After ORD: Whoo! National service wasn't that bad after all. It is an honour to serve and you get to learn and know many important things in life. I made lots of friends too. Plus, I am both physically and mentally stronger now!

After receiving reservist letter: NS is sh*t lah!!!

A tale of three colours

Once upon a time, three friends, Red, Green and Orange, were chatting with one another. All three of them are subscribers of three different telecommunications companies and the topic about their service providers was naturally brought up. Red uses Meeyo, Green subscribes to Escivi while Orange is a customer of Sunny.

Orange: !@#$%^&* Sunny was down for more than 2 goddamn days earlier this week!
Red: Choose Meeyo lah, always the best coverage...
Green: But they don't have good service, Escivi is better.
Orange: Really? But I still think Sunny rocks in terms of customer service.
Green: No, no way, that's...
Orange: yeah I know but they provide shit.
Red: Meeyo please, just liberalize yourself dude.
Green: Not every single part of the country has Meeyo reception okay?
Red: At least it is has the widest coverage.
Orange: Think I'll still stick to Sunny.
Red and Green: What?
Orange: Cos they have good phone deals all the time.
Green: Rubbish! They're just compensating for their lack of coverage.
Red: Meeyo lor.
Orange: Ok ok but I am seriously fed up with Sunny, they are starting to look like the trains.
Green: Breaking down frequently?
Red: Ya la, so please make the wise choice. Meeyo.
Orange: Haha but Meeyo Tele seems to be even worse than the trains.
Green: Yeah, it encounters problems almost every two weeks.
Red: Whenever there's an EPL game live...
Green: So it's your turn to do the ditching now. Escivi please.
Orange: That's nonsense, the current Escivi only has the German league and some erm, Japanese league?
Red: Ok, they still have some cricket matches which the Ah Nehs love and I have totally no interest in.
Green: They'll grow back eventually. Just wait, Meeyo Tele's lousy quality will cost it.
Orange: Oh! Check out what's on my iPhone!
Green: Sunny wants to express its erm, sincere appreciation, hmmm shouldn't it be apologies? Er, to the affected blah blah blah and understanding.
Red: Wow! Dude, you just got 3 days' worth of free calls during that long weekend!
Green: And it's during the festive period! I can foresee you sms-ing us all kinds of greetings during then.
Orange: Aiyah, forever like that one lah!
Red: Like what?
Orange: Spoil liao then give people free service, Sunny forever same pattern one. Last time also like that.
Green: At least they bothered to offer free service after screwing up. Look at the trains, do they ever offer free rides after breaking down?

RIP Aaron Swartz

Aaron Swartz, a co-founder of the popular social news website Reddit, has committed suicide at his home on Friday. The computer prodigy left the world at a mere age of 26 years. Swartz decided to end his life just weeks before he was to be tried for felony fraud charges.

Since his adolescent days, Swartz worked on the creation of Rich Site Summary or better known as RSS. Later, he co-founded Reddit, a news-sharing site which allows users to submit content via a post or link.

The latest casualty of the world's IT wizards will always be remembered as an activist that supported the idea of having information available to the public for free. "Information is power. But like all power, there are those who want to keep it for themselves." One of his most famous quotes goes like this.

The accusations which Swartz faced includes breaching the terms of sites, obtaining information from protected computers as well as sharing downloaded files via peer-to-peer networks.

He ever stole more than four million articles from JSTOR, an online archive and journal distribution service, using the computer networks of MIT but the latter opted not to press any charges against him after the articles were reclaimed.

Aaron Swartz's sudden death has shocked many especially those who surf Reddit like myself although i only do it occasionally. He may be gone but Swartz leaves behind a legacy as he joins Steve Jobs in the world's hall of fame of computer masters.

Family Engagement Day

My unit organized its 2013 Family Engagement Day this morning. Essentially, it is an event where the family and friends of servicemen are invited to his camp to understand more about the role he plays in National Service. As I did not bring any guests, I ended up as part of the workers' party...oops I mean the working party.

Call it cheapskate or stingy, every guest was given a goodie bag. But do you know what goodie bag is that? It's the accessory pack (the one with ultra-hard biscuits, super-sweet powdered beverages and low-quality tissue) that soldiers are given during outfield exercises.

I was thinking why not given them a couple of "tasty" combat rations too to complete the military look. You can see how budget the army is even when holding events that determine how it fairs in the eyes of civilians. Even a nice-looking pen (that lasts for only 3 days) would be regarded as a worthier gift.

Anyway, the usual wayang show whenever non-military personnel are present is up again today. The talks and presentations by the commanders were absolutely not 100% true and accurate. I do have experience of the certain topics mentioned during the talks and I just felt helpless watching the audience listening to (and maybe believing) what those in green have are saying.

However, it wasn't a failed show. The flow of events, service provided and time management were all commendable. Ample time was allocated for each sub-event and there was hardly any confusion in between the different areas. Those who ate lunch at the cookhouse also felt that the food was better than usual.

Prior to Family Engagement Day, we were forced tasked to do a massive clean-up of our accommodations for obvious reasons. It was the toughest most thorough cleaning I ever did to my bunk and I could barely see any visible difference after spending more than six (unpaid) work hours on it.

I decided to think positively and view the cleaning as an annual spring cleaning. Our bunks looks very "unoriginal" today as all the bedsheets, pillow cases, blankets and the way they are placed are the same. Not to mention how flawless our windows were in such a dusty camp like Sungei Gedong.

If you wanna show what the army really is to parents, why not show them the real, authentic and honest side of it? And showing the real side doesn't include giving outfield food items to visitors!

Bend It like Samsung

Samsung has unveiled a mobile phone with a flexible screen. One that can be rolled up and unrolled like a piece of paper. The bendy display technology wowed the audience of the ongoing CES 2013 show in Las Vegas. It doesn't look like it's capable of being folded into half but the rolling is already quite impressive.

The Korean electronics company utilizes organic light-emitting diodes, also known as OLEDs. This is the technology used in many smartphones currently in the market but the bendy device by Samsung is encased in plastic instead of glass.

This flexible screen gives us hope that one day, we may finally be able to put a big phone like the Galaxy S III into our pockets without making our thighs feel uncomfortable or allow it to occupy less space in a small bag.

Known as "Youm", the new display does has its disadvantages as well together with the convenience that it offers users. OLED chemicals are rather sensitive to oxygen. Hence, they need to be entirely sealed off from the air. This is the part that has been production for quite some time.

While there is still a long way to go before a real phone with such flexibility appears in the market, I foresee Samsung to deliver it in the next few years. Maybe Apple will do a copycat and then claim that it's theirs followed by another round of lawsuits.

Girls' Generation: I Got a Boy

Girls' Generation has returned to the K-pop scene since New Year's Day. After a long an obviously profit-inspired venture into the Japanese market last year, they are back with the hit song, I Got a Boy.

Hooray!!! Fans of the 9-member group will say. However, the new image which the girls spot this time somehow don't seem to suit them. That is at least my opinion and I have the freedom to state my opinion on this blog.

The edgier and more colourful look reminds one of SNSD's direct rival, 2NE1. Those oversized and bright-coloured outfits hardly complements their style. Snoop Dogg would be disappointed to know that a non-rapper tried copying his fashion and failed.

And the lyrics of I Got a Boy is just so typical K-pop and uncreative to a certain extent. "I got a boy, a handsome one, I got a boy, a kind one". That is something which only rookie girl groups will perform. Even Skarf can do better than that.

Last but not least to Sunny and your hairstylist. Please change your hairstyle. Stop deceiving yourself, the purple hair really looks atrocious on you. Are you trying to act like 2NE1's Minzy? And is Tiffany copying Bom's style? What about Hyoyeon's multi-coloured tresses?

This comeback is a big failure. The fans waited for more than a year but it wasn't worth the wait. Maybe they had concentrated too much on the lucrative Japanese market.

Daniel Sturridge

Although I believe that 12 million for Daniel Sturridge is a little expensive, I have a feeling that he is what Liverpool are lacking in the final third. His pace would no doubt make him a central player in the squad, attacking directly from the middle, unlike his time at Chelsea when he was deployed on the wings.

The acquisition of the English forward means that Luis Suarez will have to take up a different role and position in manager Breden Rodgers' preferred 4-3-3 formation. My guess is that the Uruguayan will be used as an unorthodox winger on the left side, cutting in with his right foot to shoot or make a decisive pass into the penalty box.

Sturridge is definitely not an Andy Caroll number two as his agility and speed suits Liverpool's style of play perfectly. Suarez and his new Liverpool teammate can combine to be a lethal strikeforce, not as a double-headed spear but one that curves inwards and outwards like the shape of "S". And with the exciting Raheem Sterling on the right, the Reds' front three would look complicated and confusing to deal with for most defenders.

Thinking back, I felt relieved that Liverpool failed to sign Clint Dempsey in the previous transfer window. If Dempsey had crossed over to Anfield then, Sturridge might not have signed now. Sturridge, despite costing more than Dempsey, is younger and more athletic. The young man is also English (Dempsey might go back to his native America in a couple of years' time when he starts to be past his prime).

Sturridge had to play second fiddle to Didier Drogba, and then Fernando Torres, during his Chelsea days. He was eventually loaned to Bolton Wanderers for a period of time in which he scored eight goals in twelve matches. The man has proven that, when given the opportunity, he is able to deliver and Rodgers should not sacrifice him and continue using Suarez as the main focus of the team's attack.

I wonder who's next to join Liverpool. Me? Maybe.

Things which will (definitely) not happen in 2013

Enough of all the predictions that newspapers are been publishing for 2013. Here, I have a list of things which will certainly not take place this year. I swear that every single one of them will not occur. Believe?

1. The government will announce that the economy is slowing down and decides to take a massive pay cut.

2. More "Singapore Conversation" sessions will be held to and lots of action will be taken to address the issues.

3. No more foreigners declaring their dislike of Singapore and its citizens on the internet.

4. iPhone users stop complaining about their devices and opt for a different brand.

5. The new coach of the national football team is a local.

6. COE prices decrease

7. ECs cease to hog the headlines

8. Punggol East will not have a by-election.

9. Xi Jinping is not the new president of China after all.

10. Shinzo Abe maintains his popularity among the Japanese people throughout the year.

11. South Korean president Park Geunhye finally gets married.

12. Angela Merkel loses in the German elections.

13. Barack Obama has less grey hair.

14. Julian Gillard resigns as Australian PM.

15. Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez are back together.

16. South Korean vairety show Running Man records its last episode.

17. TVB actresses Tavia Yeung and Kate Tsui become best friends.

18. Aaron Kwok decides to marry Lynn Xiong.

19. Channel 8 wins Best Drama at the Asian Television Awards.

20. Jay Chou retires from the entertainment industry.

21. Alien Huang's popularity and album sales overtake Show Luo's.

22. Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are not nominated for the World's Best Player award.

23. Tiger Woods retires from golf.

24. Sebastian Vettel joins another F1 team.

25. David Beckham hangs up his boots and becomes a coach.

26. Lee Bee Wah takes over Li Jiawei and becomes a table tennis player at last.

27. S League matches will see a boost in attendance.

28. Psy will lose weight and show off his six-pack abs.

29. Manny Parcquiao decides to quit boxing.

30. A significant decrease in the number of K-pop concerts and events in Singapore.

31. Greece, Portugal and other debt-swamped European nations become free of debt.

32. Euro crisis miraculously comes to an end.

33. Syria's president Bashar al-Assad remain in power.

34. North Korea and Iran stop their nuclear programmes.

35. Apple stops filing lawsuits against its competitors.

36. You will stop reading this blog.