Spicy Mother - News and Entertainment

THE first five stations of the new Circle Line were opened by Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean on Wednesday morning.

Trains will start rolling from Thursday morning at Bartley, Serangoon, Lorong Chuan, Bishan and Marymount stations.

Commuters can transfer to the existing North-South line and North-East line at Bishan and Serangoon respectively.

'The Circle Line will open up multiple new connections for residents in the north and the north-east,' said Mr Teo before launching the new line.

The remaining 24 stations of the line will open from next year. Once fully operational, the line's daily ridership is expected to go up to 500,000.

Source: Straits Times

Finally, we can see the fruits of labor on the Circle Line. This MRT track experienced a lot of mishaps - accidents, delay, budget overrun, etc. If I am not wrong, the engineering is very challenging due to the soil condition.

Anyway, Singaporeans will find it more convenient to get around with easy access to MRT but expect to fork out more money.

A MAN was charged on Wednesday with five counts of molesting his step-daughter.

The 40-year-old accused, who cannot be named to protect the victim's identity, allegedly used criminal force to molest the nine-year-old girl three times at their flat in the north in 2005.

Source: Straits Times

Pervert laying his hands on a nine year old daughter. Two years jail term is too light a punishment.

Singing sensation Susan Boyle breezed through to the finals of the television show "Britain's Got Talent" after the audience on Sunday voted her semi-finals performance the best of the night.

Her performance of "Memory" from the musical "Cats" earned her a standing ovation and a spot in next Saturday's finale.

The 47-year-old from Scotland wiggled her hips in a little jig when she heard the results.

To be frank, I have little interest in reality shows like Britain's Got Talent or American Idol. I only got to watching Susan Boyle on YouTube because so many of my friends were talking about her during lunch - how fantastic her voice is, how ugly she is, how she finally wins over the critics.

Blah, blah, blah. I still wasn't moved until I read that this UN Chief made a special mention of her. So I really have to find out what the hullabaloo is about.

Well, good thing I tuned in to watch her rendition of "Cry Me A River." It really brought tears to my eyes. Susan Boyle has the voice of an angel. This is a triumph of the underdogs.

People look down and dismiss her for her looks, but yet she prevailed against all odds with her voice. This time round, I am not surprised she won. Even a harsh critic like Simon Crowe is suitably impressed.

Hmm, no way will I miss the finals. I am hooked on this show. By the way, who do you guys think will win the finals?

A new campaign from India promoting the Levi’s Button Fly Jeans. The ads feature hunky Indian actor Akshay Kumar. Created by Fisheye Creative Solutions, Bangalore, the ads promote Levi’s Button Fly Jeans by showing that they possess the power to fly.

Akshay Kumar was recently arrested but subsequently released on bail for an obscenity act with his wife Twinkle Khanna. The latter had unbuttoned Akshay’s denim jeans at a fashion show in early April.



Well, what is wrong with a wife unbuttoning her hubby's fly? This matter is blown out of proportion.

Just look at Akshay's well-sculpted body. It is yummy! A lot of women will be lining up to commit the offense.

TWO high-ranking office holders are set to leave the Singapore Table Tennis Association (STTA), adding to what has been a tumultuous few weeks for the national sports body.

The Sunday Times understands that one - who holds an honorary post - has stopped attending the association's meetings and is said to be no longer in agreement with the direction the STTA is heading.

The second official - a senior management figure who has been in the job for under a year - will also be leaving his post.

Source: Straits Times

This is really a big, big screw-up. If coach Liu Guodong did well in the Olympics, then just nominate him. In the end, he may not win but at least it is a gracious move and everybody is happy.

Now people not only never win award but have to come back to Singapore to seek explanation for his lack of professionalism. Is there a need for STTA to be so tau meh, don't nominate still accuse people?

Actually I don't care black cat or white cat, so long as can catch mouse is good cat. I mean, that is the purpose when we attract foreign talents mah.

They are here just to win honors for Singapore (get PR or citizenships), and we pay them good prize money, a fair transaction right? If they want to stay, good, but if they return to their homeland, too bad lor, so be it. Don't talk about integrity lah.

It is very hard to say who is right in this saga but Ms Lee Bee Wah must come out and end all speculation or just resign to prevent more airing of dirty linen.

So much controversies since she is in charge... no good for Singapore's image.

MediaCorp's blockbuster drama of 2009 will be unveiled next Wednesday with a huge and strong cast consisting of many Star Awards winners.

The 30-episode series, The Ultimatum, is not only just the first local high-definition drama to be broadcasted; it also marks the onscreen reunion of the Caldecott Queens, Zoe Tay and Fann Wong.

Zoe Tay sees the drama as an opportunity to refresh her image.

"Viewers have come to stereotype my image due the roles I've played in recent years. In addition, I became chubbier in my recent return to screen after maternity. Now that I've recovered my usual look, it's not hard to see that I haven't changed a lot."

Source: Yahoo News

I have grown used to Zoe Tay acting ugly, uncouth "neighbourhood auntie" roles which is so unbecoming of an ah jie. No wonder, she lost out on a lot of endorsements and fans.

It is good to see her back to her glamorous self acting as a professional career woman. What do you guys think?

The Education Ministry will tighten controls on sexuality education programmes run by external agencies. Materials of these agencies will now be vetted and some of it will be put online so parents know what's being taught in schools.

Eight per cent of teenagers aged 14 to 19 years old are sexually active, and less than a quarter of them are using any protection, according to a survey done by the Health Promotion Board and Education Ministry in 2006 involving some 4,000 students.

Hence it's no surprise that sexually transmitted infections among Singaporean teens are on the rise, with 787 cases reported last year, 2.5 times higher than six years ago.

Source: CNA

If you are asking what is wrong with the sex education from AWARE, it all boils down to your interpretation of sex.

Aware sex education define terms such as "anal sex," "virginity," "teenage pregnancy" and "homosexual" and ask students to associate these terms according to three categories: Positive, neutral and negative.

"Feminist mentor" and senior lawyer Thio Su Mien took issue with homosexuality being seen as a neutral, not negative, word.

Aware trainers' manual also states that anal sex can be "healthy" and that "homosexuality is perfectly normal."

Although Thio was roundly defeated in the Aware leadership battle, I think she has the last laugh. MOE has come round to her conservative views too.

The NATAS Singapore Women's Everest Team is literally on top of the world after reaching the summit of Mount Everest

27-year-old Lee Li Hui, 26-year-old Esther Tan and 25-year-old Jane Lee reached the world's tallest mountain standing at 8850m early Wednesday morning.

After five years of planning and training, they are now the first Singaporean women to conquer Mount Everest.

Over at Republic Polytechnic where Lee Li Hui and Jane Lee are staff members, their colleagues and students could barely contain their pride and joy.

The second half of the Singapore women's team plan to make their summit attempt on Friday.

Source - CNA

Congratulations to the women's team. They have done Singapore proud and Singaporeans ought to rejoice.

I am getting a warm, fuzzy feeling, just reading about this news. Our women have conquered the highest peak in the world and show that we are a match for anyone.

Hooray! I want to spread the cheer to everybody.

Caldecott sweethearts Fann Wong and Christopher Lee were married in a simple ceremony on Saturday.

The civil ceremony held at a local hotel was attended by family members and close friends. The couple had been dating for nine years. After the ceremony, the couple were off to Malaysia to pay their respects to Christopher's elders.

The tea ceremony and dinner reception will be held in September.

I have never been a big fan of Fann Wong but I am happy that she has finally settled down into a marriage.

The relationship with Christopher Lee was not always easy with the constant media attention and they have to deny/ignore each other but in the end, all is well ends well.

No wonder, their chemistry in the last movie Wedding Games is so good.

Temasek sold its 3 percent stake in Bank of America in the first quarter of this year, suffering an estimated $3 billion loss in the process, as the state investor refocuses on emerging markets.

Temasek had invested in Merrill Lynch and other global banks during the early phase of the global credit crisis but, like most sovereign wealth funds, was burnt by losses from the deepening financial crisis.

But the U.S.-centric Bank of America may not have been the first choice of investment for Temasek, given that the state investor focuses on global companies that aim to grow in Asia, sources familiar with Temasek's thinking told Reuters.

Temasek ended up with the Bank of America stake when the U.S. bank bought Merrill in January.

The state investment firm has also recently become more aggressive in the Asian market and is eyeing investments in Latin America and Russia.

Source: Asiaone

For goodness sake, stop gambling with our hard earned money, those money which our forefathers accumulated painstakingly.

Temasek should groom and invest in our own SMEs instead of venturing into the wilderness of Russia, China and India. Look at Taiwan, Hongkong and Japan which have cultivated such a vibrant private sector and entrepreneurial spirit.

Only stupid people will rather let the money flow out of their own house and make outsiders rich rather than feed their own family members.

I am sure Temasek is not as financially savvy as Warren Buffet. Don't waste any more money trying to prove me wrong.

Tiger Beer, the Broadcast sponsor of Football Channel’s coverage of the Barclays Premier League (BPL), invites football fans to come together and revel in one of the world’s most popular sports at the Tiger Football Carnival.

Tiger plays hosts for the night and brings the suspense, thrills and excitement of the highly anticipated match between Manchester United and Arsenal “live” on the big screen.

Tiger is also hosting the Tiger Foosball Challenge where finalists can battle it out on the table to be crowned the coveted Champions of the Table, with the top three teams walking away with close to $10,000 in cash and prizes.

There is going to be some interactive entertainment and to add to the revelry, popular radio DJs, Glenn Ong and Jean Danker, will be your hosts for the night.

So head on down to catch all the action and entertainment and enjoy ice cold Tiger beer while celebrating the winning experience!

Event details below:

TIGER FOOTBALL CARNIVAL
Date: 16 May 2009 (Saturday)
Venue: Singapore Flyer
Time: 4:00pm – 10:00pm

Admission is free and open to all.

Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng said religious individuals have the same rights as other Singaporeans to express their views on public policy issues, but they should be mindful that they live in a multi-religious society where the views of others may be different from theirs.

'If religious groups start to campaign to change certain government policies, or use the pulpit to mobilise their followers to pressure the Government, or push aggressively to gain ground at the expense of other groups, this must lead to trouble.

'Keeping religion and politics separate is a key rule of political engagement,' he said.

Source: Straits Times

Stop all the bickering, lah. The entire Aware saga is getting out of hand, especially the homosexuality issue.

The conservatives believe in moral absolutes, that there is only black and was right and wrong, virtue and vice, decency and decadence. On the other hand, the liberals believe in inclusiveness and are neutral towards gays.

Differing views are bound to exist in a civilized and democratic society. So long as we agree to disagree.

By the way, I agree with the government that religious groups should never get involved or push for personal agendas.

Jeon Ji-hyun (Gianna Jun) of my Sassy Girl fame will be in town on 20th May, as part of a 2 day trip to promote her latest film Blood: The Last Vampire!

She will be arriving in Singapore on Korean Air, KE641 at 9:20P.M. During the 2-day stopover, Gianna will be attending a Press Conference at Capella Singapore, making a mall appearance at Bugis Junction and lastly gracing the Gala Premiere of at Cathay Orchard Cineleisure.

Anyone wants to go see her?

Actress Michelle Chia, 33, and actor Shaun Chen, 31, are tying the knot at a dinner tonight at The Ritz Carlton's The Grand Ballroom and The Grand Gallery, after a five-year relationship.

Over 800 guests will attend, including various MediaCorp stars such as Adrian Pang, Nat Ho and Joanne Peh.

Michelle Chia will be wearing three outfits - a 'princessey' ivory gown, a flowy dress and a surprise number at the end.

Not cheap, hor... cost around half a million dollars, ok.

I have been shopping online for years and been caught in a few scams. Especially when I shopped at forums or blogshops.

But I still do it as shopping online is rather addictive and offers lots of benefits that you won't find shopping in a retail store.

The Internet is always open, 24/7, and numerous bargains abound. With a few mouse clicks, you can purchase clothes, book a ticket or hotel, send flowers, etc. But what you see may not be what you get, unlike in a shopping mall.

If you're buying items from an online retailer or auction website, here are some advice to prevent any angst from the shopping experience:

1. Know who you're dealing with.

Anyone can set up an online store under a fake name. Confirm the online seller's physical address and phone number. The site should not ask for your financial information, so never reply to the message.

2. Know what you're buying.

Read the seller's description of the product closely, especially the fine print. Words like "refurbished," "vintage," or "close-out" may indicate that the product is in less-than-mint condition, while branded goods with cheap prices could be replicas or counterfeits.

3. Know what it will cost.

Comparison shop at other websites first and always compare "apples to apples." Factor shipping and handling charges into the total cost. Do not send cash under any circumstances.

4. Pay by credit or charge card.

If you pay by credit card online, your transaction will be protected by the Fair Credit Billing Act. Under this law, you have the right to dispute charges under certain circumstances and temporarily withhold payment while the creditor is investigating them.

In the event of unauthorized use of your credit or charge card, you generally would be held liable only for the first $50 in charges.

Some companies offer an online shopping guarantee that ensures you will not be held responsible for any unauthorized charges made online, and some cards may provide additional warranty, return, and/or purchase protection benefits.

5. Check out the terms of the deal, like refund policies and delivery dates.

Can you return the item for a full refund if you're not satisfied? If you return it, find out who pays the shipping costs or restocking fees, and when you will receive your order. If the shipper does not ship items within 30 days of order date, you may seek redress.

6. Keep a paper trail.

Print and save records of your online transactions, including the product description and price, the online receipt, and copies of every email you send or receive from the seller. Read your credit card statements as you receive them and be on the lookout for unauthorized charges.

7. Don't email your financial information.

Email is not a secure method of transmitting financial information like your credit card, checking account, etc.

If you initiate a transaction and want to provide your financial information through an organization's website, look for indicators that the site is secure, like a lock icon on the browser's status bar or a URL for a website that begins "https:" (the "s" stands for "secure").

Unfortunately, no indicator is foolproof; some fraudulent sites have forged security icons.

8. Check the privacy policy.

It should let you know what personal information the website operators are collecting, why, and how they're going to use the information. If you can't find a privacy policy — or if you can't understand it, don't transact with the site.

This Taiwanese girl-girl really 杀很大!

She is one of the newest and upcoming co-hosts in Taiwan, around 18 yrs old or so. She was discovered in one of Jacky Wu's programe (I think it's Guess! Guess! Guess!) and is currently co-hosting several programs and featuring as a game girl.

Do you enjoy ogling her large boobs?

"There is a clear line between being frustrated or disappointed and being violent. The thrown chair could have killed somebody."

Minister Lim Hwee Hua, in response to query on why she did not accept the handwritten letter of from the 17-year old boy who threw a chair against a window at an MPS. (Straits Times, 7 May)

Throwing at a chair is certainly not polite but if it was slammed onto a door and not aimed at a person, I doubt it can kill.

Let the matter rest, like what Seng Han Thong did against his assailant. Unleashing the full force of the law will not prevent similar incidents.

A 17 year-old-boy was arrested by the police for slamming a chair against a glass door at a meet-the-people session at Serangoon North. This happened after the boy and his mom walked out of MP Cynthia Phua's office.

It is not clear what transpired in the office to trigger such rage but in an interview with the New Paper, the mother said that Cynthia Phua had asked her son a series of questions : "Who are you? What are you doing? Why are you not working?".

http://singaporemind.blogspot.com/2009/05/boy-arrested-for-slamming-chair-at-mp.html

Well, the guy has a low IQ and suffers from thalassermia which renders him weak and sickly.

Is there a need to be so tough, like interrogating a criminal? No wonder, the guy fed up and slam the the chair at the glass door.

My advise is if you have no patience to serve the people, don't be an MP.

AS 3,000 people packed the Association of Women and Research (Aware)'s Extraordinary General Meeting (EOGM) last Saturday, Vicki Lew, 29, followed the unfolding drama via a live feed on social networking site Twitter.

At one point during the raucous meeting, former exco member Sally Ang shouted at the jeering audience to 'shut up and sit down'. The outburst got the Twitter stream #awaresg abuzz, and one netizen jested that the phrase would look great on a t-shirt.

That immediately sparked Ms Lew to conjure up a design using the now-infamous quote 'just for fun'. In 30 minutes, the design consultant with nine years of experience shared a mock-up with 'followers' of the Twitter feed, who responded positively to the prototype.

Buoyed by the positive feedback from netizens, Ms Lew uploaded some of these designs onto a US-based t-shirt printing site and quickly garnered about 30 orders, she told straitstimes.com on Tuesday.

Source: Straits Times

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