... Singaporeans seem to be oblivious to how bad the Global Financial Crisis was last year. Well, truthfully, it wasn't bad AT ALL. While the rest of the work was tanking, Singaporeans hardly felt it. I think Minister Tharman deserves a medal but people probably don't think so 'cos they have no idea what was being done. That's the problem with public policy. You do things, you dun get no appreciation; you screw it up, the flak will come. In comparison, I think teaching is a little better. We do get some grateful students from time to time... Ben Leong.

Sometimes, I think we, the younger generation, are too spoilt.

Ang Lee

and his earlier works.

Chiang's Legacy

Braddell Heights

Coming back home, spending hours in front of the computer, getting acquainted with all the news I've missed during the past week. So the elections will be conducted next weekend and the NSP is contesting against the ruling party in my area (Braddell Heights, Marine Parade GRC). With all due respect, it takes courage and conviction to run on the side of the opposition fence, but it feels like NSP is "parachuting" especially since I've never seen any one from NSP in all the years I've lived here, until a news video I saw on Youtube.

Incumbent Seah Kian Peng of the ruling party deserved to return to parliament, though he did benefited from the advantage of SM Goh's presence and a walkover in 2006's elections. When he first became MP of this ward, he wasted no time in introducing weather-proof shelters and disabled walkways.

An empty plot of land along Serangoon Avenue 1 has been for years screaming for condominium developers but it remains free for recreational activities like kite-flying and football with a proper goalposts (not makeshift). Similarly, other empty plots, like the one below along Sunshine Terrace, became parks and active corners for the residents. Not money-making land sales.


Amenities aside, this is one MP who had woken up in the wee hours of a Saturday morning to send a group of old folks off to their weekend getaway to Malaysia. He didn't have to care, these were elderly residents from the lower-income group without much influence, but it is a small gesture that speaks volumes.

The NEL, Circle Line and the opening of Nexx Mall have benefited residents of the town. It would not be fair to have someone else jumping in and then claim credit.

101

Good to be home

Was in Taipei for the last 8 days but I couldn’t keep my mind off Singapore.

Many people have called this general election a political awakening. I thought so too initially but I'm beginning to fear that it can also degenerate into a campaign of myopic nitpicking.

The right policies are never popular and I am confident that the PAP’s policies since 2006 have been right for the country. I’m fine with our immigration policy. I see benefits with it though it comes with some social problems and areas which have been exploited by business owners. But no excuses still.

No doubt housing is expensive in Singapore but compare ourselves with other developed East Asian cities like Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tokyo (and recently I’ve learnt, Taipei), we are getting it cheap. Young people can own their own houses here so much easier than our counterparts do in the abovementioned cities. And I’m not talking about rundown apartments in gritty estates but brand new units in well-developed new towns.

I know because I’ve recently purchased a new flat and I have yet to pay a single cent for it. Grants from HDB and my own CPF have settled it thus far though I’ve only joined the workforce 9 months ago. As long as I keep myself employed and have a proper savings plan for the next 10 to 15 years, it shouldn’t be a problem to pay off the loans in 20 years time. Less stress on real money with the CPF helping to fund vital assets like housing. 20 years to own a property can sound daunting but I don't think it is that bad when many graduates in Hong Kong and Tokyo can only afford to live in rented homes their entire lives. This system works like a safety net to ensure that everyone in this resource-scarce country work for the dough, not depend on others for their survival. Granted the CPF is “invisible”, a forced savings, but seeing how low we pay our taxes compared to developed states else where, we definitely have it much better and cheaper.

I had a good chat with the Taiwanese cab driver along the way to Taoyuan International airport earlier this morning. He finds it amusing that Singaporeans have to pay a levy of S$100 to enter the casinos. He later said, “你们的政府会照顾人民。”

I’m tired tonight. But I need to speak my heart out on a place I care a lot for. It’s always good to be back home.

off to Taipei.

oh my Buddha!

I have an image in my mind a bromantic comedy peppered with Buddhist philosophies, Oh My Buddha! And that's about it.

we will be heroes

and we're gonna sing (win).

"Whoever governs Singapore must have that iron in him, or give it up! This is not a game of cards! This is your life and mine! I spent a whole life-time building this, and as long as I am in charge, nobody is going to knock it down."

Norwegian Wood

The best way to view the film is to avoid seeing it as a total visual illustration of the original novel by Haruki Murakami. It is a new piece of work, an original art inspired by the book and crafted in the hands of ingenuity, i.e. Tran Ahn Hung.

I left the cinema with this scene stuck deeply.

Tara

The amount of loyalty, devotion and love a dog has can sometimes put us to shame.

Ryan Giggs Ryan Giggs Running Down the Wing

Unlike Roy Keane, who behaved like the de facto manager, Ryan Giggs brings a quiet paternal touch to the job of buttressing Sir Alex Ferguson's authority. Giggs is Ferguson by other means: a model and mentor for all the young men who part the doors of the club's Carrington academy wondering what the Manchester United culture is all about.

Read more.

artefacts

200+ titles / Sir Alex, "It's all about belief." / Star Wars / Super Heroes / Lee Kuan Yew / Harry Potter / Lord of the Rings / The State Flag.

Spidey/Majulah Singapura/rainy day.

dogs

My initial reaction was, "some pup not paying attention, eh?" But after a second look, I realized she was probably looking out for me.

Right 'letting go'

放下不是放弃。

Right ‘letting go’ is not ‘giving up’;
it is acceptance of things as they are for now,
till they can be bettered later.

- Moonpointer.

Similarly '随缘' is not about leaving things to chance. It is to know that you have done your utmost best and then accept the fruit of your labor without regrets. A point which I think Buddhists in Singapore constantly missed out and in the same way, have a misguided opinion on Dhamma propagation to young people. Truth be told, the way Dhamma is being propagated is archaic and at times, ineffective. A close kalyana mitra in her 50s once shared with me that by the time I'm her age, Buddhist temples will probably become museums/white elephants.

hands on the wheel

Kovan, 2011.

Alphaville

Other than snippets of Breathless (which I enjoyed mimicking to the irksome of my peers), my first Godard film was this DVD playing on my old Macbook in the comforts of the university dorm within a room aptly 2-646.

49 Alphaville (1965) dir. Jean Luc-Godard

I miss uni life, late night suppers, bromantic banters, waking up to the mid-day sun, and the days whereby the dream of kicking-ass was rock solid. Now, it is merely a stone sitting precariously on the edge of a cliff.

Alpha 60/Detective/003/Lemmy Caution/Ford Mustang/Colt/Pravda/Instamatic camera.

a First World Parliament

The Workers' Party's unveils its manifesto and slogan today. The latter "... towards a First World Parliament"

By any other measures, our country is without a doubt a First World nation. Politics wise, probably not. It would not be easy to achieve a First World Parliament without chaos, but it's something to work for, without all the mess, the craziness that comes with the process. We have already been a miracle from the start. An awkwardness, a paradox, a sea creature with a head of a lion.

Forget pay size, this govt's value for money

IT REALLY does not matter to me what government ministers are paid, but I care what I pay them.

Based on this matrix, the Singapore Government is cheap.

For every dollar earned, a Singaporean tax resident pays roughly 13 per cent in income tax. On every dollar spent, we pay 7 per cent in goods and services tax.

Assuming one spends all one earns, the Government will take 20 per cent of our income.

By the same measure, the United States government swallows 40 per cent via income, state and consumption taxes, for a comparable income bracket.

In Britain, the government rakes in a whopping 56 per cent in income tax and value-added tax (VAT).

While Western governments charge between 40 per cent and 60 per cent of income, they run budget deficits and are unable to pay themselves adequately.

The Singapore Government charges a low rate, runs chronic surpluses and is able to pay themselves well.

So, I do not really care what the ministers are paid. For 20 cents of my dollar, they keep the streets clean, relatively free of crime and provide a basic infrastructure of which New York and London would be envious.

Bryan Goh

ST FORUM.

Had a late night jog and took a walk around the public housing estate. Rows of cars: Continental and Japanese sometimes Korean. Saw a young woman dropped off a cab. Occasionally, another lone jogger. Now tell me what's wrong with this country? I say nothing. It's safe, peaceful, comfortable and protected. Count your blessings. You need a government that is effective and engaged to put these things in place. We can be critical but let's not over do it, especially at the expense of the society and what has been done right and which will continue to benefit us.

Quentin

Don't have much Tarantinos lying around. The excessive violence and coarse language probably can't get pass the censors to have them openly on the racks.

47 Pulp Fiction (1994)

48 Inglorious Bastards (2009)

Someone from university loaned out my Kill Bill Volume 1 and then conveniently forgot about it.

On hindsight, so much displeasure on the ground, especially from younger voters may turn out to be a good thing. It will keep the ruling party on their toes, ensuring that they are at the top of their game and continue to give their best to the people. That they go down to the grassroots, solve issues that they may not be able to comprehend from too high above and push the nation forward, much as the lauded pioneers of the PAP did during our nation-building days. But we still have to be careful and right-minded to not allow the spiral into baseless opposition and more politicking. That it doesn’t become a mere popularity game, and when things that are right but unpopular need to be done, it should be done.

Taxi Driver

You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? Then who the hell else are you talking... you talking to me? Well I'm the only one here. Who the fuck do you think you're talking to? Oh yeah? OK.

45 Taxi Driver (1976) dir. Martin Scorsese.

What a powerful film.

the band starts playing

It's actually quite disturbing to log onto to the social media and see so many of my peers proclaiming what they deem to be an "awakening", "revolution" (a couple even quoted lines from the film, V For Vendetta) when most do not even know much about the policies of the PAP, the propositions from the opposition camp, and what have been done right and what's not over the past 5 years since the last general election.

It's very easy to jump onto the bandwagon, falling trap into what the social media deems to be hot and which you must certainly be a part of. Just weeks before, tweets and Facebook statues screamed "pray/socks/donations/dance/sing for Japan!" And as the elections heat up, the anti-establishment streak that exist in almost every normal young people have them turned the tables against the PAP, conveniently forgetting the (most of the time) times when the ruling party has done it right.

I'm not saying the opposition is a whole lot of trash, in fact I actually see gems in them. There are sincere candidates, eager to work for a better Singapore and having more opposition MPs in the house can be a good thing, especially from those who really care and can make a difference to this nation.

But lets be honest. Though there have been moments of misses, the PAP can deliver and has the policies that have been working well. I don't doubt their sincerity in serving the people, even one of its most vociferous critic, Catherine Lim, has praised the PAP for having a "genuine concern for the welfare of the society" and "passionate commitment to the nation".

Vote with our head. See things with a longer vision, not look around for short-term results.

No excuses

No money, mounting day job obligations, escalating bills, costly celluloid films rolls and no distributor. This is the age whereby there is no excuse to wanting to become a filmmaker and not make a film.

I started working this way because I had no other way to shoot films. But at this point I really like working this way. When you’re lacking resources, time, money or equipment it forces you to come up with really cool solutions in ways you might have never thought of before. I think every movie actually needs some of this creativity.
... ... It’s like in music. Not being able to go into studios to record created this whole underground movement and then aesthetically it becomes an influence on everybody. It’s the same for movies, like the French New Wave. It was about limitations so they created this whole new aesthetic.
- Jon Moritsugu

This other guy made two feature films for USD$3, 000: Dead of Knight, Lars the Emo Kid. Don't tell me it's impossible to do it here. Don't say you have the perfect script but you're not shooting it because you do not have money. Don't think there is no other way.

Johnnie To Collection

12 pieces in total out of about 44 films To has made in his career thus far. A prolific filmmaker that cuts across all sorts of genre. His filmography is evidence of a hardworking filmmaker. I like how he subverts the HK cops and gangsters genre and made it his own style. Less gun-fu ballistics, more evocative.

33 Running Out of Time (1999)
34 The Mission (1999)
35 Running Out of Time 2 (2001) (with Law Wing-Cheong)
36 PTU (2003)
37 Running On Karma (2003) (with Wai Ka-Fai)
38 Breaking News (2004)
39 Election (2005)
40 Election 2 (2006)
41 Exiled (2006)
42 Mad Detective (2007) (with Wai Ka-Fai)
43 Triangle (2007) (with Tsui Hark & Ringo Lam)
44 Sparrow (2008)


My Exiled and PTU is still on loan, for the longest time ever.

musing

I believe that developing a critical mind is an essential duty of a human being. But sometimes, we get too blinded by fervor, passion and emotions. Riding on the waves of popularity and acceptance. Jumping onto the bandwagon, seeing issues on the surface and not understand how one small ripple can cause a storm elsewhere. Eventually losing sense of what is right and what is wrong, what is good and what is not.

I fear it's already happening.

It's always easy to see things on the surface and then to want to play swashbuckler. But to truly understand how society functions, how mankind will react to certain forces will require more than just that and at times, a certain tight control. This is the reality, welcome to the real world. Mankind must realise that all sentient beings are imperfect and some noble ideas cannot exist in material world, not unless everyone is willing to see things beyond their ego. These noble ideas never did exist successfully for long in anywhere else in the world in any period of time in history.

Morshedul Islam

Morshedul Islam is a pioneer of independent filmmaking back in Bangladesh. As an unknown, he taught himself the craft and shot outside of the studio system, without big stars and support. Today, he is well-known internationally and is a big figure back in his home country.

32. Agami aka Time Ahead (1982)
Chaka aka The Wheel (1993)

Had the honor of meeting the man in person back in 2009 when we were at Dhaka, Bangladesh for our project. Bad hair day and a ugly red NTU shirt, guess that's why NTU is constantly losing out to NUS. We have bad corp comm and poor fashion sense.

Autograph.

A confession to make, I dozed off while watching Chaka.

politiks

There is no perfect system and no perfect men. If you care too much, it can break your heart.

Tara

Emil Jannings

Emil Jannings, German actor from yesteryears, always playing characters that tug at the audiences' heart strings. I first watched Murnau's The Last Laugh during my freshman year and 5 years on, the images of a broken old porter still lingers on.

The Last Laugh (1924) dir. F. W. Murnau

The Blue Angel (1930) dir Josef von Sternberg

Political Forum

Watched the streaming on CNA's website. The PAP still has the best policies and best answers. Some of the views from the opposition fence still lack depth, touching issues on the surface. I thought Workers' Party's Gerald Giam was humble, practical and sincere but not showy. On WP, Sylvia Lim is definitely capable of a seat in the Parliament, not just as a mere NCMP. Both Low and Chiam (SPP) have done too much for their wards for their efforts to be forgotten.

Back to the forum, Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam is a charismatic speaker. Interesting to note that he praised Giam and WP on their views on productivity and said that a strong opposition is good for the country.

On another note, something less serious, a wonderful video and a hilarious take on the impending General Elections.