The thrill of victory!

I don’t particularly care for games where someone loses and someone wins. I like the endurance races where someone might go faster or longer, but everyone wins for just having participated. The losers are those who didn’t even try.

Singapore’s female table tennis team Li Jia Wei and Wang Yue won their semifinal match and are now ensured of at least a silver medal. The mighty Chinese team stands in the way of a Gold.

The last time anybody from the 4.6 million populated Singapore wone a medal was a silver in men’s weightlifting in 1960.

South Korea has an opportunity for a bronze against Hong Kong or China, depending on the outcome of that semifinal match.

“We will get a silver at least. I’m extremely satisfied and give my team a full mark,” said the Singaporean coach.

“We will try our best to play China in the final though they are much stronger than us. To win or to lose, we are successful because my team is the best besides China.”

I recommend he tell his girls about bumblebees, not their opponent.

source

Originally posted 2008-08-15 08:51:34. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Manhole covers are made of cast iron, and in some countries they have cement infills and they all serve to give the cover weight and durability. How fancy the cover is really depends on how much the budget the municipality has allocated to it. In Japan they probably have lots of fund to spare because it would seem more than just some is set aside for it.

But is it tax payers money well spent and do we really want to envy them for it? I wouldn’t vote yes because at the end of the day, it really still is just a manhole cover and I can think of just about a hundred or more ways that fund could be more effectively be spent. 

A manhole cover- it is a piece of metal covering a deep hole in the ground that drug addicts and other thieves like to steal, sell as scrap metal and let the rest of us blindly walk/drive our cars into.

Maybe they have perfect roads in Japan and perfect model citizens so things don’t go missing and roads don’t need repairing but to the rest of Asia that wonders why our manhole cover looks like a manhole cover, well the answer is simple:

Things that can be sold as scrap metal will be stolen and our roads need maintenance to keep them in good condition. Our council needs to ensure that their budget has enough consideration for replacing stolen manhole covers and to them, your road safety takes precedence over street art* and awed tourists looking to the grounds for pictures of manholes to take home and fight over as novelty.

So the next time you see the art pieces, appreciate them as you will but don’t go home complaining that the manhole cover on your street looks just like a manhole cover. Your council has enough problems trying to ensure the manholes stay covered and your car doesn’t fall into one.

Tourist taking pictures of manhole covers or avoidance of car repair /hospital bills for driving into potholes? I think I’d lean with the latter- seems more practical and money better spent.

*In some countries where they have enough problems trying to get their government to maintain the roads in good condition, expecting them to have their manhole colored and decorated is not going to rank very high on the priority list (or at all).

Originally posted 2008-11-05 14:45:05. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Now as uncharacteristic and rude of Asians to ‘label’ and ‘tag’ foreigners like that, there is a good reason for it. Asians don’t turn on their roots and suddenly become hostile to visitors, but I guess foreigners who wear out their welcome and overstep their boundaries by trying to ‘report about Asia‘ and dictating what IS ‘Asian’ when they haven’t even scratched the surface of it, are just asking for it.

Seriously, do you think that just because you ‘teach English/TESOL in Asia’ or you married/dated and Asian or lived in Asia that makes you Asian and able to represent/be a spokesperson for Asia? You must be delusional. We’re not racist here at EAF, but we just want to set things straight – Just as dying our hair blonde and going for rhinoplasty doesn’t make us any more Caucasian, neither does you a foreigner living/marrying/dating/teaching in Asia make you any more Asian.

Have you ever noticed that most sites about Asia are written by foreigners with ‘experience’ of Asia? Then have you ever noticed that almost half of the population who read them are Asians? Do you think it’s because we don’t know our own people, our own culture, our own history, our own country -that we turn to you for guidance? Certainly not! We’re there to see what utter inaccurate facts you have written about us and laugh at your idocracy. Depending on how inaccurate your statements are, you just might have earned yourself another nickname and an additional hiss from Asia.

Learning about other cultures is great, but when you come barging in and telling us what our culture is then obviously you can’t expect a standing ovation for your arrival. We appreciate you are trying to share what you have learnt from us, but know that there is likely more to what you have seen or heard so you’re not an expert. We don’t appreciate your foreign supremacy. It’s mutual respect and dictating on what you don’t know to the people who do know is not respectful.

If you’ve read this far, then you probably think that we hate foreigners, but contrary to that- Asians adore foreigners! You even get better treatment than the locals! Imagine how that biased treatment itself already annoys the locals.

So with your “privileged” experience, can you really accurately describe Asia? If you’re not even treated like a local Asian, what makes you think you know what it’s like to be Asian?

All your books about Asia or the Asian culture/history etc were sourced from Asians but did you stop to realise that perhaps some bits were lost in translation or misunderstood? You might not know everything because we can’t tell you everything – everything is a lot to tell! And we know this for a fact because like the websites, we too read your books and we see what you don’t – inaccurate representations.

We just don’t kick up a fuss about it because as unhappy as we are, we want to stay as polite possible. (name calling is already bad enough) But when your inaccurate facts paints stereotypes that weigh on us Asians and the continent of Asia, we know humility is something that you have forgotten.

EAF is not against the ang moh kui/farang/gaijin/orang putih/beruk. We apologise to even mention those names here but a fact is a fact and we just want you to know that you once came to us with respect…where is that respect now?

We do not support any form of supremacy, Asian or Caucasian… we just want everyone to practice responsible journalism/writings and remember to be humble – know humility when you enter a world that is not yours.

Originally posted 2008-11-12 12:22:22. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Anyways now that I’ve got you here and that little confession has soothed my conscience, let’s begin the real article.

In conjunction with EAF’s Melted Brains Friday, here’s an informative less words, more pictures post:

Meet the Queens and First Ladies of South East Asia:

1. Queen of Brunei

Her Majesty Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajjah Saleha

Credit: BruNt

2. First Lady of Cambodia

H.E. Bun Rany Hun Sen

3. First Lady of Indonesia

Kristiani Herrawati Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, also known as Ibu Ani Bambang Yudhoyono

Credit: Presidensby.ifo

4. First Lady of Lao PDR

Madame Keosaychay Sayasone

The President of Lao PDR, H.E. Mr. Choummaly Sayasone and Madame Keosaychay Sayasone at the Taj Mahal during their visit to India in Agra on August 28, 2008 (credit:photodivision.gov.in)

5. Queen of Malaysia

Her Majesty Seri Paduka Baginda Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah

Credit: malaysianmonarchy

6. First Lady of Myanmar

Madam Daw Kyaing Kyaing

7. President of Philippines

Madam Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo

8. First Lady of Singapore

Madam Ho Ching

© ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP/Getty Images

9. Queen of Thailand

Her Majesty Queen Sirikit

10. First Lady of Vietnam

Madam Tran Thi Kim Chi

Mrs. Laura Bush and Madame Chi, wife of Vietnam President Nguyen Minh Triet, pose for a photo Friday, June 22, 2007 on the Truman Balcony, during Madame Chi’s visit to the White House. White House photo by Chris Greenberg

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PS: I’ve done my best ( and hours!) to get you the clearest and best photos of the leading ladies. It was not easy!

Originally posted 2008-10-24 04:45:29. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Modernisation doesn’t just ravish nature, it also ravishes culture. As you can see, the Hantu Penanggalan folklore requires the following to exist:

• women and their insatiable lust for beauty – this one still exists, but instead of black magic where they need to do not so pleasant things like become this creature, modernisation gives them the easier route of opting for plastic surgery.
• Mengkuang leaves and pineapple plants – yes we can still find these but how many still do home birth when there’s hospitals?
• Traditional Malay houses- These were made of wood, so we gather that the hantu can pass through planks, but does she also do concrete?
• Parangs – Oh these certainly do still exist but people have come a long way from being a scared lot with big knives…these days we’re professionals at war so we’ve got big fire power and the nerves of steal!
• Pregnant women – well getting lesser really as more and more women decide they want to be apart of the ‘DINK’s* society, which means no food for the hantu.

*DINK = Double Income No Kids

Originally posted 2008-10-31 20:08:42. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Singlish is an informally recognised/celebrated ‘national language’ of Singapore. It was built on British English then added with Malay, Hokkien, Teochew, Bengali, Punjabi and local slang to become the unique “economical”* language it is today. Mind you Singlish not a slang, it IS a language in its own right because it can be written (and of course understood).

Now it’s quite an amusing language, but at the same time it can be quite an annoying one, especially when you find youths of today making it their first language and not knowing any better.

My thoughts: it’s alright to know and use Singlish, on the precondition that you must realise that Singlish is grammatically wrong English with loads of non-English words. It may be used for your informal/leisure get together with your friends etc but never at work and most certainly never at official/formal events (that includes school). You must also know proper English. Basically you can only have fun with the language, once you actually know the language.

Needless to say the Singaporean Government saw the alarming effects of Singlish and moved to salvage the country’s use of Good English via their Speak Good English Movement. Which then brings us to Coxford…

Coxford is a dictonary – to be precise, a Singlish Dictionary written by the “TalkingCock” team -a group of Singaporeans from diverse occupational backgrounds (journalists, cartoonists, writers (a few award-winning ones), scriptwriters, playwrights, teacher, lawyers and doctors).

The Coxford Singlish Dictionary is a real book! I kid you not and it was publish as part of TalkingCocks effort to save Singlish. Mind you their movement is to save the ”language” from extinction (likely due to the Speak Good English Movement) not to have it replace the use of good English.

So do you want to help save Singlish? If you do then just follow Coxford:

Get your copy of the Coxford Singlish Dictionary! It's not just for Ah Bengs you know!

Or you can always just email

*Singlish like Manglish is a very economical language, we can say an entire English sentence with one word!

Image Souce: TalkingCock

Originally posted 2008-11-13 12:18:36. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

He also discovered that the owner of the restaurant where they filmed is a fan of Singaporean food and plans to open a hawker center in India. “He specifically wanted Singaporeans as cooks and asked me to help him look for people. He even said that he’ll give me 30% of shares but I told him to ‘call me when you’re in Singapore. I will introduce them to you. Forget about the 30% shares,’” said Mark.

Starting from this Friday, HTC Corporation, a Taiwanese mobile phone manufacturer announced that they are going to expand their company selling range to Singapore. That was done by launching HTC Touch2^TM in Singapore on October 16 meaning that starting from Friday the phone is out for sale. The phone itself, was kind of a compact and stylish smartphone that is one of the first Windows® phones. Utilizing Windows Mobile® 6.5 and new services like My Phone and Windows® Marketplace for Mobile, HTC Touch2 delivers a full touch experience that enables you to do all the things you want on your phone easily.

The features brought by HTC Touch2 include the TouchFLO user interface, which comes with integrated weather updates and with fast access to a wide range of applications, not to mention that the phone sports Google Maps for Mobile and easy access to YouTube. In addition, synchronization with Microsoft Exchange is also present with the device, as well as the powerful messaging, browsing and productivity capabilities that Windows Mobile 6.5 comes along with.

The new HTC Touch2 will be available in Lofty Blue and Urban Brown from 16 October 2009 at all authorized resellers at a suggested retail price of S$618.

You now have the chance to travel back 1400 years and see some of the most beautiful sculptures from the peak time of Chinese Buddhist art.

The sculptures were discovered in 1996, when construction workers were leveling the ground to build a school sports field. Archaeologists found over 400 limestone sculptures carefully buried, as though it was part of a ritual. The sculptures had lain undisturbed for over 800 years, and the “accidental” find has become one of the more significant archeological finds of the 20th century.

Visitors can expect to see 35 of the best preserved and most exquisite sculptures from Qingzhou, Shandong Province, northeast China. For more background information about the sculptures and their history, visit the AsianArtNewspaper.

Where: the Peranakan Museum, Singapore
Exhibition dates: 16 January – 26 April 2009

You might also be interested in a previous post Religions in East-Asia: Buddhism.