SpideY's MobLog Reloaded: 2009

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Monday, December 7, 2009

My New E52 Mobile Phone

I've just purchased a new mobile phone. The Nokia E52 black.

My reasons for buying: Because I need a new phone as my current 2G mobile is old and dying. The Nokia E52 offers me 3 things I need most: a built-in dictionary that provides a translate function to define words like a real print dictionary, extensive writing capabilities with active Notes and MS Word compatible word processor, and support for large applications with memory up to 16GB.

I'm now still at the exploring stage, but should be no problem because this model is quite user friendly.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Christmas Shopping @ IMM

It's that time of the year for Christmas shopping again. Here's a preview of the Christmas decorations at IMM, Jurong East!

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Hooters-Style Coffee Shop @ KL

Posted on 28 Sep 2009

KL's kopi tiam Hooters': An idea for
S'pore coffee shops?

You can say that this is a case of Kopi C served in a C Cup, literally. But it is not happening at a Hooters' outlet. Believe it or not, this is at a humble Kuala Lumpur kopi tiam.

Singapore kopi tiam owners, please take note, says Stomper DJAM, who received the story and photos via email. Instead of the grubby atmosphere and well-covered up and unattractive beer ladies at Singapore kopi tiams, they should employ these Malaysian girls.

Customers will be better served and the kopi tiams will be able to boost their business if they take a leaf from this Malaysian bright spark at a kopi tiam in Cawangan Bandar Perdana in the Malaysian capital.

A bevy of sexy, young and pretty women serve the beverages and food. They will also talk, play cards and watch the football channel with customers.

One catch though: The price of kopi, beer, teh, milo, nasi goreng, nasi lemak, nasi ulam, mee goreng, seafood tang hun, beef kway teow are all double what one usually pays at other kopi tiams.

Surprisingly, the kopi tiam is owned by a group of women, who employ good-looking and well-endowed girls.

The salary paid to these girls is comparable with what they would get working in an office.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Disgusting Behavior

Parents allow kid to poo in public

at crowded Ion foodcourt

A STOMPer's friend was disgusted when the family seated at the table next to hers at Opera foodcourt in Ion allowed their daughter to poop in a potty right in the middle of the place.

Says this STOMPer's friend:

"My friend showed me this photo while she was at Opera foodcourt at Ion.

"It's at about 7 pm on a Saturday, meaning there are a LOT of people and this family of three generations were seated at the table next to her.

"One of the girls' needed to take a dump, so they took out a pot for her to dump in...right in the middle of the foodcourt.

"She said it was damn smelly and gross because she was seated right next to them.

"So uncivilised."

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Price Up by 100% for IBP Shuttle Service

JTC announced to the IBP community yesterday that the fare for their shuttle transport to and from Jurong East will be increased from the current 20 cents per one-way trip to 40 cents.

This means people like me who rely on the shuttle service regularly will have to face a permanent income cut, while businesses at Jurong East, especially the food courts and coffee shops, will also be indirectly affected. Currently, many workers at IBP take the shuttle service to and from Jurong East to go for lunch which fare is 40 cents per round trip per person. Come December 1, this will mean an increase of 100 per cent of the cost at 80 cents per person.

Looks like I'll have to consider walking to office from Jurong East MRT station in the future, and will certainly cut down my frequency of having lunch at Jurong East!

So much for boosting the economic downturn and cutting cost!

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Christmas Shopping Already?

It's that time of the year when Christmas shopping begins again!

Here's just a preliminary introduction of what's in store at Metro Causeway Point this year.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Toilets and Building Management

I work in an office at IBP. Recently, the management of the office building announced they will be upgrading the toilets, and that is supposed to be good news.

Over the last weekend, the contractors commenced work, starting from the floor I am working in. All the toilets of that floor (3 for males and 3 for females) are now closed for the upgrade and tenants are expected to go to other floors to do their toilet business for the next 6 weeks.

This floor-by-floor approach to renovating all the toilets for the building is to me an act of STUPIDITY. I have never seen such a BRAINLESS act in my entire life. Under normal circumstances, toilet renovations are usually done in the same area or segment for different floors at the same time so as to allow tenants of each floor to have at least one male and female toilet to use while the other toilets on the same floor are being renovated.

Obviously, it's too late for me to make any complain now as the work has already commenced, I guess what I can do, just for my own satisfaction, is to show some reactive responses by having the following notice pasted on all the doors of the toilets currently being upgraded.

I am fighting for a cause, hopefully to help increase the intelligence of the building management, not to do the same for the other floors!

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Gardening

I have written several articles on the topic of gardening last quarter.

Recently, I started playing a gardening game called 'My Farm.' So far I have plowed and harvested several crops, bought myself several plants, and some animals. My crops include strawberries, tomatoes, corn, rice, wheat, potatoes and sunflower.

Depending on the type of crops, the timing for reaping will be different. Some are ready for harvesting within a day, others within two or three days. I can also reap fruits from my plants/trees.

This game teaches me short term patience to wait a day or two to allow the crops to grow before harvesting.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Daily Shuttle Madness

Take a look at the picture below and you will understand why I am suffering every morning simply to travel to my office located at Jurong East's International Business Park.

Photo: October 13, 2009 at 08:27

The photo shows a typical daily scene of the morning queues for shuttles at Jurong East temporary shuttle 'interchange' near the JTC building below the Jurong East MRT staton.

This morning, I have to wait for more than half an hour before managing to catch the shuttle to IBP, causing me to be rather late to work.

Wonder why the shuttle 'interchange' cannot be arranged like the interchange for public buses. Presently, it is just a place to jam up all the company shuttles around the area.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Disney's A Christmas Carol

Release Date: November 6, 2009 (conventional theaters and IMAX)
Studio: Walt Disney
Pictures Director: Robert Zemeckis
Screenwriter: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Bob Hoskins, Robin Wright Penn, Cary Elwes
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy
MPAA Rating: PG (for scary sequences and images)
Official Website: Disney.com
Review: Not Available
DVD Review: Not Available
DVD: Not Available
Movie Poster: One-Sheet Teaser
Production Stills: View here
Plot Summary:
"Disney's A Christmas Carol," a multi-sensory thrill ride re-envisioned by Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Robert Zemeckis, captures the fantastical essence of the classic Dickens tale in a groundbreaking 3-D motion picture event. Ebenezer Scrooge (Jim Carrey) begins the Christmas holiday with his usual miserly contempt, barking at his faithful clerk (Gary Oldman) and his cheery nephew (Colin Firth). But when the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come take him on an eye-opening journey revealing truths Old Scrooge is reluctant to face, he must open his heart to undo years of ill will before it's too late.

Monday, October 12, 2009

Next Travel Destination

There are 195 countries in the world and I have only traveled 35 so far; 7 countineunts and I have only covered 5, short of Antarctica and South America.

Where should I go next for my Valentine's holidays next year? Spain/Portugal or Greece?

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Scandinavia Photos

My Scandi photos are now ready for viewing ... (",)

Friday, October 2, 2009

HappY Mid-Autumn Festival

Sunday, September 27, 2009

My Travel Profile

Destinations traveled so far ...

Profile

Cities

Virtual is an explorer that:

does their own thing

doesn't mind roughing it

lives on the edge

Travel cred: high

I rank in the top...

0.1% most cities visited - Holy See (Vatican City)
0.3% most cities visited - Taiwan
0.6% most cities visited - Egypt

Get your own widget

GeckoGo

Lots of places in the world yet to visit! (",)

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Photos of Scandinavia

I'm back to Singapore and I've enjoyed my holidays at Scandinavia, although it's too early to see autumn leaves change color or fall.

I'm still tired and recovering from jet lag. On the whole, the trip has covered much with fabulous views which cannot be captured through photography, partly because of regular rain and the motor coach traveling at high speed most of the time. People in the group are not all that fun although some are quite nice. Privacy of time is nearly zero with busy bodies chattering lots of unimportant things and constantly blocking camera views.

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Why Do Leaves Fall in Autumn?

I am now enjoying my holidays in Scandinavia, north of Europe, taking in the beautiful scenes of autumn, the colors and the falling leaves. Have you ever wondered why leaves fall during autumn?

Many people believe tree leaves fall and die during the autumn season because of weather changes, but studies have shown the real reason for the fall is drought. This is because the primary function of leaves is photosynthesis, and photosynthesis requires the use of water, carbon dioxide and light to create food in the leaves to generate organic compounds and oxygen. In order to induce a suction force, the leaves will need to constantly sweat, and in winter season shed them so as not to get dried. Daylight, however, gets shorter during fall and causes the leaves to suffer thirst because of the reducing absorption of water with the shrinking daylight. This means even when trees live in wet climate with abundant snowfall and rainfall or even when in the warmest of autumn seasons, the trees will still lose their leaves, triggered by the shorten length of daylight.

Many changes occur in the leaves before they finally fall from the branch. According to Joe Lamp’L of DIY Network who wrote an article on ‘Why do leaves fall in autumn?’ at ScrippsNews.com, changing colors of leaves during fall is part of an important and complicated process known as abscission which ends in the leaves being shed at the end of each growing season. The trees, in protecting themselves, purge diseased, damaged or dead leaves, while they seal the point where the petiole connects to it. As the climate and light conditions of autumn evolve, tree hormones change as well, the most notable of which is auxin, a hormone in trees that promotes root formation and bud growth. The balance of auxin levels between leaves and branches is the key to determining if and when the leaves drop.

During the active growing season, production rates of auxin in leaves are consistent with those in other parts of the tree. As long as these rates are steady, the cells of the abscission layer remain connected, which in turn, keeps leaves attached. However, as days shorten and temperatures cool, auxin production in leaves starts to decrease. As a result, fracture lines develop at the base of the leaf petioles and scarring builds up at the same point to form a protective barrier. Eventually, it's just a matter of time before wind or rain provides that last nudge and the leaves are released, at least for most trees.

Although leaves falling in autumn are a predictable event, leaf drop is not only seasonal. Trees can lose leaves for other reasons as well, such as drought and other physical or environmental stresses. So this autumn, enjoy and savor the brilliant display of color, but be thankful always for the deciduous trees, because in spite of all the leaves on the ground, they are doing more good than you can imagine, because these leaves provide vital organic matter to the soil, returning to the soil nutrients and building structure and water holding capacity.

Source of Information: Why do leaves fall in autumn?

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Mickey Mouse with Spider-Man?

What has Mickey Mouse to do with Spider-Man?

Well, Spider-Man is going to be Mickey's favorite superhero and Disneyland is going to see Spider-Man swinging around its castles! This seemingly unusual twist of events can soon become a reality, with the recent deal of the Walt Disney Company acquiring Marvel Entertainment for US$4 billion.

According to The New York Times' story Disney Swoops Into Action, Buying Marvel for $4 Billion on August 31, 2009, certain Marvel characters can be immediately integrated into Disney’s theme parks in California, Paris and Hong Kong. For now, however, Walt Disney World in Florida is off limits because of a pact Marvel has in place with Universal Studios there.

The IrishTimes on September 2, 2009 in its top story news headlines 'Mickey welcomes Spiderman to the castle' said of the Disney and Marvel’s marriage that since the Pirates of the Caribbean cycle wound to a halt and the Narnia films made their way to another studio, Walt Disney Pictures has been looking a bit short of live-action franchises. With the announcement of this new deal, the Mouse House had dug some change from the back of the sofa and bought itself the cornucopia of characters that goes by the name of Marvel Entertainment. Henceforth, Spider-Man, Hulk and The X-Men will sleep in the same dormitory as Mickey Mouse, Goofy, Buzz Lightyear and that woman Sandra Bullock played in The Proposal.

Good or bad, it looks like the landscape of animation is going to change.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Autumn Leaves: Red vs Yellow

Why autumn leaves are red in America and yellow in Europe

August 14, 2009

WASHINGTON -- Scientists are studying environmental conditions 35 million years ago to solve the mystery that why autumn leaves are red in America and yellow in Europe.

The green of a tree's leaves is from the larger proportion of the chlorophyll pigment in the leaves.

The change in color to red or yellow as autumn approaches is not the result of the leaves' dying, but of a series of processes - which differ between the red and yellow autumn leaves.

When the green chlorophyll in leaves diminishes, the yellow pigments that already exist become dominant and give their color to the leaves.

Red autumn leaves result from a different process: As the chlorophyll diminishes, a red pigment, anthocyanin, which was not previously present, is produced in the leaf.

These facts were only recently discovered and led to a surge of research studies attempting to explain why trees expend resources on creating red pigments just as they are about to shed their leaves.

Explanations that have been offered vary and there is no agreement on this as of yet.

According to the theory provided by Professor Simcha Lev-Yadun of the Department of Science Education- Biology at the University of Haifa-Oranim and Professor Jarmo Holopainen of the University of Kuopio in Finland, until 35 million years ago, large areas of the globe were covered with evergreen jungles or forests composed of tropical trees.

During this phase, a series of ice ages and dry spells transpired and many tree species evolved to become deciduous.

Many of these trees also began an evolutionary process of producing red deciduous leaves in order to ward off insects.

In North America, as in East Asia, north-to-south mountain chains enabled plant and animal 'migration' to the south or north with the advance and retreat of the ice according to the climatic fluctuations. Along with them migrated their insect 'enemies' too.

Thus, the war for survival continued there uninterrupted.

In Europe, on the other hand, the mountains - the Alps and their lateral branches - reach from east to west, and therefore no protected areas were created.

Many tree species that did not survive the severe cold died, and with them the insects that depended on them for survival.

At the end of the repeated ice ages, most tree species that had survived in Europe had no need to cope with many of the insects that had become extinct, and therefore no longer had to expend efforts on producing red warning leaves, thus becoming yellow in color over time.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Lacking Zest

When someone commented on an article I wrote that it is lacking a little zest yesterday, it suddenly dawn on me what I am lacking in my life -- enthusiasm and JOY.

I am too serious for my own good. I take things in life too seriously and I am always finding myself not having enough time for self. Even in my spare time, I am always researching, thinking, and writing while much essential housework is left undone, especially during weekends. My life is no longer as carefree as I was a teen and the stress of life is now taking its toll on me. I am not only needing a break, but also deserving one. No doubt, I am aware it is more blessed to give than to receive, and I have done so almost my entire life, but maybe it is time for me to start receiving.

I'll be going for my autumn vacation this September, and I hope to rediscover the joy of my youth and return rejuvenated with energy and strength bursting forth to take on the years ahead of me, if possible, filled with joy bountiful.

This is my prayer. May God help me fulfill this wish.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Time

Many of us live our lives rushing all the time, and I, like many, am also always running and rushing all my time. I rush to get to work, I rush to complete my assigned work, I rush to meet deadlines, and I rush to get home. Few are the moments I have to pause and catch my breath, and few are the days I can take extended breaks. This is the kind of lifestyle I live by, and I know it is not healthy, a sure sign of an impending breakdown and possibly a prelude to a heart attack.

I am by nature a time conscious man, probably because of my upbringing and because I live by the principle of living each day meaningfully. I am aware of the shortness of a human life, so in desiring to accomplish much while alive, I am always seeking for more time. Then one day God decided to grant me my wish for more time -- time to completely rest from my labor. So rest I did, first in hospital for a surgery, then at home for recovery. All that took place some years ago, and during that one month of rest, I learnt to be still before God and to be at peace. I also leant that in all the haste, I have gained nothing much except in jeopardizing my own health.

When I finally recovered from my illness, my perception of life was somewhat changed. Sadly, however, I soon returned to my rushing game because I was then studying and working at the same time. Now, after many years, although I have completed my studies, I am still learning how to take time to rest without feeling unrest or guilty of wasting away my free time. Maybe I am too conscious about time, or maybe subconsciously I simply cannot live life without a purpose in mind.

Teach me therefore O God to know when to run, when to slowdown and when to stop and rest. Help me in my busyness not to fail to see the more important things in life, especially when it involves someone in need. Lead me to know how to keep my time in check, to strike a balance between the necessary and the important, that I may not, out of negligence, cause unhappiness to any relationship.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Traveling and Culture: Eye Opener

Traveling has always been a part of my life, an eye opener to the different cultures of the world and the different human behaviors. I've learnt much through traveling, things that I'll never be able to learn or see if I have not traveled.

Traveling helps people adapt to new environments, understand why people of different cultures behave differently, so as to enable us to understand why people do the things they do. This is especially useful to me because I work in a multi-national company that is made up of people all over the world. It helps me adapt and not to expect others to do things the way we do.

For example, if we see people spitting around, people who eat things and leave their waste to be cleared by other people, people who talks out loud in public, people who blocks every passageway and sidewalks, we can understand why they will never do what we expect them to do, such as to give way to us so we can walk the sidewalks, soften their chatter onboard trains and so on.

Not all imported behaviors are negative however. I've learnt many things from foreign cultures which I wish are being practised here. For example, ever since I visited the USA for the first time many years ago, I've learnt to clear my own food trays and waste at every fast food chains. Not to do so, to me, is to be uncultured and inconsiderate.

One of the many things in life we should all learn is that we must do things with consideration for others. We should not make decisions on our own without forseeing how our decisions may affect others. My principle for living is simple. I follow the Bible verse Philippians 2:3 which says:

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;

Learning to be graceful and less inconsiderate can go a long way. If we wish to live our lives meaningfully, we'll need to know how to behave and live our lives. If you, like me, are willing to strive to make our nation state a place to live in, read my article on Learning to be Graceful.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Toilet Etiquette

While at the Raffles Clinic of OUB Centre this morning, I saw an interesting notice placed above the toilet bowl of the clinic's restroom.

Maybe I should put a sign like this at my workplace's toilet! (",)

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Selective Seeing

You have heard of selective hearing where one listens only the good things, but have you heard of selective seeing?

Selective seeing is much like what Conflict Management studies called avoidance. Avoidance is not about closing an eye to things, but it's about not seeing what you don't wish to see. Given the change in our nation state's cleanliness and the people living in the country with inconsiderate behaviors, ungraceful acts, it pains my heart at times to see things I don't see when I was still in my youth.

Today, just about everywhere in Singapore, and especially in public fields and on pedestrian sidewalks, we can see debris and litter, spats of phlegm and saliva, inconsiderate acts of cycling without considerations for pedestrians, and more. If you are like me always bothered by such uncultured 'gracefulness', then you must learn to see things selectively. When seeing tissue papers, cans, bottles and other types of litter on the grass and sidewalks, just look around and see the beigger surroundings of nature, the flowers and the trees, the chirping birds and moving leaves, and breath in the fresh air if there is any. Minimize your focus on the unpleasant, such as the debris and the phlegm, and keep calm in the face of uncultured acts of spitting and littering.

Sounds like escapism you may think, and maybe you are right, but if that can keep a person's heartbeat rate down, it is worth it. There is no reason for us to suffer a heart attack for acts performed by others. Like selective hearing where we can choose to hear only the good stuff, selective seeing allows us to see only the good stuff, so we can calm our hearts.

Alternatively, if you prefer, you can play the hero and right the wrong by complaining through the media, the town councils and the community development councils, but these usually end up as a waste of time because things are unlikely going to improve with such complains. I've tried, I've been promised, and sometimes after years, the very thing I've complained about has been theoretically 'solved' with no improvement.

Take for example the cycling issue. I've written in the papers, and the good news was they will be extending sidewalks to cater for both cyclists and pedestrians. So I waited and after 1-2 years it was complete, but at all the wrong places. The main narrow sidewalk under the track of the MRT is where most cyclists-pedestrians have accidents, but the completion of project has been celebrated, but the problem persist and is not fixed for the main sidewalk, although every other sidewalks with hardly any problem have been fixed.

This is truly our country, this is indeed our land.

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Traveling in September Autumn

With the lower cost of travel and the autumn season coming up for northern Europe, I am once again looking into going for a holiday.

My target this time round is Scandinavia, since this tour is never available during the Chinese New Year period, which for them is winter season.

Autumn Scandi ... here I come -- September 5-20, 2009. (",)

Saturday, August 1, 2009

2012 Movie Trailer

Release Date: November 13, 2009
Studio: Columbia Pictures (Sony)
Director: Roland Emmerich
Screenwriter: Roland Emmerich, Harald Kloser
Starring: John Cusack, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt, Thandie Newton, Danny Glover, Woody Harrelson
Genre: Action
MPAA Rating: Not Available
Official Website: WhoWillSurvive2012.com
Review: Not AvailableDVD Review: Not Available
DVD: Not Available
Movie Poster: View here
Production Stills: View here
Plot Summary: Never before has a date in history been so significant to so many cultures, so many religions, scientists, and governments. "2012" is an epic adventure about a global cataclysm that brings an end to the world and tells of the heroic struggle of the survivors.

Friday, July 31, 2009

Astro Boy Movie Trailer

Release Date: October 23, 2009
Studio: Summit Entertainment
Director: David Bowers
Screenwriter: Timothy Harris
Starring: Freddie Highmore, Nicolas Cage, Kristen Bell, Nathan Lane, Bill Nighy, Eugene Levy, Matt Lucus, Donald Sutherland
Genre: Adventure, Animation, Sci-Fi
MPAA Rating: Not Available
Official Website: AstroBoy-themovie.com
Review: Not Available
DVD Review: Not Available
DVD: Not Available
Movie Poster: View here
Production Stills: View here
Plot Summary: A thrilling tale of a true hero, "Astro Boy" is an all-new, feature film full of action, adventure, humor and heart. It will be brought to life on the big screen in breathtaking CGI animation on October 23rd, 2009.Set in futuristic Metro City, "Astro Boy" is about a young robot with incredible powers created by a brilliant scientist named Tenma (Nicolas Cage). Powered by positive "blue" energy, Astro Boy (Freddie Highmore) is endowed with super strength, x-ray vision, unbelievable speed and the ability to fly. Embarking on a journey in search of acceptance, Astro Boy encounters many other colorful characters along the way. Through his adventures, he learns the joys and emotions of being human, and gains the strength to embrace his destiny. Ultimately learning his friends and family are in danger, Astro Boy marshals his awesome super powers and returns to Metro City in a valiant effort to save everything he cares about and to understand what it takes to be a hero.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Lost Friends of MoBlog

There are some people at former SingTel MoBlog whom I wish to stay in contact, but with the moblog's demise, I am not sure if these people have alternative blogs. If you are reading this blog entry and know any of the URLs of these people's alternative blogs, please let me know. They are:

alexks, anarchista3, angelpeh, annachua85, ashnisa, benitatata, blackstar, bluetulip, Carmen, cheryldee, congzi, DizzyLizzy, Dollipop, eclektic, Emi, Erika, estherix, Fleur, fRoStYgiRL, garfield, gEoOo, hazelroxanne, Heartsling, hitChic, HostSara, iamesther, ice3, irises, jiah, jiejie, jolju, Juan, jumper12, kawaiicandy520, lachicabonita, Lagoon, LeAnNa, leeena, lenenattie, listener, LSQ, manjarockstarr, Melt, Mishysya, MisirLou, nicolechen, passiongal, princessELOISE, PrincessEvie, purpleRose, SashaE, seraphina2511, shuyee, silversw, sunDrop, Taryn, TheGalOverHere, TheMeanieElla, thereforeiblog, tolive4Jesus4ever, vioona, xxgongzhuxx, zonda

Meanwhile, allow me to thank all of you who are former bloggers of SingTel MoBlog and who are still in touch with me. I cannot imagine how much I would have lost without you remaining as my friends.

Love you all! Hugz. (",)

Monday, July 27, 2009

Two Sides of the Fake Degree Story

I regularly receive emails from junkies offering fake diplomas and degrees. I cannot understand why anyone would even bother to read such emails or give a thought to a possible short cut of obtaining a degree, and I certainly cannot imagine anyone in Singapore would want to pay money to get a fake degree.

As a provider of writing services, I have once in a while received enquiries from students studying in Singapore on the price I would charge to write their academic assignments for them, which of course I flatly turned down. The fact that I studied so hard to obtain a degree makes me feel totally turned off by people attempting to take short cuts or cheat in order to obtain any kind of certification or qualification.

It saddens me to think such practices are becoming common these days in a small nation state such as ours. This is probably the reason why many graduates who have obtained their degrees through distance education are still finding it hard to get a job. Many potential employers today still doubt the credibility and worth of qualifications obtained through off-campus education, and this is despite the sacrifices put in by individuals studying part-time while working full-time.

Just recently, there was the news about fake degrees and diplomas offered to students studying in a private school here. This piece of news certainly does not help with the already bad situation faced by graduates of distance study and the doubts by potential employers.

The following is an extract of the news showing the two sides of the story from the view points of a local and a foreign newspaper.

*******July 15, 2009
Fake-degree school closes
By Jermyn Chow (StraitsTimes - Singapore)
http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_403332.html (Accessed July 27, 2009)

BROOKES Business School, which peddled fake degrees and diplomas to hundreds of students, has been ordered to shut down.

The private school handed out bogus qualifications from brand-name institutions in Australia and Britain, including the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), in a practice which was exposed last month by The Straits Times. The Education Ministry (MOE) said on Tuesday it had revoked the school's registration for contravening the Education Act.

The 400 students enrolled at the school - half of them foreigners - had little warning of the impending action. Many turned up at Brookes' premises in Beach Road on Tuesday morning to find the door closed and an MOE closure notice stuck to it.

Some had been telephoned earlier by a staff member of the school and told that classes would be cancelled for the week, resuming in about a fortnight.

One of them, who gave his name as Thomas, 21, said the caller neither identified herself nor gave a reason for the cancellation. 'It was so strange, so I thought: better to come down and get answers,' said the Chinese national, who is studying for a diploma in tourism and hospitality.

He failed to find any answers though, since staff and lecturers were nowhere to be seen. Neither was the man at the centre of the fiasco, the school's registered owner, Mr Benny Yap Chee Mun, 39.

Students said the last time they saw him was just after news broke of the scam in mid-June, when he called a meeting and assured them that the school's degrees were bona fide, and that it would not close down. He had told The Straits Times that he had been duped by a Vietnamese man, who sold him a 'franchise' to offer RMIT degrees in 2007.

On Tuesday, however, an MOE spokesman said there was 'sufficient evidence' to prove Mr Yap 'is not a fit and proper person to continue to operate the school'. Calls to the school and Mr Yap went unanswered.

Students have been told by MOE to approach the Association of Private Schools and Colleges (APSC), which represents some 40 private schools here, to help with transfers to other schools.

Dr Andrew Chua, its president, said that four receiving schools had been identified. He advised students to seek help at its secretariat at 9, Ah Hood Road, which will be open from 9am to 5pm from Wednesday till Friday. Students seeking fee refunds, which ranged from $9,000 to $12,000 for a one-year specialist diploma, should approach the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) for advice, said the ministry.

*******June 18, 2009
RMIT snared in degree scam
By Farrah Tomazin (The Age - Australia)
http://www.theage.com.au/national/education/rmit-snared-in--degree-scam-20090617-chvv.html (Accessed July 27, 2009)

RMIT University has been embroiled in a scam in which an Asian business school was selling fake degrees purporting to come from the Melbourne institution.

Dozens of students have been duped after signing up for a one-year course they thought would lead to an RMIT Bachelor of Business offered through the Brookes Business School, in Singapore.

Students paid up to $16,000 to graduate with what they thought was a legitimate qualification from an Australian institution.

However, RMIT insists it never had links to Brookes, and is now considering legal action.

"RMIT is extremely concerned about any misrepresentation and is currently considering all its legal options in relation to this matter," said Dr Madeleine Reeve, the university's pro-vice-chancellor, international and development.

University documents seen by The Age show Singapore's Ministry of Education was told about the problem as early as April 2007, when the university became aware that Brookes' website was making false representations about links to RMIT.

At the time, the university obtained a written undertaking from Brookes to remove all references to RMIT on its website and any other documentation, and inform students that there were no links between the two providers.

But from late last year, a number of Brookes students began contacting RMIT again: some to check the authenticity of their certificates, others to check if they were properly registered with the university.

However, in a bizarre twist, Brookes claims it only began offering the program because it was conned to do so by a man purporting to be an employee of RMIT's Vietnam campus.

The head of Brookes Business School, Ben Yap, told The Age that a man approached him two years ago and sold him a franchise to run RMIT degree programs.

He said Brookes — which also offers education programs from established universities in the US and Britain — believed it was providing a bona fide degree from RMIT.

He said the school has since worked to "contain the problem" by giving students refunds for their invalid degree, and had also offered to enrol them into other legitimate courses provided by Brookes.

"We didn't realise the degrees were not valid," Mr Yap said. "We were given all the proper documentation so there was no reason to doubt it. There was no intention to con anybody."

Brookes has asked Singapore police to investigate the matter. However, Dr Reeve categorically rejected the school's claim that it was duped by a university employee.

"RMIT has been provided with the name of the staff member allegedly involved, but there are no records of a man with that name being employed at RMIT Vietnam," she said.

The Singapore Education Ministry did not respond to questions from The Age about Brookes' registration, or what action, if any, was taken.

Saturday, July 25, 2009

G-Force Movie Trailer

Release Date: July 24, 2009
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
Director: Hoyt Yeatman
Screenwriter: The Wibberleys, Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, Tim Firth
Starring: Bill Nighy, Will Arnett, Zach Galifianakis, Nicolas Cage, Sam Rockwell, Jon Favreau, Penelope Cruz, Steve Buscemi, Tracy Morgan, Kelli Garner
Genre: Adventure, Comedy
MPAA Rating: PG (for some mild action and rude humor)
Official Website: Disney.com
Review: 5.5/10 rating
DVD Review: Not Available
DVD: Not Available
Movie Poster: Not Available
Production Stills: View here
Plot Summary: Producer Jerry Bruckheimer brings his first 3-D film to the big screen with "G-Force," a comedy adventure about the latest evolution of a covert government program to train animals to work in espionage. Armed with the latest high-tech spy equipment, these highly trained guinea pigs discover that the fate of the world is in their paws. Tapped for the G-Force are guinea pigs Darwin (voice of Sam Rockwell), the squad leader determined to succeed at all costs; Blaster (voice of Tracy Morgan), an outrageous weapons expert with tons of attitude and a love for all things extreme; and Juarez (voice of Penelope Cruz), a sexy martial arts pro; plus the literal fly-on-the-wall reconnaissance expert, Mooch, and a star-nosed mole, Speckles (voice of Nicolas Cage), the computer and information specialist. Directed by two-time Oscar®-winning visual effects master Hoyt Yeatman—"G-Force" takes audiences on a high-octane thrill ride, proving once and for all that size really doesn't matter.

Friday, July 24, 2009

More Writings n Editorial Work

These days, besides performing official editorial tasks at work such as editing and writing, I am also regularly and unofficially writing devotionals. If you are interested in read my devotional writings, feel free to visit my other blog, Living Water.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

The Time Traveler's Wife Movie Trailer

Release Date: August 14, 2009
Studio: New Line Cinema (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Director: Robert Schwentke
Screenwriter: Bruce Joel Rubin
Starring: Rachel McAdams, Eric Bana, Arliss Howard, Ron Livingston
Genre: Drama, Romance
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for thematic elements, brief disturbing images, nudity and sexuality)
Official Website: TheTimeTravelersWifemovie.com
Review: Not Available
DVD Review: Not Available
DVD: Not Available
Movie Poster: View here
Production Stills: View here
Plot Summary: "The Time Traveler's Wife" is based on the best-selling book about a love that transcends time. Clare (Rachel McAdams) has been in love with Henry (Eric Bana) her entire life. She believes they are destined to be together, even though she never knows when they will be separated: Henry is a time traveler—cursed with a rare genetic anomaly that causes him to live his life on a shifting timeline, skipping back and forth through his lifespan with no control. Despite the fact that Henry's travels force them apart with no warning, Clare desperately tries to build a life with her one true love.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Difference Between Singapore and Foreign Customer Service

By the time I knew about Moblog's closing down two days ago, it was too late for me to delete or edit anything at my blog. Sadly, I cannot even leave a farewell note to inform my contacts where I will be moving to after Moblog. Bloggers at moblog.com.sg are given up to July 22, 2009 to migrate five years of data via page by page cut and paste to some place else within a few days, and no email was received from Moblog to inform us of its soon closure, except for a notice written at Moblog's home page.

Unlike the way Moblog handles the closure notification, I received an email yesterday from Yahoo! informing me of the upcoming closure of my free web site at Geocities by October 26, 2009 with full instructions on how to migrate my files to some other sites.

That is the difference between Singapore style customer service and those of foreign professionals.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Death of Moblog

Date of Birth: August, 2004
Date of Death: July 22, 2009

In Memory of SingTel Moblog

I am sadden by your sudden demise, because I was with you since the day of your inauguration as the Nation's Blog during the press conference held at Sakae Sushi, Funan Center in August 2004. I was then a journalist for the Education magazine and I wrote about you and your glorious capabilities to the world. Now after many years moblogging at your place, I am moved to tears with deep emotions that I now have to part with you. May you rest in peace, and may all the friends I know at your MoBlog remember me. Without you, things will never be the same again.

Here's my last dedication to you to recall the days of your glory ... my article of you: I Blog, You Blog, They Blog.

Yours
SpideY
;p xoxo

Friday, July 10, 2009

Long Pick-up Queue at Jurong East

Not the longest queue yet, but this is the sight you can see every morning between 8am to 9am at the new shuttle pick up point at Jurong East next to JTC Summit, after the partial closure of Jurong East St 12 and Summit Lane from 5 July 2009 to facilitate construction work for MRT Jurong East Modification Project.

So far the weather has been fine over the last few days in the morning, but I wonder how these passengers are going to handle the situation on a raining day with such poor shelter that is not designed to brave the rain nor the sun.

Photograph: July 10, 2009 08:26

Photograph: July 9, 2009 08:24

Sunday, June 14, 2009

The Proposal Movie Trailer

Release Date: June 19, 2009 / August 20, 2009
Studio: Touchstone Pictures (Disney)
Director: Anne Fletcher
Screenwriter: Peter Chiarelli
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Malin Akerman, Craig T. Nelson, Mary Steenburgen, Denis O'Hare, Betty White
Genre: Comedy
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for sexual content, nudity and language)
Official Website: Proposalmovie.com
Review: Not Available
DVD Review: Not Available
DVD: Not Available
Movie Poster: View here
Production Stills: View here
Plot Summary: When high-powered book editor Margaret (Sandra Bullock) faces deportation to her native Canada, the quick-thinking exec declares that she's actually engaged to her unsuspecting put-upon assistant Andrew (Ryan Reynolds), who she's tormented for years. He agrees to participate in the charade, but with a few conditions of his own. The unlikely couple heads to Alaska to meet his quirky family (Mary Steenburgen, Craig T. Nelson, Betty White) and the always-in-control city girl finds herself in one comedic fish-out-of-water situation after another. With an impromptu wedding in the works and an immigration official on their tails, Margaret and Andrew reluctantly vow to stick to the plan despite the precarious consequences.

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