What's Up Of Late?

Has anyone told you that two weeks is a long time? If you had been away for a few weeks, you will return to a new Singapore. So many things that never changed for so many years that they become part of the furniture has all changed albeit too drastically. Isn't that what you had wanted. I do feel that Singapore will get better and grow stronger in this new world but it is really down to all of us! What else is happening?

Macho Man

Professional wresting great "Macho Man" Randy Savage has died after a car crash near his home. The colourful character with a husky voice and psychedelic costumes who seemed so indestructible has died from his injuries at 58. He fought with Hulk Hogan, Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat and the likes during his time and won two WWE Championships, two World Heavyweight Championships and was Intercontinental Champions for more that a year. His signature accessories were sunglasses, bandannas and cowboy hats with a growling catch phrase of "Oooh Yeah". All good things came to an end.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W02gTal4MM4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uI4WwmsgmNc (v Andre the Giant)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61rLJVNW12w&feature=grec_index (v Roddy Piper)

Wrestling was a main staple on TV in the old days and with only one TV in a house where a few families lived, my uncles in their younger days were all fans. I used to see a huge guy who wore a moose head or something when he came onto the rings. Later, they have those swift wrestlers like Jimmy Superfly and the British Bulldogs. Tag teams' fights were especially dirty and I always wondered why the referees or umpires were so stupid! Despite the fact that all matches were staged, there are many fans. Why? The overboard taunting? The creation of the good guy bad guy storyline or the support of the underdog? Who was or is your favourite wrestler? If you were to be a professional wrestler, what name would you give yourself?

Apocalypse

Again, some funny preacher in the USA has predicted that 21 May 2011 was the end of the world - the apocalypse. You won't believe it that some people actually believed him and quit their jobs, some went and hide themselves in the forest. May be there are some who would have spent all their money or given their to their cult leaders. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg who is Jewish said that he would suspend alternate side parking in New York if the world ends on Saturday.

My advice: Whenever you hear such prophecy, do not believe them. Do not give away your money except to me, sell your house, quit your job, don't say or do anything to family and friends that you will live to regret, do not abandon your loved ones, do not despair, do not give everything to your cult leaders. If the world were to end which day is better? Monday? Then we do not have to go to work?

Don't just listen to others, go read the Bible yourself. This man is no preacher. The Bible had stated clearly that no one will know. Just do the right things and when it comes, we go. One day, I may share more on Apocalypse, End of the World, Armageddon or about 2012. In the mean time, play dead. You are supposed to be goners a week ago. Anyway, I look at some of us in the morning, we do look like the living dead. What happens 28 days later? Watch:

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

Road Rage?

I love the Jaguar XF series of cars like the XFR or the XJ. What I could not comprehend is how we get angry or agitated quite easily. Even if others are rude which you will not be able to avoid, there is no reason for us to become mad. When we behave badly, we become the other fellow who behave badly. I do not know who is right or wrong but watch this:

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/what-is-buzzing/road-rage-car-park-orchard-road-103642629.html

I read about an incident at Orchard Road some time ago, where this man went over to the taxi and the taxi driver banged onto him causing to go onto the car bonnet and he fell to the ground on his head. After being in a coma he died. It was really sad. Something that need not happened. Nobody wins. In future, they should sell cars only by matching the personality of the persons to the cars. Those with great personalities get their car cheaper others who suck pay a premium.

Post Mortem on Post Mortem of Election

The people are somewhat happy. The opposition has won more seats including a GRC. Ministers were lost. The ruling party pledged that they will listen, change and do what is needed and good. We saw a few long-serving ministers retired before the election. After the elections were over, suddenly we saw MM and SM stepping down. More ministers were dropped and they are many changes to the cabinet. A couple of new ones were immediately promoted as ministers (I wonder if one should be a minister too soon). In one fell swoop, chops and changes abound.

I have been eating the very good "yong tau fu" and Sungei Road Laksa at Syed Alwi Road without really taking much notice that a political party's office is just across the street from the yong tau fu.

It is good the PM is listening and doing what is good for the future. These changes were not gradual, mind you and as it is there are some risks involved with so many new changes at one time. For example Minister George Yeo was our connection to the world in foreign affairs. MM and SM were our global salesman and ambassadors. Overnight, we are left with nothing. Of course, these 3 ex Ministers are effective for who they are not their titles. Ultimately, it is what we do with policies that does not work. No change in faces is of any good otherwise.

Maybe they have read my blog, as the new transport minister took a bus on his own. You can improve by reading my thoughts. Singapore today, tomorrow the world. Here is Tanjong Pagar GRC MP Ms Indranee Rajah. While the dust is still settling on Ministerial salaries, a smart Alec MP suggested that such salary should not be too low otherwise when a Minister talks to a CEO he may not have dignity. Since when has dignity to do with the amount of money one has?
So what happens when Mr. Lee Kuan Yew meets Mr. Li Ka Shing? Or when President Obama meets Mr. Wong Kan Seng? What about our Minister meeting Cristiano Ronaldo? Or when a CEO meets his priest? Had Bill Gates met Mother Theresa when she was still alive?

They need to look at things that were not hot topics in the election as well such as the ERP. It is supposed to curb congestion. Not only does it not do that, it continues to increase revenue - a monster by itself. When you and I have to pay to get home, it is a highway bandit. ERP should be renamed iBandit. I hope we do not wake up one day and find a gantry erected at your home car park exit. Beep!!

Here, you see WP...no, no. Just some one vain. I'm talking about Gene Kelly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmCpOKtN8ME

All in all, it was a political masterstroke by the PM. "Old" ministers are out. Unpopular ones are out. A clean slate indeed where the PM is Numero Uno and he leads from here. Singaporeans want the ruling party and the opposition to work together responsibly. Please show it to the people that we can do it! Here is my hero Mr. Lee Kuan Yew when he met Chinese Premier Deng Xiao Ping. A meeting of great minds. Mr. Lee is who he is even if he has no title. All of us should take a leaf from here. It is who you are not the title.

Planking
A new phenoma is taking place and spreading in smaller number in Singapore - Planking. You just go lie on the floor face down and act like a plank while your pictures were snapped and later uploaded on facebook. Some may climb a bit higher and go onto some ledge, a rooftop and at the top of some structures and do the same. It seems you look cool right? Ask yourselves, what's the reward versus the risks? Some folks have already died doing them on top of a moving car or some height.

I got folks talking to me about the experiment on using laser pointers on lizards. If you missed that one and never knew what fun it is you don't know what you are missing. Here is the link: http://gforce-guru.blogspot.com/2011/03/how-to-get-rid-of-lizards-effectively.html

Planking is nothing new. I do it all the time and I do believe I am not alone. We planked on our sofas and beds. While lying flat and motionless as a plank on bed, we could even read the newspapers on the floor. If you haven't tried this, you do not know what you are missing. It is the most productive way to read your papers and it is hands free plus you are planking. 3-in-1! Some of us could even be natural plankers!

Local Soccer Made World News?

First FIFA wanted us to comply by not fielding foreign teams plus others. Then a few Singaporeans are wanted for match-fixing. My hometown team of Sengkang once known as The Dolphins has truly become more aggressive since changing from the blues of dolphins to the tangerine Cheetah. There were markedly improved as when they lost they could score and put up a good fight. They have also won. There must have been some bad blood from their previous match against Etoile that was carried over. It is one thing to fight during a match but to fight even before a ball is kicked is unheard of.

Both sides were warming up on their respective sides when a strayed ball led to a scuffle between two players till the rest joined in and a free-for-all ensued. The crowd for the night? Two thousand. Are they really so hot and passionate or ill disciplined? Or the spillover effect of the election of local and foreigners? The first Etoile team that I saw last year was a very good team. Fights in soccer happens but I don't think I could recall one where fighting broke out before a game is played. What a shame the referee had to abandon the game. Newly elected Hougang MP Aw Shin Leong was there and must have been shocked. Sometimes we do not understand each other. Learn to build rapport. Watch this clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNJlvd5jEtY&feature=related

More On Soccer - UEFA Champions Final

We pay top rates to watch "live" EPL soccer matches every week and they give you a whole lot of games to watch usually all at the same time such that you wonder if it is cheaper if it is pay-per-view to watch only games you want to watch but it was really worth it if you had followed the last weekend's last matches of the season. It was not the title anymore but the fight for survival. It was climatic! It was sad to see Blackpool going down for their commitment to good soccer and though they were down 0-1 of all teams Manchester United, they crawled back to 1-1 and at one point even led by 2-1 before going down 2-4.

Wolves were on tenterhooks as they were 0-3 down at home to Blackburn before they summoned all their strength to recvoer with 2 goals losing 2-3. Some of their fans at the Molineux were already in tears probably thinking they were going down ar Birmingham were tied 1-1 with Spurs at White Hart Lane. Their goal difference were crucial for those that survived the culling can be assured of some 40 million pounds.

As usual, the season boils down to the ultimate crown of all - who would be crowned Champions of Europe. WIll it be Barcelona or Manchester United. It does not help that goody-two-shoes Mr. Ryan Giggs became canon fodder for his alleged affairs, something very surprising considering his supreme fitness playing at the top level despite the grand old age of 37 and his usual demeanour. Still water runs deep. What is your pick? Mamn U or Barca?

Last time they met in the Final, Man U was outclassed 0-2. Frankly, nobody really stand a chance not even Real Madrid or Jose Mourinho when playing Barcelona. They will murder you with their passing game. They have geniuses in their stride that can turn a game single-handedly. Xavi, Iniesta, Villa and Messi just to name a few but somehow Messi has never scored in England where the Final will be held at Wembley.

While Barcelona will probably be displaying their finest team ever, the same cannot be said about Manchester United. However, it seems Barcelona seemed to have expanded more energy winning their domestic title their their rival and could be the more tired side going in. There are no better teams to compete in this season's Final than these two. Barcelona will win by playing their usual game by maintaining good form but Wembley is all familiar territory to the Red Devils who are the more physical side and can capitalise on set pieces from corners and free-kicks. They are also the master of the counter-attack. The whole game will be down to focus and concentration and not making mistakes. A moment of genius will just turn the game.

From the usual mid-week game it is now scheduled to be on Saturday (early hours of Sunday). If you are staying up for it which I think most will, we must surely hope for great attacking soccer from both sides but Sir Alex is a wily old fox who knows you can beat Barcelona at their won game. A clever strategy will then be most important. We can sometimes feel disappointed the way a Final turn out. Spain had never lost an international for the longest time and when they did they lost to the USA. At the 2010 World Cup, they lost to Switzerland. Nobody expected those results. It can be intriguing.

Golf
Life can be cruel. My golf skills has abandoned and eluded me of late. The occasional great shots and good shots are getting more occasional. I hear less "good shot!" from flight mates these days. I missed these praises even though I know some times they are just flattery. The only good thing I hear frequently is "nice shoes". What brand is it? How much you have paid for it? Where do you find them? Nothing to do with golf. Everyone should be queuing to golf with me now.

I have come to the cliff edge. Danger! Do not go beyond this point. There is a need to bounce back.

It is a Mad World.

Let you be the judge which version of Mad World is the best?

Gary Jules: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4N3N1MlvVc4

Tears For Fears: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBJePxdPX3Y

Adam Lambert: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Emh6ceA6zIg