Singapore Sojourn

Today's Print - Mood Shift

2012-01-29T15:28:00.000-08:00

Mood Shift 2
Roger Smith

The sun is (finally) shining, there is new season stone fruit to be eaten, so why not!

The Cycle of Decay

2012-01-27T20:27:00.000-08:00

One tends not to associate concrete, that most solid of building blocks, with decay. It is after all inorganic, unlike nature which encroaches upon it.

My trips to Asia in the 1980's brought home to me that concrete was no different from wood or any organic element; each was subject to the cycle of erosion and decay, it is just a question of time.

A first trip to Europe a decade was equally fascinating as layers of civilisation were stacked one upon the other, each using as its base the remnants of what had come before.

One enduring image I have kept with me are the remains of a mansion gate in Singapore's Oxley Road (incidentally the section address is 2 Lloyd Road as it is on a corner), named after Dr Thomas Oxley,the colony's surgeon from 1827 and just a little further up the incline past Lee Kwan Yew's home.

Gate Post - Oxley Road near the corner of Lloyd Road
Roger Smith

I walked past this post regularly during our trips back to Singapore to see family; past the Gurkhas guarding the former PM's home. These treks took place from 1986 to 2006, after which time we were living in Singapore ourselves.

Each time I walked past it the post looked a little more decrepit and overgrown in its constant battle with creepers and vines of varying thicknesses. Singapore being a tropical country has a heavy rainfall and warm sunshine all year round which means that buildings weather rapidly. Rain, wind, solar radiation including ultra-violet light and atmospheric pollution all take their toll.

It turns our that these gates and and empty section are all that remains of the grand house, Villa Austerlitz. Singapore's National Archives has some very good images of the house at it was and the former owners.

One 1913 photograph clearly shows the same post at left of the picture. The National Archives are a wonderful resource and the staff there do a tremendous job in recording and preserving documents and images associated with Singapore's history. One can even send a historic post card of early Singapore to a friend using their resources.

Villa Austerlitz with the entrance post at left
Source: Singapore National Archives

It is the textural qualities of decay that makes it so appealing through the lens - layers peeled back like an onion to reveal something of interest underneath. This street poster from a visit to Malacca is another such example.

Posters - Malacca
Roger Smith

The Sacred Tree

2012-01-27T10:21:00.000-08:00

Blocks- Changi
Roger Smith 2012
View a larger version here

This image is based on the large concrete blocks that are used as crane counterweights in Singapore. It could have been taken on almost any building site in the country but in this case it was out at Changi; on the site of the ill-fated UNSW Asia campus.

Within two months of the original photograph being taken the plug was pulled on the project. The same piece of ground was reclaimed by the government who had plans to build Singapore's fifth university on it.

Recent news reports suggest that they too will not proceed on the site.

There is an interesting aside related to this story. On the same site stood a tree that was believed by many of the local Malay population to be sacred. Offerings were frequently laid at its base to appease various deities. Not surprisingly people for the area were concerned for the tree's fate and assurance were made that it would be revered and kept safe.

Shortly after ground works commenced for the new campus, it was inadvertently knocked over by a contractor. Not a good omen and so it proved to be.

The Sacred Tree
Roger Smith 2007

Mind you, this is not the only spiritual site I came across during my time in Singapore. The practice of venerating certain places was widely practiced in earlier times and still continues in some places.

Each day I passed a clump of trees and bamboos adjacent to the food court in Commonwealth Avenue, by the Queenstown MRT. Inside this clump there was a largish open space in which a red oil lantern could be seen shining along with other small offerings.

Adjacent to the Queenstown MRT overpass on Commonwealth Avenue

Singapore Moving Crew

2012-01-26T18:48:00.000-08:00

Moving Crew - Singapore
Roger Smith 2007
Click on the photo to see the larger version

This image was taken on the now-defunct UNSW Asia campus in Tanglin Road. The arrival of books for the library was a moment of celebration, which proved to be short lived.

Transport crews such as this one are an integral part of life in Singapore where there is a very transient population; foreign workers and Expats.

In our Queens condo there was not a week went by without a new container being parked outside the complex as people moved in or moved out. There were also numerous, smaller removal vans which moved people back and forth from HDB's to the condo and on occasion, in an opposite direction.

Today's Print - 'Merc'

2012-01-22T18:34:00.000-08:00

'Merc'
Roger Smith 2012
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Going Bananas, Wet Leaves and Water Dragons

2012-01-22T18:26:00.000-08:00

Today is the first day of Chinese New Year, the year of the Dragon, and as I write my many friends in Singapore and beyond are celebrating with their families over Reunion Dinners.

It was a time that I always enjoyed although it was also a time when finding an open coffee shop proved difficult. This year is most definitely a Water Dragon with flooding once again wrecking havoc in certain parts of Singapore in the past week.

Leaves - Tanglin
Roger Smith 2006

Sitting in my study in new Zealand, I decided to delve into my image archive. Here is is a photo taken on the then Tanglin campus of the ill-fated UNSW Asia in 2006. The tropical foliage and the fresh smell after rain is something one never forgets.

There will be many not staying in Singapore but leaving for Malaysia, Thailand or places further afield over New Year; an annual pilgrimage to be with, or share with, family.

Many of them will be flying Singapore Airlines; still my favourite airline despite the recent news that its new fleet of fifteen A380's are susceptible ;to cracks in the wings.

The Wall Street Journal has reported that European air-safety regulators are poised to mandate enhanced inspections in the wake of new cracks found on an A380.

None of this is very reassuring although the manufacturers have assured everyone that there is no imminent danger.

Finally a piece of news that surprised me, as our local NZ supermarkets have for many years been full of bananas from the Philippines.

The Philippines have just sent a trial shipment of fruit and vegetables (carrots, cabbage, bananas, papaya, squash and spices) to Singapore hoping to break into what they perceive to beg a lucrative market. For some reason I thought that produce from the Philippines was already readily available in Singapore - apparently not so?

To all my friends and family - Gong Xi Fa Cai.

Today's Print - Breadfruit

2012-01-20T20:48:00.000-08:00

Breadfruit - Tanglin
Roger Smith 2006

Mapping Moments

2012-01-20T17:50:00.000-08:00

I must mention the most comprehensive of Singapore's online maps. OneMap is a great resource with a wide range of search filters

Showing cultural sites and museums in this example

It is a street map and also a land lot map. You can search a diverse range of data from traffic accidents to the latest house prices, from funeral parlours to recycling bins.

The themes filter even allowed me to identify bird watching spots, cultural sites and museums. The wireless hot spots are identified and not surprisingly the majority of these feature in the tourist belt along Orchard Road. If you click your mouse on any of the icons then name of the establishment and provider is identified

This map is an absolute boon for any visitor to Singapore as well as for locals. Bookmark it today; I have.

Today's Print - Lean

2012-01-19T18:47:00.000-08:00

Lean
Roger Smith 1/2012

I went for a walk this afternoon with only my mobile phone camera to hand. This stand of weathered pines captured my attention.

Gong Xi Fa Cai

2012-01-19T16:53:00.000-08:00

Open publication -

Singapore Makan Buttons!

2012-01-16T20:11:00.000-08:00

See them here

Red Sky At Night, Shepherd's Delight

2012-01-15T10:26:00.000-08:00

Sunset South Auckland
Roger Smith

Given that our television forecasters fail so miserably to predict the weather I found this infographic of interest. It is based on old saying and observations from time when people could discern weather patterns and decipher the behaviour of animals for themselves.

The original illustration can be found here.

The Greening of Singapore

2012-01-14T12:45:00.000-08:00

Photo: National Parks Board

Friends visiting me in Singapore always remarked on how green the city was; in direct contrast to their preconceptions.

Of course this wasn't always so and in the earlier days of the Republic there were large expanses of concrete and tall buildings. The tall buildings remain but now they are more likely to have been designed with the environment in mind - green roof tops, solar and Eco-friendly.

With a population of 5 million people occupying a small land mass of 268 square miles it is not surprising that land use, water use, energy efficiency, green building and waste management are major preoccupations of government. Bare roof tops and concrete surfaces act as heat sinks, making Singapore’ surban areas 3% hotter than the rural ones.

To the country's credit they have set very ambitious goals. Those who live in Singapore are well aware of the seasonal flooding that continue to plague the city. It might result in some great post-flood bargains in Lucky Plaza but it is soul destroying for the shop owners.

A Government appointed panel who have been studying Singapore's flooding woes has recommended that building owners be required by law to build green roofs. These will soak up large amounts of water which otherwise find their way into the over worked storm water drains.

Porous pavements and local storage tanks are two more of the proposed solutions.

Singapore never does anything by halves. When it sets out to do things it set high goals and aims to achieve them. The greening of Singapore's buildings is no exception. The goal set by the Building and Construction Authority is to green 80% of buildings by 2030. As only 12% of its buildings have been greened to date htis will be quite a challenge but I am sure they will reach their target. Government continues to fund research into green technologies though its $22 million incentive programme, GREET (Grant for Energy Efficiency Technologies).

Photo: National Parks Board

There is also an initiative suggested by the Centre for Urban Greenery and Ecology and its partner, the National Parks Board that these roof top spaces could be used by the high-rise residents to grown vegetables for the table.

Presumably root crops will be discouraged as the thought of a carrot growing downwards through one's ceiling would be rather off-putting, but nevertheless a conversation starter.

But it is not just the government and buildings that are taking up the green challenge. The local shipping industry has a Maritime Singapore Green Pledge which shows commitment to clean and green shipping. Singapore ships that exceed the International Maritime Organisation's Energy Efficiency Design Index are rewarded with tax deductions so there is a real financial incentive for doing so.

Electric cars and green mobile apps. are also under development, so it is literally 'Green for Go' in Singapore in the year ahead.

What The Year Of The Dragon Holds...For Dragons

2012-01-10T20:09:00.000-08:00

Definitely a year to watch your money if you are a a dragon. The year ahead includes absconding business partners!

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Stepping Forward with 'Fin'esse

2012-01-09T18:42:00.000-08:00

One of the things that impresses me most is Singapore's commitment to research. Given the lack of mineral resources the Republic's emphasis has always been on developing and using people's skills and abilities. The economic success of Singapore bears witness to the success of this strategy.

One of the most recent scientific breakthroughs has been the discovery of a gene responsible for lung cancer. A collaborative team from the Genome Institute of Singapore, Tan Tock Seng Hospital and National Cancer Center made the breakthrough.

Make no mistake this promises to be a huge breakthrough in the fight against cancer and repays the country's faith in R&D.

Another piece of pleasing news is that Carrefour has followed the lead of NTUC and will no longer be selling Sharks Fin or its soup derivative in its supermarkets. It is to their discredit that Sheng Siong, Giant and Shop N Save have not followed suit and will continue to do so.

The reason behind pulling shark fins off the supermarket shelves is in itself interesting, as it is not a direct conservation effort on behalf of either chain. Rather it is a response to consumer pressure. According to the Straits Times:

Following calls for it to stop selling shark's fin products after one of its suppliers, Thern Da Seafood, put up an online post that said 'Screw the divers' in an announcement of a shark's fin product launch at FairPrice outlets.

The Facebook post drew much criticism and went viral on the social networking site and also microblog Twitter. Many who commented called for a boycott of both the supplier and FairPrice.

The offensive post from the supplier that drew consumer ire

Such is the power of the consumer in this age of social media!

I for one have enjoyed many a meal of sharks fin soup in the past put the realisation of how this practice is decimating the world's shark population means that I will happily forgo the pleasure from now on.

With Chinese New Year almost upon us (in a couple of week's time) I was delighted to read that the spirit of giving and caring remains alive and well in Singapore. A Singapore Buddhist Lodge is distributing more than $675,000 in hongbaos to 11,697 needy old folk and the disabled ahead of the Lunar New Year. What a wonderful gesture.

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Great Singapore Signs #3

2012-01-07T17:24:00.000-08:00

Especially, one would expect, in a public place.

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Sakura - A Blast from the Past

2012-01-07T13:51:00.000-08:00

When yodeling was Queen.

The First Cut Is The Deepest?

2012-01-04T17:00:00.000-08:00

The Singapore Government has clearly been taking note of the 2011 Election results and the voters dissatisfaction with the high level of remuneration that local politicians receive in the Republic.

There is a reason for these salaries which are the highest in the world; they are currently pegged to the salaries of the top 48 from six industry sectors.

The new proposal (and it is just a proposal at this stage, not law) is to extend this benchmark to the top 1,000 across all industries. i.e. the median income of the top 1,000 Singaporean earners. Mind you, there is also a ' 40-per-cent discount to "signify the sacrifice that comes with the ethos of political service" clause' which rather dissipates the political or real effect of any pay cut.

The President will be hit hardest with a 51% decrease but I am sure will live quite comfortably on the remaining S$1.5 million.

Even with a 36% cut, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will remain one of the highest paid politicians in the world at S$2.2million ($US1.7 million). By comparison, US President Barack Obama earns about $400,000 and the British PM about $US 270,000.

Post-pay cut, the PM's new salary will still be three times that of the Hong Kong chief executive, Donald Tsang, the world's next highest paid political leader, who earns about $550,000.

How the salaries will compare after the pay-cuts

The least a Minister at the lowest entry level grade would expect to get is $S935,000. According to TodayOnline their salary will now comprise a fixed component of 12 months' pay and a traditional 13th-month Annual Wage Supplement (bonus).

The individual bonus is based on the minister's performance as determined by the Prime Minister while the National Bonus will be linked to "the socio-economic progress of average and lower income Singapore citizens".

Source - Report on Salaries for a capable and committed Government (TodayOnline)

While the international press is is offering scant praise ito news of the pay cuts, it needs to be remembered that the rational behind the high salaries in the first place was to entice the best professional candidates into politics.

This might be a fine idea in times of economic bliss but when recession bites, as it has in Singapore these past two quarters, the voters find such largesse difficult to stomach. This in combination with MRT problems, housing price rises and taxi woes points to challenging times ahead. The income of Singaporeans in the bottom fifth has been flat or negative in the 10 years to June 2010 while politicians salaries have soared since the 1990's.

But I wonder if all the above truly reflects the cost of a politician? Making judgments on salary alone is insufficient. A 'total cost of office' should include salary, entertainment, total travel, pensions and personal security costs, to name but a few.

If such an equation was in place then the true comparison between US President's cost and those of the Singapore PM would be dramatically different. Having seen the US President's advance security sweep in action before a planned visit, I can vouch that these are thorough and the costs considerable.

Bottom line which only the voters can answer - are you getting value for your money?

2012-01-03T17:50:00.000-08:00

Image via WikipediaAt the risk of sounding like Scrooge I have to say that the bargains come to those who wait. It is a week after Xmas and the supermarkets are now putting their surplus Xmas cakes and mince pies on special.

I am 'mince-pie'd out' and now somewhat of an expert on the various brands although last night's fare proved anything but pleasant.

A packet of Ernest Adams Xmas tarts smelt and tasted rancid so these were returned this morning. We were apparently the second customer to do so, but I noted that the supermarket concerned still had not removed the stock from display.

People who are really experienced in such matters will no doubt be consulting the Daily Telegraph who went to the trouble of publishing glowing tributes to the 'best of the bake'. Marks and Sparks came highly recommended.

While on the subject of the baked, and in this case the half-baked, today marks the 10th year anniversary of the foiled terrorist plot to hijack a plane and fly it into Singapore's Changi International Airport. The perpetrators were a Singapore cell of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), a pan-South-east Asian terrorist group and Al Qaeda affiliate.

The plan was thankfully thwarted by Singapore's domestic intelligence service, the Internal Security Department (ISD) and the plotters were clearly not as clever as they thought they were.

The other piece of news that caught my eye was a series of DNA errors due to inaccurate reading of the instructions on a chemical bottle. While this might seem a trivial misdemeanor, it adversely affected 412 criminal cases or which 87 required re-testing.

Too Much Of A 'Good Thing'

2012-01-01T20:45:00.000-08:00

The standard cost of throwing up in a taxi in Singapore is apparently twenty Singapore dollars. This is the maximum a driver can charge his drunken passenger although they (the driver) also stand to lose about $30 of cab fares as they go about cleaning up their taxi.

According to a newspaper report in the Jakarta Post, ComfortDelGro, Singapore's biggest cab operator with a fleet of about 15,000 taxis, does not have a policy on compensation but offers its cabbies free cleanups at its workshops.

And before anyone jumps to a conclusion, it is not just the men of Singapore who have this habit of 'hurling' in cabs. The same newspaper report gives the example of a 34 year old female professional who, after a night out drinking at Clarke Quay, threw up.

She is reported as saying " "I felt very bad seeing the taxi uncle's face fall after I threw up". I bet you it did!

Surely the bigger question is why is it necessary to binge drink in the first place? There is nothing less edifying than a drunk and I am sure most cab drivers world wide would agree.

Meanwhile drivers such as Tan Pin Lin comes prepared for his shift with "10 plastic bags, boxes of tissue paper and a prayer that no one would puke in his cab after a night of partying."

Hamilton Gardens Portfolio

2011-12-31T18:26:00.000-08:00

Open publication

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Chinatown in 1982

2011-12-25T20:18:00.000-08:00

Chinatown - Singapore 1982
Roger Smith

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Quakes and Rage

2011-12-24T12:50:00.000-08:00

Hamilton Gardens

I don't know what it is in the human psyche that prompts spur of the moment decisions but what ever it is sees us spending three nights in Hamilton over the Xmas period.

The city does not endear itself to me, as a 1996 Council decision saw my museum directorship made redundant as with that of the Chief Librarian, the Head of the City Zoo, amongst others.

It was of course a cost cutting exercise that was doomed to fail, as was proved a decade later when the Museum and Library once again came under the stewardship of their own directors. But that as they say, is another story.

What is of interest is that the CEO at the time, he who devised the 'brilliant' Hamilton City restructuring plan, is now the CEO of Christchurch City Council; a city still experiencing devastating earthquakes (three more significant quakes over the last 24 hours).

This gentleman has just been given a $70,000 pay increase which naturally is drawing howls of outrage from the ratepayers who are faced with a ravaged city and personal prospects that are not much better.

Has he publicly declined to accept this raise - me thinks not!

But back in Hamilton as I write the weather is as humid as Singapore's with rain threatening. For the first time since our return from the Republic we are using the air-conditioning to beat the humidity.

The afternoon was spent visiting supermarkets, fighting for parking spaces and shopping trolleys and looking at prices of items that have been raised in the past week. Why one want to scramble for mince pies and Xmas hams defies belief. The same items will be discounted the following week.

Postscript:

Today is Christmas Day and there is a deathly hush over the city - most of Hamilton seems to have either deserted the ship or slept in, or both.

Our motel proprietor wished us a merry Xmas as he handed me a replacement rubbish bag and coffee sachets. Ours will be a quiet one as we don't celebrate the festival; perhaps a trip to the renowned Hamilton Gardens if the weather holds and they are open.

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History Never Repeats

2011-12-21T11:29:00.000-08:00

Click on image for larger version

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Panda Envy and Braveheart Butter Bombs

2011-12-20T09:54:00.000-08:00

Pandas are big business as everyone who has ever had one in their zoo knows. So it is in Edinburgh, the latest city to receive this diplomatic loan from China.

But the Rockhopper Penguins are not happy with all the fuss, they are not happy at all. By all accounts they vent their anger (both literally and figuratively) on the heads of zoo patrons who are queuing up at the cage nearby to see the two pandas.

The BBC reports the Zoo's director of business operations as saying: "Our rockhopper penguins in particular have been watching the events at the panda enclosure below with great interest, ever since work started on the enclosure.

"Extremely curious birds, they often gather next to the wall to see what's happening below.

"We're hoping it's not a case of monochrome jealousy, but one or two of our rockhoppers seem to have had surprisingly good aim."

Such a show of public disdain would be unlikely to occur at Singapore's Nigh Safari.

It could however be a question of diet as Edinburgh is also the city that has recently put deep fried butter on its menu, much to the consternation of health officials there. The Braveheart Butter Bombs as they are known are described as a "coronary on a plate"

Scotland's offerings to the world's culinary heritage thus far have included haggis, oatcakes, porridge (from the same cereal as the oatcakes) and whisky. The aptly named Braveheart Butter Bombs are not quite in the same rank as these more traditional foods but will no doubt ward off the winter chills in a similar fashion.

So my theory is that some kind zoo visitor fed their Butter Bombs left-overs to the penguins which upset their delicate constitution. Seeing a queue outside the panda enclosure the penguins saw an opportunity to get their own back.

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Walk To Meadowlands

2011-12-18T17:30:00.000-08:00

Stream
Roger Smith 12/2011

I went for a walk this morning with the camera along a path that leads from Botany to Meadowlands. The results can be seen in the last four images on my gallery site.

Off The Rails

2011-12-18T13:02:00.000-08:00

By all accounts its has not been a good couple of weeks for public transport in Singapore. Some 127,000 commuters were affected by a major 'glitch' in the MRT system which left them hot, tired and frustrated.

The SMRT CEO, Saw Phaik Hwa, even offered to consider stepping down over the incident, which regrettably were followed by more minor disruptions in the days following.

Being on a packed MRT train during the heat of Singapore can be uncomfortable but being stranded for five hours in a carriage without air conditioning must have been akin to hell.

In New Zealand, people have been known to force open carriage doors and spill out on to the tracks in the event of similar incidents, as they did on the opening night of the recent Rugby World Cup.

Singaporeans are a little more controlled in such circumstances but they must have been sorely tested. There are also reports that the local taxi drivers, who did very well out of the MRT's misfortune, saw this incident as an "income opportunity" - of course they did.

The Minister for Transport Lui Tuck Yew has also weighed into the fray saying that he too was disappointed by how SMRT handled the MRT disruption and would be holding them accountable. Heads will no doubt roll at some time in the future.

In a country that is so reliant on public transport a series of events such as the above make the population lose faith in the reliability of a service. We in New Zealand know this as we lost faith in NZ Rail decades ago. It is a very hard task for the company to win back custom and confidence once it is lost.

So it is also a question of context; in the main Singapore's MRT system is efficient, clean and reliable, a lot more so than many other countries including my own.

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Give Me A "G"

2011-12-15T15:55:00.000-08:00

Great Moments In Food Court Signage #1

Simply Salivating and Festive Feedback

2011-12-11T13:29:00.000-08:00

The Xinmsn article included the following sentence " Between January and November 2011, REACH received over 45,000 feedback inputs — a jump of 53 per cent compared with about 29,450 in the same period in 2010."

One has to ask, why is the standard of written English so poor, on a website which is strictly controlled and presumably edited?

What exactly are " feedback inputs" ? They sound like public service jargon to me. As for "compared with about", this phrase is simply poor grammar.

Disappointing, as the article itself expressed the ongoing dissatisfaction of Singaporeans on matters related to transport housing and immigration and was worthy of serious consideration. Being part of the Christmas shopping rush aboard a crowded MRT train is an experience one does not wish to repeat too often.

From the ridiculous to the sublime; the famous Christmas buffet has reappeared in Singapore' hotels. Not all of these are strictly traditional. Take the Marina Mandarin which is serving up Buah Keluak turkey served with chestnut and mushroom glutinous rice, Nyonya Chap Chye, Thai style pumpkin lasagna and Fuji apple and Chestnut pudding.

And if you still have a space left to fill the next day you can amble over to the Sheraton Towers for Buah Roast piglet stuffed with yam and sour apple sauce, Escargot Bourguignon as well as Poached stingray and baby shark with spicy mayonnaise and garlic aioli.

As for me, I shall be dining on a festive sandwich filled with "feedback inputs" which, depending upon the ingredients, may rapidly repeat becoming feedback outputs.

Two New Prints - Taipei

2011-12-10T15:56:00.000-08:00

White Bridge Taipei
Roger Smith 2011
Click on the image to see a larger version

Rock Taipei
Roger Smith 2011
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Today's Print - Reeds

2011-12-09T20:24:00.000-08:00

Reeds - Singapore
Roger Smith 2011
Click on the image to see a larger version

This image was taken at one of the pools near the food-court in the Singapore Botanic Gardens. I have reworked it using various Photoshop filters and effects to create a more classical Chinese scene and to better capture the feeling of serenity.

Memories of Tanjong Pagar Station

2011-12-08T13:36:00.000-08:00

This video clip produced by the National Archives of Singapore (NAS) documents the memories relating to the Tanjong Pagar and Bukit Timah Railway Stations.

Although both stations have ceased operations with effect from 1 July 2011, they are important components of Singapore's rail transportation and since the 1920s, they have connected generations of people in Malaysia and Singapore

How to Beat the Comfort Del-Gro Taxi Fare Hikes

2011-12-07T17:59:00.000-08:00

People in Singapore are up in arms about the recent fares hikes and surcharges. Maybe the above is the answer?

Do You Merit It?

2011-12-07T11:42:00.000-08:00

Roti Prata

I am in favour of everything being based on merit although it has to be said that at least one of the Hawker centres I frequented was anything but meritorious. I am referring of course to the old version of the Mei Ling food centre which when we first arrived in Singapore was run down, and speaking frankly, grubby in the extreme.

However it must also be recorded that the government spent a considerable sum in upgrading Mei Ling with the result that before the hawkers moved back it was spic and span. But old habits of grubbiness die hard, a term that seems appropriate when describing the state of the newly renovated food centre a few short months after relaunch.

This was a pity as most of the hawker centres we frequented were of good standard. Now the NEA has indicted that it will assess requests for new food centre based on merit. So for the first time in over a quarter of a century the government will start building food centres in new housing estates, the first being in Bukit Panjang with ten more to follow within a decade.

Coupled with this initiative is a lateral thought that such centres could be much more than a 'gobble and go' eatery. A consultative panel has suggested that such places could promote graciousness which may be a stretch of the imagination, especially when one considers the packets of tissues placed on table tops which reserve a place.

However two of their other suggestions seem to have merit; such centres could offer employment for the disabled and for people who want to set up small businesses.

Mirroring the 'Meals on Wheels' idea found in places like New Zealand, the hawker centres could also deliver food to nearby homes housing the elderly. With an aging population this seems a pragmatic and sensible solution for those lacking mobility in their advancing years.

Get the TShirt

The combination of food centre and merit reminds me also of a recent conversation I had with my doctor, an expatriate Malaysian Chinese whose family emigrated to New Zealand several decades ago. He was bewailing the fact that Singapore's hawkers are not what they used to be. As he put it, too many recent immigrants to the Republic attempting to copy the classic Singapore dishes with varying degree of success.

I have to admit that he has point, as the traditional recipes and families jealously guarding them are getting our of the trade. While this is a great pity it is also a fact that any cuisine evolves with new influences contributing over time.

Promoting the value of the traditional fare is deemed to be important in Singapore and to be granted the title of "Singapore Hawker Master" is meritorious in itself. The award was launched early in 2011 to celebrate hawker food and give recognition to deserving hawkers.

According to the Straits Times the 'popular roti prata eatery Casuarina Curry Restaurant was named a Singapore Hawker Master at the Asian Masters Gala Dinner on Wednesday night'.

Those of us who have enjoyed a crisp Roti Prata would say "well deserved"

Previous winners of the Singapore Hawker master Award have included:

Laksa Category
Roxy Laksa
East Coast Lagoon Food Village #01-48

Char Kway Teow Category
Outram Park Fried Kway Teow
Hong Lim Temporary Food Ctr #01-44

Nasi Lemak Category
Haji Maksah Berkat Chahya Food (Boon Lay Power Nasi Lemak)
Blk 221B, Boon Lay Place #01-106

Chicken Rice Category
Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice
Maxwell Food Ctr #01-10

Bak Chor Mee Category
Xing Ji Rou Cuo Mian
Blk 85 Bedok North St 4 #01-07

Just the thought of the above makes me behave like one of Pavlov's dogs!

Season's Greetings All

2011-12-02T11:45:00.001-08:00

How Corrupt Is Your Country?

2011-12-01T10:12:00.000-08:00

Those of us who live or have lived in Asia and other parts of the world know that levels of corruptions vary. In some it also most impossible to do business or get any service without money or a favour changing hands.

I recall more than one such incident when travelling in India, the most blatant being a customs official in Calcutta who was running our luggage through a metal detection unit and asked for a 'gift' - which he did not get I should add.

Now there is the Corruption Map of the World from Transparency International and reproduced in the Guardian.

It seeks to quantify the levels of corruption or lack thereof in individual countries. Their transparency index measures each country in the world on corruption. See how they compare by clicking on each country. Use the drop-down menu to see how scores have changed since 2008.

India has dropped 8 places this year signalling that the level of corruption is increasing rather than declining.

Singapore has been proactive for many years in trying to stamp out corruption, especially in government and ranks a reasonable 5th in the world.

New Zealand's rank is better at #1 but this does not mean that it is corruption-free; indeed no country could make that claim.

There have been several incidences of corruption highlighted int the press in recent years ranging from the fall of a local politician to immigration staff accepting bribes. Most governmental corruption cases in NZ relate to immigration.

New Singapore-Based Designs

2011-11-29T17:02:00.000-08:00

Click Here to see all of these original Singapore Designs

Today's Print - Fossil

2011-11-28T13:34:00.000-08:00

Fossil
Roger Smith 2011

A beetle photographed in Singapore, on Sentosa Island, and a pool of oily sludge in New Zealand are combined in the print.

More images at Worldlense.

Food For Thought But No Makan

2011-11-28T12:37:00.000-08:00

Visit the PicturesSG site

I have discovered the PicturesSG web site which I would recommend to anyone with an interested in Singapore's social history.

The eleven categories in the collection give a good overview of the country's development and visitors are encouraged to tag images which will help reserachers compile more information on the image concerned.

I did a search using the tag 'Queenstown' to see what they had in their databases. There were 29 results, mainly architectural at this stage of the collections development. A search of 'makan' revealed nothing and given the national obsession with eating houses past and present I would have thought that at least a few& pictures would be tagged using this term?

The English term 'food' yielded what I expected for the above (see screenshot right) so I hope the National Library's metadata policy does not exclude local terminology.

One would have to hope though that they will also be able to pull in images from other sources and collections.

For example the Heritage Board's YesterdaySG site is an excellent reference point and draws contributions from bloggers with images and stories to tell about Singapore's past.

The Story of Lorong Mydin is one of a series in Pixels and Grains and Clarice Theo's contributions are first class, as are those by Noel Tan.

But there are other sources for images both contemporary and historical which should be captured or at the very least integrated into the national Library's collection.

Here are a couple more. HistoryPin promotes itself as a " a way for millions of people to come together, from across different generations, cultures and places, to share small glimpses of the past and to build up the huge story of human history"

HistoryPin

It may not be loaded with Singapore information at the moment but I predict that it has that potential as it combines social media functionality with features such as a sliding timeline.

In a more contemporary vein is Woophy which has been up and running since 2004 and so has a wealth of imagery associated with a variety of countries, including a small portfolio of 700 plus photos of Singapore.

Of course one of the largest collections is that housed within the passworded boundaries of Flickr. In just two groups alone on this platform there are some 224,000 images some of which deserve to be filed for posterity. Another is Singapore Memories which shares 1,700 images of Singapore's social history.

Then of course there are blogs such as this one which record a snapshot of time.

Now somehow if the new PicturesSG could somehow harvest these images as well what a truly wonderful resource it would be. But at least its a good start and I congratulate the National Library Board for their initiative.

On The Couch

2011-11-26T19:11:00.000-08:00

Sofas - Botany Road
Roger Smith

This week in my neighbourhood the roads have been littered with non biodegradable bric a brac. This is the annual refuse collection of such materials provided by our local Council.

Unfortunately such a treasure trove of old washing machines and worn out rubber tires attracts a significant number of our Polynesian brethren and a few other hangers-on in their trucks and cars, eager to pick up anything that might turn a small profit.

Actually I haven't really made up my mind if this is 'unfortunate' or not? If someone has a use for a misshapen slab of concrete why not let them have it. It is just that it is less than edifying spectacle.

Not that such behaviour is confined to the streets of Auckland. Our condo in Singapore saw a regular procession of maids and assorted ground staff, fossicking through the waste bins on the look-out for some expat throw away item.

There were many of these cast-offs as the cost of freight from Singapore back to a home country meant that it was not cost effective to do so.

Also less than edifying was the humiliating defeat of the New Zealand Labour party in last night's General Election; not that it was unexpected.

As this map in the New Zealand Herald shows the electoral map is now dominated by the blue of the National Party which means that the Prime Minister John Key is secure for another three years.

Source: NZ Herald

Today's Print - Pastoral

2011-11-24T19:57:00.000-08:00

Pastoral - South Australia
Roger Smith
Click on image to see larger version

This is an image I took in the country outside Adelaide a few years ago. Using special filters I have 'aged' the image to give it a vintage look.

Twelve Days of Christmas

2011-11-24T09:45:00.000-08:00

The Xmas silly season seems to come earlier and earlier to our shopping malls. Orchard Road's lights have been lit up to celebrate a festival that is still a good month away and the local malls in New Zealand are already trotting out their Xmas specials.

Even if you don't subscribe to the religious overtones of the celebration, there is something vaguely obscene about being so blatantly commercial, so early.

The traditional twelve days of Xmas seems to have become the 'twelve months of Xmas'.

Xmas Santa - Rural South Australia
Photo: Roger Smith

In fact, the twelve days of Xmas commence on Christmas Day and conclude on the eve of January 5th. - the origins of the song coming from France rather than Britain.

Mind you in Singapore the erection of Xmas decorations is reasonably uneventful whereas this year in Auckland we have witnessed a rather spectacular helicopter crash that occurred when a large artificial tree was being constructed in the Viaduct Basin.

The pre-Xmas advertising in NZ has been somewhat overshadowed by the General Election which reaches its climax this Saturday. Whatever the outcome there will not be too many 'stocking fillers' to lighten the economic gloom ahead.

A partridge in a pear tree might be all that we get.

Accented Deliveries

2011-11-19T12:05:00.000-08:00

Teresa Teng 邓丽君

When we returned to New Zealand one of the our more pleasant discoveries was that two television Chinese channels had sprung up in our absence.

In recent weeks we have been watching the CCTV4 stage shows from Taiwanese television which feature a range of singers giving their rendition of popular Chinese musical hits.

Lately the theme for these shows has been movies, starting with the films from the old Shanghai studios, before the Communists took over, and moving towards the present.

Last night the focus was on the films of the Taiwanese actress Lin Chin Hsia who retired in 1994 and is married to Esprit Clothing billionaire Michael Ying.

I have written before that I have been a big fan of the music of the late Teresa Teng& for many years and have a large collection of her CD's and music. But before any reader accords this Ang Mo the kudos for an in-depth knowledge of the Mandarin language or Hokkien dialect I must point out that I am woefully deficient in both.

Lin Chin Hsia 林青霞

This has not prevented me from appreciating the artistry of great Chinese performers and many of the older Taiwanese singers of both sexes fall into this category.

It is my personal opinion that many of today's Taiwanese performers are more costume than substance and I suspect that the older singers received better training through a more classical regime? Their pronunciation and delivery contains none of the breathlessness of today's generation.

Which bring us to English premier football, or more particularly the BBC's Sportsworld Have Your Say, which warbles from my radio each Sunday morning. "Warble" may be giving the programme too much credit as I find the accents of the British premiership coaches almost indecipherable.

Comments from the English coaches on the performance of their respective teams bare no resemblance to the 'Queens English' which was drummed into me as a child.

For the most part I simply cannot decipher what these excitable folks with their strong brogue are talking about - the rendition is a speech impediment on steroids.

Give me the sultry sounds of Cantopop any day.

General Election 2011 - NZ Style

2011-11-17T18:18:00.000-08:00

Image via WikipediaI have just discovered that all of Mediacorp's radio stations now stream their programmes online so I have been enjoying the classical musical programme from the Singapore studios today; Symphony 92.4FM to be exact.

Yesterday I listened to Love972, the Chinese contemporary channel but today I was out of 'love' and more interested in soothing melodies.

The New Zealand election is next weekend and the shenanigans of the politicians and the media are less than edifying.

Much of the past week has been dominated by the Media trying to make a mountain out of a molehill, or more correctly "a mountain out of a teapot".

After a journalist has broken the law by hiding a tape recorder in a cloth bag and secretly recording the conversation between the Prime Minister and a candidate from another party, the media then got on its high horse when the PM refused to answer questions about the conversation.

To his credit he put the matter in the hands of the police which means that the contents cannot be revealed. But frankly, who really cares about this sorry saga except for the media themselves?

Here we are in dire financial times, recovering from a major earthquake and all the media seem bent on covering are the so-called "illegal tapes". Even our Inland Revenue Department has resorted to issuing bad cheques so times must really be tough.

Such a load of rubbish would not be allowed to occur in Singapore and while there may be some who may decry the government control of media in the Republic, at least the larger issues confronting the country get air time.

The freedom of the press comes with responsibilities but too often in New Zealand the media gets caught up in its own hype and forgets that the public want substance, not dross.

In addition to the election next Saturday we also have the opportunity to vote on a referendum which will determine whether we wish to keep our proportional representation system, MMP, revert to the tried and true First Past The Post, or adopt a new system of proportional representation.

Having observed in recent times how minor parties of little consequence can hold the country to ransom, I shall probably opt for a return to our older system of First Past The Post. I stress that not all minor parties fall into this category, but a number do. This election campaign the Greens have impressed me as have the Maori Party, although I will be voting for neither.

National will hold on to power with an increased majority if the polls are to be believed. The Labour Party will suffer even heavier losses that the last election and the Greens will capture their largest chunk of the vote ever.

Which all goes to explain how the soothing music from Singapore's classical music station will help bring my blood pressure down over the next seven days. Now if I could just get to walk down Orchard Road and view the Xmas Lights I would be even happier.

The Pobble Who Had No Toes

2011-11-16T19:55:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

Edward Lear

One of my favourite child hood stories from the pen of Edward Lear was titled thus. The opening verse included the words:

The Pobble who has no toes
Had once as many as we;
When they said "Some day you may lose them all;"
He replied "Fish, fiddle-de-dee!"

Maybe they should have read this out to swimmers in Western Brazil before they went for a quick dip, as several of them have lost their appendages to flesh-eating piranhas.

As the old business saying goes "those who swim with the sharks deserve to be eaten", or in this case, "those who knowingly swim in piranhas-infested waters deserve all that they lose".

If It Itches, Scratch It

2011-11-15T12:53:00.000-08:00

The joys of travelling in Zimbabwe

Inspiring Stories and Lifelong Abilities

2011-11-15T12:32:00.000-08:00

I read two interesting blog articles by Singaporeans today. Both tackle the subject of retirement but from different ends of the spectrum.

As a person who received their Singaporean Senior MRT card a couple of years ago I have more than a passing interest in the subject, even though I do not qualify as a 'senior citizen' back here in New Zealand.

The first article is by Wing Lee Cheong, a Singaporean who, by his own description, was born in a toilet in Klang, Malaya to a seventeen year old mother out of wedlock. She was an uneducated and naive young girl who immigrated from Guangzhou and raised him in the slums of Chinatown in Singapore.

He had the distinction of being expelled from high school in 1963 due to poor academic performance but made good through diligence, hard work an an element of luck. He has now retired and lives in British Columbia in Canada.

His 'Working my way out of poverty' article I found to be inspiring in its single-mindedness of purpose especially when it came to facing life's hardships and to finding and keeping a job.

For example, lacking a university degree proved to be no impediment to Mr Wing as he was prepared to work for free for three months to demonstrate his worth to a prospective employer.

Within two years of getting this job at American Marine building yachts he rose to become head of department overseeing a workforce of 1,800 workers. Quite an achievement by any standards, but his luck was to change again when he witnessed a union fracas that led to his persecution and eventual migration from Singapore.

The second blog article dealt with the obsolescence of retirement, putting forward the case that compulsory retirement was out-of-step with the realities of the 21st Century. As the writer states "When someone hits the socially-dictated retirement age, they bring with them out of the workforce, years of experience, skill and wisdom.".

I confess that I found it difficult to understand why Singapore persists with a mandatory retirement age when it faces severe skills shortages in some areas? Many of the older Singaporeans I met and worked with were at the top of their game and losing such a talent pool has got to be to the long term detriment of the country.

There is also little incentive to work on after the mandatory age if all you are offered is a proportion of your original salary, unless of course your financial reserves (or lack thereof) makes this a necessary course of action.

The ideal situation is be semi-retired in an environment that is supportive and climatically tolerable,with sufficient security to cover the day-to-day outgoings of life.

It gives one time to reflect that however hard one's own life may or may not have been, there are always others who have had to surmount greater obstacles in their path and have succeeded in doing so.

But let it not be said that all is doom and gloom in the Republic; there are some very talented and fluent writers in the Heartland; take this article on the joys of having a neighbour who texts you at all hours of the day and night - Nincompoop & Unlimited smses.

The SMS fanatic in question is a obviously not a retiree.

Reference:
Daily Breaks
SG Quitters
Gintai

Durian Cleaners

2011-11-11T14:18:00.000-08:00

Durian Cleaners
Roger Smith 2009

Coromandel in Black and White

2011-11-09T20:02:00.000-08:00

Open publication

See also calendar and postcards in the merchandise panel at the bottom of this blog page.

We're On The Train To Nowhere

2011-11-06T22:43:00.000-08:00

Driving Creek Railway
Roger Smith 2011
Click on image for larger version

The view of the Harbour View Motel is partly obscured by power lines; I say slightly because the vista remains very soothing at any time of day.

Power is a subject with which I have become intimately acquainted these past 24 hours as for a couple of hours last night, there wasn't any.

It reminded me of the old days on the Coromandel where light was provided by a kerosene lantern and cooking took place on a coal or wood-fired range.

Shortly after I had powered down my laptop last evening the lights started to flicker, the electrical relay to make a tango staccato and the alarm clock reset itself to zero.

All very disconcerting but a quick check with the proprietor assured me that it was not my computer activities that had destroyed the infrastructure of Coromandel township. Apparently the switch over to a new substation somewhere had not gone to plan which meant all of us had to make do with no power.

As we had already showered and eaten it didn't matter too much and I was relieved not to have to watch yet another election debate on local television.

Today the weather has improved and the Southerly storm has blown through. The top item on our schedule was a visit to the Driving Creek Railway, the brain child of potter Barry Brickell and his life work for the past forty years.

I had known of Barry since the late Sixties when my Teachers College art tutor, the late Frank Davis made the introduction. He and Barry had been at Teachers College together and according to Frank, Barry was besotted by trains even then; at parties he could mimic every sound of a train traversing the North Island's Main Trunk line, including its traverse of the Raurimu Spiral.

First and foremost though, Barry is one of New Zealand's foremost potters although it would be better to describe him as a ceramic artist, as many of the works he produces are large terracotta sculptures.

Fern - Driving Creek
Roger Smith 2011
Click on image for larger version

I once owned a salt glazed pitcher that I bought from his pottery in the early days and I still have a couple of soup mugs that were created by his hand.

So was the hour's train trip on his narrow gauge railway worth the $25 - in short, every penny!

We wound our way through regenerating native bush including stands of young kauri trees. One has to be impressed with Barry's energy and single-mindedness as the Driving Creek Railway was largely created by him alone.

Bush Walk - Driving Creek
Roger Smith 2011
Click on image

Sculpture - Driving Creek
Roger Smith 2011
Click on image

If you do just one thing on a visit to the town of Coromandel, do spare an hour to enjoy the ride on the Driving Creek Railway.

Strathmore Strolls

2011-11-06T20:18:00.000-08:00

Strathmore Avenue - Queenstown

This photograph I took from the shady side of the street; not an uncommon approach to photography in Singapore.

We used to walk this way from Queens Condo to the NTUC supermarket at Dawson's Shopping Mall where we did most of our shopping for basics.

You could take the slightly longer route along Commonwealth Avenue turning left into Alexandra Road which was always a wet weather option. Most of the time though we pushed our small shopping trundler and sheltered under a personal and silver topped umbrella to deflect the heat.

At first glance such housing developments might look fairly sterile places but the planting around the HDB blocks and in the adjacent open spaces means there is always a variety of bird life and other small animals.

Coromandel

2011-11-05T21:34:00.000-07:00

Lichen
Roger Smith 2011
Click on image

The McDonald's Double Up (or double down, I forget which) arrived on its tray looking nothing like the illustration that had tempted me to part with $2 for the privilege.

A lank slice of artificially bright yellow cheese was sandwiched between two meat wafers which bore passing resemblance to patties, but only just. Sustaining it was not and neither was the apple crumble and ice-cream.

In the promotional poster the latter came steaming hot on a plate with a generous scoop of snow freeze ice-cream on the the side. In reality it came in a small plastic tub topped with the ice-cream which reduced it to a mushy mess.

You will have gathered by now that I am not among the legion of fans who frequent McDonalds; in fact it is a 'meal' of last resort. So it was today as we motored through Thames en route for Coromandel township, from where I have writing this now. The necessity for food and the relative lack of choice suggested fast food - how wrong we were.

Coromandel is about three and a half hours easy driving from South Auckland where we live. The only slight delay is the eighty year old Kopu bridge, built in a time when traffic was slight and a single lane with a couple of passing bays coped with most vehicles.

This is how I remembered it from childhood trips in the late 1950's and into the 1970's. Unfortunately when Aucklanders 'discovered' Coromandel as a quick weekend retreat the traffic grew exponentially and the old bridge created a huge bottleneck. A new one is scheduled to open before Christmas.

Heading north from Thames one follows the coast. Even on a blustery Southerly day as it was today, the coast is pretty site although care needs to be taken on the corners.

Coromandel Panorama
Roger Smith 2011
Click on photo to see larger version

We are staying at the Harbour View Motel which is, as it name suggests, a series of six units overlooking Coromandel harbour. Ranked number one by Trip Advisor.com it has thus far lived up to its rating. The unit is generous in size and well appointed with a view from the deck looking at moored yachts and an oyster factory at left.

Unfortunately the world is 'no longer my oyster' as the wretched shellfish are loaded with purines which trigger gout. The pain of the infliction is more excruciating than missing out on the delicacy, but only just.

Duet - Coromandel
Roger Smith 2011
Click on image to see larger version

Tomorrow we intend heading to the Driving Creek Railway built by NZ potting legend and railway enthusiast, Barry Brickell.

On Feeling Prosperous

2011-11-02T14:20:00.000-07:00

It was with considerable interest that I read the findings of the 2001 Legatum Prosperity Index. According to them two Scandinavian countries, Norway and Denmark rank first and second, followed by two from the Antipodes; Australia and New Zealand in that order.

Given the $NZ16 billion debt that New Zealand has and the significant infrastructural damage it has sustained from a series of earthquakes I find this analysis quite remarkable.

Singapore by comparison ranks only 16th in their index. So I used their preposterously named 'prosperiscope' to compare the two countries - NZ and Singapore - and see where they believed the difference lay?

Here are the results with New Zealand in black and Singapore in brown.

The prosperity ranking is based on 8 different criteria:

Economy - measures countries’ performances in four areas that are essential to promoting prosperity: macroeconomic policies, economic satisfaction and expectations, foundation for growth, and financial sector efficiency
Entrepreneurship and Opportunity - measures countries’ performances in three areas: entrepreneurial environment, innovative activity, and access to opportunity.
Governance - measures countries’ performances in three areas: effective and accountable government, fair elections and political participation, and rule of law
Education - countries’ performances in three areas: access to education, quality of education, and human capital.
Health - measures countries’ performances in three areas: basic health outcomes, health infrastructure and preventative care, and physical and mental health satisfaction
Safety and Security - measures countries’ performances in two areas: national security and personal safety. Sub-Index Score. Own Calculations. Data are from 2011
Personal Freedom - measures countries’ performances in two areas: individual freedom and social tolerance.
Social Capital - measures countries’ performances in two areas: social cohesion and engagement, as well as community and family networks

As might be expected Singapore is well ahead of the average in terms of the economy

Both countries are level pegging at the global average when it comes to Entrepreneurship and Opportunity.

However according to the Legatum Institute which is an independent non-partisan public policy group based in London, Singapore's ranking fall well short in four areas: Governance, Education, Personal Freedom and Social Capital.

I have no doubt that the Singapore government would take issue with this analysis and the criteria used. I too find it hard to believe in the gap between Singapore and New Zealand in the area of Education and the 'social cohesion' rating for NZ seems highly over stated and therefore over rated.

The video below explains how the Legatum Institute arrived at their Prosperity Index.

Video source: The Legatum Institute

Today's Print - Taking The Waters, Queens

2011-11-01T21:16:00.000-07:00

Taking The Waters, Queens
Roger Smith 2011
Click on image to see larger version

Today's Print - Rocks Taiwan

2011-10-31T21:27:00.000-07:00

Rocks - Taiwan

Roger Smith 2011

Click on image for larger version

In the Summertime

2011-10-29T21:19:00.000-07:00

It's summer, or nearly summer, with the first really warm days in many months lifting the spirits as well as the temperatures.

At such times the change of breakfast from the winter fare of hot porridge to the refreshing hit of a bowl of cornflakes is most welcome.

Being a 'mine of useless information' my thoughts turned to how cornflakes were first discovered. It transpires that an Adventist with a penchant for strict discipline was feeding the patients in his Sanatorium a diet that was designed to decrease libido.

Kellogg (for that was his name) believed that spicy or sweet foods would increase passions. In contrast, corn flakes would have an anaphrodisiac property and lower the sex drive.

Interesting he chose a rooster called Cornelius to be the mascot of his fledgling company; a bird that is renowned for its sexual prowess and clearly not a great devourer of cornflakes.

But advertising at Kelloggs was not all 'fowl' and the odd spot of violence was also promoted, as this 1908 poster depicts.

The late John Lennon counted cornflakes amongst his favourite foods and during the Beatles' reign wrote two songs related to the cereal.

"I Am The Walrus" had one line about "sitting on a corn flake", and the song, "Good Morning, Good Morning" was inspired by a jingle for a British corn flake cereal commercial.

I regret to say that no one was similarly inspired by a bowl of porridge although Bob Marley's hit song, "No Woman, No Cry", contains the lyric "Then we would cook corn meal porridge of which I'll share with you".

Just think what he could have written if he'd laid off the ganga and eaten cornflakes instead.

One final thought on the subject, if Singapore is serious about raising the fertility level of its population maybe NTUC needs to stop stocking cornflakes on its supermarket shelves.

Lucky Or Not?

2011-10-21T12:54:00.000-07:00

Today this blog recorded its 44,444th page view. Not a very auspicious number in Chinese numerology as"4" is considered an unlucky number in Chinese because it is nearly homophonous to the word "death".

How I wish I had had double this number of page views as this would have guaranteed me wealth and prosperity. The Chinese word for "8" sounds similar to the word which means "prosper" or "wealth".

With Powerball being drawn tonight I am in search of a change of luck although I am not obsessive about numerology. The same cannot be said for someone in Chengdu who paid USD$270,723 for a telephone number with all digits being eights.

Even the pragmatic Singapore Airlines reserves flight numbers beginning with the number 8 for routes in China and Korea although I expect that is more marketing than luck.

One numbering tool I did come across was Singapore's retirement savings calculator which shows how big your nest egg needs to be when you retire. It is an excellent tool factoring in inflation, projected lifespan and desired retirement age.

The Retirement Calculator - CPF Board of Singapore

After trying this out there will be many others who will hope that they win Powerball as the results can be sobering, especially if you have only a few more years before retirement.

Luck comes in all forms, not necessarily monetary. Consider the case of two Singaporeans who escaped certain death by a mere five minutes. A cargo lift plunged three storeys to the ground, smashing their cars, which were parked directly below the lift shaft.

The old adage of being in the right place at the right time certainly holds true in this case; the right place being well away from malfunctioning lifts.

Today's Print - Idol

2011-10-19T20:52:00.000-07:00

Idol
Roger Smith 10/2011
Click on image to see larger version

Keeping Occupied

2011-10-17T13:28:00.000-07:00

With the Occupy Wall Street protesters figuring prominently in the news it comes as no surprise to learn that there are copycat demonstrations springing up like mushrooms.

While their concerns may be commendable, if not a little diverse, the enthusiasm does not necessarily translate from country to county.

In New Zealand notice has been given of a similar mass protest and one can expect the usual rag-tag and die-hard protest movement supporters will turn up and try to turn the rally for their own political purposes.

As there are general elections next month the whole "Occupy Aotea Square" scenario smells suspiciously like a political party hijack attempt.

Facebook Page

But it is in my recent home of Singapore where the "Occupy Movement" has aroused the interest of the local constabulary but few others.

There is a Facebook Page that someone has put up but it has failed to mobilise the masses and motivate them sufficiently to assemble at Raffles Place.

As one Facebook contributor said "Instead of going to Raffles Place today, everyone went to #OccupyBenJerryChunkfest instead". Given the Singaporean love of a good food event this is hardly surprising.

Not that the police are taking such incitement lightly as unauthorised public demonstrations are banned in the Republic.

"Police received reports that a netizen is instigating the public to stage a protest gathering at Raffles Place on Saturday, 15 October 2011 in support of a similar protest action in New York," police said in a statement.
Police urge members of the public not to be misled and participate in an unlawful activity."

So the "Occupy Raffles Place" was, to put it politely, a bit of a fizzer. To quote Mr Brown " At Zero Hour zero turned up".

Zero Hour at Raffles Place with not an "Occupier" in sight
Photo by The Online Citizen

There were by all accounts a bevvy of waiting journalists but no protesters. According to a recent Reuters report covering this global movement against capitalist ethics or lack thereof, 'Singapore leads Asian reticence in denouncing corporate greed'.

The satirical Facebook site "Occupy Bishan MRT" is of far more interest to those of us who have braved the madding crowds at rush hour. Parody or not, there is little humour to be had in standing in the welter of humanity at such an hour.

When I worked at NUS I used to take the MRT from Queenstown each morning which was an education in itself. I wrote several short observations about what I saw and felt while traveling - Happy, Happy Talk & Terminal Velocity, Sudoku Man and Architectural Revelations and was even inspired to write a short poem on the subject.

Taking public transport in Singapore is still the best way to take the pulse of the nation and observe one's fellow citizens - and not banker in sight.

Little Known Singaporean Exports

2011-10-12T18:32:00.000-07:00

I have to be up front and state that I wasn't aware that a Singaporean had won the title of New Zealand's Miss Erotica. It was a story in The New Paper that drew this to my attention.

Apparently the surgically, well-endowed Ms Tan has ambitions to become a porn star, something she would struggle to achieve had she stayed on in the Republic.

She is currently an event manager at one of New Zealand's leading universities which no doubts gladdens the hearts of many students but does little for promoting gravitas within this esteemed institution. She also has the distinction of being the first Asian to win the title.

When we signed a free trade agreement between our two countries little did we know what we were going to import.

Mother of two, Audrey Tan may be more pleasant on the eye than a container load of computer chips or a tanker full of refined oil but I can't see much growth potential, unless of course silicone implants are now being produced in Jurong?.

It has to be said that Miss Erotica does not figure highly on the New Zealand radar at the moment as the country struggles to come to grips with a major oil spill off one of its pristine beaches and the Rugby World Cup is nearing its conclusion.

Today's Print

2011-10-11T21:15:00.000-07:00

Growth Rings
Roger Smith 2011
Click on image to see larger print

Eat The Rich

2011-10-10T14:18:00.000-07:00

Chef presenting a plate with a doubtful meat, with a cow with a barcode in the background — Franck Boston.
All photos courtesy of Shutterstock.

Eating and food are subjects very close to my hearts as they also are with most Singaporeans. So it was with great interest that I read the New York Times article on the shooting of food commercials - Lights. Roll. Action. Drip!

The role of the film director is well known but that of the commercials film director, less so. There are more than $4 billion in television air time bought by restaurant chains and food conglomerates each year so directing productions such as these are big business.

The tricks they get up to creating these advertisements remind me of a magician's sleight of hand. For example the steam wafting over the casserole comes not from the food, but from a stagehand crouched under a table with the kind of machine that unwrinkles trousers.

Alfredo sauce appears when the fork emerges from the pasta but this is courtesy of tubes hidden in the back of the dish and hooked to what look like large hypodermic needles.

Food is also used for satirical purposes. Take the example of Rich and Tasty: Recipes for the New Class Warfare which appeared on BoingBoing. As the writer sees it, this is the guide that 99% of the population will turn to when the opportunity to feast on the fortunate presents itself.

The American bias shows through in the sample recipes included:

Peter Kellog Corn Flakes
Roast Perlman with Confit de Kerkorian
Braised Bezos and Soros tips
Round Eye of Icahn on a George Kaiser Roll
Walton Family Stew
BBQ Sumner Redstone w/Pickled Sam Zell
Ross Perot Tartare
Sergey Brin in Brine

The Wall Street protests may be drawing attention to the inequalities of the US-style capitalism and creating such commentary, but I doubt if you'll find any of these recipes at the Redhill Hawker Centre in Singapore!

Mold or Miracle?

2011-10-03T16:40:00.000-07:00

A priest holds a reliquary containing a dark spot
that appeared on a communion wafer in 2008

I've never been much into miracles, nor would I was to decry anyone their faith, but reports out of Poland take the biscuit (should that be communion wafer?).

"Catholics in Poland gathered on Sunday for a special Mass celebrating what they see as a miracle: the appearance on a communion wafer of a dark spot they are convinced is part of the heart of Jesus. The communion wafer in question developed a brown spot in 2008 after falling on the floor during a Mass in the eastern Polish town of Sokolka. Two medical doctors determined that the spot was heart muscle tissue, church officials have said."

Well sorry... but any such edible wafer coming in contact with a floor trampled by hundred's of worshipers will develop dark spots over time, and those spots are more than likely mold or bacteria.

Microbe Zoo has probably found the scientific answer and in doing so also debunked another 'miracle' that the gullible fell for in 1263 - the miracle of Bolsena. Serratia marcescens seems the likely culprit, a common microbe found in soil, water, on plants and in animals.

The dark-spotted wafer was carried aloft in a reliquary by a golden-robed priest in a procession and was put on display in the town's church of St. Anthony as about 1,000 faithful looked on, according to a report.

My faith in the medial profession is also severely dented by their apparent preparedness to confirm the 'miracle'.

On Song

2011-10-03T13:27:00.000-07:00

Is it possible to fall in love with a voice? If it is then I think I have done so, especially as this voice emanates from the vocal chords of famous Chinese singer Song Zuying.

I have always believed that the greatest music expresses the mood, time and place from whence it comes; the raw gritty power of the blues from the black south, the moody classics from the Russian steppes and Scandinavia or the Mersey Beat which became the symbol for a generation free from the constraints of post-war concerns.

Light or Classical Opera are not amongst my favourite musical forms; in general I find them too highbrow for my liking. Voices such as Pavarotti's have the ability to transcend such preconceptions and in Song Zuying I have found another who can impart true emotion.

How did I chance upon her? Our local television has two Chinese language channels and tiring of the Rugby World Cup menu that is dominating our media, I switched over to one of them. On screen was Ms Song's concert in Taiwan which had been staged in the Taipei Arena on May 7, 2011.

The Diva also moves in political circles according to the media release as she was a representative to National People's Congress, China's legislature, and now is a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the NPC's advisory body.

Clearly a lady of influence, she is also a non-combatant Rear Admiral in the Chinese Navy through here association with the Chinese People's Liberation Army Naval Song and Dance Troupe. It is also widely rumoured that Song was at one time the favourite mistress of Jiang Zemin.

But first and foremost she can sing with the voice of an angel, be it classical Chinese classics, popular ballads or the Mountain songs so beloved by many Chinese. She is highly regarded as a singer of Chinese folk songs and is a descendant of the Miao, one of China's 55 officially recognised minorities groups, whose singing and dancing talents are well known.

Her supporting acts of popular Taiwanese male singers, such as Jay Chou, simply weren't in the same class and they knew it. Chou is a fine musician but his voice is weak by comparison.

According to her biography Song Zuying was born in a place regarded as the most romantic and legendary in China. Wulingyuan in the western Hu’nan has been eulogized by many poets in Chinese history for its scenic beauty, birth of outstanding talent and the beautiful women born there. It is also an area of China regarded as the living place of the immortals.

Song Zuying, Plácido Domingo: "Love Song of Kangding" with Lang Lang at piano (2009)

The Taipei Philharmonic Orchestra and hundreds of highly skilled dancers, singers and supportive artists from mainland China made this a memorable concert for those of us viewing it on a television screen, half a world away from Taipei.

Gastronomic Delights

2011-09-27T18:35:00.000-07:00

The culture of Singapore is largely wrapped up in large banana leaf, namely the rich variety of cuisine from otah otah to home grown soy sauce (and all other delicacies in between).

Satay Hawker - Singapore 1982

Personally I think it is difficult to beat the smell of cooking over charcoal. One of the earliest photographs I took of Singapore in the 1980's was of a satay hawker at the old Satay club, crouched over a small charcoal brazier.

There are a number of excellent 'foodie' sites in Singapore. My favourites are as follows:

Makansutra - still the best in my opinion and has become somewhat of an institution in its own right. Mr Seetoh even has his own YouTube channel (see example below).
HungryGoWhere - their warts and all reviews make for interesting reading
Ieatishootipost - the pride and joy of Dr Leslie Tay who when he is not in the clinic is photographing and commenting upon food.
Gastronomic Ruminations - complied by a coffee addict under the non de plume of SuperFineFeline. the food photos are of high quality.
ChubbyHubby - although the site is currently in recess the archive is still worth reading and some of his recipes such as Pork Belly in Almond Milk are not restricted to South East Asia.
FoodSpotting - social media made good. See also their sections such as Top Hawker Fare.

Singapore food: "So Shiok"!

Yes Coke Yes

2011-09-26T19:11:00.000-07:00

Cocoa Cola has been noticeable for its clever choice of marketing slogans to promote its sales to target markets. In 1886 the text was simple, "Drink Coca Cola".

By 1924 this had turned into "Refresh Yourself" and in the year of my birth it was "Where there's Coke there's hospitality".

Each year they trot out a new slogan and the current one is (believe it or not) "Life Begins Here".

Now this piece of information is clearly something that a substantial proportion of Singaporeans are not aware of. According to Today Online, 3% of the population copulate in the profound belief that washing their genitals with Coca Cola will prevent pregnancy.

Presumably this application happens before rather than after, giving new meaning to the expression "putting some fizz into your sex life".

I can just see the Cocoa Cola advertising gurus in the USA adopting this slogan for their 2012 campaign.

There are regional variations of the company's slogans as well. In 1980's Japan (a country not always known for its rigid translation of English) the thought of the day was "Yes Coke Yes", which seems strangely in context with the current Singaporean situation.

Mind you, another 3% from the Republic believes that "staying upside down for two hours" after sex has the same effect as Coke.

So I look forward seeing what rival Pepsi come up with. " The cola that makes you stand on your head" perhaps?

You might also think that given Singapore's push (and I use this word advisedly) to increase its population, the government would not worried by this misplaced belief in home-spun contraception. Not so, there is a more serious side, the rising incidence of sexually transmitted diseases and abortions in the country.

Today's Print - Tulips

2011-09-22T21:34:00.000-07:00

Tulips
Roger Smith 2011
Click on image to see larger version

It's spring at last and the first tulips have raised their heads. I came across this group as I was taking my 'afternoon constitutional'.

Going Around In Circles

2011-09-19T20:47:00.000-07:00

Image via WikipediaThere is an old saying about going around in circles but apparently a power fault shut down the Circle Line in Singapore early this morning. This stranded many commuters and school children who had planned to get in early.

However with usual MRT efficiency the line was operative by 9:15 am. Compare this speed of recovery to the disaster that was Auckland's public transport on the opening day of the Rugby World Cup.

Twice as many as planned for turned up to take the train on that day and the public transport simply couldn't cope.

Determined that this fiasco should not happen again, the government commandeered the waterfront for the duration of the RWC event and of course all of those who are accountable are blaming each other!

One journalist has described it as a 'can of worms' which indeed it has been. So in the context of Auckland's transport failures a four hour breakdown on Singapore's Circle Line doesn't seem that bad.

Today's Print

2011-09-19T19:14:00.000-07:00

Dancing Avocado
Roger Smith 9-2011
Click on image to see large version

More at this site

Supernatural Mops

2011-09-19T12:05:00.000-07:00

Singaporean media has been compiling a gallery of English translations and other visual faux pas discovered in China by its readers. Here are a selection.

Android-itis

2011-09-18T18:01:00.000-07:00

The new 'toy'

I confess the have spent the morning 'gadget-fiddling', something I undertake every couple of years when a new mobile phone is purchased.

In Singapore people change mobile and smart phones as quickly as they change shirts, which is often in the sticky tropics. The latest models available from Singtel or Starhub are a sight to behold. Every year sees more features and smarter product design. The models available in New Zealand it has to be said are more utilitarian.

This was a case of 'needs must' as my previous iPAQ which had given sterling service died an unnatural battery death.

My mobile has become something I have relied on to organise my life over the years. Where once upon a time you simply spoke to someone on a phone, now its tells you where you are standing at any given moment, prompts you to buy a coffee at a nearby restaurant, provides a camera so you can snap the accompanying muffin and share it with friends and lets you schedule what you will be doing for the rest of the week. Appointments such as 'attend gym' to burn of the muffin calories.

Hence the expression 'smart phone' which usually means that it is smarter than you, the Luddite who made the purchase. There after all only so many apps that one can sensibly use in a lifetime.

My morning then has been spent taking the Google Android device out of its box and getting my spatulate thumbs moving in unison so that I can drag and flick the menu around the touch screen.

Mine's a Huawei device which just goes to show how Chinese manufacturing has combined with US know-how in the modern world.

Founded in 1987 in Shenzhen, this company now sells $US20 billion of its products annually in 140 countries - not bad going for a small enterprise that started off selling switches.

Of course the thing I really wanted to get working, I couldn't. The camera told me I need an additional SD micro-card installed. A quick rummage through the packaging again and no, I clearly have not got one of these.

A car ride to the local Dick Smith's electronic store followed where I purchased the necessary storage card, which had a retail price of $NZ32.

It was my lucky day as the price was discounted to $20 (reason given - old packaging) and the bargain came with some additional free goodies; a can of V energy drink, a soft screen cloth and a set of earphones and voice activated microphone in a clear plastic tube.

Frustrating as the above may have been, it was a lot more pleasant than the annual 'flu shot which I also had this morning.

Today's Print - Moon,River,Phoenix

2011-09-12T15:03:00.000-07:00

Moon, River, Phoenix
Roger Smith 2011
Click on image to see the larger version

In celebration of this year's Moon-cake Festival I have used wooden molds as the inspiration for this print.

Pee Power - The Answer To Nuclear Energy

2011-09-12T14:57:00.000-07:00

Image by MrTopher via FlickrAccording to a recent article in Wired magazine, urine can be put to good use for generating power. A better option for power generation than nuclear perhaps?

It's just a pity that Iran is not building bovine reactors rather than their nuclear equivalent.

Singapore might also consider having a few cows in pasture to cut down on its energy costs.

According to Rachel Zurer in the latest issue of Wired, urine it can be used as an energy source for hydrogen fuel cells:

“Each molecule of urine, has double the hydrogen atoms of a water molecule and holds on to them less tightly. That means the atoms are easier to split off, promising a cheaper and more efficient source of hydrogen gas that H2O.”

Ohio University Professor Geradine Botte says that the urine from just one cow contains enough energy supply hot water for 19 houses.

So perhaps we can also save the geothermal capabilities of Rotorua at the same time by using "Pee Power"?

Premonitions?

2011-09-11T13:00:00.000-07:00

A decade ago on September 11th. I arrived at my office in AUT and learnt of the news of the Twin Tower tragedy.

Its imagery remains with me still as does other seminal events such as the assassination of then President Kennedy and man walking on the moon for the first time.

Earlier generations had their own memory imprints; the declaration of war, Pearl Harbour, the airship Hindenburg disaster and the Holocaust amongst them.

In 1985, the wife of one of my best friends suffered a terrible accident when the mini car her husband slipped off a jack as she was underneath, holding a brake lining. Two things I remember vividly from this episode which left her facially disfigured but thankfully alive.

The first was my friend telling me how he somehow was imbued with 'supernatural' strength at the time and lifted the car from her unaided, in one movement. The second is that I painted a small shroud-like study in which I portrayed a devastated space, as my emotional response to what had happened.

Study - 1985
Roger Smith - mixed media on board

It was not a great painting - rough and deliberately crude in its intensity and muslin drapery. What I could never understand is the intuition that led me to include two towers as the central motif, viewed across an expanse of water?

Detail

On the afternoon of September 11th, 2001 I looked again at the image stored on my hard disk drive and wondered whether it was pure coincidence that I had produced this work featuring a city I had never visited, with its dark twin towers featured and a fiery sky? Or was it a premonition of events to come?

Lollies

2011-09-10T17:29:00.001-07:00

My local supermarket has got into the swing of the 2011 Rugby World Cup which is currently being staged in a variety of venues throughout New Zealand.

As we exited we were encouraged to take an cellophane wrapped lolly on a stick; naturally said sweet sported the All Black colours. It also had a tongue shape which reminded me of an early example of Rolling Stone's cover art.

I have used both to produce this homage to Any Warhol and the rugby team I support in the RWC tournament.

AB Supporter (After Warhol)
Roger Smith 2011
Click on image to see larger version

Meanwhile the "Brits" have been trying to commandeer our sheep in support of their campaign! See the video below

Busted

2011-09-09T17:42:00.000-07:00

I am fully supportive of the Singapore's tough drug laws and it therefore comes as no surprise to read that a NZ pupil has been nabbed in Singapore drug bust and will be dealt with by the courts.

It would appear that a reasonably large group if international students had been purchasing and smoking pot; they should have known better. Singapore laws are well known by those who live there but maybe a flick or two of the cane will reinforce the message.

Going Up, Going Down

2011-09-05T12:53:00.000-07:00

Image via WikipediaThe annual QS University rankings have been released; a time when most tertiary institutions prepare their PR releases in advance and hope for the best.

This year as in previous years no university from Asia or Oceania ranked in the top twenty. The first Asian institution to score is the University of Hong Kong at #22, followed by its Tokyo equivalent at #25.

The first entry for Oceania is the Australia National University which follows on from Tokyo at #26.

Congratulations to my former employer NUS which has jumped up to 28th. They must be very pleased that their investment in research and quality staff is paying off.

By comparison New Zealand's top university, the University of Auckland, has fallen14 places to 82. Not exactly a trend to crow about.

The rankings are based on research, teaching, employability and internationalisation.

The Times They Have Changed

2011-09-04T14:30:00.000-07:00

With the Rugby World Cup starting this week in New Zealand it is easy to forget just how ingrained the sport is in New Zealand culture.

Here is an image of an early rugby team in the 1890's. These come from the area that I now live in, although the playing jerseys have changed somewhat from what they were more than a century ago.

Howick Rugby Team circa 1890's

The playing fields have also improved vastly, judging by the foliage in this picture.

And Botany Road which fronts our mews development once looked like this:

The Hattaway family outside Hawthorn Dene, Botany Road, south of Howick, ca 1880

By 1988 the gardens of this historic cottage were overgrown (below) but the site and house has since been renovated and is now a restaurant run by a Mr Song.

Overgrown gardens in 1988

Today's Print - Crabs Flying

2011-09-03T18:55:00.000-07:00

Crabs Flying
Roger Smith 2011
Click on image to see larger version

See more digital art and photography at worldlense.com

New Digital Art Portfolio

2011-09-02T19:30:00.000-07:00

Open publication

Book Worms

2011-09-02T14:24:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

Two things that Singaporeans love used to be a sale and good book. While the first remains true the second is now a matter of some debate.

The large book selling chain Borders closed its Wheelock Place outlet in Singapore and the sale attracted thousands, looking for 50% off bargains. People stood in the pay queue for up to two hours.

Wheelock Place is a strangely designed building on Orchard Road, largely overshadowed by its newer and flashier neighbour, the Ion Mall.

Wheelock is one of those places with confusing levels of escalators so a visitor finds it difficult to navigate to the lower levels but once there you can enjoy the subterranean walkways under the main thoroughfare, escaping the fierce midday sun.

Border's closure in Orchard Road leaves it with one remaining outlet in Parkway Parade but it too is reportedly up for sale. Its demise is symptomatic of the decline of print with the modern generation choosing to read from their digital tablets.

Wheelock is named after the Hong Kong development company that bought over the property from the original failed owner.

Also buying up property are the Chinese but they are doing so globally. A Mr. Huang Nubo is hoping to purchase a large chunk of Iceland and transform it into a high-end resort. Losing 300 square kilometers of their small country to an overseas developer is not going down too well with Icelanders but given the parlous state of that country's finances they may have few options left.

At least in Iceland they will have built in spa possibilities with the odd volcanic eruption doing away with the need for imported theme parks. The spa business in Singapore by comparison is going through a rough patch with creditors lining up to get their money back from the failed True Spa enterprise.

Meanwhile the new president of Singapore, Dr Tony Tan has been sworn in and apart form being "deeply honoured, humbled", has pledged to protect the country's financial reserves.

One would sincerely hope that this is so, although there remains disquiet in some quarters about the President's former role as Chair of the GIC and the corporation's bad choices of investment in 2006 & 2007 under his stewardship which wiped millions from the fund.

This observation needs to be balanced by the GIC's fund management over a wider period of time. According to an entry in Wikipedia, over a period of 25 years to March 2006, the annual rate of return on the foreign reserves managed by GIC averaged 9.5 percent in US dollar terms, and 8.2 percent in Singapore dollar terms. The average rate of return over global inflation was 5.3 per cent per annum.

To the new President's credit he was one of the few in power at the time who vehemently opposed the building of casinos in Singapore.

Commerce in Singapore is always in a state of flux and as Borders closes its doors a new chain, Swedish retail fashion giant H&M, are opening theirs. Needless to say there is a queue forming some 20 hours before opening.

And last but not least; Singapore's own answer to the Yeti has been spotted once again. The "Naked Man of Sengkang" has reappeared in a lift lobby much to the consternation of the residents of Block 124. The citizen journalist who captured this rare sighting is on record as saying "Not sure if there was something wrong with him or if he was an exhibitionist".

My theory is that he was in such a hurry to join the H&M queue in town that he forgot to dress.

Today's Print - Eclipse

2011-08-27T18:16:00.000-07:00

Eclipse
Roger Smith - 8/2011
Click on the image to see larger version

The New President of Jurong

2011-08-27T14:14:00.000-07:00

Mr Christopher Pereira has
created a new model of
the outgoing president
- Straits Times -

So now we have it, the result of the recount which shows that the new president Dr Tony Tan won by just 0.34% more of the vote than the second place-getter.

Considering that 2,153,014 votes were cast and the winning margin between the two leading candidates was a measly 7,269, both sides must be ruing the fact that 37,826 votes were spoiled.

To the victor the spoils as the old saying goes, so congratulations to President Tony Tan who can now look forward to a salary that is the highest paid for any elected official in the world - S$4,267,500.

It is also a victory for PAP party organisation who rallied their troops behind Tony Tan.

The government will be delighted with the outcome as they have 'their man' in the Presidential chair who can be counted upon to support their every move.

One has to feel sorry for the candidate who came second, Dr Tan Cheng Bock, who has been the most popular choice but lacked the party infrastructure to get him past the finishing line.

No doubt he will remain the "President of Jurong" in the minds of many, irrespective of this election result. As he said in his final speech of the early morning "I hope this election will set Singaporeans thinking…".

I am sure that they already thinking; about the outcome of the next election in four years time.

Election Mark II

2011-08-26T16:50:00.000-07:00

Today Singaporeans choose their next President and much has been made of the virtues (and a few political 'vices') of the protagonists.

One result is certain, by end of day we will have a 'President Tan' in office but which one will it be? As it is is the first contested presidential election in18 years it will be interesting to see which way the voters swing.

Will they continue their 2011 swing towards a candidate less closely affiliated with the ruling PAP party? Or has this negative energy dissipated?

Whoever is the winner, they will be casting a fatherly eye over the reserves piggy bank and it will be a "fatherly" eye, as all of the candidates are male.

Hopefully in future contests this gender imbalance will be rectified as it was the women MP's who impressed me most in the previous government. Madam Halimah Yacob would have been my pick but perhaps we will see someone of her calibre put their name forward next time around.

In a less serious vein, the title 'President Nicole Seah' also has a certain ring to it, but one suspects she will need to 'age gracefully' before being able to take on the mantle of office!

To lighten the presidential decision making load, readers may care to cast their eyes on the soothing waters of the Pacific, as captured in my latest print below.

Pacific Montage II
Roger Smith, 2011

(Click on print to view a larger image)

Today's Print - Plateau

2011-08-20T19:39:00.000-07:00

Plateau ........................................................... Roger Smith 2011

Click on the image to see the larger version

An Expensive Place To Live

2011-08-16T15:55:00.000-07:00

The world's 20 most expensive cities according to a survey by Swiss bank UBS:

1: Oslo
2: Zurich
3: Geneva
4: Copenhagen
5: Stockholm
6: Tokyo
7: Sydney
8: Helsinki
9: Toronto
10: Singapore
11: Vienna
12: Paris
13: Luxembourg
14: New York
15: London
16: Munich
17: Montreal
18: Frankfurt
19: Sao Paulo
20: Dublin

Auckland is 24th but two years ago it ranked only 43rd.

The Rugby Heartland

2011-08-13T19:07:00.000-07:00

The 2011 Rugby World Cup is almost upon us in New Zealand and the hype has already reached fever pitch in the local media.

Those of us who last played the game some forty plus years ago have fond memories of the then amateur code. No doubt they too have, from time to time, rummaged in their stored possessions chancing upon memories of teams past.

Coming from a strong rugby secondary school (New Plymouth Boys High) where I played well enough to make some of the top junior school teams in Taranaki, I was keen to continue this sporting passion during my Teachers College days in Palmerston North.

Two us, Dave Bullot and myself, represented the province of Manawatu as rugby reps in our first year at the college which was quite an honour. I played prop and Dave, who also happened to be my childhood neighbour for Waitara, was fullback and had a prodigious 'boot'. The thrill of running from under the stands in Palmerston North, wearing the green and white striped Manawatu jersey is with me still.

Our Manawatu 3rd grade team beat all comers that year. I also recall a bus trip through the Manawatu Gorge to play a rep team from Hawke's Bay who were playing a grade higher than we were. Their side was made up of rough-whiskered young farmers and the inside of the scrum smelt like a brewery. No wonder we thrashed them.

It was in this cauldron that I learn the 'dark arts' of forward play. Brought up on the idea of fair play I was somewhat surprised when our rep. coach instructed me to stand on the foot of the opposing jumper in the lineout. It certainly worked but I can't say I enjoyed doing so; the referee never spotted my deviousness so I guess I performed up to the coach's expectation.

After the Teacher's College games we would adjoin to the Grand Hotel on the corner of the Square and Church Street in Palmerston North. They served a nice pub meal and we shared a jug of beer. Being under age on licensed premises made one rather nervous and eventually the police raided the hotel and caught several of us.

My first and last court appearance resulted in a fine on $19 for drinking under age, much to the chagrin of my parents, as my father happened to be a Judge of the Maori Land Court.

The magistrate who conducted my case had been dining with our family the week before and clearly wanted to make an example of me so that I never darkened the doors of the Grand again, which I never did.

The next year I made the 1st Xv which played in the Senior B competition. I was probably a little too light in build to play against the older men who made up these sides but nevertheless we won the competition.

Players who I remember from this time were our fullback, John Brebner, who was studying art and got me interested in doing likewise. John Watson I had known from my school days in New Plymouth. He went on to become one of New Zealand's finest actors. Manasi Vaka was a Tongan studying in New Zealand and Peter Potaka was one of three brothers who went to Teachers College. His family came from a potato growing area called Rama.

This was the last team that I seriously played for. The following year I was transferred to the town of Turangi in the centre of the North Island to undertake my Probationary Assistant year. I played one social game in Turangi but was no longer fit enough to enjoy it.

So this year, as others squabble over the price of All Black replica jerseys, I shall be remembering a time when raking boot sprigs on one's back was a feeling set aside and the gladiatorial crunch of the front row engaging brought on a primeval sense of satisfaction.

The Presidential Check List

2011-08-12T13:46:00.000-07:00

Choosing a President is never an easy task as many of my Singaporean friends will no doubt tell you. Later this month they go to the polls once again; this time to choose President Nathan's replacement.

I confess to be living back in a country that doesn't have such an office. We cling to the last vestiges of our colonial past with a Governor General as our Head of State and the Queen's representative. There are those who would like to replace the G.G. with a President but I am not one of them. This preference is based on my observations of the shenanigans that surround the presidential electoral process in other countries - the States and Italy being amongst the worst examples.

Despite my reservations I couldn't help but wonder what my own checklist for picking a suitable President might be? I have come up with the following:

Pick someone who hasn't been born with a silver spoon on their mouth.
A man of the people needs to have been fully immersed in the day to day life of the community through face-to-face service throughout their working life. Only then can they truly claim to be the people's president.
Removed from Government machinations
Even though the presidential role is largely ceremonial a President need to be perceived to be clearly aside from the ambitions of the government of the day, and to have been so for some considerable time. Not out of touch nor diametrically opposed to those in power, but able to provide the necessary impartial political checks and balances as and when required.
Sound moral fibre
A predilection to the demon drink and chasing hotel maids (or airline stewardesses) might be seen as an attribute in some European countries but it does not project the country in the best light and such a candidate should be discounted with alacrity. And don't be lulled by the false sense that the average age of most presidential hopefuls is at least seventy; many still have the libido to make themselves a nuisance if they are that way inclined.
Gravitas
Pomp without pomposity should be a defining attribute. The ability to carry out Presidential ceremonial duties with the dignity of the office in tact I see as essential. A mumbling moron with a slouch, one who doesn't know his knife from his fork simply will not do.
Fiscal Prudence
If your Presidential salary is in the millions and you banquet by candlelight most nights of the week it could be very easy to lose touch with reality. Someone who has been able to manage a family budget in reduced circumstances would have the edge when it came to my pick. If they knew where the best value for money chicken rice was in the Heartland, even better!

As to the Singaporean election we can be assured of one thing; the next President will be a President Tan. The questions remains, which one?

From Slate to Smart Phone

2011-08-01T13:27:00.000-07:00

I have just been listening to a very interesting programme on BBC Business about the rivalry between two German pencil manufacturers; Staedtler and Faber Castell. Both have a centuries old tradition of the craft of pencil making and remain at the forefront of the business.

It reminded me that my first attempts at writing took place on a slate with apiece of chalk. After World War Two when I was born I guess pencils from Germany and the rest of UK / Europe were in short supply, chewed up in the mouths of anxious army clerks by the boxful.

The expression 'wipe the slate clean' is meaningful to those of use who literally did so. The new entrants classroom at age five meant a change of writing tool and wooden desks with ceramic inkwell holders. These holders were cracked and stained with ink giving the impression of what I later came to appreciate as precious Chinese Ge ware, although of course our receptacles were anything but.

Laborious copying of text using pencils came first and later, the use of dip pens and ink when we were taught the beauty of cursive script.

How technology has moved in one short lifetime. In the age of smart phones hand gestures such as wiping are digitised and thumbs 'text' at a speed faster than the old nib pen of my early school days could ever have traveled.

The Cult of Celebrity

2011-08-01T12:43:00.000-07:00

Her botoxed lips reminded me of the nether regions of a female baboon in heat.

The siliconed breasts seemed grotesquely out of proportion as she struggled with her friend (should that be bosom buddy?) to secure the frontal position in a glossy woman's magazine in our local supermarket.

The bottle-blonde coiffure of her multiple-married companion matched that of her own and both were a less than edifying picture of middle age neurosis . Or, as we say in these parts "mutton dressed up as lamb".

This mutton should have been out out to pasture long ago, but the aged glitterati never seem to be able to retire gracefully.

My local newspaper summed up the pair: "In their nihilistic search for fame, we fed upon their every gum-chewing antic and cosmetic enhancement. But haven't we had enough? "

We surely have but they clearly haven't. Just so long as the editors of women's and society magazines are prepared to pay money for these posing 'party has-beens' then they will continue to project themselves from the checkout racks.

On reflection it is a sad indictment of our society, but it should not be confused with 'Mutton Bustin' which is a peculiar Canadian pastime. Small children are encouraged to ride a rampaging sheep around the rodeo ring, all the while trying desperately hard to hang on.

Perhaps there are similarities between this and society girls who refuse to age gracefully after all.

National Day Parade 2011

2011-07-31T16:51:00.000-07:00

Singapore's National Day is always celebrated in song and heavily promoted by the government and Mediacorp. The above video is of song composed and sung by Lorraine Tan.

The official song for the NDP is called "In A Heartbeat and is sung by a former Singapore idol runner-up, Sylvia Ratonel. She is a Euro-Filipino who signed a fulltime contract with the government's MediaCorp after Singapore idol so it is not surprising she is the chosen one for this rendition.

I much prefer the Lorraine Tan offering as I find Ms Ratonel's effort vocally insipid. However this is a matter of personal taste.

The country's greatest asset is its people as it has no natural resources to speak of. Although the lyrics and sentiments may seem rather 'saccharine' to outsiders, they reflect the importance of family as the key unit of social stability and support.

It is interesting to review such ditties from previous years and all have a similar perspective.

Today's Print - Melbourne Moves

2011-07-29T17:01:00.000-07:00

Melbourne Moves 2
Roger Smith 2011

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Today's Print - Tai Chi Fort Canning

2011-07-28T21:32:00.000-07:00

Tai Chi Fort Canning
Roger Smith 2011

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Sweet Spot and Sweet Victories

2011-07-28T12:51:00.000-07:00

I don't know which has the most cataclysmic possibilities; the news that a trojan asteroid called 2010 TK7 has been quietly circling above or that our earth's population is reaching 7 billion.

Apparently trojan asteroids need not be feared as they are not the same as the one that wiped out the dinosaur population some sixty five million years ago. According to the media "the 200-300m-wide rock sits in front of our planet at a gravitational "sweet spot", and poses no danger".

One would certainly hope that they have got their calculations correct. Science has been known to get things wrong before but if this proves to be the case there is little we can do about it anyway.

As to the global population we have apparently slowed our birth rate since the 1960's but even then there will be yet another billion mouth to feed twelve years from now.

In Singapore however life is focusing on more mundane matters. A woman has been fined $4,000 for stealing $390 worth of products from a pet shop in Sengkang in June last year. She is reported as having a penchant for feeding stray cats.

Senior Minister Grace Fu

The national football team vanquished their bitter rivals Malaysia to progress to the third round qualifiers for the World Cup for only the second time in its history. They did so in the face of overt intimidation in the crowd, were some idiot brandished a kris knife.

But the sweetest spot of all belongs to Marina Bay Sands casino in Singapore which has contributed US$737.6 million to its parent company's coffers and is on its way to become the most profitable casino-resort ever.

It's a rich now ( if you will excuse the pun) for Minister Grace Fu to express in her Facebook pages that she is now "concern(ed) about the social effects".

As part of the then government that introduced casinos into Singapore she, and other members of her party, were made well aware of the downside of such a decision at the time.

Today's Print - Towards A Harsh Darkness

2011-07-26T21:54:00.000-07:00

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