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| Chinatown - Singapore 1982 Roger Smith |
Follow @globalmuseum
Monday, 26 December 2011
Sunday, 25 December 2011
Quakes and Rage
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| Hamilton Gardens |
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.
Thursday, 22 December 2011
Wednesday, 21 December 2011
Panda Envy and Braveheart Butter Bombs
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.
Monday, 19 December 2011
Walk To Meadowlands
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| Stream Roger Smith 12/2011 |
Off The Rails
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.
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.
Friday, 16 December 2011
Monday, 12 December 2011
Simply Salivating and Festive Feedback
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.
Sunday, 11 December 2011
Two New Prints - Taipei
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| White Bridge Taipei Roger Smith 2011 Click on the image to see a larger version |
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| Rock Taipei Roger Smith 2011 Click on the image to see a larger version |
Saturday, 10 December 2011
Today's Print - Reeds
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| Reeds - Singapore Roger Smith 2011 Click on the image to see a larger version |
Friday, 9 December 2011
Memories of Tanjong Pagar Station
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
Thursday, 8 December 2011
How to Beat the Comfort Del-Gro Taxi Fare Hikes
People in Singapore are up in arms about the recent fares hikes and surcharges. Maybe the above is the answer?
Do You Merit It?
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| Roti Prata |
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.
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| Get the TShirt |
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!
Saturday, 3 December 2011
Friday, 2 December 2011
How Corrupt Is Your Country?
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.
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.
Wednesday, 30 November 2011
Tuesday, 29 November 2011
Today's Print - Fossil
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| Fossil Roger Smith 2011 |
More images at Worldlense.
Food For Thought But No Makan
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| Visit the PicturesSG site |
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?
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"
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| HistoryPin |
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.
Sunday, 27 November 2011
On The Couch
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| Sofas - Botany Road Roger Smith |
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.
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| Source: NZ Herald |
Friday, 25 November 2011
Today's Print - Pastoral
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| Pastoral - South Australia Roger Smith Click on image to see larger version |
Twelve Days of Christmas
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'.
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.
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'.
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| Xmas Santa - Rural South Australia Photo: Roger Smith |
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.
Sunday, 20 November 2011
Accented Deliveries
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| Teresa Teng 邓丽君 |
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.
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.
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| Lin Chin Hsia 林青霞 |
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.
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.
Friday, 18 November 2011
General Election 2011 - NZ Style
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.
Thursday, 17 November 2011
The Pobble Who Had No Toes
 Image via Wikipedia |
| Edward Lear |
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".
Wednesday, 16 November 2011
Inspiring Stories and Lifelong Abilities
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
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
Saturday, 12 November 2011
Thursday, 10 November 2011
Coromandel in Black and White
Monday, 7 November 2011
We're On The Train To Nowhere
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| Driving Creek Railway Roger Smith 2011 Click on image for larger version |
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.
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| Fern - Driving Creek Roger Smith 2011 Click on image for larger version |
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.
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| Bush Walk - Driving Creek Roger Smith 2011 Click on image |
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| Sculpture - Driving Creek Roger Smith 2011 Click on image |
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