Insing column: mrbrown and the bicycle ride Latest weekly Insing column is "mrbrown and the bicycle ride" Excerpt: It is 4am. My iPhone is ringing like an air raid siren, trying to wake me up. I try to ignore it a little longer. I don't usually wake up this early. I usually sleep at this hour. But I have a bicycle event to attend and need to get there by 5.30am before the flag-off. Yes, I was one of the 9,000 cycling at OCBC Cycle on Sunday. I was doing the 40km Challenge on my folding bicycle named Sasha, a Dahon Mu P24. I decided to grab some food at Suriya's Curry House, a 24-hour prata place near my home. Breakfast was a lovely Maggi Mee Goreng washed down with some Teh Oh Ice Limau. I read some cyclists saying on their blogs that their preparations for the ride included carbo-loading. I reckoned Maggi Mee Goreng was "carbo" enough. The only preparations I did before the day itself was to make sure my bicycle was working (rear brakes needed to be replaced), that I had clean underwear, and the batteries in my lights were charged. (cont'd) What Singaporeans look for in Google My reader Ashley sent me an email regarding this little Google Singapore thing. Go to Google.com.sg and type "Why" and then a space, and see what Singaporeans search for the most. Quite eye-opening, yes? What Singaporeans look for in Google Insing column: mrbrown and the magic Latest weekly Insing column is "mrbrown and the magic" Excerpt: My wife has recently developed an interest in magic. Not just any old magic, but the street magic of a certain Cyril Takayama. The dashing illusionist of Ryukyuan and French descent has been seen on cable TV doing his street magic in cities like Taipei. The man would cook instant noodles with just cold water in front of young people at Xi Men Ding shopping district, or do some coin thing in a fancy club with some sexy woman as his ooh-ahh target. The wife was so fascinated with his brand of magic that she went online to hunt down his YouTube videos, most of which were from his programs in Japan. "No, lah, I like him for his magic only," my wife said to me when I came home one evening and caught her transfixed on the television. (cont'd) Insing column: mrbrown and the magic Latest weekly Insing column is "mrbrown and the magic" Excerpt: My wife has recently developed an interest in magic. Not just any old magic, but the street magic of a certain Cyril Takayama. The dashing illusionist of Ryukyuan and French descent has been seen on cable TV doing his street magic in cities like Taipei. The man would cook instant noodles with just cold water in front of young people at Xi Men Ding shopping district, or do some coin thing in a fancy club with some sexy woman as his ooh-ahh target. The wife was so fascinated with his brand of magic that she went online to hunt down his YouTube videos, most of which were from his programs in Japan. "No, lah, I like him for his magic only," my wife said to me when I came home one evening and caught her transfixed on the television. (cont'd) YOU… Powered by Citi Ryan and I will be down at Ngee Ann City this Saturday (13 March 2010) for a carnival called YOU… Powered by Citi (here is their Facebook page). Attendees get a complimentary card with 100 credits in it to use for the games and food, and even a chance to win prizes like a big screen tv. Bloggers who want to check out this event can get a special invite with extra benefits. All you have to do is email Ling at ling@fly.com.sg and ask for an invite. Here are the details of the event: Dates: 13 March – 14 March 2010 Venue: Civic Plaza, Ngee Ann City See you all there! YOU… Powered by Citi Ryan and I will be down at Ngee Ann City this Saturday (13 March 2010) for a carnival called YOU… Powered by Citi (here is their Facebook page). Attendees get a complimentary card with 100 credits in it to use for the games and food, and even a chance to win prizes like a big screen tv. Bloggers who want to check out this event can get a special invite with extra benefits. All you have to do is email Ling at ling@fly.com.sg and ask for an invite. Here are the details of the event: Dates: 13 March – 14 March 2010 Venue: Civic Plaza, Ngee Ann City See you all there! CNNGo column: How do we make Singapore soccer great again? Latest CNNGo.com "Say What? with mrbrown" column: How do we make Singapore soccer great again? Excerpt: I watched a live football match recently. It was an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup match between Singapore's Geylang United versus Hong Kong's NT Realty Wofoo Tai Po FC. I haven't been to a football match in Singapore for a long time and since my buddy Ryan got us complimentary tickets, we decided to make the outing to Jalan Besar stadium. Ryan's friend "Horse Buddy" got them for us. He is named after the horse racing magazine of the same name (马友指南) as he is rarely seen without this horse racing bible. Singapore soccer isn't exactly English Premier League standard. In fact, I don't think it is even at the standard of the EPL Stadium Toilet Cleaners' Weekend Football League (if there is one). Most of us who used to watch local soccer feel that since Singapore pulled out of the Malaysian League after the 1994 season, soccer in Singapore has never been the same. In fact, since then, it has pretty much sucked. Horse Buddy told me the Singapore League (or S-League as it's commonly known) matches on Fridays were particularly interesting though. According to him, there's no entrance fee on Friday matches and there are usually 400 packets of beehoon or nasi lemak (fragrant coconut rice) given away. (cont'd) CNNGo column: How do we make Singapore soccer great again? Latest CNNGo.com "Say What? with mrbrown" column: How do we make Singapore soccer great again? Excerpt: I watched a live football match recently. It was an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup match between Singapore's Geylang United versus Hong Kong's NT Realty Wofoo Tai Po FC. I haven't been to a football match in Singapore for a long time and since my buddy Ryan got us complimentary tickets, we decided to make the outing to Jalan Besar stadium. Ryan's friend "Horse Buddy" got them for us. He is named after the horse racing magazine of the same name (马友指南) as he is rarely seen without this horse racing bible. Singapore soccer isn't exactly English Premier League standard. In fact, I don't think it is even at the standard of the EPL Stadium Toilet Cleaners' Weekend Football League (if there is one). Most of us who used to watch local soccer feel that since Singapore pulled out of the Malaysian League after the 1994 season, soccer in Singapore has never been the same. In fact, since then, it has pretty much sucked. Horse Buddy told me the Singapore League (or S-League as it's commonly known) matches on Fridays were particularly interesting though. According to him, there's no entrance fee on Friday matches and there are usually 400 packets of beehoon or nasi lemak (fragrant coconut rice) given away. (cont'd) the mrbrown show: married not enough Ministers are always there to lend a listening ear and a pledge of support for your time of need. Call one at mrbrownshow.com! Up very early for a bicycle ride Woke up at 4am this morning for my 40km event at OCBC Cycle. It is not a pretty hour for a night bird like me but hey, it's once a year. I am riding with my Dahon folding bike buddies, just taking it easy because we are not Lance-Armstrong-wannabes. Riding a small wheeled bike attracts a lot of attention when most of the bikes there were road bikes. One gentleman said to me "You are riding that? Respect, man!". I smiled and said thanks, and told him it really wasn't so bad since I had 24 gears, optimized for my bike, to play with.  Up very early for a bicycle ride Union Chief Lim Swee Say: We are like a little deaf frog, deaf to all criticisms. Figures. I love Lim Swee Say. He says the darnedest things. Like this fable he told in Parliament: THE story goes that in a kingdom of frogs, the tallest tower in the world is built for an annual competition. And when the event is held, many aim to become the champion by making it to the top, but fail as they are discouraged by the audience, who warn that the climb is too dangerous. All except one frog who did reach the top. And when asked afterwards why he ignored the crowd, the frog said: 'I'm deaf. I can't hear them.' With this tale, labour chief Lim Swee Say responded to opposition MP Low Thia Khiang (Hougang), who repeated his criticism of a day earlier that low- wage workers continue to languish, and that the labour movement ought to do better and work harder. Mr Lim's point: Despite criticisms like those levelled by the Workers' Party chief, the labour movement continues to address problems faced by low-wage workers and to improve their situation. 'We never give up. We are like the little frog. We are deaf to all these criticisms,' he said. The deafness may also explain the singing. I give you, once again, "Upturn the Downturn"!: (The original video at Young NTUC was made private. Why ah? Shy issit? I found an alternative version at Youtube anyway. A song like this sung by our nation's leaders should not remain hidden. It is a jewel to be shared and enjoyed.) Union Chief Lim Swee Say: We are like a little deaf frog, deaf to all criticisms. Figures. I love Lim Swee Say. He says the darnedest things. Like this fable he told in Parliament: THE story goes that in a kingdom of frogs, the tallest tower in the world is built for an annual competition. And when the event is held, many aim to become the champion by making it to the top, but fail as they are discouraged by the audience, who warn that the climb is too dangerous. All except one frog who did reach the top. And when asked afterwards why he ignored the crowd, the frog said: 'I'm deaf. I can't hear them.' With this tale, labour chief Lim Swee Say responded to opposition MP Low Thia Khiang (Hougang), who repeated his criticism of a day earlier that low- wage workers continue to languish, and that the labour movement ought to do better and work harder. Mr Lim's point: Despite criticisms like those levelled by the Workers' Party chief, the labour movement continues to address problems faced by low-wage workers and to improve their situation. 'We never give up. We are like the little frog. We are deaf to all these criticisms,' he said. The deafness may also explain the singing. I give you, once again, "Upturn the Downturn"!: (The original video at Young NTUC was made private. Why ah? Shy issit? I found an alternative version at Youtube anyway. A song like this sung by our nation's leaders should not remain hidden. It is a jewel to be shared and enjoyed.) CNNGo column: Singapore Budget 2010 — Not quite the expected "ang pow" Latest CNNGo.com "Say What? with mrbrown" column: Singapore Budget 2010 — Not quite the expected "ang pow" Excerpt: ...Speaking of ang pows, I think I speak for most of us when I say that the Budget this year does not seem very ang pow. Sure there are rebates and property tax cuts here and there but the Maybe-Election-Year ang pows did not materialize. Instead, we were told that a couple of billion dollars went into schemes to up our productivity and help small businesses. It reminded me of Chinese New Year in my childhood where you open the ang pow expecting a nice haul only to get $1.20 and a box of chocolates instead. I am sure the box of almost expired Unknown China Brand chocolates is good for my long term financial well-being and future productivity but nothing says Happy New Year to a kid like some cold hard cash. I should be gracious, of course. Just like our Chinese New Year ang pows, with the Singapore Budget it is the thought that counts. (cont'd) CNNGo column: Singapore Budget 2010 — Not quite the expected "ang pow" Latest CNNGo.com "Say What? with mrbrown" column: Singapore Budget 2010 — Not quite the expected "ang pow" Excerpt: ...Speaking of ang pows, I think I speak for most of us when I say that the Budget this year does not seem very ang pow. Sure there are rebates and property tax cuts here and there but the Maybe-Election-Year ang pows did not materialize. Instead, we were told that a couple of billion dollars went into schemes to up our productivity and help small businesses. It reminded me of Chinese New Year in my childhood where you open the ang pow expecting a nice haul only to get $1.20 and a box of chocolates instead. I am sure the box of almost expired Unknown China Brand chocolates is good for my long term financial well-being and future productivity but nothing says Happy New Year to a kid like some cold hard cash. I should be gracious, of course. Just like our Chinese New Year ang pows, with the Singapore Budget it is the thought that counts. (cont'd) Real Estate Professor who sits on HDB Board: "Housing in Singapore Still Affordable" After reading this piece in the Straits Times on how the HDB is still affordable in Singapore, we are told that the writers who wrote it, Tu Yong and Yu Shi Ming, are from the Department of Real Estate, National University of Singapore. What it did not mention was that one of them, Professor Yu Shi Ming, sits on the board of HDB and is also a Real Estate Professor who sits on HDB Board: "Housing in Singapore Still Affordable" After reading this piece in the Straits Times on how the HDB is still affordable in Singapore, we are told that the writers who wrote it, Tu Yong and Yu Shi Ming, are from the Department of Real Estate, National University of Singapore. What it did not mention was that one of them, Professor Yu Shi Ming, sits on the board of HDB and is also a via) SM Goh: Govt does not decide characteristics of Singapore's markets When I read the CNA headline: "Govt does not decide characteristics of Singapore's markets", I thought SM Goh was commenting on stock market or some business thing. Then I realised, oh, he was really talking about markets, WET markets. Did anyone ask him other important stuff like if he thinks the fish was fresh that morning? SM Goh: Govt does not decide characteristics of Singapore's markets the mrbrown show: foreign bodies An urgent meeting on how to make citizens feel better with more foreign bodies around, at mrbrownshow.com! Ministers got early angpow? The headline of this TODAY piece says: "Committed to going green", about the gahmen going green. But tucked in the last part of the piece was this line: "Salaries for political appointments - ministers, ministers of state and parliamentary secretaries - are estimated to be $58.28 million, or 8.8 per cent higher than last year. If I didn't read this article all the way through, I would have missed this important piece of news. Next time put it as a separate headline lah. Something like: "Ministers, ministers of state and parliamentary secretaries got 8.8% more pay! Hooray!" If not, how will Singaporeans know that their very talented political appointment holders were given yet another well-deserved pay raise, right? Ministers got early angpow? CNNGo column: Foot reflexology and misleading movie trailers Latest CNNGo.com "Say What? with mrbrown" column: Foot reflexology and misleading movie trailers Excerpt: As I caught up on my daily fare of important news of the day, I spotted this headline from Malaysian news: "Malaysian parlour offering naked orgies in guise of foot massages" According to the news report, police raided foot massage centers in Malaysia and found many foot masseuses from China and Indonesia without a stitch on, and with naked male clients. What a shocker. Massage centres that were actually prostitution dens. Who would've guessed? The article went on to say that not only were these foreign masseuses massaging the feet of their male customers, they were also offering massage on the "most sensitive part of the body." Presumably they are not referring to their clients' hearts. (cont'd) CNNGo column: Foot reflexology and misleading movie trailers Latest CNNGo.com "Say What? with mrbrown" column: Foot reflexology and misleading movie trailers Excerpt: As I caught up on my daily fare of important news of the day, I spotted this headline from Malaysian news: "Malaysian parlour offering naked orgies in guise of foot massages" According to the news report, police raided foot massage centers in Malaysia and found many foot masseuses from China and Indonesia without a stitch on, and with naked male clients. What a shocker. Massage centres that were actually prostitution dens. Who would've guessed? The article went on to say that not only were these foreign masseuses massaging the feet of their male customers, they were also offering massage on the "most sensitive part of the body." Presumably they are not referring to their clients' hearts. (cont'd) Aeroplane Chess On the morning of Chinese New Year, I woke up to the kids playing Chinese Aeroplane Chess (飞行棋) in the living room. I smiled at the sight of the two of them rolling the dice and moving their round aeroplane tile around the map because it reminded me of a time when I played it as a child. Then Joy suddenly declared she didn't want to play anymore, and stomped away in a huff, to sulk under a table. "I don't want to play anymore," she said in exasperation, "I keep losing and I want to win." Isaac tried to convince her to come back to the game while playing for the two of them. He rolled the dice and moved her counter, then rolled the dice and moved his own. "Look Joy Joy! We are both winning! Come back and play with me lah!" Joy was still too mad to take up his cheerful offer. And collapsed dramatically on the sofa. I laughed out loud, wondering how I was going to teach the two of them about learning to accept losing and winning graciously. Before I even thought that through, the kids were already playing something else, forgetting about the game and about winning and losing. If only we knew how to get over things that quickly as adults. Aeroplane Chess Insing column: mrbrown and the online New Year Latest weekly Insing column is "mrbrown and the online New Year" Excerpt: ...In our family visitations, relatives would whip out their new iPhone and an animated discussion would begin, usually over the question, "What app you have on your iPhone ah?" That would be followed by "Eh! Add me on Facebook leh! I want to tag you in the Chinese New Year photos I took of you!" And just like that, cousins, uncles and aunts would friend each other on the spot. Where once we actually had to wait till next Chinese New Year to see this year's photos, we could now see the photos the very next day. (cont'd) Insing column: mrbrown and the online New Year Latest weekly Insing column is "mrbrown and the online New Year" Excerpt: ...In our family visitations, relatives would whip out their new iPhone and an animated discussion would begin, usually over the question, "What app you have on your iPhone ah?" That would be followed by "Eh! Add me on Facebook leh! I want to tag you in the Chinese New Year photos I took of you!" And just like that, cousins, uncles and aunts would friend each other on the spot. Where once we actually had to wait till next Chinese New Year to see this year's photos, we could now see the photos the very next day. (cont'd) the mrbrown show: CRAP training Elite police force trains to fight the onslaught of casino crime at mrbrownshow.com!