Zan - My Blog

Stressful Singapore?

2011-11-06T07:53:00.001+08:00

Has Singapore really become such a stressful place to live in?

The following are the news reports:
Nov 5: Body of a Chinese man was found in Bedok Reservoir on Saturday morning. This is the 6th body to be found in Bedok Reservoir since June this year.
Nov 2: A 26-year-old Vietnamese woman (Truong Thi Ngoh Anh) was found dead at the foot of a block in Woodlands early Wednesday morning, nearly 6 months after a corpse was discovered in a water tank of the same block. She is believed to have fallen to her death from the 6th story of block 686B Woodlands Street 73.
Oct 25: Body of a Chinese woman in her late 50s dressed in a red was found floating in Bedok Reservoir on Tuesday morning.
Oct 10: Body of a 33-year-old Indian construction worker was found in Bedok Reservoir on Monday morning.
Sep 22: The bodies of a 32-year-old young woman and her 3-year-old son (Tan Sze Sze and her son Jerald Chin Le Hui) were found by the shoreline of Bedok Reservoir on Thursday morning. Both were dressed in red.
Jun 20: The decomposed lower body of a 23-year-old Chinese national (Lin Xiao) was found in Bedok Reservoir.

If you're stressed, have desserts! As desserts are spelt the reverse of 'stressed’.

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life

2011-11-03T23:22:00.003+08:00

Don't you feel as if every now and then, life seems to get you down; and sometimes you feel as if you have hit rock bottom that you fear you'll never get out of it? Well at times like this, since it can't possibly get any worse, there's nothing to lose when you look on the bright side of life.

From the film Monty Python's Life of Brian, Always Look on the Bright Side of Life

Some things in life are bad, they can really make you mad
Other things just make you swear and curse.
When you're chewing on life's gristle
Don't grumble, give a whistle and this'll help things turn out for the best...

And...always look on the bright side of life ~whistle~
Always look on the light side of life ~whistle~

If life seems jolly rotten, there's something you've forgotten
And that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing.
When you're feeling in the dumps, don't be silly chumps
Just purse your lips and whistle - that's the thing.

For life is quite absurd and death's the final word
You must always face the curtain with a bow.
Forget about your sin - give the audience a grin
Enjoy it - it's your last chance anyhow.

Life's a piece of shit, when you look at it
Life's a laugh and death's a joke, it's true.
You'll see it's all a show, keep 'em laughing as you go
Just remember that the last laugh is on you.

(See also: Donkey)

Happiness is...?

2011-10-25T14:57:00.000+08:00

According to Minister for National Development, Mr Khaw Boon Wan, in his Parliamentary speech, "happiness is an affordable first home for all newlyweds". Indeed, the high prices and difficulty in bidding for a HDB (Housing Development Board) apartment has delayed wedding plans or even setting up a family for several newlyweds in Singapore, which would inevitably affect the already low birth rate that we are experiencing.

Yet in a recent study called "The Happiness Report", it was found that Singaporeans most unhappy about insufficient savings with 46.5% of those polled reported a lack of sufficient savings in the last 6 months, especially prevalent among those aged between 30 and 44-years-old. The report also predicted this number to rise in view of stagnant wages, inflation and higher costs of living that may occur in the wake of a possible recession. Indeed the latest figures from the Department of Statistics show Singapore's inflation up 5.5% in September. Singapore's consumer price index (CPI) rose by 5.5% compared to a year ago, due to higher costs of accommodation, private road transport and food. The average working Singaporean gets an annual wage increase of about 3% and with bank savings interest rates at only about 0.05%, it can only mean real income is getting smaller for the average Singaporean.

I guess happiness means different things to different people at different times. So what is happiness to you now?

Opposition who?

2011-10-23T00:15:00.000+08:00

For starters, my blog has always been non-political and will continue to be that way. It is just a blog for random thoughts and from time to time I also share the thoughts of those around me. Recently, the parliamentary speeches has been the hot topic in the pantry. Worth noting was the speech by MP for Aljunied GRC, Mr Chen Show Mao, who clarified the position of the opposition party was not to create division and quote "It is the intolerance of differences that will be divisive." In his speech, he also quoted from former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr George Yeo, "In a newspaper interview, former Minister for Foreign Affairs George Yeo related what a Roman Catholic cardinal told him about the late Pope John Paul the Second. The cardinal had drafted, “Even though we’re all different because we speak different languages, we are one”. The Pope corrected him. “No, it is not even though we’re different, we are one. It is because we are different, we are one.” Mr Yeo then said, “I thought that was so profound and beautiful. In my first speech to the United Nations, I repeated that story because in the UN, it is also because we are different that we are one. To be a human being is to be different."

Fellow MP for Aljunied GRC, Mr Low Thia Khiang, reinforced this idea in his speech and warned that "We should also be on guard against viewing trade-offs only from the Government’s perspective. We should always assess trade-offs from the people’s perspective, especially those who are severely affected by the policy." And also, "urge the PAP to step out of the shadow of the doom and gloom of certain pitfalls of western liberal democracy and work towards a First World Parliament in our own way."

While the above speeches by the Worker's Party (also known as the "opposition party") had drawn criticisms from ruling party (PAP) bench, there were those who were more positive like MP for Sengkang West, Dr Lam Pin Min, who in his speech sums it up by saying, "it is clear that all of us can agree on one fundamental tenet that we, as parliamentarians, will strive to make Singapore a better home for all Singaporeans" Indeed the ministers and members of parliament (MPs) should view themselves as serving the common good of all Singaporeans and not as separate political parties. Perhaps the term "opposition party" is partly the cause of the mis-perception that it is one that opposes the ruling government. But let's just say if the ruling party were to concede power to the other party, then won't that make the ruling party into the opposition party now?

Maybe it would be a good idea to just scrap using the term "opposition party" and just address a person by the appointment e.g. MP or call the party's name as it is when required. Unlike a school debate where there is a proposition team and an opposition team to a particular motion / topic, different parties will experience times when they have different opinions as well as times when they are in agreement on various issues that affect our nation - but the eventual objective of the discussion is to work towards creating a better Singapore for Singaporeans.

2011-10-20T12:53:00.000+08:00

After much deliberation, I've decided to sign up for a Twitter account and this would be used to replace the Shoutbox which was originally on the right hand column of my blog. With Twitter, I would have the option of dropping short snippets of updates of my blog as well as some short random thoughts. You can follow me on Twitter via: http://twitter.com/zanmyblog

Also if you were wondering about the strange profile pictures, those are QR codes and you can use your smart mobile device to scan the codes of links to my blog quickly. I've also decided to remove the Flickr photostream from my blog. For feedback, you can always reply me via Twitter or post a comment to the blog posts.

Public | Transport

2011-10-19T19:47:00.002+08:00

There seems to be a disconnect between the public and the transport system in Singapore. Since my earlier blog entry about the transport woes in Singapore, where it was reported 26,600 passengers were affected in the Circle Line downtime, SMRT has repeatedly appeared in the news especially the past week, here's a quick compilation:

1. After 10 years, the Circle Line now fully opened on Oct 8 (Sat). However by Oct 13 (Thu), it was reported that unexpected demand creates human jams at Circle Line where higher-than-expected ridership during peak hours at the newly opened Circle Line caught train operator SMRT by surprise.

2. On Oct 13 (Thu), it was reported that Thai teen to ask SMRT for S$4m in compensation. Nitcharee Peneakchanasak who lost both her legs in a train accident at Ang Mo Kio MRT station in April will be asking SMRT for at least S$4 million in compensation.

3. 6,500 MRT commuters affected by train breakdown on Oct 14 (Fri) afternoon, resulting in a human jam at Tanjong Pagar MRT station, where fare gates had to be temporarily closed due to the platforms becoming congested with commuters unable to board a train.

4. Oct 18 (Tue), SMRT fined $200,000 for Bishan depot security breach for an incident that happened earlier this year on Aug 17, when graffiti was found on a northbound MRT train. SMRT had been previously fined $50,000 for a similar incident that took place in May 2010 at its Changi facility. The fine collected will be donated to the Public Transport Fund to help needy families with transport fares.

It is apparent from above that SMRT's service standards is appalling and has continually dropped. It seems that fines may not be the solution as it's possible that the burden of higher operating costs may be passed on to passengers in the form of higher fares. Being a public transport provider, which means there's practically no alternatives, it is no wonder that the people in Singapore are turning to the government to step in and clear up the mess.

Hot Air

2011-10-08T08:44:00.000+08:00

It's the weekend already and just to share a joke from a professor who was teaching me:

There were once 3 CEOs (Chief Executive Officers) travelling in a hot air balloon and seemed to be lost. They saw a wise-looking man below and decided to ask him for directions, "Excuse me, could you tell us where are we?" The guy was a professor and he replied, "You are in a hot air balloon." The 3 CEOs were rather cheesed off with the response and one of them told him, "You must be a professor." And the professor looking pleasantly surprised, replied, "How did you know?" "What you said is correct, but not useful."

Now the professor was very cheesed and he said, "You must be CEOs." The 3 CEOs were very surprised that the professor could arrive at such an analysis and were curious, "How did you know?" "The only students I've taught who are so high up but don't where they are, are CEOs."

A tribute to Steve Jobs

2011-10-06T15:06:00.000+08:00

I don't claim to fan of Apple products but there's something about the visionary leadership of the founder & previous CEO of Apple, Steve Jobs. Steven Paul Jobs (family name following his adopted parents) who was born 24 February 1955 left this world on 5 October 2011 at age 56 after battling with pancreatic cancer, with the world mourning for him. There's probably a lot of tributes going around but here's a brief summary about this great man:

In the late 1970s, Steve Jobs with co-founder Steve Wozniak, Mike Markkula and others, designed, developed, and marketed one of the first commercially successful lines of personal computers, the Apple II series. In the early 1980s, Jobs was among the first to see the commercial potential of Xerox PARC's mouse-driven graphical user interface, which led to the creation of the Apple Lisa and, one year later, the Macintosh. However after losing a power struggle with the board of directors in 1985, Jobs left Apple and founded NeXT, a computer platform development company specializing in the higher-education and business markets. In 1986, he acquired the computer graphics division of Lucasfilm Ltd, which was spun off as Pixar Animation Studios, that made blockbuster computer animation movies like Toy Story. He remained CEO and majority shareholder at 50.1% until its acquisition by The Walt Disney Company in 2006, making Jobs Disney's largest individual shareholder at 7% and a member of Disney's Board of Directors. Apple's 1996 buyout of NeXT brought Jobs back to the company he co-founded, and he served as its interim CEO from 1997, then becoming permanent CEO from 2000 onwards, spearheading the creation of world-changing products like the iPod, iPhone and iPad. To sum up his attitude, he once quoted ice hockey player, Wayne Gretzky, "I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been."

Below is his Stanford commencement address in 2005:

Farewell, Steve Jobs!

Donkey

2011-10-04T12:59:00.002+08:00

I'm not sure if you've heard this story before but it might be worth sharing:

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey. He invited all his neighbours to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realised what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he quietened down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer's neighbours continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a stepping stone. We can get out of the deepest well just by not stopping and never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.

Things to like about Singapore

2011-10-03T09:52:00.000+08:00

There have been a lot of articles in the recent news on the unhappiness of Singaporeans; from the litterbug culture, to the stressful education system that our poor kids face, the rising divisiveness in our society, increasing number of doctors in bad practice, and of course, the transport woes in Singapore. Singapore is far from perfect. There are many things we can do better and the process of improvement always begin with recognising the problems.

Yet ask any Singaporean who has traveled extensively enough, there are many things to like about this little island we call home. One of the things that many Singaporeans may have taken for granted is the fixed price policy. Sure, there are those who love a good haggle and bargaining is in their blood, but after a while it can become tiring not knowing how to much to pay for a product or service; there are places you have to worry how much to pay for meal what with all the taxes and tips (which can become a touchy issue with the waiters); or not knowing how much to pay for taxi and having to do mental estimate of the distance before even getting to your destination; not knowing if have been ripped off paying for a counterfeit product. And that doesn't even begin to cover how in Singapore, service is expected to be prompt. I was once in Leonardo Da Vinci airport in Rome, waiting for a flight back to Singapore with a group of friends. We had about an hour to go and feeling a little peckish, we decided to order sandwiches and coffee. However, despite having no queues, the airport cafe staff took their own sweet time to prepare the food and by the time we got our order, we had less than 10 minutes to get to the boarding gate. Gentle reminders from my friend didn't help at all. In Singapore, there are ample manned paying counters and transactions are a breeze.

Many people feel that the system in Singapore is too rigid but look at it from another angle, there is a sense of certainty in our society right from the way our country is governed down to the fixed price policy and the expectation of prompt service.

Litterbugs

2011-09-29T10:27:00.002+08:00

One of my pet peeves is littering. I cannot understand how people just drop their rubbish anywhere they like and probably expect other people to pick up after them. Firstly, the rubbish harms the environment and makes the place dirty and unhygienic. One of the worst cases of littering I have seen is when a mother asks her young daughter to throw a piece of tissue paper on the ground blatantly in public. I wonder if that is the way how many people were brought up to have such disregard and disrespect for the environment that we all live in. Maybe in a society like Singapore where typically both parents are working, many Singaporeans were brought up with maids (or domestic helpers as they are commonly referred to as now) and have this mentality that their maids will pick up after them?

A survey by NEA (National Environment Agency) revealed that 1 in 4 people would litter if they knew they could get away with it and a New council to tackle filthy toilets and littering has been set up as reported by Yahoo! news. The new Public Hygiene Council would improve future cleanliness campaigns and plans to move away from the "top-down approach of the past" by making use of modern social media for public education. Council chairman Liak Teng Lit mentioned that residents should not rely on professional cleaners but instead, help to clean up the country they live in, and commented “We have a First World country's infrastructure but we look like a Third World country sometimes.”

In Japan, after eating in fast food restaurant, diners clean up after themselves and take their trays to the bin to empty their rubbish according to the type (paper, plastic, etc). There is a culture where the people generally do not litter and the streets are clean. Singaporeans really need to kick the bad habit of littering.

Poor kids

2011-09-26T14:33:00.000+08:00

In an article by Asiaone, Parents call for more manageable workload for children. It seems school children these days are facing increasing workload in terms of assignments and tighter deadlines. No wonder there are more reports these days of children facing immense stress leading to suicide and behaving strangely. Indeed the education ministry needs to look into matter and probably a revamp of the education system might be in order before the lives of the future generation of Singapore gets ruined.

Rising divisiveness

2011-09-25T13:35:00.000+08:00

Seah Chiang Nee, a journalist for The Star, wrote an article on Rising level of divisiveness in Singapore. This follows the report on newly-appointed CEO of Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS), Isabella Loh, who came under public fire after she abruptly cancelled a Halloween Horrors event at Night Safari, just 2 weeks before the actual commencement. The controversy purported that she made this abrupt decision following a visit from newly-appointed President Tony Tan who commented that the park should have more family-oriented and wholesome activities. "This stirred anger among 1,000 fans who had bought advance tickets, some staff members and 17 polytechnic students, who were taking part in it as a final-year grading exercise. The outcry shows the pace of change here and how strongly young Singaporeans would respond to a top-down policy decision, taken without a rational explanation."

The question asked was if it is a case of being too eager to please a certain political figure, to cancel it just 2 weeks before the event and write off losses of almost a million dollars in preparations, when alternatively she could have let this year's event to go on and cancel all subsequent events? It was reported that staff had advised her otherwise on several issues but she had bulldozed and insisted on her ways, and if this attitude persists, it is likely that the staff will suffer and some will even leave (see also article from The New Paper: Night Safari staff divided over canned event).

The bigger issue behind it is that the ‘Political divide must not become national divide’ as advised by former minister mentor Lee Kuan Yew when addressing undergraduates at the Nanyang Technological University ministerial forum, "as the latter situation will mar the country's performance and growth."

Just be yourself

2011-09-24T21:02:00.000+08:00

I had a long chat with a friend last night as she was getting depressed with work and life. Despite the weekend being just round the corner, she was feeling out of sorts and simply disinterested in everything. In a modern fast-paced society like Singapore, depression is something real and I believe it affects almost everyone at some point in time of varying extent. Further chatting revealed that she was feeling down because she couldn't keep up with the never-ending work expectations and suspected that it could be due to her incompetence. She felt that there were others in her office whom were doing lesser but getting the recognition that she should rightfully deserve as it was her effort. This feeling of injustice led her to question her sense of self worth. Having seen her at work before, I assured her that indeed she was doing excellent job but failure to get her due reward and recognition was purely political. There was no point making herself miserable as it is simply impossible to please everyone - what matters more is to stay true to herself and her values. She agreed as what goes around, comes around and eventually those who do wrong to others will get their just deserts.

Jim Croce - I Got a Name
Like the pine trees lining the winding road, I've got a name, I've got a name
Like the singing bird and the croaking toad, I've got a name, I've got a name
And I carry it with me like my daddy did
But I'm living the dream that he kept hid
Moving me down the highway, rolling me down the highway
Moving ahead so life won't pass me by

Like the North wind whistling down the sky, I've got a song, I've got a song
Like the whip-poor-will and the babies crying, I've got a song, I've got a song
And I carry it with me and I sing it loud
If it gets me nowhere, I'll go there proud
Moving me down the highway, rolling me down the highway
Moving ahead so life won't pass me by

And I'm gonna go there free,
Like the fool I am and I'll always be, I've got a dream, I've got a dream
They can change their minds but they can't change me, I've got a dream, I've got a dream
I know I could share it if you want me to, if you're going my way I'll go with you
Moving me down the highway, rolling me down the highway
Moving ahead so life won't pass me by

Exploiting Generosity?

2011-09-23T12:49:00.000+08:00

It was reported in a news article from The New Paper that Generous Singaporeans are being exploited and Nee Soon GRC Member of Parliament (MP) Lee Bee Wah will not hesitate to take action when she sees foreigners who come to here to beg illegally. These foreigners who are usually on social visit pass and do not have a letter of endorsement to busk, are exploiting kind-hearted nature of Singaporeans by pretending to be handicapped or blind. It is likely these phonies are part of a syndicate that are out to cheat both the feelings and money of many unsuspecting Singaporeans who have no way to determine if they are genuine or fake at first glance. Indeed these fakes need to be apprehended or in the long run, Singaporeans will become skeptical of being charitable.

Doctor Doctor

2011-09-21T10:29:00.002+08:00

The medical profession is such a noble one bound with the ethics of saving lives. All healthcare personnel are sworn to the some contemporary form of the Hippocratic Oath (getting its name from the ancient Greek 'father of medicine') for which the original version as translated by J Chadwick and WN Mann, 1950 reads:

I swear by Apollo the healer, by Aesculapius, by Health and all the powers of healing, and call to witness all the gods and goddesses that I may keep this Oath and Promise to the best of my ability and judgement. I will pay the same respect to my master in the Science as to my parents and share my life with him and pay all my debts to him. I will regard his sons as my brothers and teach them the Science, if they desire to learn it, without fee or contract. I will hand on precepts, lectures and all other learning to my sons, to those of my master and to those pupils duly apprenticed and sworn, and to none other. I will use my power to help the sick to the best of my ability and judgement; I will abstain from harming or wronging any man by it. I will not give a fatal draught to anyone if I am asked, nor will I suggest any such thing. Neither will I give a woman means to procure an abortion. I will be chaste and religious in my life and in my practice. I will not cut, even for the stone, but I will leave such procedures to the practitioners of that craft. Whenever I go into a house, I will go to help the sick and never with the intention of doing harm or injury. I will not abuse my position to indulge in sexual contacts with the bodies of women or of men, whether they be freemen or slaves. Whatever I see or hear, professionally or privately, which ought not to be divulged, I will keep secret and tell no one. If, therefore, I observe this Oath and do not violate it, may I prosper both in my life and in my profession, earning good repute among all men for my time. If I transgress and forswear this oath, may my lot be otherwise.

Yet in recent times, we begin to hear increasing news of doctors and other healthcare professionals flouting the rules and putting clients' health and in some cases, lives in jeopardy. (See today's The New Paper article by reporter Teh Jen Lee Are more doctors getting into trouble?) This is indeed a worrying trend. To make matters worse, some doctors have even begun glamorizing their profession and leading others to pursue a path of fame and fortune over a profession that is supposed heal people regardless of their background. Even with the advance of medical technology, healthcare costs have continued to rise. The idiom goes, an apple a day keeps the doctor away, and at the rate things go, it's better to stay healthy and avoid seeing the doctor.

Transport Woes in Singapore

2011-09-20T11:20:00.000+08:00

It was a crazy morning for a number of my friends who usually commute via the SMRT to work. Once again, SMRT has disappointed Singaporeans with their dismal performance and negligence. It is reported in SPH Asiaone article that 26,600 passengers affected in Circle Line downtime and SMRT has offered refund within next 3 days for those affected by the power failure resulting from a faulty cable located below the platform level of Dakota Station. However, it is likely than more than 26,600 people were actually affected, as some of those affected had promptly informed others of their situation, and thereby leading them to redirect taking buses or even pricey taxis to make it on time for work or even important meetings. Many of those who were affected scratched their heads in wonderment on how a trip refund can ever compensate the inconvenience caused and the time wasted. Even if LTA (Land Transport Authority) were to impose a fine on SMRT for the service lapse, how would that translate into compensation to those who suffered unless perhaps free rides were offered as compensation?

Yet in the face of all the disappointments, the public transport operator continues to lobby for higher fares in the name of profit (See Channel News Asia article: SBS Transit, SMRT submit applications for fare adjustments) As reported in Channel News Asia in 2010, SMRT posts FY net profit of S$163m; expects business & employment to increase and for the excellent financial performance, SMRT CEO Ms Saw Phaik Hwa, was paid $1.67 million, including stock options, while her deputy, Mr Yeo Meng Hin, 46, took home $970,272 as reported in the Straits Times on 24 Jun 2010. There is no denying that the primary existence of companies is to make profits but where do we draw the line for companies that provide a public service for the nation? How do we know if higher operating costs and fines incurred by the companies are not just blatantly passed on to the consumers in the form of higher fares?

The frustration of the public transport in Singapore is worsening and the complaints are getting more frequent. Who knows it might come a day when frustration is too much to bear and the people will take a collective law suit against public transport operators to demand fair compensation.

Anniversary

2011-09-17T14:09:00.000+08:00

My oh my, it has been 7 years since My Blog was formed on 17 September 2004!

Most blogs usually don't make it beyond 5 years as there are many new forms of social media like Facebook and Twitter (which equals more dead links). I did a little reminiscing and read some of the earlier articles and found that many of the issues in 2005 still remain relevant. Over the years, the style of blogging has evolved for example, in 2007 Youtube videos were introduced, however, the principles behind the blog remain the true to the original design and intent (See: Heir Style). One thing to note about My Blog is that it continues to evolve and don't be surprised to see old articles changing... nothing's really set in stone and it is kind of more like drifting sands. In fact, as Blogger has updated its theme, I have had to do the tedious job of cleaning up the codes and relevance of all the articles (new and old) and while I was at it, made some changes to the appearance as well.

It has been 4 years since the last major facelift The flames of passion still burn on... in 2007. Do watch out for a new theme coming up soon - there's something new about the old!

3 Kingdoms?

2011-09-15T20:35:00.000+08:00

Speaking at a forum during the 7th anniversary celebrations of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy yesterday, former Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew doubts if Singapore will be able to sustain a two-party political system as reported in Today newspaper article, Two-party system not good for Singapore, says Lee Kuan Yew.

A friend from China read the report and quoted the following passage from Chinese classic, Romance of the Three Kingdoms: 话说天下大势，分久必合，合久必分。周末七国分争，并入于秦。及秦灭之后，楚、汉分争，又并入于汉。汉朝自高祖斩白蛇而起义，一统天下，后来光武中兴，传至献帝，遂分为三国。Based on history, towards the end of the Han Dynasty in period 220 to 280, China was split into 3 kingdoms. My Chinese friend analyzed that in any nation, once the incumbent party's power wanes, it is likely that political power will eventually reach a balance and be shared amongst 3 parties. It is an interesting analysis and after doing a little research, even Korea experienced a long period of 3 kingdoms in history. I guess we will get to see at the next elections in 2016 if his analysis is correct.

Decade after Disaster

2011-09-11T09:02:00.000+08:00

It has been a decade since the 9/11 disaster where the twin towers of World Trade Center in New York City were destroyed by terrorist hijacking of American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175 on September 11, 2001. Since then, security measures around the world have been stepped up.

The aviation industry is well known for the high standards it maintains, be it in terms of security or especially safety. Aircraft-related safety incidents can have disastrous effects and right from the design of the aircraft, safety has always been been a big consideration. In an article published by Reuters (Jun 30, 2009), Human factors emerge as trend in air crashes, 2009 emerged as a 10 year high for air crashes and human factors like fatigue, complex flight systems, inconsistent training and regulation were the likely main causes. Yet in the modern era where there is increasing pressure on aviation companies to reduce costs to stay competitive, the question is would safety and even security be compromised?

The below song entitled "Fly" by Nicki Minaj featuring Rihanna is dedicated to all the air crash victims around the world:

The Endless Summer

2011-08-23T11:21:00.000+08:00

Who ever said the cartoon Spongebob Squarepants isn't educational? In the short video The Endless Summer below, it shows Mr Krabs who in the name of profit, pollutes the environment through carbon emissions, thereby leading to global warming. It is a parody that reflects the attitude of many modern day huge multinational corporations (MNCs). At the end of the day when the climate changes, everyone only stands to lose.

Understanding the US Debt Crisis

2011-08-20T15:18:00.000+08:00

There are many of my friends who do not really the situation of the US debt crisis and how a country like US had accumulated about USD 14 trillion in debt! Here's a Youtube video that explains the concept in a simple manner that can be understood. The video explains how one situation had led to another, from the failure to repay bonds to Federal Reserve issuing more money, leading to inflation. With the higher prices, US corporations had moved their manufacturing out of the country, thereby leading to unemployment and recession, and finally causing a unique situation called stagflation which is currently being faced.

Something good can work for you

2011-08-15T22:13:00.004+08:00

Sometimes when you feel life is getting hard to cope with, you just need to think positive and something good can work for you.

Two Door Cinema Club - Something Good Can Work

There's a spanner in the works you know,
you gotta step up your game to make to the top. So go!
Gotta little competition now,
you're going to find it hard to cope with living on your own now. Uh oh!
Let's make this happen girl
You gonna show the world that something good can work and it can work for you.
And you know that it will.
Let's get this started girl,
It's been a lot to change but you will always get what you want.
Took a little time to make it a little better,
it's only going out, just one thing and another, you know!

We are Singapore

2011-08-09T08:41:00.003+08:00

It is Singapore's 46th birthday and below is one of the national day songs which has the national pledge embedded in it.

Happy National Day to all Singaporeans!

We are Singapore
There was a time when people said
That Singapore won't make it, but we did
There was a time when troubles seemed too much for us to take, but we did
We built a nation, strong and free, reaching out together for peace and harmony

This is my country, this is my flag
This is my future, this is my life
This is my family, these are my friends
We are Singapore, Singaporeans

Singapore our homeland, it's here that we belong
All of us united, one people marching on
We've come so far together, our common destiny
Singapore forever, a nation strong and free

*National Pledge
We the citizens of Singapore
Pledge ourselves as one united people
Regardless of race, language or religion
To build a democratic society
Based on justice and equality
So as to achieve happiness
Prosperity and progress for our nation

We are Singapore, we are Singapore
We will stand together, hear the lion roar
We are Singapore, we are Singapore
We're a nation strong and free forevermore

Another Home

2011-08-03T09:28:00.002+08:00

As National Day is drawing near, many Singaporeans are sick of hearing the song, "Home" being played almost every national day since it was being introduced, though in different versions. However, the below video entitled "Another Home" produced by SINdie (http://sindieonly.blogspot.com) presents several highlights and recent happenings in Singapore in a light hearted manner. Do watch and have a good chuckle! I really don't know what to say!

Another Home (The 'Other' National Day Video)