21st September 2008...In memory of my Grandfather, Thomas Ho who shares the same birthday as me.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Happy 9th Birthday, Ryan!
21st September 2008...In memory of my Grandfather, Thomas Ho who shares the same birthday as me.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Let The Race Begins!
The world's first Formula 1 night race is going to be in Singapore. 3 Days, 4 Minutes & 33 Seconds to the Singapore F1 Grand Prix.
Let the Race Begins! You bet I will be down there for the night race.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Mama Mia!
We went to watch Mama Mia last weekend and had a blast laughing. It is crazy, ridiculous but simply hilarious. How can I not go when my favourite actors and actress are in this show! Colin Firth, goodness, this is really off his English romantics, "Pride and Prejudice", "Bridget Jones Diary". And Pierce Brosnan in his ultimate role other than James Bond! His singing rocks (haha!). Just imagine Meryl Streep, Peirce Brosnan and Colin Firth singing and dancing is enough to knock you out of your seats. Kudos to them for even agreeing to film this! Go watch it and have a good laugh! This is the ending credits and stay on for the last bits when the guys come on, can you imagine James Bond in spandex and glitter?
Thursday, September 18, 2008
I am waiting...still waiting....
and with God's grace, I hope we will accept what's to come....that's all.
Monday, September 15, 2008
What a Kitty Surprise!
I got a kitty surprise from Mich. She has helped me realise an unfulfilled dream of having a kitty cake this birthday. Of course, those men in my life would never buy me one. They think it is too childish. Whatever happens to personal choice? I have state my preference and they just simply decide it is not for me, not even for my birthday.
So thanks Mich for this kitty surprise! And the cute pinko kitty "LV" key pouch to go with it, that is really really nice.
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Vogue No More
In Vogue India magazine, a child from a poor family modeled a Fendi bib, which costs about $100. 
A man modeled a Burberry umbrella in Vogue that costs about $200. Some 456 million Indians live on less than $1.25 a day. Vogue India editor Priya Tanna’s message to critics of the August shoot: “Lighten up,” she said in a telephone interview.
Extracted from The New York Times
When do we draw the line between a joke and the reality? It's not funny when you outrightly "other" people in sexism, racism, ageism, and classism all at one go, at their expense
Monday, September 08, 2008
Charles Taylor: Liberalism
"The politics of equal respect, then, at least in this more hospitable variant, can be cleared of the charge of homogenizing difference. But there is another way of formulating the charge that is harder to rebut. In this form, however, it perhaps ought not to be rebutted, or so I want to argue.
The charge I am thinking of here is provoked by the claim sometimes made on behalf of "different-blind" liberalism that it can offer a neutral ground on which people of all cultures can meet and coexist." p. 95
"A society with strong collective goals can be liberal, in this view, provided it also is capable of respecting diversity, especially when dealing with those who do not share its common goals; and provided it can offer adequate safeguards for fundamental rights." p. 94
Taylor rightfully state that there will be tensions and difficulties in pursuing these objectives but it is not impossible.
Are we ready to be a liberal society?
Taylor, Charles. (1994). Multiculturalism: A critical reader. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.
The charge I am thinking of here is provoked by the claim sometimes made on behalf of "different-blind" liberalism that it can offer a neutral ground on which people of all cultures can meet and coexist." p. 95
"A society with strong collective goals can be liberal, in this view, provided it also is capable of respecting diversity, especially when dealing with those who do not share its common goals; and provided it can offer adequate safeguards for fundamental rights." p. 94
Taylor rightfully state that there will be tensions and difficulties in pursuing these objectives but it is not impossible.
Are we ready to be a liberal society?
Taylor, Charles. (1994). Multiculturalism: A critical reader. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.
We ARE all human beings, and we DESERVE the same respect
I don't usually want to discuss socio-political issues on my blog, especially if I know I am going to have ALOT to say, so I think, might as well, don't start.
But this recent Serangoon Garden case was really getting too much to bear. As a Singaporean, I am really upset that these are the thoughts of my fellow countrymen.
Read here for the full report. It all started when a contractor chose a vacant building in Serangoon Gardens estate (an estate populated by middle class residents in mostly landed properties) to house about foreign workers. Angry residents there signed a petition to object the infiltration of foreign workers into their estate, airing concerns of safety, traffic (human traffic, they mean?) and property valuation.
Some comments from the article in 93.8 Live were appalling.
"It's the kind of estate where the kids call me up and they're coming home at 10 o'clock after school. They say "I'm taking the 317 and I'm walking home". And I say, "yeah, walk home!" With the domitory out there, I'm not sure whether I can make the same decisions anymore."
Other comments make further assumptions that foreign workers are likely to disturb the peace in the neighbourhood, loiter around looking out for maids, conduct crimes etc. And this blogger had this to say,
"Foreign workers, please come here to contribute to our economy, build our skyscrapers & condominiums but don't ever come and live near me especially if I'm middleclass Singaporean living in a private property."
"Lets all sign a petition like the Serangoon Garden folks to keep foreign workers out of our neighbourhood. If Serangoon Garden residents won't have them, why should the rest of us?" extracted from Diary of a Singaporean, Sept 6 08.
Are these coming from citizens who treat other citizens as human beings?
Are we teaching our children the meaning of differences and that the colour of one's skin has a certain derogative meaning, something to be feared rather then celebrate?
Do we judge people base on their skin colour, their social class, their family background, their educational level and their nationality?
Yes, we may feel uneasy having live in a more diversified neighbourhood if we have always been quite homogenised. But we shouldn't make such judgments. Put yourself in their shoes. Everyone HAS feelings and everyone deserves So foreign workers has no feelings? That they do not deserve respect? And they should stay and live as far as possible from the neighbourhoods?
Maybe it is time to think that how we treat others determines how we get treated.
Maybe it is time to rethink how we educate the meaning of MULTICULTURALISM or in Singapore's context, MULTIRACIALISM.
Don't just do lip service.
To all these people who has been making such unfounded remarks/ assumptions/ comments/ opinions, please read Charles Taylor, "The Politics of Recognition". In Multiculturalism. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.
But this recent Serangoon Garden case was really getting too much to bear. As a Singaporean, I am really upset that these are the thoughts of my fellow countrymen.
Read here for the full report. It all started when a contractor chose a vacant building in Serangoon Gardens estate (an estate populated by middle class residents in mostly landed properties) to house about foreign workers. Angry residents there signed a petition to object the infiltration of foreign workers into their estate, airing concerns of safety, traffic (human traffic, they mean?) and property valuation.
Some comments from the article in 93.8 Live were appalling.
"It's the kind of estate where the kids call me up and they're coming home at 10 o'clock after school. They say "I'm taking the 317 and I'm walking home". And I say, "yeah, walk home!" With the domitory out there, I'm not sure whether I can make the same decisions anymore."
Other comments make further assumptions that foreign workers are likely to disturb the peace in the neighbourhood, loiter around looking out for maids, conduct crimes etc. And this blogger had this to say,
"Foreign workers, please come here to contribute to our economy, build our skyscrapers & condominiums but don't ever come and live near me especially if I'm middleclass Singaporean living in a private property."
"Lets all sign a petition like the Serangoon Garden folks to keep foreign workers out of our neighbourhood. If Serangoon Garden residents won't have them, why should the rest of us?" extracted from Diary of a Singaporean, Sept 6 08.
Are these coming from citizens who treat other citizens as human beings?
Are we teaching our children the meaning of differences and that the colour of one's skin has a certain derogative meaning, something to be feared rather then celebrate?
Do we judge people base on their skin colour, their social class, their family background, their educational level and their nationality?
Yes, we may feel uneasy having live in a more diversified neighbourhood if we have always been quite homogenised. But we shouldn't make such judgments. Put yourself in their shoes. Everyone HAS feelings and everyone deserves So foreign workers has no feelings? That they do not deserve respect? And they should stay and live as far as possible from the neighbourhoods?
Maybe it is time to think that how we treat others determines how we get treated.
Maybe it is time to rethink how we educate the meaning of MULTICULTURALISM or in Singapore's context, MULTIRACIALISM.
Don't just do lip service.
To all these people who has been making such unfounded remarks/ assumptions/ comments/ opinions, please read Charles Taylor, "The Politics of Recognition". In Multiculturalism. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.
Friday, September 05, 2008
What Exactly Am I?
Can't resist this cute little thing. It comes with Mummy and Daddy too but I think they are big enough to be my bolster. What exactly is it? I cannot figure it out. A seal? Beluga whale? Not sure.
My Family of Heroes
Ryan has been attending an animation art class for the past months. I think he is really enjoying it. The teachers are very passionate with their art and really build a great relationship with the boys in class (yes, all boys). Here, he has to create his own family of hero characterisation. He has to draw their front and side profiles, the side profile is especially difficult. I think he is really creative, giving them their own costumes, names, supernatural power and even has a story behind it. I like the kid best!
Good friends, Good Food, Crazy Stories
Have you seen bigger jackfruit than these? 
I'm an expert at this.
I ate alot for my dinner today...My tummy shows it.
This is one big seed.
Mommy has no time to take pictures, I will.
Aaron, the big boss and one of his "out of this world" adventures.
I am really hungry.
The director is thinking of making Aaron's stories his next "art" film...These days, it is really hard to meet up with the whole gang, so when we are able to form a table of 12, it is really a rare opportunity. Everyone is going places. Next time, we have to meet somewhere out of Singapore! Aaron gave a treat today, because he is accepted to teach at the Hong Kong International School and will be leaving end this year. So we took the chance to make the big boss treat us before he goes. Meeting with them is never a quiet affair, we will be the loudest in the restaurant. We ate at Por Kee, still my favourite Cantonese place. If you are there, must try the champagne pork ribs ($6 a piece), spring chicken and the yam dessert. This place reminds me of my grandma's cooking. To top off it off, we had durians at Geylang!
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