Everyone’s bitching about the haze. Pointing the finger across the water. Buying face masks. Not exercising outdoors. Honestly, the PSI crosses the 100 mark for the first time in four years and folk start acting like we’re under attack.
Everyone’s bitching about the haze. Pointing the finger across the water. Buying face masks. Not exercising outdoors.
It was the story that got the entire world talking. The rescue of the Chilean miners was allegedly watched by a billion people around the globe, created 33 instant heroes, made the country’s mining minister an shoo-in for next president, and saw every other country scramble to claim credit for its own role in the miracle, however minor. A country last in the spotlight for a devastating earthquake now basks in goodwill, new hope and the attention of a hundred ravenous Hollywood screenwriters. As rebranding exercises go, it was a risky one, but it seems to have worked.
It was the story that got the entire world talking. The rescue of the Chilean miners was allegedly watched by a billion people around the globe, created 33 instant heroes, made the country’s mining minister an shoo-in for next president, and saw every other country scramble to claim credit for its own role in the miracle, however minor.
If I could travel back in time, I’d like to have a pint with Isaac Newton. It would surely be quite a sight. We’d chat and make a toast to our (actually just my) unforeseeable future. I’d spill my beer (and he wouldn’t, because he was cool like that) and then he’d remind me that, “For every action is an equal and opposite reaction.” And if the great man was around today, I’m sure he’d have just as much to say about the other weekend.I saved myself and was well rested for a night with Carl Cox.
If I could travel back in time, I’d like to have a pint with Isaac Newton. It would surely be quite a sight.
Given our diminutive size (Singapore – the nation that’s proud to be a Size Zero), we can hardly be expected to compete in the world export market. Yet it turns out certain ideas of ours are more popular overseas than you might think. A story in the New York Times reports that Singapore Maths remains remarkably popular as a teaching method in US schools—even though early editions of the textbooks had to be reprinted with the references to curry puffs and rambutans taken out. True story.Still, we can’t help thinking that we’re not tapping our true potential.
Given our diminutive size (Singapore – the nation that’s proud to be a Size Zero), we can hardly be expected to compete in the world export market. Yet it turns out certain ideas of ours are more popular overseas than you might think. A story in the New York Times reports that Singapore Maths remains remarkably popular as a teaching method in US schools—even though early editions of the textbooks had to be reprinted with the references to curry puffs and rambutans taken out. True story.
Phew! This might well be the only working week of the year that we wish was even longer. Anything to give our bodies more time to recover after last weekend’s excess. But weekends are like buses. You wait forever for them to come along, then two come along in quick succession. Also because when they do, you find yourself either short of money or else heading down a road that you know isn’t right.So the F1 circus has been and gone for another year (leaving behind enough spilt champagne to fill your average rooftop infinity pool), leaving us to ponder what we learnt this time around.
The word “Official” has lost all meaning. Official lounge. Official giveaway. Official timekeeper. Sure, Singapore likes bureaucracy as much as the next country, but enough with the officialdom, people.
Welcome to Sixapore, the little nation that dreams big. Six Olympic medals by 2016. Six medals to add to the two we’re going to win in London, and the two we’ve won in the past 45 years. Good thing our shooters are among our brightest hopes, as that’s one hell of a target.As the most glamorous of sports descends on the city once more, it’s time to cut through all the hot air (if only there were medals for dealing with hot air; we’d clean up!) and determine exactly which disciplines we ought to be focusing on.
Welcome to Sixapore, the little nation that dreams big. Six Olympic medals by 2016. Six medals to add to the two we’re going to win in London, and the two we’ve won in the past 45 years.
Who doesn’t like a good euphemism? That trusty method of talking around a subject instead of about it. Not having to worry about saying what you mean, ’cause everyone knows what you really mean anyway.We’ve been wallowing waist-deep in euphemism this week, having spent an unhealthy amount of time reading the job ads in the newspaper. (Don’t worry, we’re not going anywhere.
Who doesn’t like a good euphemism? That trusty method of talking around a subject instead of about it. Not having to worry about saying what you mean, ’cause everyone knows what you really mean anyway.
What can we buy with $2 million?• One million plates of chicken rice to feed a whole province in Kenya.• Two million cheap paintbrushes for our starving local artists.• Ten thousand tickets to see Sir Ian McKellan on stage.• One thousand glistening gold taps to beautify our public toilets.• One million packs of peanuts to feed the monkeys.• Five George W.
Following a series of unfortunate the events that have been plaguing Singapore and the world recently—the Virginia Tech shootings, the Sungei Pandan drowning, and another Ah Lian winning Miss Singapore Universe—we decided to consult our crystal ball for some updates on future disasters, and perhaps take some action steps to avoid them. Here’s what we’re told:• The government’s attempt to become hip reaches its logical conclusion.
Singapore ministers will be getting a hefty pay rise as part of a controversial ministerial salary hike that has infuriated many. MM Lee, who stands to earn at least $3 million with the hike, said in its defense that Singapore needs “an extraordinary government with extraordinary government officers to support it.” In coming up with the ministerial and civil service pay rise, the government created a wage formula where a higher percentage of pay is now linked to performance.