SINGAPORE SHORT STORIES

Shutdown Day Singapore would be held this coming Saturday 3 May 08. Shutdown day is a global movement, an initative started off by a group in Facebook; a Singaporean engineer adopted the movement for Singapore and started the local observance for Singapore. With 78% of Singapore being wired to the internet, it may be a challenge for Singaporeans to switch off their computers from their life for just one day. A majority of Singaporeans polled said that they could not fathom living a life without the computer and/or the internet. With computer being a part and parcel of modern life, its time to off that computer of yours, and sit back, relax and savour the joys of face-to-face interactions with your community. Join in, off your computer for a day this coming Saturday !

Panadol, a common drug, one that is popular with the young and old and one that is convenient to purchase and use to provide relief for a host of illness like fever, flu, cough, etc..... However of late, many people have questioned over the use of panadol for treating illness, citing safety concerns. Below is an extract taken from Channel Newsasia forum : TRY 100PLUS & WATER-NOT PANADOL One real story from a friend.... My husband was working in a hospital as an IT engineer, as the hospital is planning to set up a database of its patient. And he knows some of the doctors quite well. The doctors used to tell him that whenever they have a headache, they are not willing to take PANADOL (PARACETMOL). In fact, they will turn to Chinese Herbal Medicine or find other alternatives. This is because Panadol is toxic to the body, and it harms the liver. According to the doctor, Panadol will reside in the body for at least 5 years. And according to the doctor, there used to be an incident where

It is the time of the year when schools from the primary to the varsities are having their examinations. At this time of the year, local libraries become transformed instantaneously to studying grounds of the students as they throng the National Libraries, the regional libraries and the community libraries for a quiet spot to concentrate on their revisions. The student campers easily number to a hundred and not only were the reading tables and seats targeted by them, the sofas and other good seating spots were not spared either. Users of the libraries hence could not find their legitimate seats easily with the strong ‘competition’ from the campers. At the National Library, the students even occupy the exhibition galleries with their voluminous books and laptops and reluctantly leave only after repeated reminders from the librarians. Indeed the local libraries are excelling studying corners, offering unparallel cooling and ventilation comforts in this hot and humid country, tranquillity

Singapore would be opening its Integrated Resorts cum Casinos in just 2 to 3 years time, and a new statutory board, Casino Regulatory Authority, has been formed to regulate the casinos. The addition of the new statutory board adds to the host of ministries, statutory boards and other organs of the Government. See

Since the circulation of the free daily TODAY, a ‘first-thing’ ritual Singaporeans partake in the mornings before work on weekdays and weekends is to queue up…….. for the free dailies. The queues would normally be found at MRT stations throughout Singapore, and would commence as early as 7 am, long before the TODAY vendors starts the distribution of the papers at 730 am. And the most interesting observation is that the queue would always be formed at the same location even before the vendor reports for duty. When the vendor is late for his distribution work, even by 15 minutes, a majority of the long queue of readers would refuse to budge or disperse, rooted in their belief that the vendor would answer their call of TODAY. Most of the time, their prayers are answered as the vendor arrived, apologizing to the masses and dishing out the dailies in a even faster pace. Late distribution is however an unusual phenomenon, occurring once in a period of say 3 months.

There is no perfect work because there are no perfect people. In any work, there are both technical and human aspects of the work to be managed and tackled. Managing the technical parts of work is simple, the intricacies and challenges arise from managing the complex webs of human relationships. Our colleagues come from different backgrounds, are conditioned differently from childhood and in different environments; all of us thus have different perspectives, bias, prejudices and opinions. When people with diverse personalities from diverse backgrounds congregate in one common workplace to work together towards a common goal, some conflicts are inevitable in everyday work life. Tolerance and understanding are keys to a successful work relationship with colleagues and bosses. Overlay to the complexities of human relationships at work are what we call ‘office politics’; this phenomenon is part and parcel of everyday work life. Because of office politics, misunderstandings between colleagu

In the parliamental seating yesterday, DPM Wong Kan Seng unveiled the investigation results by the Committee of Inquiry (COI) into the escape of Mas Selamat. At this point in writing, Mas Selmat could still not be found. To cut a long investigation result short, Mas Selmat took 11 minutes to escape from the toilet where he pried open a window of opportunity.

I feel sick, and it is not the feeling one experiences when sick. The sickness that I am experiencing is the feeling of suffocation whenever I am in my office. No, I am not being strangled, nor am I being exposed to the toxic fumes or cigarette smoke. My sickness arises from the stagnant air flow inside the building; air which seems to be clean air. Called it the sick building syndrome, there should be an increasing awareness among Singaporeans to focus on the air-conditioners used in homes and offices; especially when Singapore is an almost air-conditioned nation. For air-conditioned homes, there shall be some fresh air intake into the homes else the owners would be practically breathing in recycled air. For companies using water-cooled chillers with cooling towers, there is a risk of the legionnaire disease which could nevertheless be prevented through proper design of the cooling towers. Living in this hot and super humid country, Singaporeans love air-conditioners. There is really

Nestled in the heart of Woodlands town is Republic Polytechnic (RP), Singapore’s newest polytechnic (just 6 years of operation since its inception in Tanglin Campus). What set this polytechnic apart from its peers are its innovative teaching concept and its commitment to the community and the environment. RP is not only just an academic institution; it is also a cultural icon of the north, a social and community space as well as an environmental stalwart. I have the good opportunity to visit this lovely institution and would like to share some of the interesting points: a. Admiralty park is just next to RP and it is a lovely park which is frequented by the Woodlands residents. b. Applied science and arts are some of the most popular faculties for this institution. c. The staff’s telephone numbers start with the number ‘3’ and not ‘6’ as all the phone number of staff are configured in internet telephony. Laptops are compulsory for all students and teachers in this campus. The campus is

Sleep can be a luxury to many Singaporeans, including me. I really need at least 7 hours of sleep, failing to do so, will render me tired the next day. But fact be told, I could not have 7 hours of sleep due to work committments, and thus sleep is definitely a luxury to me. To some, even few hours of sleep is okay for them.

Local public transportation has to cope with increasing demands as Singapore’s population continues to grow, in part due to the presence of the slightly more than a million foreigners in this small country. Local buses are getting more and more crowded in the peak hours but what irks me most is the bus bullies witnessed everyday. These bullies are simply self-centred passengers inside the buses who stand and refuse to move to the rear. Hence a bus may not reach its full standing capacity when it could not pack in more passengers at the subsequent bus stops simply because it is deemed that there is no more space inside for the boarding passengers (when in actual fact, there is ample if the bus bullies were to just simply move to the rear). Imagine if you were to wait for 20 minutes for your bus and yet are deprived of getting into one when it arrives simply because there are standing passengers in the bus who refuse to move to the rear to make space for you. This is definitely a most ho

I attended my colleague’s wake today. Walking towards the coffin to take a final last look at my colleague, whose face has been lined up with thick mascara so much so that I could not really recall his usual face…….. I could not help but gasp at the impermance of life. Just one week ago, my colleague was still around in my office, warm and friendly with all of us colleagues and with his trademark smile, now he has suddenly left us, his colleagues and his family. It was hard for all of our colleagues to accept the fact that he has indeed left as his memory will live forever in the hearts of us colleagues. It seemed to us that he has merely taken a short holiday and would be coming back soon. A traffic accident, the exact causes of which may only be known by my colleague has claimed his life and changes the life of his family and hurts those closest to him. We read of traffic accidents regularly in the newspapers and how often we witness reckless drivers on the road each day…..I myself w

Teaching is really a skill; some professionals such as Professors, who are very skilled and competent in a discipline may not be really possess the skills of teaching: presenting and putting points across, explaining to students to the point of their enlightment. Teaching is the translation of information into knowledge and application of knowledge of the recipients. It is a skill to be learnt. Teaching teachers how to teach may be more critical than revamping curriculum regularly in our schools to meet the ever-changing demands of the world.

(continued from 'Life and Death' posted on 6 Apr 08) It has been almost a week and my colleague who has been fighting for his life in the Intensive Care Unit has shown no improvements. The night before, the doctor certified him as brain dead, and pulled the plug out from the life support machine after informing and discussing with his family. It was a grave decision, a considered decision for his family who he was the sole breadwinner. A small plug off symbolises the end of a precious life and many upcoming challenges for his family. With this, my colleague left all his loved ones; however he will live forever in the minds and hearts of everyone whose lives he has touched, and for whom his organs have given a new lease of life to (all Singaporeans come under the HOTA act). Therein, he has left a legacy. Life is the most unpredictable, everyone of us shall cherish all our loved ones and makes the best use of our limited time on earth. Life can be unforgiving at times and all of

Today’s news reported that the government is spending $200,000 a day on its fight against the dengue scourge to stave off an epidemic should the current climb in dengue cases is to continue. $200,000 per day will amount to $1 million in just five days. A large amount, some may point out; however this sum of money would be well-spent if it could avert a dengue epidemic that would cost many their lives. The crux of the battle would be for those personnel combing the grounds to conduct their checks religiously and dutifully to wipe out all potential breeding grounds and breeding habitats; it is also critical that all Singaporeans can also cooperate by ensuring their premises are clean and free of stagnant water bodies.

Changi Airport Terminal 3, besides being an excellent airport terminal, is also a good place to relax, shop and dine. I find it most relaxing to spend an afternoon or more in this terminal. Amidst the serenity is cool piping soft music throughout the terminal. There is also an assortment of sights to capture: from the elegant air stewardesses, to the different groups of Singaporeans and tourists congregating at the terminal. I like the vast, wide, quiet, superbly clean and spacious departure and arrival hall. There is no congestion seen at shopping malls to distract you from your enjoyment at the terminal. To summarise what Terminal 3 has to offer: Level 4: Viewing Gallery Level 3: Shopping mall Level 2: Departure Hall Level 1: Arrival Hall Basement 1: Carparks Basement 2: Eateries and Shops Basement 3: Carparks The entrances to basement 2 are somewhat not as conspicuous; nevertheless, it does not detract from the excellent offerings of this terminal.

The Olympic Games is supposed to be a mega game to celebrate the brotherliness of the world, to celebrate sports and promote camaraderie among the participating nations. Yet, the China Olympics is mired in protests and demonstrations among its critics. The game is overshadowed and clouded by political agenda and issues relating to the Tibetan issue, China’s human rights, China’s environmental efforts, etc. It is indeed a great pity! I do believe that China will still manage and hold a successful Olympics, come 08 Aug 08 !

The Singapore government is remaking the industrial Jurong estate into the next downtown, completed with hotels, shops, residential, commercial and recreational facilities, waterways and lush greenery. This masterplan will be implemented in 10 to 15 years’ time.

Singaporeans have been congregating in the many modern and hip bookstores the likes of Borders and Kinokuniya, spending an afternoon or so on weekdays and weekends enjoying free reads of the latest and crispiest books of different genres. These stores are often located in shopping malls, and as such Singaporeans including me are able to combine shopping (or window shopping), eating together with reading all under one roof.

In life, some people make decisions at the blink of an eye, fast, decisive, guided by their gut feelings’ and often they do not regret over their decisions; their decisions are often proven to be ‘correct’ later. This is the power of ‘thinking without thinking’ according to Malcolm Gladwell’s popular book, “Blink”. It is the power of the trained mind to make split second decisions, the ability to think without thinking, or in other words using instinct. How often a time have you meet a person for the first time, and in a moment of a blink, concludes his personality? This is first impression, which is normally formed by a person towards others in 3 seconds. First impressions may not be accurate and often relates to persons. The power of blinking relates to decisions on matters. I found myself to posses the power of blinking at times; for example, I could still recall the times when I sat for examinations and answering some difficult questions, with a ‘blink’, I am able to deduce the cor

According to Edward De Bono’s famous book, there are six different hats that we can wear in our daily brainstorming of ideas. The six different hats are distinguished by their colours and a summary of their representations is made as follows: a. Red: Emotion b. Blue: Control c. Green: Creativity d. Yellow: Positive e. Black: Sombre f. White: Neutral

A colleague of mine was involved in a traffic accident just two days ago and he is currently fighting for his life in the intensive ward of a hospital. It was indeed shocking and most unpredictable to all around him: his family, friends, relatives and colleagues. A kind, hardworking, capable, friendly colleague and a proud father of many children with a ready smile, tears inevitably welled up in the eyes of all his loved ones as we see him lying on bed now, face and shoulders bloated and with injuries; tubes of oxygen and fluids making merciless inroads to his brain and body. There was a heavy impact on his skull which made him unconscious till now despites the surgeries carried out. Readings indicating his brain pressure have not been positive till far. Life is most unpredictable and accidents can and may happen to anyone. It may only be when accidents happen to people around us who we know of, that we are reminded of this sombre fact and of the fact to lead life to the fullest and to

Singaporeans are a fortunate lot to lead a comfortable living though they may lament on certain issues at times. I would like to share with readers that even stray animals, particularly cats, in Singapore may be leading a good life too! I have been observing the activities of the top of a small hill near my house whenever I pass by there in the late evenings. Amidst the trees on top of the hill, there sits astride a dog which looks like a lion as it has grown so fat and it has colour of the latter. The calm and majestic pose it strikes while sitting on the top of the hill also make it seem ever more like a lion. I was shocked when I saw the dog at the very first time, thinking that I have seen a lion in Singapore (outside of the zoo)! Slowly over time, I realised at this period of the day, there was always an old woman cycling from her home nearby and bringing food at the bottom of the hill for the dog to feast on. The woman looks like a normal person, no odd or insane behaviour spotte

The topic of ‘Rice’ hogged the headlines of local news this week following its soaring price all over Asia, including Singapore. Reasons for the increase in price boils down to these three main factors: 1) Higher fuel costs, with crude soaring above US $100 a barrel and threatening to stay that way, have been a major factor in the crisis, making fertilizer more expensive and increasing transport costs. 2) In Southeast Asia, disease, pests and an unparalleled 45-day cold snap that extended from China to Vietnam in January and February have also hurt harvests. Flooding in the Philippines and Vietnam has added to the growing crisis. 3) Medium-grade rice exported from Thailand, the world’s biggest rice exporter, reached $760 a metric ton, up from $360 a ton at the end of last year. Singaporeans, including me are feeling the pinch when we witness our forking of extra few hard-earned dollars for the same kilogram of rice. Some hawkers in Singapore may also be capitalising on this surge of ri

(Continued from blog article posted on 28 Mar 08) In fact, the residue from the sebum regulator produced tiny sticky white residue on my hair once my hair dried to the extent that my colleagues thought my hair had dandruff. Anyway my hair was still very oily and coated with some dandruff too, despites applying the supposedly strong and beneficial shampoos that the top dermatologist prescribed. I confirmed this fact when I popped into one of the hair treatment centre at a shopping centre for curiosity and did a free consultation with the centre. The ‘scanner’ that the centre operators used magnified my scalp glands many times over, revealing the oily spots, it really look disgusting with such a hundred times over magnification of the sebaceous scalp glands. The operators said my scalp glands were choked with oil, and this may cause hair loss; but I did not want to take any chance with this centre and off I left. I went for a second consultation with the dermatologist I saw previously. A