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Makapaaa's New clipping service.
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Re: Million$ Ministers & Prez Chor Boh Lan!
li jia wei pressing against nathan's arm. no wonder he hold her hand so long. :p
li jia wei pressing against nathan's arm. no wonder he hold her hand so long. :p
Sg Casinos GONE CASE!
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=452 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=452 colSpan=2>Published August 16, 2008
</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=452 colSpan=2>Macau chief: '09 gaming revenues may dip
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(HONG KONG) Macau's chief executive has warned that gaming revenues in the casino haven may fall next year due to the global economic slowdown, the South China Morning Post reported yesterday.
Edmund Ho told lawmakers that the government believes income from sectors including gaming in Macau - the only place in China where casino gambling is legal - may slow in 2009.
'We can't be too optimistic about next year's economic development. A lot of unstable factors have emerged in the global markets,' the Post quoted him as telling the Legislative Assembly.
'It will not be surprising if income from some sectors, such as the gaming industry, records negative growth next year, as it had grown at a high speed in the past,' he said.
Macau has boomed in recent years, mainly on the back of Chinese visitors who have flooded into the city's gleaming casinos. Gaming revenues in 2007 topped US$10 billion for the first time, well ahead of the Las Vegas Strip.
But restrictions on visits by mainland Chinese and a moratorium on new casinos have begun to cool the spectacular growth.
On Thursday, Mr Ho told the assembly that the government would strike a balance to ensure the construction industry was not hit too hard. -- AFP
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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=452 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=452 colSpan=2>Published August 16, 2008
</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=452 colSpan=2>Macau chief: '09 gaming revenues may dip
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</TD><TD>Feedback</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>(HONG KONG) Macau's chief executive has warned that gaming revenues in the casino haven may fall next year due to the global economic slowdown, the South China Morning Post reported yesterday.
Edmund Ho told lawmakers that the government believes income from sectors including gaming in Macau - the only place in China where casino gambling is legal - may slow in 2009.
'We can't be too optimistic about next year's economic development. A lot of unstable factors have emerged in the global markets,' the Post quoted him as telling the Legislative Assembly.
'It will not be surprising if income from some sectors, such as the gaming industry, records negative growth next year, as it had grown at a high speed in the past,' he said.
Macau has boomed in recent years, mainly on the back of Chinese visitors who have flooded into the city's gleaming casinos. Gaming revenues in 2007 topped US$10 billion for the first time, well ahead of the Las Vegas Strip.
But restrictions on visits by mainland Chinese and a moratorium on new casinos have begun to cool the spectacular growth.
On Thursday, Mr Ho told the assembly that the government would strike a balance to ensure the construction industry was not hit too hard. -- AFP
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Japan DUMPING Gold!
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>Gold falls to 8-month low as US$ surges
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->SINGAPORE: Gold tumbled nearly 3 per cent yesterday and slipped below US$800 for the first time since December, with investors' confidence in precious metals shattered by falling oil prices and a surging United States dollar.
Silver, which normally tracks gold, was the hardest hit, falling more than 12 per cent to its lowest since September last year. Platinum fell 3 per cent and palladium was at its lowest in nearly two years. Tokyo's platinum and gold futures hit 'limit down'.
Spot gold hit an intra-day low of US$787.10, its weakest since Dec 17, down from US$811.25 late in New York on Thursday and well below an all-time high of US$1,030.80 in March.
'The dollar's continuing uptrend is a key factor depressing commodities in general and triggering heavy sales in gold,' said Mr Shuji Sugata, manager of Mitsubishi Corp Futures and Securities in Tokyo.
'Japanese players are dumping their long-term positions after breaking through key levels this week. The market may be oversold, but it is still in a downward trend.'
Gold has lost much of this year's gains to profit-taking, oil's fall from record highs and, more recently, the US dollar's rally against a basket of currencies.
'It's still early to say it's the end of the super-cycle, but if the markets continue to fall like they are doing now, I am sure many people will be talking about it very soon,' said Mr Adrian Koh, an analyst at Phillip Futures in Singapore. 'The region around US$750 is very important because this is a long-term gold uptrend support. So if it's broken, gold's really gone.'
The euro extended losses to hit a six-month low against the dollar, taking a hit from a sell-off in metals as more investors bailed out of positions that have soured as the global economy loses steam.
Oil fell more than US$1 to below US$114 a barrel on fears about the slowing global economy, with a stronger US dollar also prompting funds to exit. The rising dollar has reduced gold's appeal as an alternative investment, while falling oil has diminished the metal's role as a hedge against inflation.
Silver fell to US$12.49 an ounce from US$14.15 late in New York on Thursday. Spot platinum fell to US$1,440.50 an ounce from US$1,481. Spot palladium fell to US$294.50 an ounce from US$306.50. REUTERS
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>Gold falls to 8-month low as US$ surges
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->SINGAPORE: Gold tumbled nearly 3 per cent yesterday and slipped below US$800 for the first time since December, with investors' confidence in precious metals shattered by falling oil prices and a surging United States dollar.
Silver, which normally tracks gold, was the hardest hit, falling more than 12 per cent to its lowest since September last year. Platinum fell 3 per cent and palladium was at its lowest in nearly two years. Tokyo's platinum and gold futures hit 'limit down'.
Spot gold hit an intra-day low of US$787.10, its weakest since Dec 17, down from US$811.25 late in New York on Thursday and well below an all-time high of US$1,030.80 in March.
'The dollar's continuing uptrend is a key factor depressing commodities in general and triggering heavy sales in gold,' said Mr Shuji Sugata, manager of Mitsubishi Corp Futures and Securities in Tokyo.
'Japanese players are dumping their long-term positions after breaking through key levels this week. The market may be oversold, but it is still in a downward trend.'
Gold has lost much of this year's gains to profit-taking, oil's fall from record highs and, more recently, the US dollar's rally against a basket of currencies.
'It's still early to say it's the end of the super-cycle, but if the markets continue to fall like they are doing now, I am sure many people will be talking about it very soon,' said Mr Adrian Koh, an analyst at Phillip Futures in Singapore. 'The region around US$750 is very important because this is a long-term gold uptrend support. So if it's broken, gold's really gone.'
The euro extended losses to hit a six-month low against the dollar, taking a hit from a sell-off in metals as more investors bailed out of positions that have soured as the global economy loses steam.
Oil fell more than US$1 to below US$114 a barrel on fears about the slowing global economy, with a stronger US dollar also prompting funds to exit. The rising dollar has reduced gold's appeal as an alternative investment, while falling oil has diminished the metal's role as a hedge against inflation.
Silver fell to US$12.49 an ounce from US$14.15 late in New York on Thursday. Spot platinum fell to US$1,440.50 an ounce from US$1,481. Spot palladium fell to US$294.50 an ounce from US$306.50. REUTERS
Re: Sg Casinos GONE CASE!
Good times Singapore operates protectionism and during bad times it invites all !
Good times Singapore operates protectionism and during bad times it invites all !
Re: Sg Casinos GONE CASE!
You have not seen Singaporean government squeeze the casino yet !
You have not seen Singaporean government squeeze the casino yet !
Re: Japan DUMPING Gold!
strange market actually.
While the Gold & Silver ETF market plummets, there is actually a shortage of physical gold and silver available to be bought. All dealers in physical gold and silver are entirely out of stock.
http://apmexdealer.blogspot.com/2008/08/news-alert-us-mint-suspends-sales-of.html
News Alert: US Mint Suspends Sales Of Gold American Eagles
8/14/2008 04:02:00 PM, Posted by APMEX, 8 Comments
First - The Bad News.
We just received word, the US Mint has suspended sales of the 1 oz Gold American Eagles until further notice and are not accepting new orders from precious metals dealers. This is in addition to the shortage of 1 oz Silver American Eagles.
This comes at a time when many investors around the nation are scrambling to locate silver bullion and US gold coins while prices are attractively low. These low prices seem to be one of the driving factors in this recent shortage, as investor demand has dramatically increased.
Now, The Good News.
APMEX still has very limited quantities of the 2008 - 1 oz Gold American Eagles in stock and ready for immediate shipment to our customers. If you have recently placed an order with us, you can be confident your items have been reserved for you, set aside and are awaiting your shipment date.
For the time being, fractional gold (1/10 oz, ¼ oz and ½ oz Gold American Eagles) remain unaffected by the shortage. APMEX customers are encouraged to take advantage of the low spot prices by purchasing the following items currently in stock and ready for immediate shipment.
Gold Investors:
* 2008 1 oz Gold Maple Leafs – very limited supply
* 2008 1 oz Gold American Eagles – very limited supply
* 1 oz Credit Suisse Bars – very limited supply
Silver Investors:
* 2008 Silver Maple Leafs – priced the same as the 2008 Silver American Eagles
* 90% Bag Silver Coins – roughly 712 oz of pure silver
http://news.silverseek.com/SilverSeek/1218779880.php
Silver Shortage? What, Me Worry?
By: David Bond, Editor The Silver Valley Mining Journal
-- Posted 15 August, 2008 | Digg This ArticleDigg It! | Discuss This Article - Comments: 1
The Wallace Street Journal
By David Bond, Editor
The Silver Valley Mining Journal
Wallace, Idaho – We received a missive yesterday from the American Precious Metals Exchange, an Oklahoma-based company that retails silver and gold bullion – American Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs, Krugerrands, bars, coin bags and the like, that immediately raised alarums in our cranial area.
The gist of their missive was: There's a silver shortage because the price ($14.35/oz at this writing) is too low. Particularly hard to find are the 2008 American Silver Eagle 1-ounce coins. Here's what APMEX said yesterday:
“You may have noticed a significant number of products on the APMEX.com website are listed as 'Out of Stock' right now. This stock shortage coincides with a low price for the precious metals we provide investors and collectors across the nation. Most, if not all, dealers are experiencing temporary shortages right now. . .
“When the price of silver, or other precious metals, drops to a low position, everyone who has been waiting to purchase comes in and buys. Whatever silver or gold is in inventory is quickly depleted – not just in our reserves, but also in those of our suppliers. Ultimately, this reduction in supply increases demand, and will eventually increase prices.
“This is basic supply and demand. This effect is felt across the marketplace, from suppliers to dealers to the investors.”
Well, we appreciate the lesson in Economics 101. But it had an eerily familiar quality to it, this particular lesson in Econ 101, a deja vu feeling. Had we not heard this same stuff about five months ago, only in reverse? So we dug through our Platts Metals Week archives, and low and behold, found that we were writing about a silver shortage back in March – under entirely different circumstances.
Here were the same folks, only this time, they were saying there was a silver shortage because the price was too high! Said Metals Week:
“Silver buyers overwhelmed retailers during the third week of March, when silver was trading above $20/oz. (Retailers) stopped taking orders over the Internet, limiting business to telephone orders of no more than $5,000 -- if buyers could get through. 'Demand is incredible; it seems like there are 5 to 10 times as many people wanting to buy [silver] as opposed to selling,'” said one dealer.
Said another: “'We're running out of metals, and silver in small quantities is extremely difficult to find right now. The largest demand is for silver rounds and for small (100 oz or less) silver bars." The early-year price run from $17/oz to $22/oz sucked outfits like APMEX, Northwest Territorial and others dry.
We find this quite curious. It seems that when the price of silver is low, there is a shortage of silver, because people can't get enough of the white metal. When the price of silver is high, there is a shortage of silver, because folks can't get enough of it. Would it be too much of a reach to surmise that there's just a plain shortage of silver?
-- Posted 15 August, 2008 | Digg This ArticleDigg It! | Discuss This Article - Comments: 1
strange market actually.
While the Gold & Silver ETF market plummets, there is actually a shortage of physical gold and silver available to be bought. All dealers in physical gold and silver are entirely out of stock.
http://apmexdealer.blogspot.com/2008/08/news-alert-us-mint-suspends-sales-of.html
News Alert: US Mint Suspends Sales Of Gold American Eagles
8/14/2008 04:02:00 PM, Posted by APMEX, 8 Comments
First - The Bad News.
We just received word, the US Mint has suspended sales of the 1 oz Gold American Eagles until further notice and are not accepting new orders from precious metals dealers. This is in addition to the shortage of 1 oz Silver American Eagles.
This comes at a time when many investors around the nation are scrambling to locate silver bullion and US gold coins while prices are attractively low. These low prices seem to be one of the driving factors in this recent shortage, as investor demand has dramatically increased.
Now, The Good News.
APMEX still has very limited quantities of the 2008 - 1 oz Gold American Eagles in stock and ready for immediate shipment to our customers. If you have recently placed an order with us, you can be confident your items have been reserved for you, set aside and are awaiting your shipment date.
For the time being, fractional gold (1/10 oz, ¼ oz and ½ oz Gold American Eagles) remain unaffected by the shortage. APMEX customers are encouraged to take advantage of the low spot prices by purchasing the following items currently in stock and ready for immediate shipment.
Gold Investors:
* 2008 1 oz Gold Maple Leafs – very limited supply
* 2008 1 oz Gold American Eagles – very limited supply
* 1 oz Credit Suisse Bars – very limited supply
Silver Investors:
* 2008 Silver Maple Leafs – priced the same as the 2008 Silver American Eagles
* 90% Bag Silver Coins – roughly 712 oz of pure silver
http://news.silverseek.com/SilverSeek/1218779880.php
Silver Shortage? What, Me Worry?
By: David Bond, Editor The Silver Valley Mining Journal
-- Posted 15 August, 2008 | Digg This ArticleDigg It! | Discuss This Article - Comments: 1
The Wallace Street Journal
By David Bond, Editor
The Silver Valley Mining Journal
Wallace, Idaho – We received a missive yesterday from the American Precious Metals Exchange, an Oklahoma-based company that retails silver and gold bullion – American Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs, Krugerrands, bars, coin bags and the like, that immediately raised alarums in our cranial area.
The gist of their missive was: There's a silver shortage because the price ($14.35/oz at this writing) is too low. Particularly hard to find are the 2008 American Silver Eagle 1-ounce coins. Here's what APMEX said yesterday:
“You may have noticed a significant number of products on the APMEX.com website are listed as 'Out of Stock' right now. This stock shortage coincides with a low price for the precious metals we provide investors and collectors across the nation. Most, if not all, dealers are experiencing temporary shortages right now. . .
“When the price of silver, or other precious metals, drops to a low position, everyone who has been waiting to purchase comes in and buys. Whatever silver or gold is in inventory is quickly depleted – not just in our reserves, but also in those of our suppliers. Ultimately, this reduction in supply increases demand, and will eventually increase prices.
“This is basic supply and demand. This effect is felt across the marketplace, from suppliers to dealers to the investors.”
Well, we appreciate the lesson in Economics 101. But it had an eerily familiar quality to it, this particular lesson in Econ 101, a deja vu feeling. Had we not heard this same stuff about five months ago, only in reverse? So we dug through our Platts Metals Week archives, and low and behold, found that we were writing about a silver shortage back in March – under entirely different circumstances.
Here were the same folks, only this time, they were saying there was a silver shortage because the price was too high! Said Metals Week:
“Silver buyers overwhelmed retailers during the third week of March, when silver was trading above $20/oz. (Retailers) stopped taking orders over the Internet, limiting business to telephone orders of no more than $5,000 -- if buyers could get through. 'Demand is incredible; it seems like there are 5 to 10 times as many people wanting to buy [silver] as opposed to selling,'” said one dealer.
Said another: “'We're running out of metals, and silver in small quantities is extremely difficult to find right now. The largest demand is for silver rounds and for small (100 oz or less) silver bars." The early-year price run from $17/oz to $22/oz sucked outfits like APMEX, Northwest Territorial and others dry.
We find this quite curious. It seems that when the price of silver is low, there is a shortage of silver, because people can't get enough of the white metal. When the price of silver is high, there is a shortage of silver, because folks can't get enough of it. Would it be too much of a reach to surmise that there's just a plain shortage of silver?
-- Posted 15 August, 2008 | Digg This ArticleDigg It! | Discuss This Article - Comments: 1
Re: Million$ Ministers & Prez Chor Boh Lan!
Hey why no photo of that PAP hag Lee Bee Wah holding the Singapore flag?
Hey why no photo of that PAP hag Lee Bee Wah holding the Singapore flag?
Coffee Shop Talk - The Devil, Chua Lee Hoong & Harry Lee
<TABLE id=msgUN cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD id=msgUNsubj vAlign=top>Coffee Shop Talk - The Devil, Chua Lee Hoong & Harry Lee</TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right>
Subscribe </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=msgtable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="96%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msg vAlign=top><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgbfr1 width="1%"> </TD><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgF noWrap align=right width="1%">From: </TD><TD class=msgFname noWrap width="68%">AngelLead <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate noWrap align=right width="30%">4:48 am </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT noWrap align=right width="1%" height=20>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname noWrap width="68%">ALL <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (1 of 3) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft width="1%" rowSpan=4> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>832.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>William Golding was a Nobel Prize-winning author. His most famous work is Lord of the Flies, a novel which I studied for my GCE O-level Literature exams many years ago. The title is actually a reference to the Hebrew name Beelzebub (literally, "god of the fly", "Lord of Flies"), a name sometimes used as a synonym for Satan.
The book is really quite fascinating. It is a study of the human psyche, and it stares straight into the face of evil inside us. I cannot do justice to the book's rich complexity in one short blog post, but let me try anyway.
The plot goes like this. After a plane crash, a large group of schoolboys are stranded on a beautiful deserted island. None of them are hurt, and none of them are in danger. There is more than enough food, water and shelter on the island for them to survive indefinitely.
The boys quickly organise themselves. They appoint leaders, set rules for themselves and work together to build shelters and gather food. In effect, they become a microcosm of our larger human society. You look at the boys and you can see how human civilisation operates (and this is precisely what Golding intended, for his novel is allegorical).
What happens next? Well, the boys could have led a peaceful, harmonious existence on an island paradise. In fact, they initially do. However, things quickly break down. A power struggle breaks out between the two oldest boys - Ralph, who is strong and genuinely good-hearted, and Jack, who is just as strong, but utterly ruthless and power-hungry.
At first the boys elect Ralph as their leader. But Jack steadily gains power. Eventually, Jack takes complete control and under his leadership, the entire group of boys degenerate into barbaric savagery. Two boys are murdered and Ralph himself is hunted down like a wild pig to be slaughtered.
How did Jack do it? How did he seize power? Essentially he played on the boys' fears. He told them that somewhere on the island, there lived a fearsome "beast". According to Jack, this "beast" was ferocious, it was no ordinary animal, it was a kind of monster and it was hungry. It hated the boys and was out to hunt them down and kill them.
And the only way for the boys to escape the "beast" and survive was to accept Jack as their leader. For Jack was the strongest, the smartest, the best hunter. Jack would know what to do. If only the boys would obey Jack and pledge allegiance to him, then Jack would be able to defend them against their enemy.
Most of the boys were duped. In fact they obeyed Jack so unquestioningly that they would commit murder, upon his command. And that was how Jack gained power.
Of course, the truth was that there was no "beast". It was merely a fiction, a myth, a frightening story that Jack steadily built up over time, by playing on the boys' collective fear of the dark. In psychological terms, the "beast" was nothing more than an external projection of the boys' irrational inner fears. It was through Jack's skilful manipulations that the imaginary "beast" was magnified into huge proportions.
Why am I writing about the Lord of the Flies today? Two decades have passed since I first read that stunningly insightful book. Yet up to today, events in Singapore still periodically remind me of that novel. Most recently, we see media reports like these:
ST July 12, 2008
There is a conspiracy to do us in, says MM Lee
Minister Mentor rebuts human rights groups' criticism of Singapore
By Sue-ann Chia
MINISTER Mentor Lee Kuan Yew last night dismissed human rights organisations' criticisms of Singapore's style of governance, saying that they were trying to 'do us in'.
In a robust rebuttal of these groups' assertions that Singapore is not a liberal democracy, he said that they had never run a country and did not know what was needed to make Singapore tick.
'There is a conspiracy to do us in. Why?... They see us as a threat,' said Mr Lee at an hour-long dialogue during the Economic Society of Singapore's annual dinner ....
ST Aug 9, 2008
Why they hate Singapore
Western detractors are getting the jitters as others copy our model
By Chua Lee Hoong
SINGAPORE is small enough to be a suburb in Beijing, but it has something in common with the mammoth People's Republic. The little red dot and Red China are both countries the West loves to hate.
There are those who wish bad things to happen to the Beijing Olympics. Likewise, there are those who have had it in for the Lion City for years ....
Do "they" really hate us? Is anyone really out to "do us in"? Is there really a "conspiracy" going on?
And if so ....... whose conspiracy is it? Ask yourself that.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE id=msgUN cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD id=msgUNsubj vAlign=top>Coffee Shop Talk - The Devil, Chua Lee Hoong & Harry Lee</TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right>
The book is really quite fascinating. It is a study of the human psyche, and it stares straight into the face of evil inside us. I cannot do justice to the book's rich complexity in one short blog post, but let me try anyway.
The plot goes like this. After a plane crash, a large group of schoolboys are stranded on a beautiful deserted island. None of them are hurt, and none of them are in danger. There is more than enough food, water and shelter on the island for them to survive indefinitely.
The boys quickly organise themselves. They appoint leaders, set rules for themselves and work together to build shelters and gather food. In effect, they become a microcosm of our larger human society. You look at the boys and you can see how human civilisation operates (and this is precisely what Golding intended, for his novel is allegorical).
What happens next? Well, the boys could have led a peaceful, harmonious existence on an island paradise. In fact, they initially do. However, things quickly break down. A power struggle breaks out between the two oldest boys - Ralph, who is strong and genuinely good-hearted, and Jack, who is just as strong, but utterly ruthless and power-hungry.
At first the boys elect Ralph as their leader. But Jack steadily gains power. Eventually, Jack takes complete control and under his leadership, the entire group of boys degenerate into barbaric savagery. Two boys are murdered and Ralph himself is hunted down like a wild pig to be slaughtered.
How did Jack do it? How did he seize power? Essentially he played on the boys' fears. He told them that somewhere on the island, there lived a fearsome "beast". According to Jack, this "beast" was ferocious, it was no ordinary animal, it was a kind of monster and it was hungry. It hated the boys and was out to hunt them down and kill them.
And the only way for the boys to escape the "beast" and survive was to accept Jack as their leader. For Jack was the strongest, the smartest, the best hunter. Jack would know what to do. If only the boys would obey Jack and pledge allegiance to him, then Jack would be able to defend them against their enemy.
Most of the boys were duped. In fact they obeyed Jack so unquestioningly that they would commit murder, upon his command. And that was how Jack gained power.
Of course, the truth was that there was no "beast". It was merely a fiction, a myth, a frightening story that Jack steadily built up over time, by playing on the boys' collective fear of the dark. In psychological terms, the "beast" was nothing more than an external projection of the boys' irrational inner fears. It was through Jack's skilful manipulations that the imaginary "beast" was magnified into huge proportions.
Why am I writing about the Lord of the Flies today? Two decades have passed since I first read that stunningly insightful book. Yet up to today, events in Singapore still periodically remind me of that novel. Most recently, we see media reports like these:
ST July 12, 2008
There is a conspiracy to do us in, says MM Lee
Minister Mentor rebuts human rights groups' criticism of Singapore
By Sue-ann Chia
MINISTER Mentor Lee Kuan Yew last night dismissed human rights organisations' criticisms of Singapore's style of governance, saying that they were trying to 'do us in'.
In a robust rebuttal of these groups' assertions that Singapore is not a liberal democracy, he said that they had never run a country and did not know what was needed to make Singapore tick.
'There is a conspiracy to do us in. Why?... They see us as a threat,' said Mr Lee at an hour-long dialogue during the Economic Society of Singapore's annual dinner ....
ST Aug 9, 2008
Why they hate Singapore
Western detractors are getting the jitters as others copy our model
By Chua Lee Hoong
SINGAPORE is small enough to be a suburb in Beijing, but it has something in common with the mammoth People's Republic. The little red dot and Red China are both countries the West loves to hate.
There are those who wish bad things to happen to the Beijing Olympics. Likewise, there are those who have had it in for the Lion City for years ....
Do "they" really hate us? Is anyone really out to "do us in"? Is there really a "conspiracy" going on?
And if so ....... whose conspiracy is it? Ask yourself that.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Education - The Government don't get it
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgF noWrap align=right width="1%">From: </TD><TD class=msgFname noWrap width="68%">AngelLead <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate noWrap align=right width="30%">4:50 am </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT noWrap align=right width="1%" height=20>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname noWrap width="68%">ALL <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft width="1%" rowSpan=4> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>833.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>In April 2008, Ng Eng Hen became our new Education Minister. Yesterday he gave a speech.
ST Aug 15, 2008
Next step for schools
It's time now to go beyond grades: Education Minister
By Amelia Tan
SINGAPORE'S education system has been very successful at the nuts and bolts - it churns out top students, and is ranked highly worldwide - but it is now time for it to evolve.
Parents these days are more educated and demanding, while children are more questioning and learn in different ways, and the system needs to keep up with rising expectations.
It needs to do more than simply churn out students with good grades, Education Minister Ng Eng Hen said yesterday in a speech at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.
At the end of the day, he said, education in Singapore needs to 'nurture each child to believe in himself and be self-sufficient, to care for his fellow man, and to be able to contribute to the larger society around him'.
To turn out such students, several things are needed, Dr Ng said.
At the top of the list: Raising the number of teachers, and getting more with higher qualifications, so that more can be done to develop students.
I found the speech quite lacking in vision. It seems that Ng Eng Hen's only concrete plan was to "raise the number of teachers" and get "more with higher qualifications".
That does sound like a sensible idea. However, it is also an utterly obvious idea. Considering the size of Ng's salary (about two million dollars a year), surely one might have expected him to offer a more compelling, powerful or innovative blueprint for Singapore's education system.
It really doesn't take a genius to come up with a plan like "hire more people" and "hire better people". My grandmother could have thought of that.
I browsed several media reports on this event. My impression was that in fact, the most insightful observations did not come from Ng Eng Hen, but from members of the audience. For example, this is what one Mrs Angeline Soo had to say:
EXAMS, rankings and stress.
That is what some parents think Singapore's education system is all about.
Mrs Angeline Soo, 42, a part-time Master in Public Administration student at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, is one.
And at a question-and-answer session after Education Minister Ng Eng Hen delivered a speech there yesterday, she let him know it.
Mrs Soo complained that her 13-year-old daughter could not join her school's dance team as she was told she was 'not good enough'.
The school could lose its niche in dance if the team admitted less talented students, she said.
Her question: Would such intense focus on short-term 'key performance indicators' hinder the long-term development of students?
........ Speaking to The Straits Times later, Mrs Soo, who is also a manager at U21Global, an online graduate school, said she was satisfied that Dr Ng wanted the system to change.
However, she was concerned that his goals might be 'lost in translation'.
'When the top decides something and it starts filtering down and the next level interprets it...it may become another numbers game, driven towards certain goals that they think the minister wants to see,' she said.
But she added that parents also had to be more involved in the holistic development of their children.
Mrs Soo said she tries not to pressure her kids as they are stressed out by the expectations of their teachers, schools and peers.
'Parents are too driven and focused on results. There is a need to look at the child in his or her entirety.
'We need to look at character and emotional development, and I don't see that happening with a lot of parents,' she added.
Maybe SHE should be the Education Minister, LOL. She certainly seems more in touch with the real issues.
To be fair, Ng Eng Hen did discuss the importance of values. However, he did it in an oh-so-typically-Singaporean wrong sort of way. This is what he said:
"We must maintain this academic rigour and continue our emphasis on maths and science ... But increasingly, we will have to create space and structure to infuse our education system to impart values and not just grades to students."
Let me tell you what I think is on Ng's mind. When he says "space", he means that we must get schools to re-jig their schedules, reorganise the school calendar, and make some time available in the class timetables, for teachers to talk about "values" to the students. Fit it in, like an extra subject.
And when Ng says "structure", he means that we must develop some kind of teaching plan, such as a syllabus or an MOE-approved textbook, so that a teacher has the necessary materials to stand up in a classroom and systematically teach "values" to 30 kids. And maybe give them some homework questions to do.
This would be the right way to teach maths. This would be the right way to teach science. This would be the right way to teach any subject of an academic nature. However, in my opinion, this would be a wrong way to teach values.
Values can be learned, but they cannot really be "taught". They are absorbed, naturally, as if by osmosis, through personal experience and observation.
For example, at home, you could "teach" love to your little children, by giving them lectures from a book and making them memorise their lecture notes. But if in fact you treat them unkindly and also quarrel with your spouse every week, then love is simply not going to be a value that your children understand.
On the other hand, if your family is a close, loving one, then the children do not need to be taught the value of "love". They wouldn't need a classroom lesson in it. Simply by watching how Mum and Dad treat each other, the kids learn about love everyday. It would be a value that naturally instils in them.
Currently, our students do acquire values, as a result of being in school. In fact, this is an inevitable process. But the values that they truly acquire are not the ones that the teachers deliberately teach, as part of a formal plan like National Education.
Instead the values that the students truly acquire are simply the result of their personal experiences in school. It is an automatic, ongoing and largely unconscious process.
For example, suppose I am a science teacher. Every day, I may encourage students to ask questions freely. Or I may ridicule those who waste my time by asking "stupid" questions.
I may encourage curiosity and exploration. Or I may insist on a rigid adherence to the exam syllabus, to maximise the students' chances of scoring well.
If a student does badly, I might scold him and say, "I think you'd better drop this subject. I don't want you to drag down the school's overall scores!". Or I might tell him that it's important to keep trying and not give up.
I may choose to lavish praise on the students who score the highest marks. Or I may choose to lavish praise on students who try hard and show improvement (even if they still aren't scoring A's).
I may tell students, "If your dream is to be a doctor and help sick people, you should definitely choose to study Biology." Or instead I may say, "If you want to be rich, you'd better study Biology and become a doctor one day."
Those are just a few examples. In each case, I create a different kind of experience for my students, and they absorb a different kind of value. The effect goes well beyond Science. The students' attitudes in life are being formed and shaped.
In other words, they're learning values - even though I was only teaching Science.
Now, here we should stop to ask ourselves - what kind of experiences are our students having in school? How are these experiences shaping their values? What values did YOU learn in school?
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgF noWrap align=right width="1%">From: </TD><TD class=msgFname noWrap width="68%">AngelLead <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate noWrap align=right width="30%">4:50 am </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT noWrap align=right width="1%" height=20>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname noWrap width="68%">ALL <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft width="1%" rowSpan=4> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>833.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>In April 2008, Ng Eng Hen became our new Education Minister. Yesterday he gave a speech.
ST Aug 15, 2008
Next step for schools
It's time now to go beyond grades: Education Minister
By Amelia Tan
SINGAPORE'S education system has been very successful at the nuts and bolts - it churns out top students, and is ranked highly worldwide - but it is now time for it to evolve.
Parents these days are more educated and demanding, while children are more questioning and learn in different ways, and the system needs to keep up with rising expectations.
It needs to do more than simply churn out students with good grades, Education Minister Ng Eng Hen said yesterday in a speech at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.
At the end of the day, he said, education in Singapore needs to 'nurture each child to believe in himself and be self-sufficient, to care for his fellow man, and to be able to contribute to the larger society around him'.
To turn out such students, several things are needed, Dr Ng said.
At the top of the list: Raising the number of teachers, and getting more with higher qualifications, so that more can be done to develop students.
I found the speech quite lacking in vision. It seems that Ng Eng Hen's only concrete plan was to "raise the number of teachers" and get "more with higher qualifications".
That does sound like a sensible idea. However, it is also an utterly obvious idea. Considering the size of Ng's salary (about two million dollars a year), surely one might have expected him to offer a more compelling, powerful or innovative blueprint for Singapore's education system.
It really doesn't take a genius to come up with a plan like "hire more people" and "hire better people". My grandmother could have thought of that.
I browsed several media reports on this event. My impression was that in fact, the most insightful observations did not come from Ng Eng Hen, but from members of the audience. For example, this is what one Mrs Angeline Soo had to say:
EXAMS, rankings and stress.
That is what some parents think Singapore's education system is all about.
Mrs Angeline Soo, 42, a part-time Master in Public Administration student at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, is one.
And at a question-and-answer session after Education Minister Ng Eng Hen delivered a speech there yesterday, she let him know it.
Mrs Soo complained that her 13-year-old daughter could not join her school's dance team as she was told she was 'not good enough'.
The school could lose its niche in dance if the team admitted less talented students, she said.
Her question: Would such intense focus on short-term 'key performance indicators' hinder the long-term development of students?
........ Speaking to The Straits Times later, Mrs Soo, who is also a manager at U21Global, an online graduate school, said she was satisfied that Dr Ng wanted the system to change.
However, she was concerned that his goals might be 'lost in translation'.
'When the top decides something and it starts filtering down and the next level interprets it...it may become another numbers game, driven towards certain goals that they think the minister wants to see,' she said.
But she added that parents also had to be more involved in the holistic development of their children.
Mrs Soo said she tries not to pressure her kids as they are stressed out by the expectations of their teachers, schools and peers.
'Parents are too driven and focused on results. There is a need to look at the child in his or her entirety.
'We need to look at character and emotional development, and I don't see that happening with a lot of parents,' she added.
Maybe SHE should be the Education Minister, LOL. She certainly seems more in touch with the real issues.
To be fair, Ng Eng Hen did discuss the importance of values. However, he did it in an oh-so-typically-Singaporean wrong sort of way. This is what he said:
"We must maintain this academic rigour and continue our emphasis on maths and science ... But increasingly, we will have to create space and structure to infuse our education system to impart values and not just grades to students."
Let me tell you what I think is on Ng's mind. When he says "space", he means that we must get schools to re-jig their schedules, reorganise the school calendar, and make some time available in the class timetables, for teachers to talk about "values" to the students. Fit it in, like an extra subject.
And when Ng says "structure", he means that we must develop some kind of teaching plan, such as a syllabus or an MOE-approved textbook, so that a teacher has the necessary materials to stand up in a classroom and systematically teach "values" to 30 kids. And maybe give them some homework questions to do.
This would be the right way to teach maths. This would be the right way to teach science. This would be the right way to teach any subject of an academic nature. However, in my opinion, this would be a wrong way to teach values.
Values can be learned, but they cannot really be "taught". They are absorbed, naturally, as if by osmosis, through personal experience and observation.
For example, at home, you could "teach" love to your little children, by giving them lectures from a book and making them memorise their lecture notes. But if in fact you treat them unkindly and also quarrel with your spouse every week, then love is simply not going to be a value that your children understand.
On the other hand, if your family is a close, loving one, then the children do not need to be taught the value of "love". They wouldn't need a classroom lesson in it. Simply by watching how Mum and Dad treat each other, the kids learn about love everyday. It would be a value that naturally instils in them.
Currently, our students do acquire values, as a result of being in school. In fact, this is an inevitable process. But the values that they truly acquire are not the ones that the teachers deliberately teach, as part of a formal plan like National Education.
Instead the values that the students truly acquire are simply the result of their personal experiences in school. It is an automatic, ongoing and largely unconscious process.
For example, suppose I am a science teacher. Every day, I may encourage students to ask questions freely. Or I may ridicule those who waste my time by asking "stupid" questions.
I may encourage curiosity and exploration. Or I may insist on a rigid adherence to the exam syllabus, to maximise the students' chances of scoring well.
If a student does badly, I might scold him and say, "I think you'd better drop this subject. I don't want you to drag down the school's overall scores!". Or I might tell him that it's important to keep trying and not give up.
I may choose to lavish praise on the students who score the highest marks. Or I may choose to lavish praise on students who try hard and show improvement (even if they still aren't scoring A's).
I may tell students, "If your dream is to be a doctor and help sick people, you should definitely choose to study Biology." Or instead I may say, "If you want to be rich, you'd better study Biology and become a doctor one day."
Those are just a few examples. In each case, I create a different kind of experience for my students, and they absorb a different kind of value. The effect goes well beyond Science. The students' attitudes in life are being formed and shaped.
In other words, they're learning values - even though I was only teaching Science.
Now, here we should stop to ask ourselves - what kind of experiences are our students having in school? How are these experiences shaping their values? What values did YOU learn in school?
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
More than 2 month to build a BUS STOP
<TABLE id=msgUN cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD id=msgUNsubj vAlign=top>Coffee Shop Talk - More than 2 month to build a BUS STOP</TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right>
Subscribe </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=msgtable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="96%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msg vAlign=top><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgbfr1 width="1%"> </TD><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgF noWrap align=right width="1%">From: </TD><TD class=msgFname noWrap width="68%">shitlife71 <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate noWrap align=right width="30%">3:29 am </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT noWrap align=right width="1%" height=20>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname noWrap width="68%">ALL <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (1 of 1) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft width="1%" rowSpan=4> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>829.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>What the FCUK is happening???? WOODLAND's bus stop took more than 2 months to build. Opposite Vista point... ...
If erect ERP Gantry.... long finish looooong ago..... please do something MP!!!! you know who you are!!!!
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE id=msgUN cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD id=msgUNsubj vAlign=top>Coffee Shop Talk - More than 2 month to build a BUS STOP</TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right>
If erect ERP Gantry.... long finish looooong ago..... please do something MP!!!! you know who you are!!!!
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Why Wicked PAPee is Hated Around the World!
I refer to media reports that at least three Burmese activists were forced to leave Singapore after authorities decided not to review their visas, and that three Burmese Singapore permanent residents (PRs) will not be allowed to re-enter Singapore should they leave as their re-entry permits have not been extended.
Last year, we saw that practically the entire world, including Singapore and all the ASEAN countries, expressed their abhorrence at the cruel and relentless killing, beating, arrest and torture of tens of thousands of monks and ordinary people in Burma.
There were protests in almost every country in the world. In Singapore, Burmese nationals (of which has been estimated to be about 100,000 in total), Singaporeans, and expatriates, all took part in various peaceful gatherings to protest against the actions of the Burmese military junta.
Even our own students in the tertiary institutions held a Myanmar Peace Awareness Day in October last year to raise awareness of the oppression the Burmese people face. (See TOC’s report).
The ASEAN charter provides for a Human Rights body under article 14 of the charter. The preamble to the charter states:
ADHERING to the principles of democracy, the rule of law and good governance, respect for and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
What message are we sending to the rest of the world, by this action, especially when Singapore was the Chair of ASEAN until last month?
For those who have to leave Singapore, because their visas are not renewed - can they return to Burma? Will their safety and lives be at risk? They may also be unable to obtain residency status in another country, with such short notice of departure. Will they end up as temporary refugees?
Similarly, for the PRs affected, it may be tantamount to being confined in Singapore, as they will not be allowed to return if they leave. If they are unable to obtain residency from another country, they may never be able to leave.
I feel very sorry for these Burmese patriots, who were never charged for breaking any laws in Singapore - whose only crime perhaps, was to express their patriotism for their country and solidarity with their fellow citizens and their plight.
By this action, we may be inviting the wrath of human rights organisations, activists, and peoples of the world.
Are we not, in a way, telling the whole world that we support the military junta?
Are we the only country to penalise Burmese protestors in such a manner?
By this action, will Singapore’s international reputation as a first world country be affected?
Are we also not adding credence to the International Bar Association’s (IBA) 72-page report on human rights and the rule of law in Singapore?
I am very proud of Singapore on our 43rd birthday - whilst the Mas Selamat escape was perhaps an embarassment which was beyond our control, this latest action against the Burmese in Singapore may bring shame to Singapore out of our own doing.
Whilst I may not agree with statements that Western democracies may “not like†Singapore (â€Why they hate Singapore“, ST, Aug 9), this action may invite more people in the world to “like us†less.
In this connection, perhaps we should all read Straits Times journalist Koh Kian Beng’s article, “Patriotism wilts in apathy’s harsh glare“, ST, Aug 8; which said quite aptly:
“Would enough Singaporeans do as the Myanmar nationals did if Singapore were, touch wood, beset by political instability too?â€
One wonders if the Singapore Government had deliberately waited until it handed over the Chairmanship of ASEAN to Thailand in early August before taking the latest actions against the Burmese students.
It would be tremendously sad if this were so. For then the Government’s support for the ASEAN Human Rights body is proved to be nothing more than empty talk.
For why would we not renew the Burmeses’ visas, knowing full well the dire consequences they would face if ever they stepped foot in Burma again while the junta is in power?
Is it any wonder why we’re always so hated by others?
We must also wonder why our Government allows Burmese generals to seek treatment in Singapore hospitals but is now penalizing Burmese students and activists for speaking out against the atrocities meted out by these same generals on its own citizens, including monks.
Leong Sze Hian
I refer to media reports that at least three Burmese activists were forced to leave Singapore after authorities decided not to review their visas, and that three Burmese Singapore permanent residents (PRs) will not be allowed to re-enter Singapore should they leave as their re-entry permits have not been extended.
Last year, we saw that practically the entire world, including Singapore and all the ASEAN countries, expressed their abhorrence at the cruel and relentless killing, beating, arrest and torture of tens of thousands of monks and ordinary people in Burma.
There were protests in almost every country in the world. In Singapore, Burmese nationals (of which has been estimated to be about 100,000 in total), Singaporeans, and expatriates, all took part in various peaceful gatherings to protest against the actions of the Burmese military junta.
Even our own students in the tertiary institutions held a Myanmar Peace Awareness Day in October last year to raise awareness of the oppression the Burmese people face. (See TOC’s report).
The ASEAN charter provides for a Human Rights body under article 14 of the charter. The preamble to the charter states:
ADHERING to the principles of democracy, the rule of law and good governance, respect for and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
What message are we sending to the rest of the world, by this action, especially when Singapore was the Chair of ASEAN until last month?
For those who have to leave Singapore, because their visas are not renewed - can they return to Burma? Will their safety and lives be at risk? They may also be unable to obtain residency status in another country, with such short notice of departure. Will they end up as temporary refugees?
Similarly, for the PRs affected, it may be tantamount to being confined in Singapore, as they will not be allowed to return if they leave. If they are unable to obtain residency from another country, they may never be able to leave.
I feel very sorry for these Burmese patriots, who were never charged for breaking any laws in Singapore - whose only crime perhaps, was to express their patriotism for their country and solidarity with their fellow citizens and their plight.
By this action, we may be inviting the wrath of human rights organisations, activists, and peoples of the world.
Are we not, in a way, telling the whole world that we support the military junta?
Are we the only country to penalise Burmese protestors in such a manner?
By this action, will Singapore’s international reputation as a first world country be affected?
Are we also not adding credence to the International Bar Association’s (IBA) 72-page report on human rights and the rule of law in Singapore?
I am very proud of Singapore on our 43rd birthday - whilst the Mas Selamat escape was perhaps an embarassment which was beyond our control, this latest action against the Burmese in Singapore may bring shame to Singapore out of our own doing.
Whilst I may not agree with statements that Western democracies may “not like†Singapore (â€Why they hate Singapore“, ST, Aug 9), this action may invite more people in the world to “like us†less.
In this connection, perhaps we should all read Straits Times journalist Koh Kian Beng’s article, “Patriotism wilts in apathy’s harsh glare“, ST, Aug 8; which said quite aptly:
“Would enough Singaporeans do as the Myanmar nationals did if Singapore were, touch wood, beset by political instability too?â€
One wonders if the Singapore Government had deliberately waited until it handed over the Chairmanship of ASEAN to Thailand in early August before taking the latest actions against the Burmese students.
It would be tremendously sad if this were so. For then the Government’s support for the ASEAN Human Rights body is proved to be nothing more than empty talk.
For why would we not renew the Burmeses’ visas, knowing full well the dire consequences they would face if ever they stepped foot in Burma again while the junta is in power?
Is it any wonder why we’re always so hated by others?
We must also wonder why our Government allows Burmese generals to seek treatment in Singapore hospitals but is now penalizing Burmese students and activists for speaking out against the atrocities meted out by these same generals on its own citizens, including monks.
Leong Sze Hian
Indian FTrash Tell Kids to Treat MRT As Playground!
Posted on 16 Aug, 2008 19:15
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=530 align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>"Kids treat train like their own playground"
STOMPer Martin snapped pictures of these two kids, whom he claims, treated the train like their own playground.
In his email to STOMP today (Aug 16), he wrote:
“They boarded the train at Outram MRT. Once on board the train, the two kids start climbing onto the bars treating the cabin as a playground.
“Both the Grandmother (in yellow) and Mother (in black) seem to enjoying looking at the two kids' ‘energetic’ performance, even though the rest of the commuters obviously disapproved it.
“After being ‘encouraged’ by their elders, the two kids started to lie down on the floor playing.
“I had no choice but to tell the two elders to discipline their kids, they took my advice and stop the two kids, but the grandmother tried to pick a quarrel with me by calling me a busybody (in a very offensive manner) which I politely ‘rejected’ telling her that I do not want to quarrel with an old lady.”
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=530 align=center border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top align=right><TD colSpan=2>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Posted on 16 Aug, 2008 19:15
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=530 align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>"Kids treat train like their own playground"
STOMPer Martin snapped pictures of these two kids, whom he claims, treated the train like their own playground.
In his email to STOMP today (Aug 16), he wrote:
“They boarded the train at Outram MRT. Once on board the train, the two kids start climbing onto the bars treating the cabin as a playground.
“Both the Grandmother (in yellow) and Mother (in black) seem to enjoying looking at the two kids' ‘energetic’ performance, even though the rest of the commuters obviously disapproved it.
“After being ‘encouraged’ by their elders, the two kids started to lie down on the floor playing.
“I had no choice but to tell the two elders to discipline their kids, they took my advice and stop the two kids, but the grandmother tried to pick a quarrel with me by calling me a busybody (in a very offensive manner) which I politely ‘rejected’ telling her that I do not want to quarrel with an old lady.”
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