My Version of WorldCup 2010

Today is the first match of the Round of 16. Will this all come true?

Woodlands Waterfront

The northern region of Singapore now has a new leisure destination - Woodlands Waterfront (Former RMN Barracks). The park was designed with community-based events in mind & phase 1 opened up three hectares of the Woodlands Waterfront.

Here's the photo I took for my short 30min first visit to the park...

6 Jun 2010 - Woodlands Waterfront

Although only one-third of the park area has been opened, URA said that the main features are already in place. One is a playground that's not just for children. Youths can also seek thrills at the two-storey Skywalk and crawl through the playground's tree pods.

The waterfront park, which overlooks the Straits of Johor, will also feature a refurbished 400-metre jetty - a reminder that the park used to be occupied by warehouses. The remaining six hectares of the Woodlands Waterfront will be opened by the end of the year, with features like the Catilevered Promenade, nature area, trails and green spaces.

When fully completed, the Woodlands Waterfront will be linked to the nearby Admiralty Park and the park connector along Woodlands Centre Road and Admiralty West. The Woodlands Waterfront will also add on to 1.5km of the 150km-Round Island Route, which allows seamless strolling, jogging or cycling around Singapore.

Miss My Micro Machines Collection

Sometime back, Melvin bought this set of toy car for Jotham & I was there thinking of my Micro Machines Collection already. Don't know when, don't know how & don't know why all my Micro Machines suddenly went missing. The chances of finding them again is zero as they are all off the shelf of all toys store. For now, only eBay sells it.

Micro Machines: The Original Scale Miniatures (called either "Micro Machines" or simply "Micros") were a line of toys originally made by Galoob (now part of Hasbro) in the mid 1980s and throughout the 1990s. Galoob licensed the idea behind Micro Machines from Clem Heeden, a toy inventor from Wisconsin. Micro Machines were tiny scale component style "playsets" and vehicles that were slightly larger than N scale.

For afew years, Micro Machines was the largest selling toy car line in the US with total Micro Machine sales exceeding the total $ sales of the combined sales of Hot Wheels, Matchbox and Majorette the next top selling lines. Micro Machines had a well-known advertising campaign in the 1980s involving fast-talker John Moschitta, Jr. who would speak very fast in their TV commercials, ending each one with the slogan "If it doesn't say Micro machines, it's not the real thing".

Here's a quick recap...

Choked drains caused massive flooding in Orchard

Singapore's national water agency, PUB, has said the flood in parts of Orchard Road on Wednesday was caused by choked drains underneath roads in the area.

With no typhoon hovering over the island city state, suspected that the rains were brought by the southwest monsoon. The two-hour downpour registered 100 mm of rain & the amount of rainfall is higher than the average and incidents like this happen rarely.

At a news conference on Thursday, PUB explained that thorough investigations done by its officers found that debris was found trapped inside the culvert of Stamford Canal. It said the heavy downpour caused debris to build up and get trapped in a drain near Delfi Orchard. The culvert of Stamford Canal diverts water from Nassim and Cuscaden Road into two sections of Stamford Canal, which runs along Orchard Road.

The heavy build-up of debris partially trapped in the culvert caused the rainwater to be diverted to only one of two canals running beneath Orchard Road. And this caused water in the canal to overflow into Orchard Road.

PUB said the drain's capacity is adequate as it has handled previous rains of similar intensity. It will be stepping up the frequency of maintenance inspections of critical closed drains. It will also increase its maintenance inspections to monthly checks. Currently, it inspects drains every three to six months.

PUB will also install more litter traps along Stamford Canal to prevent the build-up of debris, and more water-level sensors along Stamford Canal to enable closer monitoring of unusual peaks and dips in water levels.

Overseas Chinese top the world at 45 million

The number of overseas Chinese has reached 45 million, becoming the world's largest overseas group, according to the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council cited in Guangzhou Daily.

Many of the new emigrants are choosing to live in Europe. When asked about attitudes towards citizens moving abroad, Overseas Chinese Affairs Office said that with the precondition of legality, they respect their right and choice, protect their legitimate rights abroad, and will guide them to assimilate with local society, to make due economic contributions.

Hope they are as hardworking as our grandparents.

Caught with gun at AMK

An unemployed man came into possession of a semi-automatic pistol when his friend, who was about to be arrested for drug offences, gave it to him a decade ago. But despite the possible consequences, Low Hua Choon kept the pistol and in July last year, he took the Colt M1991A1 which contained five rounds of ammunition, on a run to sell smuggled contraband cigarettes.

These details emerged 2 weeks back when the 41-year-old was convicted in a district court. He faces a jail term of between five and 20 years and at least six strokes of the cane under the Arms Offences Act. The court heard he was arrested at the junction of Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 and Avenue 8 on July 27 last year.

Singapore Customs officers, who intercepted Low on a cigarette delivery run, searched his lorry and found the pistol and 13 boxes (650 cartons) of contraband cigarettes. He would have been paid $30 for each box of cigarettes he delivered. Lucky the Customs Officer didn't treat it as a toy and start testing it. Anyway... it's a rare event.

Graffiti vandal breaches security at MRT depot

This train, spray-painted with garish graffiti, plied its route for an unknown period of time, in full view of commuters. The vandal, a 33-year-old Swiss national, has been arrested.

An MRT train parked in a depot was hit with garish graffiti in what amounted to a serious security breach in a restricted area here. The vandal apparently sneaked into the sprawling depot at Changi, despite an array of barriers, including fences topped with barbed wire. Once inside, he spray-painted elaborate graffiti on one side of a train, across one carriage.

Is there a pubic petition for us to vote and support this graffiti artist so that he don't have to get penalized? I like his work. But having crawled over so many barriers to get to the train, SMRT must do something about it. It would be better to have proper walkway to the berthed trains so that artists in future can paint safely. Haha.. Kidding only.

Counter terrorism experts describe this as a "low-cost" lesson. Lucky he didn't intend to install any bomb. SMRT has stepped up security at all its depots. It is also working closely with the authorities to strengthen security at its perimeters, including additional surveillance and intrusion detection systems.

The train carriages have been scrubbed clean, but a video clip on YouTube showed the vandalised train filled with elaborate graffiti. The 27-second clip continues to attract eyeballs, as well as calls to plug the loopholes in security.

East Coast and Changi beaches reopen

The beaches at East Coast and Changi will be reopened for water contact activities, according to a written statement issued by the National Environment Agency (NEA) on last Friday.

The agency said that the water conditions at these coastal areas have returned to normal although some small tar balls might still be appearing along the shoreline.

Contact with the tar balls will not cause any harm and can be removed with soap and water.

Over 7km of beach and rock bunds along the east coast were affected by an oil slick after about 2500 tonnes of crude spilled from a tanker damaged in a collision in the Singapore Strait slipped out of a floating cordon.

Members of the public can contact the NEA 24-hour call centre at 1800-CALL NEA (2255632) if they have any queries.

Philips Carnival 2010

Philips Carnival Sale is here again & its organised for 3 days for the first time! So mark your calendar & get ready to snap up your electronic goods. Although most of the items are reconditioned set, but its still a great buy with warrenty.

Date : 28 - 30 May 2010
Time : 9am - 6pm
Venue : 620A Toa Payoh Lor 1

Short of cash? No worries.. 0% insterest free installment plan are available. Parking is available at designated areas in & around the vicinity on a first-come-first-served basis.

Murano Glass - The Art of Venice, Italy

Italy Murano Glass. Something that I would go crazy for when I was at Venice. Although I've a few there, but the nicest one was the one I got it at Milan.

Murano glass has been a famous product of the Venetian island of Murano for centuries. Located off the shore of Venice, Italy, Murano was a commercial port as far back as the 7th century. By the 10th century it had become a well-known city of trade. Today Murano remains a destination for tourists and art and jewellery lovers alike.

It is believed that glassmaking in Murano originated from 9th century Rome, with significant Asian and Muslim influences, as Venice was a major trading port. Murano’s reputation as a centre for glassmaking was born when the Venetian Republic, fearing fire and destruction to the city’s mostly wooden buildings, ordered glassmakers to move their foundries to Murano in 1291. Murano glass is still interwoven with Venetian glass.

Murano's glassmakers were soon the island’s most prominent citizens. By the 14th century, glassmakers were allowed to wear swords, enjoyed immunity from prosecution by the Venetian state and found their daughters married into Venice’s most affluent families. However glassmakers were not allowed to leave the Republic. Many craftsmen took this risk and set up glass furnaces in surrounding cities and as far afield as England and the Netherlands.

By the end of the 16th century, three thousand of Murano island's seven thousand inhabitants were involved in some way in the glassmaking industry.

Murano’s glassmakers held a monopoly on quality glassmaking for centuries, developing or refining many technologies including crystalline glass, enamelled glass (smalto), glass with threads of gold (aventurine), multicoloured glass (millefiori), milk glass (lattimo), and imitation gemstones made of glass. Today, the artisans of Murano are still employing these century-old techniques, crafting everything from contemporary art glass and glass figurines to Murano glass chandeliers and wine stoppers.

Today, Murano is home to a vast number of factories and a few individual artist studios making all manner of glass objects from mass marketed stemware to original sculpture. The Museo Vetrario or Glass Museum in the Palazzo Giustinian, which holds displays on the history of glassmaking as well as glass samples ranging from Egyptian times through the present day.

Great Singapore Sale kicks off on 28 May

It’s time to indulge as the Great Singapore Sale is back, and the whole island is abuzz with tempting offers, enticing rewards, exciting events and fun experiences! This year's Great Singapore Sale (GSS) will kick off on May 28 all through to July 25.

Guys.. Remember to watch your pocket ya, else no more money left for the blink blink gadget during the June PC Show.

Experience the fun and excitement at the official launch event of this year’s Great Singapore Sale on Saturday, 29 May 2010. Tourist, will be treated to a host of exclusive privileges ranging from retail, dining and sightseeing to beauty and wellness with the Tourist Privileges Card.

For those night owl, you can indulge in late night shopping, dining and entertainment at these participating malls, and shop to your heart’s desire! But they are not 24hrs.

For more info, latest updates & the best deal in town, please visit http://www.greatsingaporesale.com.sg.

Marital Status of Prospective Spouse

Starting May 1, 2010, you can now search for the marital status of a prospective spouse using a free online search service provided by the The Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS). The service will provide the same information of marriage records as the existing paid search service including the names and partially masked NRIC numbers of both married parties and the date of marriage.

Previously, users could only obtain information by paying $35 for a hard copy of an online search outcome made in the Register of Muslim marriages or Register of Civil marriages. Now You will have the option of a free online search (without a hard copy of the search outcome), or a paid search service which will provide both online and hardcopy information at $35.

The Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) says the free online service is available to SingPass users and to organisations. The number of free searches will be limited to two per person over a 12-month period. You can access the eService by the following URL.

• Logging onto Registry of Marriages website at http://www.rom.gov.sg and select "Search for Marriage Records" from the "Services" menu.
• Logging onto Registry of Muslim Marriages website at http://www.romm.gov.sg and select "Search for Marriage Records" from the "Services" menu.

How some Chinese learn English

Did Moses Crosses The Red Sea or Reed Sea?

The Crossing the Red Sea is the Biblical account of the escape of the Israelites from the pursuing Egyptians. It marks the point at which the Israelites leave Egypt and enter into their wilderness wanderings.

With reference to my earlier post on "Discovery of the Pharaoh's chariot", did Moses really part the Red Sea or the Reed Sea aka Sea of Reed (Swamp)? Was this event a true miracle? After much research on this, I've finally found the answer. This is a quest to find out the truth & not to question the creditability of the Bible.

Moses had spend 40 years in the desert, studying the terrain & climatic conditions. He knew that during low tide, when the water of the sea had receded, there will be a swampy land bridge which he could lead the Israelites across. He also knew that when low tide couple with strong winds so strong that its seems like splitting the waters apart exposing the land bridge. He also knew how long this is going to last. With all the geography knowledge he had in this area, its not hard to cross the Reed Sea.

Why its Reed Sea & not Red Sea? This was a mistranslation of the original text. According to the Hebrew Exodus it actually said Sea of Reed - A Swampy Path, which is in current day Gulf of Aquaba, that is linked to the Red Sea.

The striking of the water of the sea with his rod by Moses had no cause and effect connection with the actual parting of the sea. It was merely a sign or divine intimation that it was the time of the ebb tide and that the Israelites should hasten to cross. When the Egyptians that follows them reached the middle of the sea, the high tide returned and the rising water quickly engulfed them.

Protest or Publicity Stunt?

A group of people dressed in white were spotted on the overhead bridge along CTE near St. Andrews Junior College, bearing a 'NO ERP' message on placards. Is this a Protest or Publicity Stunt?

If this is a protest I will be proud of these people. At last someone is highlighting the pain of ERP on our behalf. Or they are sending us a message that LTA is soon going to charge ERP on CTE on Sunday?

Looking at the picture again, I guess its just a Discovery Channel's publicity stunt which say on Sunday, there's no ERP, The World is Just Awesome! Oh Yes..! So now the worlds knows that we need to pay & pay to use the road except on Sunday. Haha..

When the tree falls all the monkeys will scatter

Singapore funnyman Mark Lee intends to set up his own production company, Huang Production Pte Ltd, in January next year after his contract with disgraced director Jack Neo's firm, J Team Productions, expires at the end of 2010

Lee's revelation comes amidst rumours that J Team Productions may dissolve after company founder Neo's affair with 22 year old model Wendy Chong was exposed. J Team exists only in name after the incident.

Lee pointed out that it was not the artistes who were abandoning Neo, but the other way round. Like abandoned orphans, they were told to fend for themselves once their contract expires, hence his decision to start his own firm. He will not be terminating his contract early but prefers to leave gracefully when it expires. He added that he will not poach talents from J Team Productions as well.

Maybe Mark has been waiting for this excuse for very long liao.

License needed to fish in Longkang (Drain)

Leisure anglers may soon have to pay for a license before they can drop their line and bait into Singapore waters.

Local fishing groups such as the Sport Fishing Association of Singapore (SFAS) and the Gamefish and Aquatic Rehabilitation Society (GARS) are working with national water agency PUB to come up with a licensing scheme for fishing.

A statement from PUB said that by controlling the number of anglers, it is hoped that the ecosystem will not be affected while sustaining sport fishing as a popular recreational activity

So now nature's fish also belongs to the government also. Next time when you are taking a stroll at the waterways, don't be surprise to see vigilant Cisco Task Force ready to summon any leisure anglers.

Couple sneak into Marina Bay Sands' SkyPark

A Caucasian man and an Asian woman, managed to enter the restricted Marina Bay Sands construction site, climbing a combination of stairs and ladders, then traversing several makeshift structures to reach the structure's summit - the SkyPark.

What lengths would you go to for a spot in the latest season of the Amazing Race Asia? For a couple who recorded their journey to the top of the yet-to-be-opened Marina Bay Sands (MBS) integrated resort, its more than 57 storeys and 200m above ground literally.

The footage of their mini-adventure - which was filmed for the audition of the Amazing Race Asia, the Asian edition of the popular reality television series - was posted last week on Stomp.

Other than donning a white helmet and fluorescent vest each, the pair did not appear to have been using any safety equipment. They embrace and share a kiss, with the man even carrying the woman while standing mere steps away from the waist-high scaffold at the SkyPark platform’s edge.

MBS said that the couple had not sought official permission from the management before their stunt & a contractor brought the couple on site without authorisation. The contractor has since been removed from the project & terminated their services.

'Marrying' a celeb in the other world

For only S$10.25, one can marry off a dead family member or friend to a celebrity.

As its Qing Ming festival (Chinese All Souls Day) now, a creative businessman in China has come out with a replica marriage certificate for the afterworld, endorsed by the 'United Nations'.

For only 50 yuan (S$10.25), one can marry off a dead family member or friend to a celebrity. A copy of the replica marriage certificate, containing names, particulars and photos of the couple, would be issued. The certificate will then be burnt to the departed "bride" or "bridegroom".

According to Chutian Metro Daily, the document was seized from a stall selling paper replicas for the dead in Hubei. It was among other paraphernalia including bungalows, cars, mistresses, personal doctors and nurses, displayed at the stall. The daily's reporter observed that the stall had prepared a list of "celebrity brides" for their customers. Among them were Maggie Cheung Man-yuk, Jolin Tsai, Lady Gaga and Britney Spears.

China Industry and Commerce Law enforcement officer said the stall was raided for intellectual property infringement.

DJ Rozz walked out of her own radio show

Drama unfolds on Day 2 of The Shan, Rozz & Ris show: Furious over her co-host Ris Low, Rozz walked out midway of her own radio show.

It appears that they have achieved exactly what their boss had set them out to do - "spice up the evening show". Barely two days into the newly set-up Shan, Rozz & Ris show, and drama unfolded, when Rozz stomped off her own radio show, seemingly furious over her co-host, Ris Low.

It seemed like Ris not only showed up two hours late on her first day [citing the slip-up over military time 1600hrs as 6pm], she also ended her shift two hours earlier on her second day. Too much of a coincidence you think?

The brouhaha, as heard over the airwaves, started off with Rozz talking about "I know people think that I shouldn't let emotions get in the way of work but I'm just like that" and "I've decided to leave the show because at least the angry one is not here."

Apparently, before she made her sudden exit, Rozz had sounded rather unhappy when she spoke about Ris's comment to reporters [on her 1st day at work] of her seemingly frostiness toward the ex-beauty queen.

According to Shan, who told his listeners that all efforts to reach Rozz through phonecalls and text messages were unsuccessful. During the "Muttons to Midnight Show" hosted by Justin and Vernon, the radio DJs were also heard discussing about the drama and spoke about Rozz sending a text message to her boss, requesting for a transfer.

At this moment, Ris is hotter than all the Miss Singapore combined. Never seen a Miss Singapore appear on newspaper like every other day. But she is more funny than beauty.