Will you be coming with pemuda? I look forward to seeing you and you better check my number to confirm. I hope I can still recognize you as I think the good life down under must have transformed you into ???
Nintendo game by S'pore firm The Straits Times Oct 16, 2009 By Chua Hian Hou LOCAL video game developer Gevo Entertainment has launched a Nintendo Wii game. Priced at 8 euros (about $16.60), the game, Little Tournament Over Yonder, is available to the game console's European customers via its online store WiiWare. WiiWare is an online marketplace for indie software developers making products for its Wii console, akin to Apple's AppStore for its iPod and iPhone products. For now, the game cannot be downloaded by Singapore gamers, but Gevo is working on a version for release on the Wii's American download site, which is accessible to Singapore gamers. The game is 'one of the first, maybe even the first' Singapore-made game to be released on WiiWare, said Gevo's head of development Woo Ming Wei. The game was created over four months by six Gevo employees. This is four-year-old Gevo's first attempt in creating its own title; its previous Nintendo Dual Screen and Wii games were bankrolled by game publishers like Ubisoft. 'Previously, it was very expensive to publish a game, the big publishers controlled the distribution, and you needed money to do marketing ... the barriers to entry for an indie developer were quite high,' said Mr Woo.
Cultural Medallion winner for Chinese writer The Straits Times Oct 16, 2009 By Tay Suan Chiang CHINESE writer Tham Yew Chin has raised three children while holding down a full-time job and still managed to publish 140 books over 30 years. Just how does she do it? 'With very little sleep, just about four hours a night,' said the writer, whose pen name is You Jin. Her books, which have sold more than a million copies are mostly about her encounters with people that she meets in her life locally and overseas, have made such an impact that she was awarded the Cultural Medallion, Singapore's highest arts award, on Friday night. Madam Tham, 59, whose children are aged 25 to 32, was until June this year a Chinese-language teacher at Pioneer Junior College. She has also worked at the National Library as a librarian, and was a journalist at the now defunct Nanyang Siang Bao, a Chinese-language daily newspaper, in the late 1970s. In a ceremony at the Istana, President SR Nathan also awarded medallions to visual artist Ang Ah Tee, Singapore Symphony Orchestra conductor Lan Shui and dancer Angela Liong. To date, including the four this year, 97 awards have been handed out. Past recipients include Professor Edwin Thumboo, musician **** Lee and filmmaker Eric Khoo. Recipients receive a medallion, a lapel pin and a certificate, and are eligible for a $80,000 grant.
S.o.s. ..they could send & use one of the submarines.. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091017/ap_on_re_af/piracy_1 ======================================================== Somali pirates hijack Singapore-flagged ship News Sat Oct 17, 10:07 am ET NAIROBI, Kenya – European Union naval officials say Somali pirates have hijacked a Singapore-flagged container ship. A statement on the Web site of the EU anti-piracy force says the Kota Wajar was seized early Thursday in the Indian Ocean about 300 miles (480 kilometers) north of the Seychelles islands. The statement says coalition forces sent an aircraft to investigate. It was not immediately clear how many crew were onboard or what their nationalities were. Calls to naval officials went unanswered on Saturday. Somalia has been ravaged by violence and anarchy since 1991 and piracy has flourished off its coast, making the Gulf of Aden one of the most dangerous waterways in the world.
Too dangerous for Singapore ... ... to send one of their 2nd hand battery operated submarine to Somalia. Them pirates over there are mean and heavily armed.
NTU school up 10 spots The Straits Times Oct 19, 2009 By Lee Su Shyan THE Nanyang Business School (NBS) has improved its global MBA rankings in the latest survey by The Economist magazine. It moved up 10 places to No. 71 from No. 81 last year. On the Financial Times list released earlier this year, NBS came in at No. 24. The Economist uses different criteria. It judges the school from the students' perspective. Hence, the factors used to rank the MBA schools include opening up new career opportunities, personal development and educational experience, salary increase and the potential to network. NBS likely improved its rankings because of two areas - careers and alumni. The school said it has devoted more resources to career services and has managed to place more jobs through The Nanyang MBA career services. It also expanded its overseas alumni network and engaged the alumni more actively. The Nanyang Business School is now No. 71, up from No. 81 last year, on The Economist list. -- PHOTO: NANYANG BUSINESS SCHOOL
Taste of S'pore at Apec The Straits Times Oct 20, 2009 A home-grown flavour for everything from jackets to entertainment By Fiona Chan WHEN United States President Barack Obama attends the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) meetings in Singapore next month, he will be decked out in a jacket designed by home-grown fashion designer Wykidd Song. All the leaders from Apec's 21 member economies will also enjoy a multimedia entertainment show directed by entertainer **** Lee, cultural performances directed by theatre director Jeremiah Choy and use furniture designed by Urban Foundry's Felix Low. These well-known Singapore names are among nearly 20,000 people roped in to help organise the Apec Leaders Week meetings that will take place here from Nov 8 to 15, said the organising committee of Apec Singapore 2009 yesterday. Most of them will be fielded by 40 Singapore government agencies, ranging from the National Heritage Board to the National Water Agency, and 330 companies and associations here, including the Singapore Hotel Association, Microsoft, SingTel, OCBC Bank and Asia Pacific Breweries Singapore. There will also be about 1,700 volunteers positioned at Changi Airport, designated Apec hotels, buses and Apec social events. They will be able to help the 10,000 delegates expected here with anything from directions to information about Singapore and Apec. Wykidd Song, fashion designer, will design a suit that President Barack Obama will wear when he attends the Apec forum here in Singapore. -- ST PHOTO: CHOO CHWEE HUA
New S'pore-M'sia air links The Straits Times Oct 19, 2009 By Karamjit Kaur NEW air links have been opened between Singapore and six destinations in Malaysia, including the islands of Labuan and Sibu. Airlines flying between the two countries have also been given the green light to operate services to Alor Setar, Kota Bahru and Kerteh, as well as Bintulu in East Malaysia. Following air talks held earlier on Monday, both governments have also decided to allow more flights between Singapore and 10 other destinations in Malaysia, including Ipoh, Langkawi, Malacca and Kuantan. Singapore and Malaysia carriers can also operate an unrestricted number of cargo servics to selected points including Kuala Lumpur and Penang, Singapore's Transport Ministry said in a statement on Monday. Malaysia Airlines low-cost arm Firefly is keen on Alor Setar and Kota Bahru. It currently flies out of Singapore to Subang near Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh, Kuantan and Terengganu. Singapore low-cost carriers Tiger Airways and Jetstar Asia both welcomed the liberalisation, adding that while there were no immediate plans to start new routes or increase frequency on existing ones, the further opening of the market would allow them to move in quicly when there is demand.
Esplanade funding hit by crisis but it found creative ways to fight back, The Straits Times Oct 19, 2009 By Cassandra Chew FUNDING for performance arts centre The Esplanade was severely affected by the economic downturn, but it found creative ways to fight back, said Acting Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Lui Tuck Yew. Ticket prices were lowered and more free programmes were offered. Also, unusual spaces like its rooftop were rented out and tenants at its shopping mall were given rebates. These moves helped The Esplanade to operate within its means, 'without incurring any deficits since its inception', said Rear Admiral (NS) Lui in Parliament on Monday. One thing it did not do is cut programming, he added. The Esplanade, as an Institution of Public Character, relies on revenue sources such as ticket sales, sponsorships and rent as well as government grants, to stay afloat. In this crisis, it lost sponsors and commercial productions. Replacement bookings were not as profitable, said the minister.
World's largest jigsaw puzzle The Straits Times Oct 18, 2009 Assembling jigsaw puzzles draws people together, so the activity is a popular hobby here By Jocelyn Lee A SINGAPORE family has completed the world's largest jigsaw puzzle. Taking pride of place in Mr Andrew Thio's three bedroom condominium in Jurong is a 24,000-piece creation measuring 4.28m by 1.57m. It takes up almost the entire wall of his living room. The 40-year-old and his family took 55 days to assemble the huge colourful picture of animals, sailboats, planets and the ocean. After completing it in March, they framed it with a yellow border and hung it in their home. The puzzle is officially registered as the world's largest commercial jigsaw puzzle in the Guinness World Records.
'Why we stayed home' The Straits Times Oct 20, 2009 By Zakir Hussain SRI Temasek is the official residence of the Prime Minister and when Mr Lee Kuan Yew assumed the post 50 years ago, he and his wife took their three young children there to play. The bungalow in the Istana is on high ground, and the ball their sons and daughter were playing with rolled down the slope. 'The butler ran 50 or 60 yards to pick up the ball and bring it back,' recalled the Minister Mentor last night. 'My wife and I watched that and said, 'No, no, if we stay here for five years, my children will grow up believing that life is like that, that somebody will always pick up balls for them,' he said. 'So we stayed at home (in Oxley Road) and I think that's been good for them.' Mr Lee related this anecdote at a university forum, to show how he and Mrs Lee made sure their children grew up self-reliant. However, his grandchildren were growing up much more comfortably, MM said. 'That is the problem we face today' - many parents understand what it is to be poor, but their children do not, he added. MM Lee and family at the Istana in earlier days. -- SOURCE: LEE KUAN YEW
Social divide 'inevitable' The Straits Times Oct 20, 2009 Global competition cuts wages at the bottom but boosts those at the top By Jeremy Au Yong HAVING a minimum wage in place here to narrow the income gap could do more harm than good, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew said last night. In fact, every country that has set a minimum wage over what the market will bear has found that the move cuts jobs, he noted. Employers who are forced to deal with higher staff costs would simply find ways to hire less people. That is why Singapore's approach has been to create as many jobs as possible, while leaving the market to decide the right level of pay. The rationale for this is that having any job is better than having no job. 'Never mind your Gini coefficient. If you don't have a job you get zero against those with jobs. So our first priority is jobs for everybody,' he said. The Gini coefficient measures the income distribution across a country and is often used as gauge of the income gap. MM Lee was responding to a question about what Singapore could do to narrow its income gap. Mr Elvin Ong, a fourth year social sciences and business student from the Singapore Management University, had asked him what Singapore could do to help its bottom 20 per cent. The gap between the haves and have-nots is a recurrent political issue in Singapore and there have been concerted efforts by the Government to do more for the low income group. MM Lee said that having a minimum wage in Singapore could prove to have adverse effects. -- ST PHOTO: CHEW SENG KIM
Resorts World at Sentosa (RWS) unveils 20 attractions The Straits Times Oct 20, 2009 By Lim Wei Chean THE world's highest duelling roller coasters, a peek at what a working Hollywood sound stage is like and a chance to take a trip into Jurassic Park - these are among the 20 attractions which will open at Resorts World at Sentosa's Universal Studios theme park in early 2010. The integrated resort gave a sneak peek into the seven themed zones on its sprawling 20-hectares theme park at a media briefing on Tuesday. Complementing the attractions are 12 retail outlets and 13 food and beverage options which will be ready at the same time. Ticket prices are still being firmed up and expected to be announced soon. They will be divided into three categories: adults, children and senior citizens. They will come as a day-pass, a three-day pass or annual pass. Mr Tan Hee Teck, CEO of Resorts World Sentosa, said: 'Asians love movies and we are proud to introduce the region's first and only Universal Studios theme park. Universal Studios Singapore will be one of the biggest and most exciting theme parks in the world, and it will be a tourism crown jewel for not just Singapore, but the whole region.' Added Tom Williams, chairman and CEO, Universal Parks and Resorts: 'Universal's attention to location-specific creative and design promises to deliver first-time Singapore guests - as well as devoted Universal Studios visitors that enjoyed other global locations - an exciting, different and memorable experience.' The integrated resort gave a sneak peek into the seven themed zones on its sprawling 20-hectors theme park at a media briefing on Tuesday. Complementing the attractions are 12 retail outlets and 13 food and beverage options which will be ready at the same time. -- ST PHOTO: TERENCE TAN
New generation of Singaporeans The Straits Times Oct 20, 2009 IN 50 years' time, the new generation of Singaporeans will not have parents who are born and bred here. This is due to the increasing number of foreign immigrants and falling birth rates in Singapore. Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew said that if this continues, it will dilute the country's identity. He was speaking at the Kent Ridge Ministerial Forum held at the National University of Singapore on Monday evening. MM Lee said one way to tackle the problem is to disperse the different groups of foreigners so that they do not form cliques. Speaking on the topic: 'What will the next 50 years have in store for Singapore?', some 1200 tertiary students quizzed MM Lee on various issues ranging from the environment to income inequality. Mr Lee said unlike the older generation, youths today do not understand what it's like to be poor and in order for Singapore to prosper, young Singaporeans should have the same 'do or die' attitude as their fathers and grandfather.
RECENTLY crowned Miss Singapore World Ris Low, 19, had earlier been found guilty of credit-card fraud. The beauty queen was convicted of five charges of misappropriation, cheating using illegally obtained credit cards, and impersonating their users' identities. The first-time offender was sentenced in May this year to 24 months of supervised probation, said a Subordinate Courts spokesman in response to a query from my paper. Another 60 charges were taken into consideration for the purposes of sentencing, he said. Court documents show that Miss Low spent a total of more than $2,400 on at least four separate occasions, using at least three different credit cards in April and May last year. She bought two gold anklets worth almost $1,000, a $698 mobile phone, and food and drinks at a swanky restaurant.
The Singapore Evening The Straits Times Oct 21, 2009 By Boon Chan INTERNATIONALLY acclaimed violinist Min Lee, Singapore Idol winner Taufik Batisah and homegrown songbird Kit Chan will be performing before a distinguished audience that includes US President Barack Obama at the Esplanade Concert Hall on Nov 14, 2009. Lee is playing a ****-Lee composed piece, Taufik is singing Heal The World and What A Wonderful World, while Chan will croon a **** Lee-penned theme song, Our World, One World. Nobel Peace Prize winner Obama will be here for the Apec (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Leaders Week meetings, which will take place from Nov 8 to 15. It is the pinnacle event of the annual year-long Apec meetings, which Singapore is hosting at a cost of $100 million. About 10,000 delegates from the 21- member economies are expected to be here. Entertainer **** Lee is also the creative director for the 30-minute multimedia show that is part of Singapore Evening at The Esplanade, a key highlight that 2,000 invited guests, including political leaders and delegates of the 2009 meetings, will get to enjoy. The Esplanade will be closed to the public on that day. After the musical extravaganza, delegates will be treated to a unique waterfront dining experience, conceptualised by event organiser Pico Art International and theatre director Jeremiah Choy. Picture shows from left to right Kit Chan, Taufik Batisah, Min Lee and **** Lee
Makino R&D centre in S'pore The Straits Times Oct 21, 2009 By Gabriel Chen JAPANESE manufacturer Makino Asia is investing $75 million over five years to establish a research and development (R&D) facility here. The International Research and Development (IRD) Centre will focus on the growing field of machine tool research. Nearly $20 million has been earmarked for the construction costs while investments of between $12 million and $15 million over the next four years will be made, mainly for staffing and related research expenses. The facility will be next to Makino's Gul Avenue premises and is expected to be completed by early next year. It will house the latest workstations, modelling and analytical systems and other simulators to allow the staff to design, develop and manufacture new models of specialised machines that tap on electricity to heat and burn hard metals. The Singapore facility - the first such R&D centre for Makino outside of its Japan headquarters - will spearhead machine tool research in emerging technology areas such as medical, engineering, alternative energy and power generation.
Resorts World at Sentosa (RWS)Theme park on target The Straits Times Oct 21, 2009 BY YEAR'S end, work on the hotels, theme park and casino at Resorts World at Sentosa (RWS) should be 'substantially completed'. Barring drastic weather changes or other delays, the integrated resort (IR) should be ready for its targeted opening early next year, said its executive vice-president of projects Michael Chin. The only areas outstanding now are the 'Hollywood' and 'New York' zones, two of the resort's seven themed areas, which are still waiting for some material to be shipped in. Briefing reporters yesterday, RWS spokesman Robin Goh gave an update of the line-up of attractions that will be open to the public when it throws open its doors. The US$1 billion (S$1.4 billion) Universal Studios Singapore theme park will have 20 attractions catering to all ages when it opens next year, with four more in the pipeline. Ticket prices have not been fixed and will be announced soon, but they will be in three categories - for adults, children and senior citizens, and be available in the form of day passes, three-day passes and annual passes. RWS Website 9 October 2009, Issue 11 http://www.rwsentosa.com/en_bulletin_issue12.html We're in the last quarter of 2009 and it's all systems go at Resorts World Sentosa as team members gear up for the Big Date in the New Year's first quarter. Construction activity, which goes on round-the-clock, winds down later this quarter as tower cranes that dominate the worksite get dismantled. What visitors see of Resorts World from VivoCity shopping mall, which sits opposite the Sentosa Integrated Resort, conceals the hive of fitting- out activities taking place in the resort's huge underground basement and hotel structures: Rooms are being luxuriously fitted, food and beverage outlets kitted up, and attractions tested rigorously for safety. Off the worksite, our tie-up with DreamWorks Animation shows the level of world-class entertainment that visitors to Universal Studios Singapore will enjoy. Keep in touch with Resorts World. We have several announcements this quarter that will delight our friends and stakeholders. Can't wait for opening? We can't either The Theme Park attractions can be found: http://www.rwsentosa.com/en_universalstudio.html
RWS Universal Studios Singapore Universal Studios Singapore® http://www.rwsentosa.com/en_universalstudio.html With seven themed zones, including The Lost World™, Hollywood Boulevard and Egypt, Universal Studios Singapore® is an adrenaline-charged excursion that will fill an entire day, or more. Step into the fantastic world of movie magic at Universal Studios Singapore® at Resorts World at Sentosa. Fight villains, catch the celebrities and revel in the glamour of showbiz as you jump into the screen and "ride the movies" on roller coasters and other movie-themed attractions. At Universal Studios Singapore®, you will be inspired and delighted by unique entertainment experiences that bring the silver screen to life. Singapore's only movie-theme park features 24 rides and attractions, including a pair of dueling coasters that brush past one another in several near misses in their aerial combat. Thrill-seekers can choose between a coaster where they are seated or the other where riders are suspended. Exciting loops, sudden turns, breathtaking drops and thrilling near-collisions will make you scream your heart out. Dinosaurs, lemurs, ogres and Egyptian mummies add to the thrills and adventures. With 18 attractions created or redesigned for Singapore, Universal Studios Singapore® promises an experience that you will not forget. Laughter and screams are heard around every corner, and lasting memories are made every day. Themed dining and shops are available, as well as unique venues and programmes for corporate events Resort Map http://www.rwsentosa.com/en_resortmap.html
