遗失的美好
海的思念绵延不绝
终于和天在地平线交会
爱如果走得够远
应该也会跟幸福相见
承诺常常很像蝴蝶
美丽的飞盘旋然后不见
但我相信你给我的誓言
就像一定会来的春天
我始终带着你爱的微笑
一路上寻找我遗失的美好
不小心当泪滑过嘴角
就用你握过的手抹掉
再多的风景也从不停靠
只一心寻找我遗失的美好
有的人说不清哪里好
但就是谁都替代不了
在最开始的那一秒有些事早已经注定要到老
虽然命运爱开玩笑真心会和真心遇到
Really like the lyrics of this song. Couldn't quite decide whose version to put on my blog - Kelly Poon's, or Zhang Shao Han. In the end, i decided to go with the former... smaller file size... haha.
家 - Home
Couldn't decide to post the English or Chinese version of this song online... in the end, i found a bilingual version of the song... but for the English portion of the song, only the chorus is sung. The lyrics are below...HOME (National Day 1998) sung by Kit Chan
Whenever I am feeling low
I look around me and I know
There's a place that will stay within me
Wherever I may choose to go
I will always recall the city
Know every street and shore
Sail down the river which brings us life
Winding through my Singapore
Chorus:
This is Home, truly
Where I know I must be
Where my dreams wait for me
Where that river always flows
This is home, surely
As my senses tell me
This is where I won't be alone
For this is where I know it's home
When there are troubles to go through
We'll find a way to start anew
There is comfort in the knowledge
That homes about its people too
So we'll build our dreams together
Just like we've done before
Just like the river which brings us life
There'll always be Singapore
Chorus(repeat 2X)
This is Home, truly
Where I know I must be
Where my dreams wait for me
Where that river always flows
This is home, surely
As my senses tell me
This is where I won't be alone
For this is where I know it's home
(For this is where I know, I'm HOME)
家
每一次我感到徬徨
不自禁就会回头望
我知道心中有个地方
一定会有一盏灯
照亮每一颗黑暗的心房
指引未来方向
沿着生命河流向前航
就能登陆理想
我的家收藏
我的欢喜悲伤
只要点燃希望
梦就会自由飞翔
我的家给我
一双坚定翅膀
我的梦不论在何方
一生的爱唯有家(世世代代温暖的家)
再也不会感到徬徨
不会再失意回头望
我要用心中一点烛光
燃放千万户辉煌
要让繁华的城市更灿烂
世界和平共享
全凭生命河流来导航
一起登陆理想
My Lion City
Sunday April 23, 2006 The Star'Stupid' remarks stir up hornet's nestBy SEAH CHIANG NEESINGAPOREANS are affluent, educated, but are they really survival smart?In a world of harsher living, this question that never dies has againgrabbed the public focus here with a general election less than two weeksaway.At the core of the debate: Without natural resources, the Singaporeanincreasingly has to depend on his own guile, not only a good education, tosurvive; has he got it?It's not a new debate. In the past decade, the Education Ministry has changed the education system to teach independent thinking andentrepreneurship to correct some fundamental defects in the averageworker.The average Singaporean is good at academic studies and works hard, butfalls short on individual initiative and streetwise qualities, relying toomuch on the government for help.Revisiting the debate is controversial Taiwan lawmaker Li Ao, who recentlyranked Singaporeans rather lower in natural intelligence to the people inTaiwan and Hong Kong."Taiwanese are scoundrels, but lovable, Hong Kong people are craftier,(Chinese mainlanders are unfathomable) and Singaporeans are stupider," hesaid, adding that it is partially due to genetics. The original migrantswho came here from China were of "poor stock".Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew once told Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping thatthe ethnic Chinese in Singapore were descendants of illiterate coolies andfarmers from southern Fujian.This had made them less able than the people of Hong Kong or Taiwan, whoseancestors were mainly businessman or technocrats.Singaporeans could function well only as a group, not as individuals, Litold a Chinese newspaper. They would never be non-conformist or stand outabove the crowd."If you ask me, other than Lee Kuan Yew, his son Hsien Loong, politiciansaside, I can only think of a cute girl, (pop star) Stephanie Sun, therearen't many other outstanding people. The impression that I get (of normalSingaporeans) is stupid".Singapore's system, Li said, stemmed from the ancient Chinese politicalphilosophy of legalism, which emphasised on the rule of law."Singaporeans do not break rules, but they also do not stand out," he saidin Mandarin.He said Lee Kuan Yew had wanted to build a British-style democracy butbecause the people were not up to scratch, they only knew how to toe the line.His report card on Singapore has shaken up the people at a time whenelection fever is rising, indirectly touching on a campaign issue ?government control on society.Predictably, Singaporeans have reacted angrily to the terms "stupid" and"poor genes", dismissing them as a popularity stunt that takes no accountof their successful, modern achievements. This "genetic weakness" doesn'taptly describe today's diverse, more mature and worldly-wise generation.But some critics say there is some truth in what Li said, but insist thatthe fault lies not in genes, but in years of political and socialconditioning by a top-down government.One writer however, said: "A better word to describe the Singaporean isnaïve, which comes about because of a paternalistic and rather efficientgovernment. Everything is so structured and laid-out that the people donot need to fight for a living, blunting their ability to compete. They'relulled into thinking the outside world also behave like Singapore."Businessmen from Taiwan and Hong Kong are more alert to opportunities, aswell as cheats, compared to even the capable Singaporeans, whosepreoccupation is getting a high salary.They know where to take the short cuts when faced with a problem;Singaporeans will just sit and wait for better days.Under the Lee Kuan Yew leadership, the collective good comes before theindividual, so the republic's success is a "collective creation", Li added.The individual is often lost on his own.It has led some critics to ask whether the Singaporean has an originalviewpoint of his own beyond what the government says."I won't say we are stupid. We are just not daring and street-smart,"commented a Singaporean studying abroad. In his university, other Asianstudents would walk up to the microphone and talk about some cause, not the Singaporeans, he said.Li Ao is not alone in his views. Singaporean columnist Wong Lung Hsiangsaid it reflected what he heard in China that "Taiwanese are shameless,Hong Kongers are heartless, Singaporeans are ignorant".In Greater China, law-abiding Singaporeans have long been seen as gullible..In a commentary in November last year, Wong advised Singaporeans totreasure their own system at home, "but when you are away, you should knowhow to adapt to others".What Chinese Singaporeans have inherited from their grandparents ispeasant culture, explained "peasant judge" online."Peasants don't care for much else except a bowl of rice on the table, aroof over their heads, and the chance to go out to the rice fields to dothe daily back-breaking chores day in day out."Politics, too, is affected. Almost everyone goes to the polls with hisrice-bowl in mind.
It occupies the citizen's mind a lot more than his counterparts in othercountries, who are more passionate about issues like justice and equality."Just imagine, well-informed Singaporeans advocating a one-party rule,saying it is good for the future. If this is not stupidity, what is?'asked redbean.This could be a recipe for future trouble should a foreign predator oneday use this character weakness to take over the country.All he needs to do to retain the people's compliance is by keeping theirstomach full and their mind empty.--------------------------------I briefly read through this article before but i didn't think it was worth commenting on. When the above was forwarded via email to me, i was going to just write a short reply to my friend... but then i decided... heck, i might as well post my reply online:-
Of 'cos there are some Singaporeans who are overly dependent on the government and blame the government for all their woes. But there is an even greater number of people in other countries that depend wholly on government handouts & social welfare for their day to day expenses, living as tramps on the streets, under bridges, etc. If the typical blue-collar Singaporean is concerned solely about bread & butter issues, at least he's taking personal responsibility in ensuring that he's not living off the generosity of others. I say aye to that rather than people who are streetsmart - and live on the streets.
And if individualism is heavily promoted and adhered to by society, as it is in certain countries (esp. the one that takes "freedom of speech" as a sacred entitlement), what comes out of it? What kind of scandals and destruction have those countries caused?
I would say that Singapore has a very well-balanced system of democracy + socialism. We are a social democratic country and this system has worked well for us.
I'll rather have a one-party parliament that's focused on bringing Singapore into the next lap of economic competition, than a parliament whose politicians' main activity is wrestling. (Sure, at least citizens of those countries will never fall asleep watching parliament on TV).
I'll rather have a country where the police pre-empts/steps in to prevent/break up any sort of illegal public demonstrations, than a country that sends tankers to bulldoze its citizens.
I'll rather have a country where citizens enjoy racial harmony & religious tolerance, than countries that clam down on religious freedom and where i can get shot for the colour of my skin.
In fact, i'm thankful even for the fact that my country allows me to post this blog entry without government imposed restrictions on what sites i can or cannot go.
Are Singaporeans stupid? I'll let the quality of life i live here in Singapore speak for itself.
P/S Who the heck is redbean?? (highlighted in red above, pun unintended.)
Wisdom to know the Difference
The Serenity Prayer
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things i cannot change;
courage to change the things i can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living on day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as i would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if i surrender to His Will;
that i may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.
--Reinhold Niebuhr
Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will direct your paths.
Proverbs 3, 5-6
Majulah Singapura
Since i'm on the topic of Singapore.... here's the national anthem... heh. Honestly, i sing it by pure memory of the sounds of the words... never did bother to remember the meaning of each line. But since i'm feeling patriotic now... here are the lyrics in Malay, and the English translation. :)MAJULAH SINGAPURA
Mari kita rakyat Singapura
Sama-sama menuju bahagia
Cita-cita kita yang mulia
Berjaya Singapura
Marilah kita bersatu
Dengan semangat yang baru
Semua kita berseru
Majulah Singapura
Majulah Singapura
ONWARD SINGAPORE
(English Translation)
Come, fellow Singaporeans
Let us progress towards happiness together
May our noble aspiration bring
Singapore success
Come, let us unite
In a new spirit
Let our voices soar as one
Onward Singapore
Onward Singapore
Musical Fine Print
Just had a slight debate with my dad. He was watching the news and said that the police / govt are being unfair to a certain Wayang Party politician by detaining him. I say, just too bad. I mean, if you want to play punk in politics, then you just have to face the music. My dad said that it was a simple case of "he forgot". But i say that's bullshit. If you read the "fine print" in the newspapers (i.e. if you read the whole story instead of just the headlines) , you'll realise that Mr. Wayang wasn't as innocent as he claimed. Oh no... it wasn't a simple case of "i forgot in a moment of distraction". As Mr. Wayang's party chairman said herself, the party never intended to field him in AMK. Hence, if he wasn't going to be in AMK, there was no need for him to get a minority cert. Since there was no need for a minority cert, why the whole drama of him claming that he had submitted the form, wagging his finger at the election dept people and warning them about "consequences" for losing his cert?? So how to pity him now? Want to play dirty then don't be so stupid right? Bo wey gong! (Nothing to say.) Sigh! *Shakes head*----------------------------------------------------
For background info of this post, please see:
http://multimedia.asiaone.com.sg/03f/story.htmlOther interesting links:
Singapore GE 2006GE 2006 ResultsComment by Wong Kan SengWP's "Suicide Party"
Pinky on my lap!
This is the last video for now... Pinky jumping onto my lap (taken 28/3/2006). Sooo cute. Pardon my ga-ga tone whenever i talk to Pinky in the videos... heh.
Brickbats & Bouquet(s)
Sigh... i got into another tussle with Singtel. Sheesh, if only i could get into an exercise routine as regular as these fights!!Anyway, i'm tired of having to repeat my entire story here, so i'm just going to copy & paste my latest email to Singtel.Oh btw, there is a happy ending. (Disclaimer: So far) :PTo: feedback@singtel.com
Date: May 4, 2006 1:49 AM
Subject:
Of brickbats & bouquets
Dear Sirs,
I have sent numerous brickbats to Singtel over the past month because of misrepresentation and lousy service given by Singtel staff. I am glad to say that I can finally send an email to Singtel, to compliment one of your staff.
Two nights ago, a friend of mine sent 2 MMS to me but I never received them. Out of the blue, I received 2 SMS from Singtel tonight saying that there are 2 MMS waiting for me at the IDEAS website and they were the 2 MMS that my friend sent 2 nights ago.
I called Singtel 1626 and spoke to a Prakesh (I did not not quite catch his name though I did record our conversation) and he was not helpful at all. He suggested that the reason for my not receiving the MMS was because my phone settings were wrong. But this was not possible because I have been receiving and sending MMS the past month since getting my phone. He then suggested that perhaps the MMS my friend sent was bigger than 6M and hence my phone was unable to receive them.
After getting off the line with Prakesh, I checked with my friend and she said that the MMS she sent to me was only 26KB. This was verified when I logged into the IDEAS website and saw that the picture she sent was approximately 27KB.
I then called 1626 again and spoke to a lady called Vijay. Vijay said that she would do a line reset and asked me to power off and on my phone in 2 mins, after which, I was to send a test MMS to myself. I told Vijay that I would do as instructed but I rejected the idea of sending a test MMS to myself. Why should I pay for a test MMS if this was a Singtel problem? Vijay said that this was a very common problem with MMS users and that the fault lies with my handphone.
This was illogical to me because if the fault was with my handphone, then how does Singtel resetting the line help my handphone? Anyway, I requested that Vijay send a test MMS to me again and she agreed to do so. Thus I waited... I waited for 19min from 11:46pm to 12:05am and there still was no MMS.
So I called 1626 a third time. This time, I spoke to Gary Liew. At first, he also insisted that he could not send me any test MMS because there were "no phones allowed" in his office. I asked to speak to Vijay again and to my alarm, she had knocked off!! How could she be so irresponsible as to make an empty promise to a customer and then run off because her shift was over?? When I was working for a similar helpdesk, I always made sure that I followed-up with all outstanding customer requests before leaving the office!
Anyway, after much insistence on part, Gary still said that he could not send any MMS during his shift. I asked to speak to his supervisor, who was unfortunately on the phone. When his supervisor (Julia) did not return my call within 15min, Gary called me back to explain that she was still on the line but he got her permission to send a test MMS using my IDEAS web portal, and waive off the cost of that MMS.
And so the test MMS was finally sent, and I received it. What I want to highlight is that Gary's attitude was definitely positive. He did not show any signs of frustration at me, an irate customer, and he was responsible enough to follow up my request with his supervisor. So although I was very pissed by the first 2 CSOs I spoke to, I think Gary managed to resolve the issue and at least convert me to a happy customer once again.
Please send my thanks to Gary. Thank you.
Regards,