Cartoon Heroes

We die every day…… A thousand times an hour. Anyone who does this…work…sees it. Death. Their own….their partners…their loved ones. We go to work anyway. Death is…powerless against you…if you leave a legacy of…good behind. Death is powerless against you if you do your job. My father…saved the lives…of over four thousand people, one at a time…with his bare hands and his mind. Death was with him the entire time. - Batman, JLA: Obsidian Age Arc.

Donatello

Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.

More of a book person for this one.

Why so serious?

Are you a soldier or a policeman? - The General's Daughter.

Ryan Giggs Ryan Giggs running down the wing.

"Harry" and "Lighting" must come in a pair.

Oscar replica.

Class of 2011

I like to think that SCI is a little like Hogwarts... ...
Our journalists are a lot like Ravenclaw; sharp, witty and intelligent.
Our filmmakers, like the Gryffindors; tenacious, determined and very very brave.
Our CR folks like hardworking, loyal and patient Hufflepuffs,
and finally, the PR and Advert people like Slytherin for obvious reasons.
- Trinetta Chong, Class 2011 Valedictorian

Witty commencement speech. Descriptions are spot-on, especially for the PR and Advert peeps. And a year gone past just like that. I miss university days.

All the best, juniors. Fucking did it.

The Majulah Spirit

Hope

Young guns like Harisa Harun, Izwan Mahbud, Safuwan Baharudin played with nerves of steel and a calm and steady skipper in Sharil Ishak. There's hope for Singapore football.

Watched the game at a coffeeshop at Potong Pasir.

Thank you Lions, for the victory.

I love the smell of napalm in the morning

Apocalypse Now (1979) dir. Francis Ford Coppola

My Asian film lecturer shared this article on Facebook. Coming from a man who've won the Golden Palm twice in his career. Humility even at the top deserve much respect.

The Soldier (2008)

We shot this in 2008, long before the advent of HDSLRs. Based on an imaginary premise in which Singapore goes to war and the heartland which we often take for granted now left barren. I was hoping to send a message against complacency and the rising tension against national service. Possibly the better ever effort.

sheepdog

Sunday is a dog's day. Let a sheepdog run in its natural habitat. Come back home for a good bath and a fan to cool the heat away.

Oxley 65

"An independent Singapore was not regarded as viable three years ago. Nothing in the current situation suggests that it is more viable today." Denis Warner, Sydney Morning Herald, 10 August 1965.

"Singapore's economy would collapse if the British bases - costing more than 100 million pounds sterling - were closed." Richard Hughes, Sunday Times, 22 August 1965.

I read with regret the kind of online commentary by our young people, that suggest that the British had developed Singapore and left her in good state, that the PAP Old Guards had played no part in the development of this country. They had merely taken over a well-developed city port.

If only they have made the extra effort and check with their parents, grandparents.

Carpool

Jalan Besar revisit

Foreign-born or not, what matters most is that in their hearts, they are playing for the country and it's people. I've watched the S-League enough to know that these naturalised Singaporeans toiled their hearts out on the pitch, just so they would be good enough to represent the country. Duric shed tears when we were kicked out of the ASEAN championships last year. Compare that to the attitude of what is becoming a signature habit; "fans" leaving the game halfway whenever the Lions are losing a game.

Once again, the keyboard warriors are jumping onto the bandwagon. My invitation to them is to watch at least one S-League game a season. Don't give me the contradictory bullshit that it's a nonsense league when it's one thing to claim to be nationalistic and wanting to fight for grand ideas (and narrow-minded xenophobia) and another to actually doing something to show that you support and care for the sport and the country.

As for the Lions return to the Malaysia League / Cup. It's a populist approach. I don't support it. A real pity that's like taking 2 steps forward and 1 step back.

Mosaic

I lost my voice in Jalan Besar

I grew up in Jalan Besar, specifically the first 9 years of my life. Single in a Peranakan house, 8 of them in a towering apartment with a pair of stone lions on watch. Nursery classes, daily prayers and fried rice at Hinghwa Methodist Church. Watching the Lions train for the Malaysia Cup. NFL matches. Long walks known in kid speak as "gai gai". Sambal belacan ikan bilis.



Wonderful Atmosphere here at Jalan Besar. I wore my lucky blue jersey with the imprint of the legendary Fandi.




Qiu Li is my man of the moment. Look at the way he kisses the Singapore flag. Surely his heart is in this land, never mind where he was born.

The Grandmaster

Wong Kar-wai's latest film, The Grandmaster, is a re-telling of the life of legendary kungfu master, Ip Man. Before you rubbish it as another one of those cash-cow that jumped onto the Wing Chun / Ip Man hype, the film was first developed long before Donnie Yap starred in Wilson Yip's Ip Man in 2008. Tony Leung could have been the original Ip Man.

The Bird That Shakes The Jute Fields

This is the final cut of the short film which was screened at The Substation's First Take. Nominee for Best Documentary at Singapore Short Film Awards.

City of Curves

as what it is known as, translated from Bahasa.

Braddell Hill

I was born in this hospital 26 years ago.

Massive traffic jam on the flyway across Braddell with the cars not moving more than an inch per minute.

School Days

Tindakan Rakyat

Hard Truths

to Keep Singapore Going is my current read.

Singaporeans usually don't seem to appreciate what they have, until they lose something. Politicians elsewhere like to fashion themselves as the Lee Kuan Yews of so-and-so-land, as if it's a catchphrase for the citizenry and their votes. This one below from the Philippines.

In the signboard placed on top of the regular MMDA U-turn slot signage, “LIKUAN U” is printed in red and printed in black underneath it is “LEE KUAN YEW”--- the famous leader who transformed Singapore into an economic superpower and with whom the MMDA’s top official, Bayani Fernando, loves to liken himself. Fernando, who has been very vocal about his desire to run for President in next year’s elections, has been saying that he is the Lee Kuan Yew of the Philippines for “having a political will.”

And in most recently in Nigeria, its President, Goodluck Jonathan sees himself as the Lee Kuan Yew of Nigeria.

Shortly after the inauguration of the ministers last week, the newly sworn in Minister of Information and Communications, a friend and colleague in the political struggle of 1990s, Comrade Labaran Maku, showed the press a copy of From Third World to First, a book written by Singapore's former leader, Lee Kuan Yew. He said at that event the president, Goodluck Jonathan, gave out a copy to each and all ministers present. The intention was for them to read it, think it and borrow from the man's ideology.

Take It Easy

I want to do my best in whatever I do. Whatever that may be, just take it easy lor. This is especially a true ringer from the older colleagues at the office, one of whom we endearingly called "Uncle". Sounds unfitting but is probably one of the most experienced, skillful and dedicated officers around.

Commonwealth Sunset

let's hunt down 'em corrupt cops

Pride and Glory (2008) dir. Gary O' Connor

I like all these American police procedural crime drama.

And the manner in which they wear their badges. No need for warrant cards. A flashy badge and a ball chain.

28, Bricksworks Estate

The Lost Bladesman

英雄自然你来当。小人，我来。

“乱世之中英雄怎没不杀人？”... ...

"人不能依靠，唯有法纪才能依靠"
"没有道义，那有法纪？"
"人间仇恨太多，哪有道义？"

1965

I'm disturbed, not that a foreign actor will probably be playing our founding father on film, but the kind of language and disrespect shown by our very own keyboard warriors towards Lee Kuan Yew. I'm not ashamed to say that we owe our success and development to this man.

The kind of idealism and naivety young Singaporeans have frightens me. The world is never black or white. If we continue to think that politics and war (and of course, love) is a fair-and-square game then we maybe in for a rude shock some day.

In any case, I'm fine with Leung playing Lee. Look at how wonderful Ben Kingsly did as Gandhi.

Film Can

With the day-job comes financial freedom. With financial freedom comes the personal film fund/savings. With personal funding comes making your own films the way you want them to be. Cash, safely within the film can.