For Your Delectation

All My Vignettes On Me Blog
As I sit at a corner blogging away (it was the best location I could choose, given that all other PCs face the glare of the windows' light and thus turn up a dark plasmic screen), I can't help notice how blogging has afforded me the scope to write on everything under the sun. I have counted film reviews, soccer matches and humorous imaginative pieces among my blog list. Hurrah for blogs!

The Other AFC U-17 Championships
This time it was Yemen versus Tajikistan. Takikistan, if you must know, is a landlocked country in Central Asia, formerly part of the USSR until the latter's collapse and disintegration into the Commonwealth of Independent States.

I understand that Yemen was leading at 2-0 but it is now a draw at 2-2. The Tajikistanis pulled out all the stops in their forward tackles. All their near misses, long and wide shots, headers and the soccer ball ricocheting, did not deter them. It only spurred them on.

In good time, they were rewarded and trounced Yemen, the latter trailing behind at 4-2. But when the match went into a 2-minute extra time, Yemen, not to be outshone, superbly tackled, accurately passed and skilfully hotfooted their 3rd winning goal of the match.

The teams lined themselves up on the field, shook each other's hands and bowed to the spectators, sorta.

Cheers, Singapore
On the same day of the AFC U-17 Championships, the battle for the Asian Cup between Singapore and China was also hotting up. It was a goal-less draw.

The next day, a sports writer for the Straits Times wrote about how Singapore has slowly but surely gained a foothold in regional and international competitions. He stoutly defended the need to play in such events for experience and exposure. Something I whole-heartedly agree with.

When there was talk of Walt Disney possibly setting up shop here and when we clinched the right to host the 2013 SEA games, I cheered. We have also done ourselves proud in hosting the 2006 IMF/WB meetings.

Above all, we have trumpeted to the world our distinct city in the garden image and a truly cosmopolitan society, with more than astounding tolerance and respect for each other. We have infact miscegenated and lived on one another's cuisines as part of our three square meals' sustenance.

These are the little things we should root for and keep at!

The National Schools Sports Championships
The undisputed King of the boys' B and C division is ACS (I), with a whopping 13 titles while RGS has only 10. RJC is tops in the A division but moi isn't sure if this is so for the girls' category. I know for a fact the boys are. For the boys' championships, RI and Catholic High are in a joint second and the Singapore Sports School third.

I followed the national schools competition with relish. Single-sex schools seem to dominate and their sportsmanship will be the harbinger of things to come for national and international events.

The Foreign Talent Debate
At the Asian Cup, one third of the 39000 spectators were the Chinese supporters. That is about 13000 strong. It makes me wonder if any of our PRs would count among them and how they would sort out their nationalistic feelings in rooting for who.

When I travelled to SF and checked into one of its bayside motels, I was greeted by a sea of Filipino receptionists. What struck me was how I didn't get to see a single true-blue American on my first arrival. So is this what we want to portray to the world? A disproportionately mis-represented citizenry. Is this the Phillipines or America that I am visiting?

I am glad we are beginning to rethink and trying to building up our very own skilled pool of workers for the real estate construction trade. We must do likewise for our other frontline service industries. Be it retail or healthcare. And our foreign talent in some of these sectors aint exactly paid peanuts which could be better served going the way of our local wage force.

Apart from national identity issues, there is also the issue of accented confusion in communication. Kinda hard straining one's ears to listen for advice or information, especially if this is of a life-or-death nature in prescriptive instructions for example.

Mothers, teach your sons this
Given how some women's issues have turned out (careerists and feminists battling for equal rights at employment, abidicating motherhood responsibilities altogether, or relegating such duties to surogates, etc, etc), mothers may be wise to teach their sons some tactics in relating with women, girls, whatever.

That well-brought up, accomodating and profusely apologetic son may just prove to be easy picking for being trampled upon or manipulated by wily feminine charming types or corporate battleaxes.

For the sake of the continuity and survival of the male species, you can do just this little bit for your son and for the well-being of the increasingly endangered Xy gender.

Steve Irwin Is Dead?
Incredulous! A bolt from the blue! These were just some of my initial reactions to news of his death. Steve Irwin, that gutsy, gung-ho, go-getter of a naturalist, cannot possibly be floored and killed by a barbed stingray now, can he? One minute you see him on TV dicing with death, manhandling all manner of venomous and wildly dangerous creatures. The next minute, headlines herald news of his demise.

What it boils down to is this : Nature must be accorded its full respect, in all its glory and fury. No man can subordinate nature. Not that whirl of a sea and wind storm, that bolt of lightning or even that gentle, kindly Asiatic elephant. Man, can only watch and marvel, albeit from a safe distance.