there's something about ..... horse

So today's biggest news is that Gurmit Singh got nominated for Golden Horse Award for his role in "JUST FOLLOW LAW".

Not for newcomer award...

Not for comedian award...

But for BEST ACTOR!!!!

BEST ACTOR!!!!

Up against TONY LEUNG in Lust, Caution.

It seems anything is possible these days. Who would have thought a lousy movie can produce a nomination for best actor category?

This movie also produce another nomination in "best visual effect".

I saw the movie. The only visual effect is Fann Wong behaving like a man and it's not exactly a nice effect.

It's a lousy movie, to say the least. Movies about swapping souls or bodies are aplenty in the movie industry, but the method of swapping is the most rediculous in "Just Follow Law".

Not contend with the lesser drama of two people knocking into each other, the director decided that the best way to show case the swap, the most drama ways, is for an attempted murder of Fann Wong by Gurmit Singh via a car-chase.

After gotten sack by Fann Wong, the character played by Gurmit Singh was so disdraughted that he gave a car-chase hoping to crash Fann Wong's car.

The chase ended up with both cars flying off the expressway and both cars came crashing down. In most instances, this would result in a horible death possibly with a explosion to the cars.

Instead, both swap bodies and woke up with slight injuries at the hospital.

Great stuff!

It's not exactly the proudest Singapore movie I would like the whole world to see, especially at the Golden Horse.

You just wonder... are there so few entries that even this can be nominated? or the entries are so bad that even this can be nominated?

Don't get me wrong. I am happy for him and I like Gurmit Singh. In fact, I'm eagerly waiting for two of his sitcoms. 80s Rewind and The Noose. Going by the trailer, both promise to be very funny. Just that, I hope it's a better movie than "Just follow Law"

there's something about ..... clutch and hangover

What a weekend!!!! I haven't had such a good time for a super long time.

I caught one of the best derby games between Everton and Liverpool. I caught one of the most boring Rugby Final. And I caught the most exciting F1 race EVER.... EVER!!!! All in odd hours!!!

So it's not to be an English Weekend. I think the sign says it all when England lost to Russia in Euro qualifying during midweek which put their Euro qualifying at risk.

Everton vs Liverpool

What a game... if you are a Liverpool fan.

Own goal by your fav team.... only to win it during the injury time with a penalty.

1 own goal
2 red cards
2 penalties, one in injury time
2 penalties denied, one in injury time

Wah biang... almost immediately... the sign became clearer... it's not to be an english weekend.

England vs South Africa

You know it's damn suay.... when Jonny Wilkinson also known as Mr Clutch... miss a drop goal... with his dominant left foot... not too far off either.

You know it's confirm damn suay... when the only try by England which would have tie the game was ruled out.

You know it's gone case when Jonny Wilkinson did not attempt any more drop goal since he missed one. No more Mr Clutch.

Actually, I'm also not a big fan of Rugby for me to support England. I just like to watch a good sports game. And it's one big boring final!!!

Hamilton vs Alonso vs Raikkonen


Who would have guessed? My god. What a choke by Hamilton. 3 mistakes. Who who have guessed someone that started as no.2 will drop to the back after couple of laps? He just need to finish as no.6... how difficult is that starting from no.2?

Apparently very difficult. Ask Hamilton and he will tell you that. Give him credit for racing back from no.14 to no.7. He just need to overtake one more car and he would win.

Alonso knows he can't win the race and so he just had a ordinary race. But he is the happiest of the 3. YES... HAPPIEST Of the 3. As long as Hamilton don't win... it doens't matter to Alonso. He got a quiet race.

But Raikkonen. My god. What a good race!! No doubt with the help of Massa and ferrari. He can only win the championship if he wins the race and Alonso at no.3 and hamilton at no.7. And what is the odds of that happening?

What a clutch performance. I actually have goose pimples when he cross the finishing line... damn!!

It's hard to stay awake watching F1 in the middle of the night.... but the race was so good.. I actually managed to stay awake for the whole race. This is the BEST race i have ever witness....

*******

I love starhub.

there's something about ..... clutch

From Wiki..

In American sports terminology, "clutch" means performing well under extreme pressure. It often refers to high levels of production in a critical game (such as Game 7 of a best-of-seven series), the last hole of a Major golf tournament, or the final minute(s) in a close match. Being "clutch" is often seen by sportswriters and fans as an innate skill which some players have while others do not.

This will determine who wins what this weekend.

England Vs South Africa

This game is salivating. South Africa is like the team of the moment. They trashed England 36-0 in what was the worst defeat of England ever... in the group stage.

England, who was not expected to even clear the quarter-finals, beat the quarter and semi finalists thru clutch plays... none other by Jonny Wilkinson.

Jonny Wilkinson is like Michael Jordan of Rugby in my opinion. Super calm under pressure and in fact excel under pressure. This will be a decisive factor.

Man.. it's tough to call. Heart says England... pocket says South Africa.

Will go for England to win... just.

Formula 1

This must be the most exciting year since I started following F1 about 8 years ago.

You have a upstart rookie and a 2-time back to back champion plus a fantastic driver in Raikkonen in Ferrari... for a 3-way championship race.

Man.. is it going to be a England's weekend...

All hamilton needs to do is to crash into Alonzo "un"intentionally if Raikonnen is to be a non-factor in the race.

All Alonzo needs to do is to stay pole and not let Hamilton crashed into him.

All Raikonen needs to do is to win and let alonzo crash into Hamilton.

I'm hoping for some foul play to make this more exciting.

Everyone seems to like the rookie to win story. I would like to see Raikkonen wins, which is unlikely.

And the guy with the clutch... Alonso.

I'm going for Alonso.

Liverpool vs Everton

Depending whether this is an English Weekend or not, will decide the fate of this game. If this is destined to be a English weekend, Everton will win. If this is not, Liverpool will win. Why... Everton is more English than Liverpool.

And Liverpool has also suffer a confidence problem of late. meaning... they are unlikely to score that last minute winner or what the American known as "clutch".

My Heart says Liverpool... but seriously...

*************
I love Starhub.

there's something about ..... rejections

Just today, I received another call from some scammers from China trying to cheat your money by pretending it's some survey they are carrying out with regards to your mobile phone brands etc etc.

This is like the 3rd time I have received such calls. The first time, I was curious and basically listen thru to what they have to say. I ended up giving a laugh and that angered the chinese girl. I promptly ended the call.

Since then, I have adopted the tactics of speaking to them in english.

Chinese Girl: ##$%$$^&%$* (in mandarin)

Me: Sorry? I don't understand what you are saying.

Chinese Girl: ok (she hang up immediately)

This works fabulously.

I also received lots of calls from Credit Cards Companies' appointed telemarketer.

They are mostly from E-Fusion or Intermedia.

These 2 companies seems to be doing cold-calls for All Credit Card Companies.

Telemarketer: I'm calling from XXX, for XXX bank's new credit card YYY.

Me: I already have that card.

Telemarketer: Thank you.

This works all the time as well.

Why don't you just tell them to remove your name from the calling list? It doesn't work.

No point getting angry at them. Just end the call promptly.

there's something about ..... adverts.

Series of funny adverts from Thai

there's something about ..... 377a

Very happening topic hor. Very fashionable to discuss this even. There is even an website to repeal this Act. You can "support" the cause by petition against the act. Alot of "Celebrities" and notable bloggers have supported the repealed of 377a.

The petition will then be given to Prime Minister before the debate on Penal Code.

It's so "in" to be known that you are against the government on a topic about equality of Gay in Singapore. It's like 07/07/07 on the Green movement, save the earth.... what happen now?

It's like Anya's "I'm not a plastic bag", it's nothing but fashion. Who gives a hoot about saving the world, otherwise, might as well buy those imitations off the Masar Malam.

It's like an opposition Rally during Election where huge numbers turned out, only for the PAP to win the election. People go because it's fun, it's cool to be seen that you are opposing the authority.

Do the majority of Singapore cares if a certain minority group is being penalised because of their preference of the same sex? There are more victims in Singapore being penalised by bad traffic Wardens than the Gays can called themselves victim.

Yes.. fair enough. The current law makes them a criminal. Interestingly, prostitution is legal in Singapore, but soliciting is not. But being gay is more "criminal" than a prostitute in Geylang which might be on a social visit pass or a visa that allows them to stay for 14 days. So where is the justice?

Some argue that on that fact that these same gay people have serve the Nation throught NS, pay taxes to Government, and thus should be treated as equal.

I believe they have been treated as equal on most aspects of their life.

How would repealing the 377a changed their lifes? It doesn't.

Nobody has been procecuted because they are gay. Nobody.

Every Gay leads their life as per normal. They have sex within their own dormitary. They go about doing their own things and nobody gives a damn. In fact, they lead a more peaceful lifes than say a Man having a Mistress, which is probably not illegal.

It's good to repeal the Act, or reworded the act to give consenting sex legal. But if it's not, so what. Do those Gay really care?

I feel that this whole thing is nothing but a marketing campaign or certain political agenda by certain group of people.

It's definitely more "in" to say "repeal 377a" than to say "repeal traffic rules 123a".

there's something about ..... citizenship

Read this post from Mr Brown on citizenship.

Apparently, Singapore has stop distinquishing Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents in official statistics. In fact, both are lumped up as Singapore Residents.

And it seems the percentage of Singapore Citizens of the total population is shrinking from a high of 90% in 1980 to about half currently.

It's an interesting read, very Mr Brown, and it's that kind of article that would have been mentioned by PM Lee again in the next National Day Rally. PM Lee says that we have to embrace Singapore PRs, we needed them for economic reasons, etc etc. Whether you like it or not, there is no changing such things.

In my course of work, I dealt with many Employment Pass Holders, many of which subsequently applied for PRs and were almost immediately given.

I will always ask them, "Why did you apply for PR and what's the benefits to you?"

Interestingly, most of them mentioned this one reason "So that I can stay in Singapore when I change jobs" or "it makes coming in and out of singapore easy"

Nothing of the sort like:

• Singapore is a safe city and I would want to bring up my family here and grow old here.
• The Air in Singapore is so clean that it makes a healthy living as compared to other countries.
• The property market is booming and I have made couple of millions flipping properties and getting a PR will make property investment easier.
• The transport system is so efficient, bus-ride is so bloody cheap, goverment only raise 1 to 2 cents every year... damn cheap man.

To be fair, those people I spoke to, do not represent the majority. They represent the minority, the more-mobile minority.

There are 2 types of PR that I commonly see.

Those coming from countries that is less-developed than Singapore, and those coming from countries that is more-developed than Singapore.

It's very easy to spot them actually. The former are the ones that stay among the heartlanders. Coming to Singapore is the better alternative than elsewhere. They are the ones that will "grow" with Singapore.

The latter group stays in town. These are the highly mobile "expats" who took up PRs like collecting watches. They might work here one year, and in New York the following year. To them, they have zero loyalty towards Singapore.

Interestingly, one of the highly mobile "expat" told me that when he was invited to take up citizenship, the government body that invites him told him that he doesn't have to worry about his kids being enlisted into NS. Just apply student passes and when they reaches university age, send them overseas.

But it's these same PRs that make our properties prices appreciate. Did we complain when our property prices went up by 30%, in no small part due to these PRs.

Yes... it also make buying another property expensive. But that is the trade-off in Real Estate. You want to sell high and buy low? It's not going to happen in this order.

While I do not mind these PRs, my biggest worry is NS.

Recently NS period was reduced from 2.5 years to 2 years. Government said that this was due to a higher number of enlistees.

This also give rise to future increase in service should the number of enlistees fall short of the national requirement. In the last decade where birth rate has declined, this also means that boys who were born in this period will have to serve longer period of NS.

Not to mentioned if the population ballooned due to new PRs in Singapore. Will my son have to serve much longer in Future?

there's something about ..... road block

For the first time in my life, I was asked to wind down my window at a road block last night.

The traffic police (looks like a low ranking chap, he wasn't wearing those helmets, more like a beret) didn't stop every car, he selectively chose which car he want to inspect. Meaning to say he think I have a high suspicion of drink driving.

His head pop in thru my window and asked where I came from. I answered that I came from town and he let me move on. He probably just checking if I smell of alcohol.

But I hope he uses some common sense.

• Yes.. it was 12am on a friday night. But it's not like 1 or 2 am which might suggest some night partying.
• I was decently dressed. Pants and long sleeve shirt.
• My car is a normal SUV, not a Subaru WRX or Honda Type R.
• My car is not even Zhing.
• My car even run on a 15 inch wheel, not even 18 inch with alloy.
• It's a boring colour car even. So boring that it should suggest that the driver has a boring life, meaning drinking on a friday night is almost too exciting for the driver.
• And the best thing is........ my wife is with me. Ok... maybe that doesn't suggest anything, it could be a girl I pick up from Power Station.
• And the super duper Best thing is.... my son is with my wife at the back seat.

HELLO..... police officer... can use some common sense next time please. It's a waste of time. Plus you make me feel that I'm guilty of something, or I look like a criminal or something.

there's something about ..... children's day

Yesterday is one very memorable children's day for me.

My poor son celebrated children's day from the hospital. He got stomach flu and kept vomitting on Saturday night and I have no choice but to admit him into Hospital. He was discharged yesterday's evening.

And when we got home, it was my wife's turn. She started vommitting as well.

We decided to go to our family GP who was nearby.

And just when she was making her way to my car, she blacked out momentarily and she started to "cry". According to her, she couldn't control it at point of time. And she couldn't walk. It's like all the strength just disappear.

Of course, that shock us, including my son.

So I carry her (as in really carry) into the car. My mother and my son followed along.

When we arrived at destination's car park, I told my mum (who is carrying my kid) to walk a little faster to register with our GP first, while I help my wife to walk.

And just about few steps later, my son vomitted. My wife, upon seeing this, got a panic-attack. Her whole body cramped up and she began to hyperventilate, and she went into uncontrollable "crying".

Immediately I carry her and rushed into the clinic.

The clinic or any clinic, don't usually see patients being carried into the clinic and you can tell the nurse was a little shocked.

The doctor immediately put a "plastic bag" (not to be confused with Anya's I'm not a plastic bag bag) over her mouth and my wife immediately recovers from the panic. We always see that in movies when people breathe into a plastic bag and now I know the reason behind.

She must have gotten the virus from my son, but the panic-attack was a shock to everyone in the family.

It was too dramatic for me last night. You know cantonese got this saying... "One Wave hasn't come down, another Wave come up". But I hope no more waves liao.

I didn't have a peaceful sleep last night, I wasn't too sure if anything thing would happen again.

They are both recovering well.