Many Singaporean will eat Lou hei Yu Sen dinner during Chinese new year period. Do you know when and who strated it first?
Tthe first "Yu Sen lo hei" dish was invented in 1967 by the Lee Wah reastaurant at Bendemeer road! This mean that Singaporean has been eating this Lou Hei dish for 40 years! Happy 40th anniversary of Lou Hei!!
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
HDB - Singapore invention
The HDB is really an amazing Singapore invention. Why? Every Singaporean should be gald that we have the HDB to help them make their dream come true. Our public housing policy are so good that all their buidling are so carefully planned and well executed that the population at large need mot worry about greenery and landscaping or even building maintainace and upgrading.
Just look at the old apartment blocke and old housing in Hong Kongm you will understand the meaning of lucky. Old windows falling from the sky, air con water leaking are just examples of the inefficiency in HK housing policy.
I didn't have the luck to enjoy the benefit of owing the HDB as I bought my first condo with my mom in 1993 which has made me not eligible for the scheme. However, I am always amazed at how the HDB housing have managed to upgrede themselves so much that it is sometimes difficult to diffeerntiate the condo vs. the HDB apt.
The summer weather in Hong Kong is very similar to that of Singapore. However, it is much hotter in Hong Kong then in Singapore owing to the lack of green plants and trees (which many Singaporean has taken for granted).
In addition, the HDB way of builing flats has also helped bring the overall temperature down. How? Just look at most of the HDB flats. You will realized that the ground floor is always empty. Many used the void deck for funeral or for wedding, or for playing football (I did that when I was young). However, the open space in the ground level actually allow the free flow of air thereby helping to lower the temperature in the area. Amazing!
Working Overseas
My University class of 90 is a very unique one as there are many of us who have ventured and worked abroad (Hung Seng in Cairo, Bangkok, Angelena in japan, Harvindar in Dubai, etc). Working overseas is good as it gives one the additional perspective. At the same, it also allows one to appreciate what one has at home.
My son Keith is Primary 4 this year and he is studying at my old primary school Maris Stella. Even though I am working overseas, I have the very "safe" and "secure" feeling that the system is taking care of him. Now, he is a prefect for his school as I am so proud of him as I was also a prefect in Primary 4..
The bilingual system will ensure that he will be able to communicate both in English and Mandarin. I am glad that I am the "product" of Singapore being a biligual in both English and Mandarin language. In addition, thanks to our neighbouhood system where I could learn how to speak Cantonese, Hokkien, Teochew and Hainanese..which has made it easy for my assimilation into Hong Kong or Taiwan..
My 4th overseas posting have made me a different person, I appreciate every cities that I have stayed and worked and the people that I have met. Most important, I also appreciate my home, Singapore....
Next month will be celebrating Singapore National day. I have always notice the NPD as I was born 3 days before the indepedence. I remembered I have alsways told my classmates when I was in primary school that I was born 3 days before Singapore independence so that I could do Great things in the future!
Ha ha..I am still trying my best!
My son Keith is Primary 4 this year and he is studying at my old primary school Maris Stella. Even though I am working overseas, I have the very "safe" and "secure" feeling that the system is taking care of him. Now, he is a prefect for his school as I am so proud of him as I was also a prefect in Primary 4..
The bilingual system will ensure that he will be able to communicate both in English and Mandarin. I am glad that I am the "product" of Singapore being a biligual in both English and Mandarin language. In addition, thanks to our neighbouhood system where I could learn how to speak Cantonese, Hokkien, Teochew and Hainanese..which has made it easy for my assimilation into Hong Kong or Taiwan..
My 4th overseas posting have made me a different person, I appreciate every cities that I have stayed and worked and the people that I have met. Most important, I also appreciate my home, Singapore....
Next month will be celebrating Singapore National day. I have always notice the NPD as I was born 3 days before the indepedence. I remembered I have alsways told my classmates when I was in primary school that I was born 3 days before Singapore independence so that I could do Great things in the future!
Ha ha..I am still trying my best!
Singapore dissidents
I was serfing the internet the other night and I happened to serf past several blogs on the topic of Singapore dissidents. Being a political science students in the past, I could not help but went on to read what was the content.
I was rather shocked to see these "opposing" views being expressed in the blogs. After 42 years of nation building, one can easily see the economic development and progress Singapore has made. However, there seems to have much greivences on the speed of political development and the extent of freedom in Singapore.
After traveling to many parts of the world and working & staying in Vietnam, Cambodia, Taiwan and now Hong Kong, I can truly say that Singapore is one of the best developed country in the world and one of the best place to live. Given the fact that Singapore is only a small red dot with no natural resources, its achievement is really remarkable.
Yes, there may be others who prefers to increase the pace of political development in Singapore. However, one of key element for democracy is the requirement of large middle class and literate population as well as certain standard of civic behavouirs among the population. Are we ready for Western style democracy? I don't think so...
Stability and economic development comes with a price. Some would argue that the recent NKF episode has tarnished the image of Singapore system. However, this was only one of the few isolated incident. Which country can be really free from corruption?
The human mind is the most dangerous if not guided properly. Many of the dissidents have their own views and strong beliefs. However, the danger of having extreme views are that it might clutthered the mind so much that one is not able to see the big picture and the greater interest at large.
The Singapore system is evolving and changing slowly but surely...Ultimately, it will be there!
I was rather shocked to see these "opposing" views being expressed in the blogs. After 42 years of nation building, one can easily see the economic development and progress Singapore has made. However, there seems to have much greivences on the speed of political development and the extent of freedom in Singapore.
After traveling to many parts of the world and working & staying in Vietnam, Cambodia, Taiwan and now Hong Kong, I can truly say that Singapore is one of the best developed country in the world and one of the best place to live. Given the fact that Singapore is only a small red dot with no natural resources, its achievement is really remarkable.
Yes, there may be others who prefers to increase the pace of political development in Singapore. However, one of key element for democracy is the requirement of large middle class and literate population as well as certain standard of civic behavouirs among the population. Are we ready for Western style democracy? I don't think so...
Stability and economic development comes with a price. Some would argue that the recent NKF episode has tarnished the image of Singapore system. However, this was only one of the few isolated incident. Which country can be really free from corruption?
The human mind is the most dangerous if not guided properly. Many of the dissidents have their own views and strong beliefs. However, the danger of having extreme views are that it might clutthered the mind so much that one is not able to see the big picture and the greater interest at large.
The Singapore system is evolving and changing slowly but surely...Ultimately, it will be there!
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
What I like about Singapore
I like the food:
- Ba Kut Teh - Rangoon Road,
- Prawn noodle - Ah Tong
- Chicken rice - Nam Kee (Thomson Road), Chin Chin
- Hokkien Mee, Cha Kwa Teow,
- Chilly Crab,
- Muto Curry, Nasi Lemak, Mee Soto, Mee robus),
I like the multi culture and racial environment,
I like the efficiecy and accountability and
the system of meritocracy..
I like the Zoo, greenery..
THOSE WHO ARE BORN IN THE 50s,60s and 70s
This is an interesting account of THOSE WHO ARE BORN IN THE 50s and 60s & 70s which I have received..
TO ALL THE THOSE WHO WERE BORN IN THE 50's and 60's / early '70s...........
First, we survived with mothers who had no maids. They cooked /cleaned while taking care of us at the same time.
They took aspirin, candies floss,fizzy drinks, shaved ice with syrups and diabetes were rare. Salt added to Pepsi or Coke was remedy for fever.
We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention
As children, we would ride with our parents on bicycles/ motorcycles for 2 or 3. Richer ones in cars with no seat belts or air bags.
Riding in the back of a private taxi was a special treat.
We drank water from the tap and NOT from a bottle.
We would spend hours on the fields under bright sunlight flying our kites, without worrying about the UV ray which never seem to affect us.
We go to jungle to catch spiders without worries of Aedes mosquitoes.
With mere 5 pebbles (stones) would be a endless game. With a ball (tennis ball best) we boys would ran like crazy for hours.
We catch guppy in drains / canals and when it rain we swim there.
We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually worry about being unhygenic.
We ate salty, very sweet & oily food, candies,bread and real butter and drank very sweet soft sweet coffee/ tea, ice kacang, but we weren't overweight because......
WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!!
We would leave home in the morning and play all day, till streetlights came on.
No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K.
We would spend hours repairing our old bicycles and wooden scooters out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem ..
We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, multiple channels on cable TV, DVD movies, no surround sound, no phones, no personal computers, no Internet.WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!
We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and we still continued the stunts..
We never had birthdays parties till we are 21,
We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and just yelled for them!
The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!
Yet this generation has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever!
The past 40 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.
We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned
HOW TO
DEAL WITH IT ALL!
And YOU are one of them!
CONGRATULATIONS!
You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the government regulated our lives for our own good.
and while you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave their parents were.
TO ALL THE THOSE WHO WERE BORN IN THE 50's and 60's / early '70s...........
First, we survived with mothers who had no maids. They cooked /cleaned while taking care of us at the same time.
They took aspirin, candies floss,fizzy drinks, shaved ice with syrups and diabetes were rare. Salt added to Pepsi or Coke was remedy for fever.
We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention
As children, we would ride with our parents on bicycles/ motorcycles for 2 or 3. Richer ones in cars with no seat belts or air bags.
Riding in the back of a private taxi was a special treat.
We drank water from the tap and NOT from a bottle.
We would spend hours on the fields under bright sunlight flying our kites, without worrying about the UV ray which never seem to affect us.
We go to jungle to catch spiders without worries of Aedes mosquitoes.
With mere 5 pebbles (stones) would be a endless game. With a ball (tennis ball best) we boys would ran like crazy for hours.
We catch guppy in drains / canals and when it rain we swim there.
We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually worry about being unhygenic.
We ate salty, very sweet & oily food, candies,bread and real butter and drank very sweet soft sweet coffee/ tea, ice kacang, but we weren't overweight because......
WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!!
We would leave home in the morning and play all day, till streetlights came on.
No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K.
We would spend hours repairing our old bicycles and wooden scooters out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem ..
We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, multiple channels on cable TV, DVD movies, no surround sound, no phones, no personal computers, no Internet.WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!
We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and we still continued the stunts..
We never had birthdays parties till we are 21,
We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and just yelled for them!
The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!
Yet this generation has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever!
The past 40 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.
We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned
HOW TO
DEAL WITH IT ALL!
And YOU are one of them!
CONGRATULATIONS!
You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the government regulated our lives for our own good.
and while you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave their parents were.
Singapore Singaporean
I have been writing about my hobbies for a while. Being away from home for a period of time, I have decided to write some of my personal feeling about Singapore Singaporean.. : )
I am the second generation Singaporean born in Singapore. I have had the benefits of hearing how my grandparents (who came from Hainan Island - China) stuggled to make a living working as maid & gardener for the British colonial master, while my dad received his education via scholarship.
Now, I am working overseas but my family stay back home in Singapore. Whenever, I am traveling back home during home leave, I have alway enjoyed the peaceful and smooth ride home via the expressway. Looking at the well designed infrastructure as well as the trees and greenery, I am glad that we have made so much progress, where Singapore is home!
I am the second generation Singaporean born in Singapore. I have had the benefits of hearing how my grandparents (who came from Hainan Island - China) stuggled to make a living working as maid & gardener for the British colonial master, while my dad received his education via scholarship.
Now, I am working overseas but my family stay back home in Singapore. Whenever, I am traveling back home during home leave, I have alway enjoyed the peaceful and smooth ride home via the expressway. Looking at the well designed infrastructure as well as the trees and greenery, I am glad that we have made so much progress, where Singapore is home!
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