Et Cetera - Etc.

Et Cetera is a Latin word that means "other things" or "and so forth" where "et" means "and" and "cetera" means "the rest". It morphed into a single word etcetera and finally shortened as an abbreviation as "etc."

The Noose


The Best Actress in Singapore is Michelle Chong. All you need to do is to tune in to The Noose if you do not believe me. She could speak like a Singaporean, a bimbo, a Hong Konger or Filipino at least with that accent and act the part. The satire and spoofs are good for the soul. Singaporeans do have a sense of humour - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2k_xNe7vW4

Do not miss this - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuYU6JwvQ5k


More spoof from the cast of Michelle Chong, Chua En Lai (esp as B B See), Alaric Tay and Suhaimi Yusoff: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWdclEjbpWw




France


The country that has been giving us fine foods like escargot and foie gras, wines and brandy is often noted as one of the strong euro nations like Germany but it has been facing chronic problems from small growth and high unemployment. Worse, it runs a budget deficit bigger than Italy. Massive demonstrations often occur when any hint of reform is suggested. Portugal, Ireland, Greece and Spain has given us PIGS. What do you call the group if France joins in? I wish France and all of Europe well as they are very important to the health of the world economy.

FAS & Singapore Soccer

Things are clearing up a little after they disbanded the national team. You are hearing stories from all sides. Fandi Ahmed and Kadir Yahya has concurred with me that if 70% of the population is not playing we are already somewhat denied. Indian boys are skillful and has good teamwork and understanding. The Malay boys has natural flair and talented but the Chinese boys will offer a different aspect to the game. If only soccer can be a livelihood.

We used to have Lim Chiew Peng, David lee, Edmund Wee, Robert Sim, Lim Teng Sai, Lim Tien Jit, Ho Kwang Hock, Seak Poh Leong, Lee Man Hon, Quah Kim Song, Lim Tang Boon and Leong Kok Fann just to name a few. 

We need the S-League to have better players with good quality matches. Good rivalry, publicity and engagement with the community and this can translate to better selection for the national team. Success breeds success. Have a good selection of kits and promote them in the community and the neighbourhood. You see people wearing all the expensive jerseys of Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal, Barcelona, AC Milan which cost more than $100 when new and $70 or so one year later, why wouldn't they buy one featuring their local teams? Tie in with some other goodies and maybe they will bite. Banks and credit cards companies can help. 

Once I attended a golf fund-raising event for a S-League club and then among the folks who stayed back for dinner, prize presentation and lucky draw, some of them were donning EPL clubs jerseys and when one of them won a lucky draw prize and was walking to the stage the compere said: "Hey, Chelsea jersey, EPL. Kana sai (like shit) this is S-League lah!"

Liverpool - Roy Hodgson & Kenny Dalglish

Roy Hodgson is a good manager. My opinion of him has not changed. He was last season's manager of the year ahead of all including Sir Alex Ferguson and even Harry Redknapp but he was destined to fail as he was not well received even before he started. So think this way when you are walking into a job. Kenny Dalglish has little to lose as the Kops were already on his side and with his involvement with the youth, Dalglish knows his way around Anfield. What is happening now to all teams as they feel the crunch after years of exuberance is that they have to developed their youth. Think Barcelona. Let'stake a look at Fernando Torres.


It is time to let Torres go. Without doubt one of the world's best, Torres is a mood player. I thought he has shown disinterest in recent times. There is no point to keep someone whose heart is not there. If someone do not love you anymore, there is not much point in keeping him or her around. It is an interesting year in EPL as Manchester United remain unbeaten. Even Man U fans will agree with me this is not one of their better teams but they are getting the right results when all others faltered but there are times when others falter for you to succeed. Let's see if Arsenal has really come of age. There's not been a better year to seize the initiative. 

Let's see Andy Carroll in action. Carroll transport us back to a time wher Bob Latchford, Mick Harford, Mark Hateley era where English strikers in this mould are much feared.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_kanJ5Qqac


and then Luis Suarez:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p71Irt572as

At the business end, Liverpool did good business selling Torres for 50 million pounds to Chelsea - still quite a shocking fee but equally quickly they bought Newcastle's bright future England prospect Andy Carroll for 35 million pounds plus Uruguayan Luis Suarez for 23 million pounds from Ajax. This will change Pool's reliance on one striker for too long. It's was a win-win deal but then what will happen to Newcastle? What do you see? (Le Kua Simi?)
Electrico (Dave Tan) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPza1lPLUjA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLKLW-jPtFE

Electrico is a very talented band we should support them.


The affable Mr. Brown - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTnvqQFFc1c (Le Kua Simi)


You can see that Liverpool is going back to old times and restarting with a younger team. Carroll is 21 and Suarez is 24. Is it going to be a Toshack/Keegan kind of interplay? Only Arsenal has a big advantage in the coming years so it was due to Wenger's patience, wisdom and eagle eye but if UEFA restrict the number on foreign players then they too will have a problem.

Tiger Mum

This is not the mum who drinks Tiger beer, got drunk and beat up her daughters. The Tiger mum does not need alcohol and she needs no beating. She just deny you of certain things. For example when you have too much beer to drink and she does not allow you to go answer nature's call, gives you a piano and you can be like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. I heard the teachers in schools are not allowing children to go to the loo so may be there is method in madness. Listen to Falco's Rock Me Amadeus.


Her piece was provocative and controversial and maybe it worked for Prof Amy Chua now but we can't tell how her children will relate to her later in life. How about husband and wife? Mow the lawn if you wish to see your TV remote control ever again? The logic of life is that anything that is forced upon some one cannot have long lasting result of happiness and fulfilment. Well, like I always say, you can choose your friends but not your ...er...mum. I could have been Amadeus? Please listen to Amy - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yBhKYDJzkY. I told you before you don't have to outrun the bear, just outrun the others. She doesn't looked or sounded that bad. Maybe what she said was tongue-in-cheek. See for yourself.


Nah, I prefer Survivor's version - Eye Of The Tiger.

Amy Chua even at her most tigerish moments could not match a mother in Tampa, Florida who shot her two children for talking back and for being mouthy. Children, please watch out. Be careful to note that even you adults are some one's children. Doesn't mean that your parents are old and you are adults means they can't shoot you. It is just that Singapore bans hand guns otherwise some of us may not be around. Hello mum, I love you!

I read President's Obama eulogy or a speech he gave at the funeral of an innocent little girl gunned down by a madman. I can't help but ask again why don't they just ban hand guns. I know the gun lobby in the USA is very strong and suddenly an entire industry might be wiped out but if you ban hand guns it does not mean you can't protect yourself. It just means instead of using guns you may now have to use your bare hands or only knives. Knives can kill too but it will take longer and kill fewer. At least you give the victims a better chance. Any angry, disillusioned person or mad man can get a gun and shoot people. Just remove the guns. That is the only problem.

Jack LaLanne

If you are older than me or even younger, all baby boomers should know him. He has been married to Elaine for 51 years. He was an emotional and physical wreck until he started proper diet and pumping irons. As a child I saw him on TV with his exercise ritual frequently. At the beginning of each segment, you will see Jack limbering up with a routine jumping and stretching exercise, a sort of trade mark of his. Next time you see me, ask me to do a demo. It is a very good exercise.

I am very happy to report what is apparent shock news in the golf world but with a happy ending. Yes! who produces excellent putters unfortunately went bankrupt. It is hard to imagine anyone buying over a putter company when the last time it happened was when Callaway acquired Odyssey. Now Adams Golfs is the knight in shining armour coming to the rescue. I think it is a brilliant combination! Look at how a putter that gives pure roll compared to one that skids with side spin.




Yes!

Spams Are Killers


You keep getting spam on your computers and cell phones and they are getting worse. Spams are killing people. The other day in Russia, a female terrorists with explosives strapped around her was waiting for the right time to activate with her cell phone but her service provider of all people spammed her to death when they send her a New Year greeting triggering the explosion. No one else was hurt. "Happy New Year!" it said. Boom!

Graduate Parents Again

All Singaporeans were once a migrant society. How many of us came from graduate parents. The right attitude as and of parents is all that is important. Of course parents who were graduates are by and large more successful and have more resources to support their children. Statistics can be read in many ways but most of the successful people I know did not have parents who were graduates. For me we need thinking workers, managers, parents and children more so than anything else - graduates or not.

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