Five Quick Observations of the City Harvest Trial

Posted on May 22, 2013 by

1. City Harvest church members do not seem to mind whether there was any alleged misuse of church funds. It is alright; they believe in the Crossover Project and can easily raise more funds anyway. 

2. The general public who are not City Harvest church members seem to mind more as to whether there was any alleged misuse of church funds. They do not believe in the Crossover Project and no, they did not and will not donate to City Harvest Church.

3. Crossover Project or not, Sun Ho‘s music career is a money sucking black-hole. Following court revelations during the trail, Ho is said to have lost more than $14 million in one album release.  

4. Kong Hee stands by his wife. Dude, seriously? 

5. Serina Wee is really hot: 

Serina Wee from City Harvest Church

Serina Wee from City Harvest Church

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Posted in news, random musings, Singapore heartland, tabloid | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

[Movie Review] Star Trek Into Darkness

Posted on May 21, 2013 by

I was first introduced to Star Trek in 2009 by J. J. Abrams‘ film adaptation of the long-running TV series of the same name.

This year, Abrams released another Star Trek film – Star Trek Into Darkness, featuring the two same lead actors, Chris Pine as James T. Kirk and Zachary Quinto as Spock. The two of them were really good in the first film and shared many tense screen moments. Expect more such moments in this sequel, pitting Kirk’s abrasive, emotion-driven nature against Spock’s rigid, emotionless state.

A new addition to the cast from the first film is British actor, Benedict Cumberbatch, as Khan, the arch nemesis of the Star Trek crew.

Rachel and I watched the preview together last week, thanks to the folks from United International Pictures. 

Both of us are big fans of the British TV series, Sherlock, which stars Cumberbatch as an ultra intelligent, eccentric detective in modern time London. In fact, he was the main draw for us.

Cumberbatch has limited screen time, but he has a really strong screen presence. Even though his character is decked in as simple black body suit, he look menacingly handsome as a super villain with his cold hard stare and towering posturing. This is one bad guy that many cinema-goers will find hard to hate!

Abrams did not disappoint either. The sci-fi genre just flows so naturally under his direction.  He managed to make all the sci-fi mumbo jumbo on time travel, alternate reality and other such topics simple and easy to digest for the regular cinema audience.

Rachel did not watch the first Abrams’ Star Trek film, nor a single episode of the TV series. She knows nothing about Star Trek, but enjoyed this latest film all the same.

Star Trek Into the Darkness is now showing in Singapore cinemas. Go catch it! Rachel and I are looking forward to the sequel to see more of Khan’s face-off with the Star Trek crew – provided the same talents are casted in the next film of course. All of them were great in the first two films. :)

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Traveling to Taiwan with tigerPLUS

Posted on May 20, 2013 by

Last year, when Rachel and I brought our son, Asher to Taiwan during the Christmas holidays, we flew via Tiger Airways, with tigerPLUS premium privileges.

Tiger Airways check-in area at Changi Airport T2

Tiger Airways check-in area at Changi Airport T2

What is tigerPLUS?

It is an add-on premium service which allow Tiger Airways customers to enjoy greater convenience and comfort with the privileges of a dedicated check-in counter, access to a luxurious premium passenger lounge and priority boarding service (BoardMeFirst) – all at a very reasonable price of S$48.

For baby under the age of two years old like Asher, he gets tigerPLUS privileges for FREE because both Rachel and I were on tigerPLUS (as long as one accompanying adult has tigerPLUS, the baby under two gets it too). Great isn’t it? This is why Rachel and I find it worthwhile to bring Asher traveling before he reaches two years old.

Dedicated Check-in:

With tigerPLUS, you need not wait in line to check-in your luggage. The queue for budget flights can be very long. This came in really useful if you are traveling with an impatient baby like we were:

There was a long queue when we arrived

There was a long queue when we arrived

It's okay - there's a special queue for tigerPLUS!

It’s okay – there’s a special queue for tigerPLUS!

It felt really great to be able to skip the queue and check-in first with tigerPLUS

It felt really great to be able to skip the queue and check-in first with tigerPLUS

tigerPlus passengers are assigned lounge passes and have travel documents endorsed at the dedicated tigerPLUS check-in counter at Row 11, Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 2. This service operates from 0400 hrs to 2359hrs (GMT+8) daily.

Checking in was a breeze for my family.

SATS Premier Lounge:

SATS Premier Lounge

SATS Premier Lounge

The SATS Premier Lounge is located in the transit area of Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 2. Directional signs in the transit area will lead you to the lounge at Level 3, #036-114.

Tiger Airways is the first low cost carrier to access privileges to SATS’ Premier Lounge. Customers who wish to have that additional touch of exclusivity and comfort can simply relax at the lounge and enjoy the soothing ambience as well as the amenities available there.

The lounge boasts a good view of the runway, a buffet selection of food and refreshments, private rest booths with massage chairs, shower facilities, cable TV and a wide selection of international magazines and newspapers for your reading pleasure:

Computer terminal with internet acess

Computer terminal with internet acess

Newspapers rack

Newspapers rack

Magazine rack

Magazine rack

As we need not have to queue to check-in, we had some time to spare for a leisurely breakfast at the lounge before our morning flight:

Seated area

Seated area

Well stocked F&B area

Well stocked F&B area

Asher exploring the lounge with mummy

Asher exploring the lounge with mummy

Enjoying a leisurely breakfast at the lounge

Enjoying a leisurely breakfast at the lounge

Note that the lounge access is for passengers departing from Singapore only. Passengers may access the lounge for up to 4 hours prior to flight departure time.

Priority Boarding (boardmefirst™)

You get to board first when the plane is ready.

After a speedy check-in and a leisurely breakfast, we were ready for our flight to Taiwan

After a speedy check-in and a leisurely breakfast, we were ready for our flight to Taiwan

Next time if you are flying by Tiger Airway and would like extra ease and comfort when checking in and while waiting for your departure flight, do considering taking up tigerPLUS. :)

Terms & Conditions:

  • tigerPLUS is a non-transferable and non-refundable service, and is available only for flights departing from Singapore.
  • If you have purchased tigerPLUS and there are changes to your flight itinerary, your tigerPLUS will automatically be transferred to your new itinerary.
  • All tigerPLUS privileges will be accorded free of charge to passengers below the age of 2, if accompanied by an adult tigerPLUS passenger.
  • tigerPLUS can be purchased at the service desk at Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 2, or  tigerairways.com

ABOUT TIGER AIRWAYS

Tiger Airways is one of Asia’s leading low cost carriers. The Company flew 99.99% of scheduled flights in 2012, and also took second spot in the Top 10 Airlines by Passenger Carriage Award, behind Singapore Airlines, in the 2012 Changi Airline Awards. It was also named the Top Airline by Growth in Passenger Carriage (Singapore) in the same year.

Established in September 2004, the Airline has steadily grown its fleet to 30 A320 aircraft with an average age of under three years. It has another two A319s and six A320s operated by associate airlines Mandala in Indonesia, and SEAir in the Philippines. Operating from Singapore and Australia, Tiger Airways’ network extends to over 30 destinations across 13 countries in the Asia Pacific region.

Tiger Airways is committed to offering customers great value fares and friendly service while maintaining the highest standards of safety, security and reliability. For more information, please visit www.tigerairways.com.

Posted in random musings, travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Singapore Campus Likes – Which Secondary School Uniform is the Coolest?

Posted on May 18, 2013 by

omy.sg is running an informal voting contest to find out which secondary school in Singapore has the coolest school uniform.

Nomination was open from 12 May and the voting phase just started. Is your secondary school among those nominated?

When I visited the voting page, Catholic High School has the HIGHEST number of likes now, leading far ahead of the rest:

Seriously?

Catholic High?

Skimpy green shorts and white top with shiny buttons?

Singaporeans, what are you thinking when you voted for Catholic High School as the secondary school with the coolest school uniform?

I think by “coolest”, omy.sg did not mean the skimpiest and the breeziest…

Anyway, voting is still ongoing and there is still time for you to help determine the eventual winning secondary school. Visit the official Campus Like website to cast your vote now. :)

Posted in contest, fashion, random musings, Singapore heartland, work | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Social media and the Malaysia general election

Posted on May 17, 2013 by

This article was first written for and published on the Social Media section of the International Newsmedia Marketing Association (INMA)’s blog on 16 May 2013:

Malaysians went to the polls on Sunday (May 5) to elect their government.

The ruling National Front coalition (or BN for Barisan Nasional) was returned to power, winning 133 of the 222 in parliamentary seats. The opposition won 89 seats, up from 82. Defeated opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim accused the ruling coalition of widespread fraud.

Najib celebrating his win (picture via omy.sg/ my paper)

Najib celebrating his win (picture via omy.sg/ my paper)

Quite frankly, I have not been following the election closely. But through the past weeks of campaigning to the actual voting day and result announcement, I have been getting regular updates via Facebook and Twitter from many of my patriotic Malaysian friends.

Social media brought the news of the Malaysian election to me. I did not search for it or read about it because I flipped open a newspaper or visited an online news Web site.

Think about it: For big breaking news these days, was social media your first information source?

Granted, the shared articles on Facebook or Twitter probably originated from news content sites. But it is still significant to reckon your social circle of friends might determine what news and information you consume — and not the traditional media ombudsmen.

For news publishers, if readers are increasingly getting their news from social networks, is our brand deep enough to still occupy mind-share? Are our readers sharing and tweeting our news content to their friends? This is something to think about for the future of the newspaper business.

Back to the Malaysia election. There were many learning points for me on social media. Here are five key highlights:

  • Video content viral well and very quickly. These might be even more effective in reaching out to a wired populace than TV appearances, given that online videos can be shared and re-shared repeatedly and across geography.

    An example is Bukit Bintang BN candidate Frankie Gan, who launched a series of self-starred music videos, hoping to impress voters with his karaoke talent. The video drew mixed responses, but mostly negative.

    As a foreigner, I was tickled enough by his video to re-share it on Facebook, even though I do not know where Bukit Bintang is or who Gan is competing against. He lost the election, by the way.

  • Parodies come fast and furious. Many parody videos, images, and stories on “magic blackout” surfaced online within 24 hours of the results announcement. Opposition supporters have alleged that BN-tilted ballot boxes had magically appeared at several polling stations after experiencing blackouts.
  • Online show of solidarity can be impressive and impactful. In protest of alleged election fraud by the ruling coalition, many of my Malaysian friends changed their Facebook profile pictures and header images into black boxes. As a foreigner, it is hard for me to not take notice when so many of my Facebook fans transformed into black boxes!
  • Protest to reach the world and world leaders can be done online with minimal disturbance to the public, but can be just as effective in getting the message across.

    Many Malaysians took to commenting on the Facebook walls of other government leaders like U.S. President Barack Obama and my own prime minister, Lee Hsien Loong, to highlight their concerns on election frauds. The leaders might not reply to the comment, but others will still read, especially if the comments come in hundreds and thousands.

  • Politics can be divisive on social media, but cohesive at the same time. I see Malaysian friends from both ends, each posting and re-posting content that is in favour of the party he or she supports. This is divisive.

    At the same time, genuine debates sometime surface in the comments. This is cohesive.

    Two friends might not share the same political view or support the same party, but at least there is a platform for them to hash out their differences in a civilised manner. They need not agree with each other at the end of the debate, but at least they have a better understanding of the point of view from the other side.

Posted in intellectual, news, random musings, work | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fast & Furious 6 Red Carpet in Manila, Philippines at SM Mall of Asia

Posted on May 16, 2013 by

Here’s a quick photo update of the red carpet event for the movie, Fast & Furious 6  that just happened a few hours ago at SM Mall of Asia in Manila, Philippines:

People everywhere

People everywhere

More fans...

More fans…

And even more fans!

And even more fans!

Near the stage area

Near the stage area

Producer Neal Moritz

Producer Neal Moritz

Gina Carano getting interviewed

Gina Carano getting interviewed

Luke Evans greeting fans

Luke Evans greeting fans

Enthusiastic fans

Enthusiastic fans

Michelle and Luke on stage

Michelle and Luke on stage

Waiting for one more star to arrive

Waiting for one more star to arrive

Look at the amount of people and press

Look at the amount of people and press

The crowd going crazy as Vin Diesel walks in

The crowd going crazy as Vin Diesel walks in

Greeting fans as he walks in

Greeting fans as he walks in

Hello Manila!

Hello Manila!

Vin Diesel engaging with the cheering crowd

Vin Diesel engaging with the cheering crowd

The pose looks menacing, but Vin was actually saying something friendly in tagalog

The pose looks menacing, but Vin was actually saying something friendly in tagalog

Big man

Big man

Four of the stars seated

Four of the stars seated

The full cast present autographed on this car to be auctioned for charity

The full cast present autographed on this car to be auctioned for charity

The atmosphere here is crazy! I have never attended a movie gala with so many people! Filipinos really love movie stars!

Spotted on the red carpet were lead actor Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Luke Evans and Gina Carano. Producer, Neal Moritz was present too.

All of them commented that this is one of most enthusiastic and biggest crowd they have seen for any Fast and Furious movie gala, with only a previous one in Rio de Janeiro coming close.

Click here to see all my event photos on my Facebook Page. 

Fast & Furious 6 will be showing in cinemas in Singapore from 23 May 2013 (next Thurs). Go catch it! I enjoyed the media preview.

I will be sitting through an interview with the cast and producer during noon. Let me know if you have any pressing questions to ask any of them and I will try to see if I can slip it in. :)

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Fast and Furious 6 Red Carpet in Manila, Philippines

Posted on May 15, 2013 by

Guess where I am now?

I just touched down in Manila a few hours ago and checked into my hotel at Fairmont Makati.

I will be attending the red carpet event for Fast and Furious 6 later today, featuring some of the main stars like Vin Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez. How cool is that?

Stay tuned to this blog for updates! :)

Posted in celebrity, events, movies, random musings | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment