RAIN RAIN RAIN ...finally

WOow what a morning

Singaporeans are going crazy...not having seen rain for so many weeks,,,,,woooohhhhhhh

My FB postings are all awash with RAin Rain Rain




I'm enjoying this morning - Bendtner scoring a Hattrick , Singapore finally Raining .....PERFECT, just Perfect

so arsenal, no Fabregas- how now ? all up to bendtner

So, Fabregas is out of tonight's Champions League match v Porto.

Well, actually I am not that worried . We still have Arshavin, Rosicky and maybe even Walcott to create some havoc around Porto. Arsenal can still play without Fabregas .

But our continuation in this tournament is not dependent on Fabregas. It is down to Bendtner .

If Bendtner plays, then we are as good as OUT !!!!! What a waste of space . Passes and crosses delivered to him on a golden platter will end up splattered . It is even irritating to see him celebrating a goal ( well, i only remember him scoring 2 goals recently) as if he is the greatest goalscorer in the world. Pathetic . He ought to remind himself how many he has missed .

And have you seen Bendtner at the wings and so far away from teh penalty spot when Arsenal are swarming down the flanks ...he should be making himself available in the box. Hmm maybe he thinks he is Thierry Henry and can cut, swerve and surf his way from side to side and finish off with a sweet strike ....Dream on Bendtner .....Yes, yes, you did it once against some team......but the operative word is ONCE .....don't cling on to those one-off flukes .More often than not, we lose posession once you have the ball.

Thierry Henry would put defenders on their backsides , Bendtner will land on his own,

So tonight, while I will miss Fabregas, i still remain confident . But if i see that Tall Blonde's name on the teamsheet , my heart will sink................


What a pity Robin van Persie has been out injured for so long. If not, we would be streets ahead on points by now in the English league ......

Let's play fair, they are guests too

Maybe one day we won't just Walk On By but stop and chat....


The article below is reproduced from Straits Times today 2 March 2010 .
I think it's very fair and balanced and says what it is my mind too -


Patrols are useful but beware the fine line


'SINGAPOREANS who feel overwhelmed by foreign workers are naturally pleased police patrols are fanning out to more of their gathering places. Patrols are not confined to central locations like Little India or the Golden Mile Complex in Beach Road, famed for their mega Sunday congregations of South and South-east Asian workers. Smaller gatherings in HDB neighbourhood corners and void decks are in Singaporeans' estimation more to the point. Reason: The closer to their homes these workers gather to unwind over a drink, the greater the residents' need for reassurance of their well-being. They resent the annoyance caused; some proclaim they worry about women's safety.

A qualification should be made in the interests of fairness: Patrolling has come chiefly in response to the loud and persistent complaints made against foreign workers, some legitimate but not all of them justified. The law enforcement action should never be taken as acceptance that manual workers making a living far from their home countries would damage Singapore's social peace.

Singapore would be one of very few cities with a polyglot population where auxiliary police keep a watchful eye on foreign workers, defined here as work-permit holders doing hard, physical work. Domestic help and service workers, as in sales, are excluded. These decent folk have no means, nor a wish, of protesting against random police checks as unwarranted profiling. The patrols are arguably useful in preventing such anti-social behaviour as drunkenness and defacing of property. Residents are agreed that complaints about misconduct have fallen as a result. But it is as well for the authorities to acknowledge that there is a fine line between crime prevention or keeping the peace, and mounting an oppressive police presence. Patrols are known to be unobtrusive; keep it this way. Manual workers labouring for small wages are entitled to common courtesies, no less than high-grade imported manpower moving billions in industry and finance.

Crime figures do not bear out locals' intimation about foreigners' involvement in crime. Police figures for 2007 cited by Transient Workers Count Too, which promotes the welfare of foreign labour, showed the arrest rate of work- permit holders was 227 per 100,000 of population, against 435 for Singaporeans. Fights among their own nationalities over work-related or personal disputes were common. Having more worker dormitories with a full suite of shopping and recreational facilities will be a tremendous leap, but they will not end all itinerant movements. Real progress will come if labour contractors and employers make it a contractual duty to brief guest workers thoroughly on the dos and don'ts of life in a tidy country'.

I kind of like ST's use of the term 'guest workers'...

Fly a Kite , but.........

Not surprised to see this letter in Straits Times

Sigh......

Feb 27, 2010
Go fly a kite but do it responsibly

WHILE kite flying is a fun and healthy sport that should be encouraged in Singapore, I have observed recently how hazardous it can be if people are not responsible.

Sengkang is a kite-flying haven for many Singaporeans. Come the weekend, droves of enthusiasts from all over will throng the grass patch along Sengkang East Way, near Sengkang Sports Complex, and cars will block the roads in these areas.

Along Anchorvale Link, for instance, drivers have to squeeze through the two-way, single-lane road; at times, pedestrians dart out amid the parked cars to cross the road.

Last weekend, a taxi unknowingly snagged some kite strings as it turned from Anchorvale Link into Sengkang East Way. The strings, if made of nylon (which some kite-fliers use), could seriously injure pedestrians if dragged at high speeds by vehicles.

On another occasion some weeks ago, I saw a kite suddenly plunge from the sky and land on a road nearby. Fortunately, there were no cars on the roads then.

My point is: Have fun by all means, but do it responsibly. And if it helps, perhaps the authorities should tackle the traffic issues and run a campaign to educate the public.

Wallace Goh

hahaha so , gamble or ogle ?

Found this in the News today

Tue, Feb 23, 2010

The Star/Asia News Network
Resorts World Sentosa visitors ogle at scantily-clad showgirls

Entertainers had the men glued to their chairs. -The Star/ANN


Male visitors to Singapore's newest tourist attraction, Resorts World Sentosa, were so attracted to the showgirls performing there that they were glued to their seats.

Sin Chew Daily reported that some male visitors at the Resorts World Sentosa do not gamble but ogle at the scantily-clad showgirls.

The entertainers with revealing outfits had the men glued to their chairs and they decided not to gamble.



hahhahahahha I wonder what the wives of these men think of their men ? That it is better for them to sit and stare rather than losing money ?

Interesting though to read that the men changed their minds about gambling. Hmm wonder if the Resorts World people will stop the show now they know where our men's preferences lie......

hmm, even at the Chingay Parade , so many camera flashes went off when the Integrated Resorts attraction contingent marched by - see for yourselves...









Hehehehheeee these are just the G-rated photos .....hmmmmmmmmmm

Chingay Parade - sexy spectacular show this year

Greetings ...What a great show ..truly international

For more, do visit my Facebook album ....heeheheheheheheh

Nature v Nurture - lesson from the Birds

What a coincidence .

As i was flipping through some Facebook photos this morning,. I came across 2 photos from 2 different friends and both had the same theme ...

see for yourselves

This is by Jarrod Stone taken over the CNY weekend at Trengganu


This is by Michelle Wee taken over the CNY weekend at Bali



Hmm....amazing

And what did I do over the CNY weekend ?
Jurong Bird Park.......

As I always do, I kept thinking about whether it would be better to be fed and groomed and have all your needs taken care of , or as the birds in Mitch and JS pics above, be wild and free .......


Very much will depend on your circumstances ....were you born into the wild and taken into captivity ? or is a life of performing tricks one which you have only known .....




Can Nature and Nurture ever be reconciled ?



How much do we let our kids run free and how much do we rein in natural instincts ?

Birds of a feather, Locked together

the long 4 dayChinese New Year holiday was a blast .
As all flights booked and many places crowded, we decided to remain in Singapore and be tourists in our own country ...Singapore Flyer,Navy Museum, National Museum, Bird Park, World of Dinosaurs, Quest for Immortality, parks, beaches, etc etc were just some of the places we went ...i'll try and post some photos this week..now I have to get back to the grind ....

It was fun, fun, fun.....food, food, food

Happy Chinese New YEAR

like losing a best friend

I lost my Handphone on Monday . Was in a taxi from office to Subordinate Courts .

I only realised I had lost it when i was at steps of the Court building. I panicked - all my contacs, appointments, photos, SMS messages .....what would become of them....

I called my hp number a few times . It rang the first few times but after five minutes, no ring tone anymore . Sigh.....it meant whoever found it had turned it off ...too late for me .

I called up Starhub. The guy was very helpful and told me he would immediately suspend my line so no one could use my SIM card . He kept asking me to remember the taxi's particulars but frankly, i couldnt even remember the taxi fare etc ...sigh again......

After Court, i went over to Starhub and within minutes , i had a repalcement SIM card, with my same number intact ....

I was struck by the different reactions when i told people my story . There are basically 2 groups ...and you can se for yourselves which they are from the following :

Group A : You lost your handphone ? Oh dear . Was it expensive ? Was it the one with the videos, internet, fancy camera , etc etc etc etc ?

Group B : You lost your handphone ? Oh no. Your friends' numbers are all in there right ? What about your photos , your home videos , any special moments inside , any personal secrets ?


Well, to me , a phone is a phone ....it is an object ...but my phone is my phone because it had my very favourite pictures in it, and many wonderful and touching SMS messages stored .....words that I wished to keep forever ....

As one friend wrote in a Facebook message to me , " Ahmad, it's like losing a best friend "..........

Exactly.

Religion - personal v public - how to find a balance ?

Is religion a reason to allow knife-carrying?

Sikhs should be allowed to carry ceremonial knives in schools and other public places, says Britain's first Asian judge. But can religion ever justify loopholes in the law, asks philosopher Rebecca Roache.

The idea of children being allowed to carry knives while at school sounds like a red rag to a bull. But that is what Sir Mota Singh QC, Britain's first Asian judge, who is now retired, says should be allowed. Not any old knife - but the ceremonial dagger known as the Kirpan.

The Kirpan is one of five "articles of faith" which also include Kesh (unshorn hair) and Kara (steel bangle) that are worn by practising Sikhs.

Given the UK's well-publicised problem with knife crime, his suggestion is controversial. It raises the question of how far society should "bend the rules" to accommodate people who wish to practise a religion.

CARRYING KIRPANS IN THE UK

Worn by fewer than 10% of Sikhs in UK, according to Dabinderjit Singh, adviser to Sikh Federation UK
Banned by many schools in the UK, and have been confiscated in public places
Yet Criminal Justice Act 1988, which bans blade carrying, has exemption for religion

Toleration, equality, and respect for others are important values in Britain today. Indeed, it seems unlikely that any multicultural society could be harmonious without them. Even so, the balance between them can be easily upset. Respecting the views of one group in society by allowing them special privileges can seem like favouritism, and this can foster resentment and undermine toleration.

So, how much freedom should people have to live the way they want to live?

The political philosopher John Rawls believed that everyone should have the maximum amount of freedom compatible with everyone else having the same amount. In other words, we should be free to act as we please, provided that our doing so does not restrict the freedom of others.

This principle - with its commitment to both equality and liberty - underpins much UK legislation. For example, car owners living in built-up residential areas often face restrictions on how many cars they can park on the street, since there is not enough space to allow unlimited parking for everyone.

Religion v football

Another influential view is that of John Stuart Mill, who argued that, in disagreements about whether or not a certain activity should be permitted, the burden of proof rests with those who favour restricting the activity.

In liberalised societies like the UK, activities are generally restricted only with good reason, usually because they pose a significant risk of harm to others.

“ The sole end for which mankind are warranted, individually or collectively, in interfering with the liberty of action of any of their number, is self-protection. ”
John Stuart Mill, On Liberty (1859)
So, for example, driving while drunk is illegal because of the increased risk of injuring someone. On the other hand, restrictions on activities that do not pose a risk of harm to others - such as restrictions on sexual activity between consenting adults - tend to be controversial.

Applying Rawls's principle to the case of Kirpan-carrying, it turns out that if Sikhs are to be permitted to carry them, then everyone else should be permitted carry knives too. However, to relax the restrictions on carrying knives in this way would raise the risk of knife injury for everyone.

This risk of harm to others justifies restricting Kirpan-carrying by Sikhs and everyone else, in much the same way that many other potentially harmful activities are restricted.

So, it seems sensible not to allow anyone and everyone to carry a knife.

Is religion special?

Currently, however, there is an exemption - under the Criminal Justice Act 1989, people are allowed to carry blades for religious reasons.

But, is it right that they should be exempt?

To answer this, we must consider whether a person's religion justifies their being allowed to behave in a way that others are not allowed to behave. What is special about religion?

Well, a plausible answer is that practising a religion is central to the well-being of many people and communities - therefore, we should not curtail the freedom to practice religion without good reason.

However, this could be unconvincing as a justification for allowing Sikhs to carry Kirpans. Many non-religious activities are also central to the well-being of many people and communities, and yet such activities are frequently and uncontroversially restricted.

For example, playing musical instruments is centrally important to the lives of many people, yet we do not allow people to play their instruments loudly in residential areas in the middle of the night. And playing football is important to many people, yet football games are not permitted on busy roads, in shopping centres, on other people's property without their consent, and so on.

The reason these activities are restricted brings us back to considerations of harm: unrestricted freedom for musicians and footballers to practise their chosen activities would cause harm to others.

Of course, religious people may argue that religion plays a far more important role in their lives than music or football play in the lives of those who enjoy these activities, and that as a result, special efforts should be made to accommodate religious practices.

However, not only is this claim difficult to verify, but giving religious people privileges denied to non-religious people goes against the commitments to equality and respect for others, both of which are important values in Britain today. Practicing religion, then, should be subject to the same standards as non-religious activities.

Religious cannabis

That is, those who wish to practise religion should be free to do so, but they should not be permitted to engage in activities that pose significant risk of harm to others. Relaxing the restrictions on carrying knives would pose such a risk of harm by increasing the risk of knife injuries. As a result, it seems reasonable to restrict the carrying of Kirpans.

On the other hand, the Millian view that activities should not be restricted without good reason calls into question current restrictions on all sorts of other practices, religious and otherwise. It is not clear, for example, that planned French restrictions on Muslims wearing full veils can be justified; nor is it clear that Rastafarians (and others) should be prevented from smoking cannabis. Cannabis is a holy herb of Rastafari religious ritual, yet in Britain it is illegal.

On this view, even many apparently innocuous restrictions - such as the restriction that many workers and schoolchildren should wear uniforms - may turn out to be unjustifiable. It is not always obvious whether or not an activity is potentially harmful, and so deciding which activities should be restricted is not always a simple matter.

For example, whilst the French government sees burqa-wearing as undermining the freedom of women, this view is controversial and many disagree that it justifies restricting the freedom of people to dress as they please

However, in cases where it is clear that an activity is potentially significantly harmful - and Kirpan-carrying seems to be just such a case - failing to restrict it is difficult to justify.

Rebecca Roache is a philosopher at the Future of Humanity Institute, University of Oxford.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8506074.stm

Religion - Mix not Fix

From ST today :-

THE apology was accepted the old-fashioned way - in person, over a pot of hot tea, and with a firm handshake.

After nearly a week of being watched on YouTube and other online forums, Pastor Rony Tan yesterday met the leaders of two religions he had disparaged in online video clips, that got him into trouble with the Internal Security Department (ISD) this week.

He apologised to the leaders of the Singapore Buddhist Federation and Taoist Federation and promised to work on improving the relationship between his religion and theirs.

The founder of Lighthouse Evangelism, an independent megachurch with 12,000 members, has stayed out of sight.

His family issued a statement late last night, saying: 'We understand the gravity of the issue. We have taken steps to resolve the matter, and would like to put this behind us and focus on promoting religious harmony.'

Pastor Tan's personal call made all the difference to the Buddhist and Taoist leaders yesterday.

I'm relieved this sensitive issue has been resolved this way . Sensible and with levelheadedness .

Yes, all the politicians and social commentators will continue to say that religious harmony is a continuing effort , with no deadline ....but what about you and me ?

For the rest of us, my suggestion is simple - dont just sit at home or with your own circle . get out and mingle.

Better it is to mix with , rather than fix up others .....

This scene I came across on Sunday at Esplanade Park is so inspiring . I think you know what I mean :



I've come across media reports about Malays playing Chinese musical instruments or learning Chinese martial arts etc . That is not enough . I would prefer seeing Malays playing with Chinese in an orchestra and challenging as a team with others in sports . Well, learning a skill of another culture is a start ....let's hope it leads to more .....

And by the way, let's encourage the Chinese to play football again....i'm sad that our national team has no local Chinese footballer .........sigh......

Sunday morning sunrise

After years of taking millions of photos using small pocket cameras, I was finally persuaded to move towards DSLR . Well, must credit Facebook for being the platform to enjoy so many wonderful photos from so many people.....from the magnificent macro shots of bees and birds ( literally) to awesome landscape of New Zealand and America and Eurpoe, I've conceded that while pictures should be about experiences and memories, the quality of the pictures can and do add to the 'specialness' of the occasion.

So it was on SUnday morning , wife and I left at 6.30am to Marina to catch the sunrise ( not satisfied with just catching a glimpse while driving every morning to work ) ...We went there to meet fellow newbies ( to the DSLR ) world , with our old college mate Jamsari aka Jarrod Stone as coach....


Sigh...lovely


What a beautiful sight ....

JS showed us how to look at things in new perspective ...observe lines and angles .....


dont just walk on a bridge, look underneath as well


An ordinary travellator transformed with a little imagination


Taking on new hobby is no excuse to stop exercising on Sunday mornings !



Jarrod Stone -our coach . We were all college mates back in 1984-85..



Shahreen - wow..the last time I saw him was about 20 years ago///amazing how Facebook can reconnect everyone ..as if they were never away too..

It was a brilliant session - but I don't think I can remember all i was taught - so many things to take note - Shutter speed, aperture. ISO ....all still greek to me ...well, practise, practise , practise...

Happy 10th Birthday SURIA

my morning drive scenery

fly fly

Arsenal , when fantasy meets reality - 3D

Wow.awesome

have you heard that the Arsenal v Man U td match tomorrow will be the first football match shown in 3D...

Wat a coincidence...

We are going to see AVATAR today ... yup, the same James Cameron behind Avatar is behind this 3D match..

Heeheeheee what a compliment ....Arsenal has been playing the Fantasy football all this while and it is fitting that it is Arsenal ( or Barcelona) who gets this honour ...

Adios , Senderos ..and All the Best

I have never been impressed with Senderos ...always thought he was too clumsy and did not have the turn of speed so critical in today's game .But after reading this,I respect his spirit and big-heartedness .

From Arsenal FC blog

Senderos: “I’m proud to say I was an Arsenal player”By Andrew Weber
Wednesday January 27, 2010

In a world full of highly-paid and ungrateful footballers it is refreshing to know that people like Philippe Senderos still exist.

Fresh from his loan move from Arsenal to Everton the Swiss defender produced these comments about his former club:

“They gave me a fair chance. But at big clubs you have a lot of players and two or three games a week and, if they come in and do well, they will take your place. That’s what happened to me. I don’t think I’ve been unfairly treated apart from the last few months but even then the players in the team were doing well and staying in.”

“I am not bitter at leaving. Arsenal are a big club who gave me a lot and I owe a lot to them. They took me from Switzerland when I was 18 and I got to play in a Champions League final and to win the FA Cup. I am proud to say I was an Arsenal player but I couldn’t go on not playing every week. I needed to move. I didn’t just move to Everton for opportunities, I’ve moved to Everton because it’s a massive club and I can see myself growing as a player and as a man here.”

We heard endless stories from Arsene Wenger and other members of the Arsenal Football Club about the class and intelligence of Senderos right from the day he joined the club at age 18. He was touted as the future of the Arsenal defence and a potential captain and although it hasn’t worked out it’s great to see he has still maintained a good relationship with the manager and the club.

To see him go out with such dignity – reflecting on his own ability to accept the challenges he faced rather than blaming everyone else – is hugely refreshing. It’s clear that he is grateful for the chance that Wenger and the club took when they signed him and a little disappointed that he wasn’t able to pay them back with his performances on the pitch.

After reading these comments there wouldn’t be an Arsenal support out there who doesn’t wish Philippe all the best in his future endeavours. At 24 he still has the world ahead of him and a club like Everton could turn out to be the perfect place for him to kick-start a career that undoubtedly stalled at Arsenal with the likes of Johan Djourou progressing more quickly and Thomas Vermaelen adapting remarkably well.

So I say good luck to Philippe at his new club as well as thank-you for remaining humble and dignified in his departure.

Brad and Angelina - the end of Mr and Mrs Smith ?

Well, from the Straits Times in Singapore to The Times in UK, even the major newspapers are reporting about the apparent break-up of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie ......Hmm, this is way way beyond just the fodder for the tabloids ....even age-old serious broadsheets are psychoanalysing the break-up , or rumoured break-up ; when Prime Minister Gordon Brown is devouring the details of this
super-couple.....how can this be mere footnotes ...

But who do we believe ? yesterday it was Break-Up, today its No,,,,,but wait a minute , they did see a divorcelawyer .....Hmm a divorce lawyer when they are not even married ? Now that's something ........well, they do have cohabitation laws over there .....and they do have joint-custody of an army of kids , international legion in fact .....so I guess those are essential discussion topics .....

Sigh,wasn't it not too long ago that Angelina gave fresh meaning to the phrase ALL WOMAN when she was pregnant ?

And weren't the world agape in awe when she and brad seemed to have such a happy brood of multi-nationals ...

So , is it true or false..is it time to say Goodbye ?

Is it the ruins now for Mr and Mrs Smith ?