SINGAPORE SHORT STORIES

Singapore calls itself a Lion City, after its founder, Sang Nila Utama encountered a lion, as the legend goes. However, in modern Singapore, you cannot see any lions in Singapore except in the Singapore Zoological Gardens… of course! However, there are thousands of cats roaming the streets of Singapore. You may ask how these stray cats manage to survive in Singapore. Well I believe most of these stray cats will still manage to ‘eke out a living’ off the rubbish and litter dumps of the hundreds of hawker centres scattered around the whole of Singapore. Remember, Singapore is a food paradise, as such I believe there should be no problem for these stray cats to survive as there should be enough food for them to just barely subsist on. There are some fortunate stray cats though in Singapore. They are well-fed owing to some kind Singapore cat lovers feeding them daily. Near my house, two fat cats, one male and female hardly move a din away from their regular spot in a void deck where days a

Singapore Air Show 2010 will be here again! Members of the public who would like to catch the stunning aerial displays would be able to do so on 6 and 7 Feb, which is next weekends! I have been to the Air Show two years back. There was a long queue of visitors to the show and the clearance process into the exhibition venue was slow, due to the security screening. If you are heading for the show, do bring along your umbrellas for most likely, you would be standing under the hot sun for sometime before entry. Anyway, the wait would be okay for how often can members of the public enter into an airbase and be up, close and personal with the slew of aircraft on display? However, I found it a tad sad that the audio advertising of the event at MRT stations is just in the format of the "John Little Sales" ! The script as well as the narrator are almost similar and for once I thought another John Little Sales is on coming! The organizers could have afforded a better advertising

Barely two weeks after Cheryl Tan Qiwei, a student from the National Technological University (NTU) has committed suicide by plunging to her death from her 24th storey flat, another 21-year old student, Ms Yan Junru has also took the same route to end her life! What a bad piece of news to have hit NTU these years! Last year, we have the infamous David Widjaja also a student from NTU, stabbing his Professor and plunging to his death (committing suicide), then we had another Assistant Professor from the same institution and faculty (Engineering) committing suicide shortly after David Wijaja's death. It turned ouyt Yan Jinru was also from Engineering! I did not know whether Cheryl Tan Qiwei was also from Engineering too. Many have pointed finger saying that it is study stress which led to the rampant suicides of young undergraduates these days. Is NTU, in particular, NUS so pressurizing? I do not know though some of my friends who been through NTU found it was super pressurizing than

Witness the annual bursting of firecrackers once again tonight as Chinatown celebrates Chinese New Year with the annual Chinese New Year light up! There will be stage performances, lion dances and a slew of other stunning performances such as acrobats and singers from other countries. The signature item of the light up will be the lighting and bursting of the firecrackers! Last year, my wife and I were standing right in front of the firecrackers and I must tell you my eardrums suffered a beating due to the very high decibel of the fire cracking activity! I could hardly covered my ears with my hands as I was busily and happily filming the whole of the rare fire cracking process, similar to what others did! Expect a lot of jostling and jams of people in Chinatown if you are making your way there. There would be scores of China Chinese foreign workers as usual flocking to Chinatown, adding up to the myriads of people there! I will be going to the Light Up tonight with my wife if time perm

Chan Brothers Travel Private Sales is currently on! From 21 Jan to 27 Jan, there are some great discounts going for, especially for travel packages to Asia! So what are you waiting for? Visit http://www.chanbrothers.com/static/21Jan_micro2010_cbt_private_sale/cbt_private_sale.cfm now! Visit Singapore Short Stories for more interesting reads NOW!

There exist a large gamut of online games these days over the internet, many of which are free and easily downloadabe from the internet. I believe all of us adults are still kids in nature, thus many adults these days are still lapping up the latest offerings in online games, whether these are paid or free. It is great to let our hair down on weekends or weekday nights playing such online games else coping with the daily demand of life is too taxing. Online gaming will still continue to carve out its niche as a lucrative business! Visit Singapore Short Stories for more interesting reads NOW!

Stop playing your online games such as Heroes Online games, Habbo, start playing real games now! In Singapore, where land in scare, it is hard to find places where one can play real outdoor games, but the wait is now no more! Universal Studios in Sentosa is now open! It is reported in the news that Universal Studios in Sentosa, Singapore will most likely open next week though Resort World where Universal Studios is based, has already opened for business yesterday 20 Jan 2010. Just a few days ago, Universal Studios has announced its plan to build another theme park in South Korea which will be due for completion in year 2014. With the later opening of the Korea theme park, I believe the competition between Singapore Resort World and its Korea theme park may be minimal. In Asia, Universal Studios has also a theme park in Osaka, Japan. Though theme parks are by themselves, generally typically identical, I believe the experience one get from visiting these themepark hinges on the customer

This movie, “Where the Wild Things are” may not be shown in Singapore afterall as the distributors fear that its theme may too scary for kids. Actually, looking at the giant furry monster, as an adult, I also find it fearful. It may be right that the distributor decided not to bring the movie back to Singapore as somehow the scenes do seem rather disturbing to me though the story plot of the movie is good. Visit Singapore Short Stories for more interesting reads NOW!

Resort World Sentosa will open tomorrow on 20 Jan 2010. I have definitely read much of what is to be expected of Resort World Sentosa in the newspapers and other mass media recently and hence I feel thrilled that a world-class attraction will be taking root in our home country soon! One needs not travel all the way to Osaka, Japan to have a taste of the Universal Studios as Singapore will have its very own Universal Studio at Resort World Sentosa. The challenge, I believe is to replicate the excellent experiences one have at Universal Studios in other parts of the world right here in our doorsteps! I have visited Hong Kong Disneyland last year and left the place a tad disappointed as the experience afforded by the theme park is not as excellent as one can find in USA. Hence, no doubt Singapore has its very own universal studios right here in Sentosa, the creation of that magical experience, befitting that of a great theme park is paramount. Also, the Singapore authorities must ensure

Just some weeks ago, Minister Mentor Lee had told Singaporeans that it is near impossible to be a master of two languages and in the context of Singapore, these two languages are English and mother tongue. With the majority of Singaporeans being Chinese, Minster Mentor Lee has acknowledged that it is difficult for an average Chinese Singaporean student to master both languages at the same time. I truly agree with Minister Mentor as over my growing up years, I can really admit that I am better in Chinese/ Mandarin as compared to English.This does not mean that my English is not good or lousy; I write and speak English to a fair degree of decency, just that deep in my heart, there is one master language which I know I am better at and which I have mastered to a higher level of competency than the other, which others may not know. Similarly for you and others, up close and personal, you will know the language that they would have mastered better than the other. I believe family upbringin

In Singapore, there are over hundreds of bridges around the island, allowing Singaporeans to cross from one point of the island to another one safely. Actually, using the word ‘Singaporeans’ is an understatement, for living on this little red dot, are millions of other permanent residents and foreigners which number to a whopping one million plus in totality! Anyway, these ‘foreign talent’ (a word which is unique to Singapore) is not my muse for today, for I should blog about the most famous bridge in Singapore. Few years back, when you ask a Singaporean which is the most famous bridge in Singapore, the result is unanimous: Woodbridge! If you are not a Singaporean or living in Singapore for too long, you will not be able to get the joke. Woodbridge is actually the name of Singapore’s only mental hospital which is rebranded as the Institute of Mental Health today; it is not a description of a bridge made of wood. Fast forward to today, if you were ask which is the most famous bridge in

Major-General Neo Kian Hong, currently Chief of Army will take over from Lieutenant-General Desmond Kuek Bak Chye as Chief of Defence Force come 1 Apr 2010. If you have been observant enough, it has most often been the case of the Chief of Army becoming the Chief of Defence (except for Bey Soo Khiang, who was Chief of Airforce before becoming the Chief of Defence). However, this is not to say that the Chiefs of Navy are not good, in fact Teo Chean Hean, now the Deputy Prime Minister and Lui Tuck Yew now the acting Minister for Information, Communication and Arts were Chiefs of Navy before. George Yeo, Foreign Affairs Minister and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong were also Army Brigadier-Generals before while trade and industry minister, Lim Hng Kiang were ex-Lieutenant Colonel in Army too. The highest military rank: Lieutenant –General (LG) (3 Stars) in Singapore goes to the Chief of Defence. However, most of the Colonels, Brigadier-Generals do not necessary need to become the Chiefs of

The Singapore Kindness Movement (SKM) has launched a new movement yesterday to remind diners to clear their leftovers and return their trays once they have done with their meals. SKM has partnered with fast food joints here for its latest movement. Though Singapore has now become one of the top global cities, it is really a shame that this movement has to be institutionized. Clearly, kindness, social graciousness and courtesy for others are rare traits in Singaporeans. Despites years of campaigns and educations, social graciousness has not really sink into Singaporeans and one can still witness acts of ungracious social behaviors taking centrestage each day: littering, no giving up of seats to elderly in trains, spitting among others. I believe Singaporeans’ way of living are hard to change. This is basically the reason why the ‘Bring your own bag’ day are not successful too. One day, if all Singaporeans return their trays after partaking of food and never litter, we will make for a t

Google has planned to exit from China after its website has been attacked by malicious Chinese hackers. Google is indeed pervasive and an extremely brilliant creation. I have read two books on Google’s operation. Indeed, Google wants to know information of as many people as possible.If you have a Gmail, you would probably see ads on the sidebars of your inbox. You may not known that each of these messages in your inbox are scanned for their content so that the relevant ads pertaining to these contents are displayed besides your inbox pages so that there will be more chance for you to click and Google to earn money! Visit Singapore Short Stories for more interesting reads NOW!

Year 2010 has just entered into its second week. It may be too early to start planning for your travel and tour plans but as the adage goes: “Time and Tide waits for no man”, so if you want to travel to Japan, travel to China, travel to Europe or travel to any other countries, this is the time to start planning now! Good news are here! The first NATAS Travel fair for this year 2010 will be held soon, details as follows: NATAS Travel Fair 2010 Date: 26 Feb 10 (Fri) to 28 Feb 10 (Sun) Time: 10 am to 10 pm Venue: Singapore Expo Hall 4 and 5 Admission charges: $4 per adult, free for children below 12 years of age I notice that the admission charge per adult has increased by 1 dollar to $4! Wow, it is really expensive now to get into the travel fair! This cost must be the price one pays for the myriad of travel brochures one will receive inside the fair! Just kidding! NATAS Travel Fair is really a travel fair not to be missed! I have booked my two tours last year at great prices from the f

McDonald’s Singapore restaurants have recently launched a Chinese New Year small soft toy collectibles in conjunction with the coming Chinese Lunar month. These soft toy collectibles are 12 little Doraemon charms, decked out in the animal signs of the Chinese Zodiac. By logic, there should be a charm representing each of the 12 animal signs, however, the restaurant management has replaced the charm of last Chinese zodiac sign, the pig with that of cupid. This has since raised quite a brouhaha among Singaporeans. Singaporeans know the logic behind the restaurant’s move to replace the pig is due to religious sensitiveness: ‘Pig’ is taboo to Muslims. However, Chinese Singaporeans lamented that in not selling the whole complete set of zodiac signs, there is some form of injustice and insensitiveness perpetuated to the Chinese populace here. Lovers of the collectibles may also fret not owning a complete set of the 12 zodiac signs and non-Muslim collectors born in the year of the pig will no

Singapore's biggest street dance party returns, this time to a new party venue at the Pit Building. City Alive! 2010 promises party-revellers yet another night of pumping action as they witness the transformation of the tracks in front of Pit Building into an out-of-this-world party venue! My Dear and I have participated in City Alive! 2009 and we had hours of fun, read this post to learn more the excitement on that night! Party-revellers will expect a night of adrenaline rush as they party the night away with international acts such as Space Cowboy (Digital Rock Star - UK), DJ Sarasa a.k.a Silverboombox (Japan), Singapore’s very own DJ Andrew T and DJ Inquisitive dishing out Hip Hop/R&B/Electro-pop grooves. Also expect a host of exciting activities, such as the ultimate B-boys battle between All Area Crew from Japan against Singapore's own Radikal Forze., UV stilt walkers and many more, to bring the party anthem to the heart of the city! The minimum age of entry to City A

These few days, I am really really busy, with hardly a time to breathe, this may explain for the uninteresting blog posting on my blog recently. I really can feel the stress of modern day living on this little red island. There are simply too many personal committments. Every morning, when I board the train, it is as though I enter into a coffin as most of the passengers are standing like dead fishes, crammed in a super-packed sardine can. Many of us, the passengers are simply too tired and are simply dozing off and catching a sleep. There are too many Singaporeans who are leading an average lifestyle as salaried employees, working many hours, clocking in overtimes just to survive in this super high-paced and high-stressed societies. To many, there is simply no way out to escape from this lifestyle of an average salaried employee. In this everchanging economy, having a job to support the family is already a fortunate thing to many. Of course, everyone wants to do well in their career,

Are Singapore becoming more and more voyeuristic? The recent news seems to suggest so. At the countdown party in Sentosa Siloso beach, a girl scantily clad in a bikini was held and molested by 4 men vigorously. Singapore partygoers just watched the molestation of the helpless lady, with many taking out their handphones, cameras and videocams, busily taking videos and photos of the perverse act, with nobody lifting a finger to help or even calling for the men to stop! See: http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/stomp/sgseen/caught_in_the_act/300934/countdown_party _molest_how_can_heartless_sporeans.html Also occurring on the long weekends of the new year, party-goers and night owls watched in horror as a man with his face masked in black plastic went around the island vandalizing mailboxes belong to Singpost, spraying ink and creating graffti on these mailboxes calmly and nonchalantly, to the horror of passer-bys. He called himself ‘Inkman’ and it was shocking that despites the significant l

On the eve of New Year 2010, my wife and I finally visited Wendy’s Singapore! Yes, the restaurant which has returned to Singapore after slightly more than a decade (read my earlier post ). After navigating through the Lau Pa Sat hawker centre, with a hawker tout hot and persistent on our trail, we managed to locate the fast food restaurant, nestled at a remote corner outside the hawker centre. Business was brisk at the restaurant with hardly any seat in sight for my wife and I. However, soon we managed to clinch a seat for two. The counter sale staff were a bit slow in their operation, and hence it took some waiting time to secure our ordering. I believe it was understandable as Wendy’s has just commenced operation. I ordered the signature triple-patty (3 quarter pound) burger meal and a chicken burger set for my wife. The triple-patty burger was super shiok! The beef were grilled so that they were succulent and melted in my mouth! Oh, my wife and I love Wendy’s! The Kopitiam Group wi

Marina Bay was the place to be last night with an estimated 20,000 Singaporeans, permanent residents and foreigners at the venue for the countdown and the brilliant fireworks. My wife and I were at Asian Civilization Museum countdown party and Clarke Quay before heading down to usher in year 2010 with the thousands of folks. At the Asian Civilization Museum, the mood was relaxed with families and friends seated serenely on the lawn while others checked out the exhibits in the museum on its open house night. Disc jockeys spun a medley of great songs and there was a galore of free coke: thousands of 500 ml bottled coke drinks were given to all! There were also limited free food and tonic. Just a stone’s throw away, the festive mood in Clarke Quay was boiling high with mobile percussionists, fire-eaters and stuntmen roaming around, enthralling everyone with their acts. There was also a large free concert with local bands revving up the spirits of the crowd. Needlessly to say, Clarke Quay