Rewarding Athletes

Posted on November 18, 2008Filed Under Question of the Week

The Postman’s Question of the Week: Should Singapore’s world champions be rewarded financially in the same way as winners in major Games (like Olympics, Asian, Commonwealth, SEA Games), and why?

YES! A world champion should be similarly and equally financially rewarded like an winning Olympian or an Asian Champion. They put in the same effort, time and sacrifices in order to reach the pinnacle of their sport and in a small country like ours, they are not many such gems whom we can boast and be proud of.At this moment the existing tiers in the rewards system are clear : Olympics, Asian and SE Asian. If we are going to reward the champions who do not fall into such categories, then it is time for the NSAs to scrutinise and list down the world championship events which their athletes will be taking part and co-relate them with the existing structure. This would reduce the argument on the extent of the rewards.Another way is to classify the tournaments according to World or Regional championships.

Published in New paper on Friday 21 Nov 2008

Manager Hypocrites

Posted on November 14, 2008Filed Under Weekend Question

The Postman’s Question of the Week: Do you think Alex Ferguon and Joe Kinnear are hypocritical, by dishing out criticism without being able to take it, and why?

Sir Alex Ferguson, Joe Kinnear. Moyes etc are British bull-dog managers who blast off what their piece from their heart. They held nothing back and usually they did it without the rose tinted glasses. No doubt, they will be punished by the FA, trample by the media who love a good story from these colourful characters. Behind these facades, the managers have very good reasons for being such a character. Usually it is for the ‘protection’ of the players and team as the bullets are deflected towards the manager. When it comes to the ‘ref’, they are just oralising loudly that he is ‘kayu’/weak/moron. Until and unless there is a line of communication between the manager and the referee, such ‘injustices’ on the field would continue to be heard on the touchline and you cannot accuse them of being hypocritical. How far should the ref continues to test and stretch the threshold of another human being who are simply passionate about their work which can be destroyed just by a stroke of decision/indecision on the field, esp when it is absolutely hideous?

F1 Improvement

Do you think the various activities in the lead-up to Sunday’s race have helped to create a buzz among Singaporeans? What can we improve on for next year’s race?

Sept 26 2008

In the heartlands, there is hardly a murmur about F1. It is generally considered as a sport for the rich and powerful, just like polo. The organiser rightly targeted on the visitors and interested people, the group which followed the F1 races yearly, for their commercial and business reasons. The price of ticket, though fair, put off many Singaporeans who have yet to want to pay a premium for a premium show like F1. Many would want to go back to the days when they could squat along the tracks like Upper Thomson and watch speed demons zip. They may not want to see that F1 is a multi-million industry now and thus is a different ball game.Do we really want to create a buzz in all Singaporeans? I think we need not at this moment. We need to build up the momentum in a couple of years, starting with the schools. Why can’t the organisers allocate places for our tiertiary or upper secondary students to attend thwe practice sessions on Friday? I believe that those are not the highlights of F1. The Saturday qualifying and Sunday’s races are the highlights. So let’s start with the young ones and the fever will spread eventually.

Update on Pang Sua Canal

Sunrise at Pang Sua Canal, Yew Tee

The wooded area around was dug up in May 2008. The digging continued and it was noticed that two big depression was formed. They could finally be filled with water to form two big ponds.

The morning tranquilty of the footpath along Pang Sua Canal leading to Kranji Dam Reservior. The surrounding mist cools the surrounding, a surreal feeling when you walk along the path, alone.

Pang Sua Canal, Yew Tee Estate in 2007

Path leading to Kranji Reservior : Kranji Camp on left, Sungei Kadut Industrial Estate on right

Kranji Camp on right

At the end of the path, we can see the Kranji Reservior, the BBC Station on the other side

BBC Station on the other side

Path on Kranji Camp side leading to Kranji Reservior

Nice path leading to Kranji Reservior

View of the mouth of the canal into Kranji Reservior

Right shows the other end of a path parallel to the Sungei Kadut factories

Another view of Kranji Reservior with the BBC Microwave Station in the backgrround

Fishing in the waters of the canal, mostly Tioman or Snake heads thrive in the canal

Sloped banks at the side of path leading back to estate

Glorious sunset Kranji Reservior

Peaceful greens around the reservior

Direction of path shows it leading back to the estate, nearly 2.5 km distance

Update : Pang Sua Canal. Yew Tee 2013

Pang Sua Canal from Yew Tee estate, Sungei Kadut factories on the other side

Serene slow moving waters of Pang Sua Canal

Reflections shows the calm waters of Pang Sua Canal

Notice the speck in the sky? The sea eagles have made their abode in the large trees around the Canal. They are usually active in the early morning or late afternoons. You can watch them catching their preys in the waters if  you are patient.

Three photos showed dark skies in the background which is the Mandai area. The sea eagles built their nests on top of those large Ibiza trees.

Spectacular doomsday view of an impending thunderstorm at Pang Sua Canal

The calm waters reflected the views of the large trees lining the Canal. These are the trees where the sea eagles made their nests.

The trees also shaded the Malayan Railway track.

Alexandra Road flats

Once again, in the 70s, we wee asked to move out of Bukit Ho Swee as they would be demolishing the one-room flats there. We were asked to look around for rental flats nearby and I chanced upon one at Alexandra Road, just across the Delta Sports Complex : 82 Alexandra Road

Birkhall Road School memories

My Birkhall Road School's classroom taken in 1964 when we were in Primary 5. I was seated third from end of the row nearest to door.

Primary 6 Birkhall Road School's uniform, blue vertical strips on white, blue shorts

Birkhall Road School's Report Book. Notice our Principal's Mdm Lucy Low's nice cursive handwriting?

This was, sadly, the only picture taken with my Pr 5 and 6 form teacher, Mr Tan in 1968, three years after I left Birkhall Primary. We went to Pulau Belakang Mati (now called Sentosa) for a day at the beach... Roger Chui Tuck Khuen, Tan Aik Huang were the former classmates I remembered from the picture.

I remembered Mr Tan as a teacher who insisted on correctness. During our handwriting period, he would go around the class and used a wooden rule to knock on our knuckles if he found us slacking. He used to live at Mei Ling Street but after all these years, I just wonder where he is now.

Tanglin Integrated Secondary Technical School 2

Report Book from TISTS circa 1966 -1969

Tech 4A(1969) with our Principal, Mr Chee K P and form teacher, our dear Ms Kumar

Tech 4A (1969) with Ms Kumar who was our form teacher for two years

The boys from Tech 4A

It seemed like only yesterday when I took out these pictures taken nearly 40 years ago. We met only once, in 2002 when Teo Keng Poon organised a gathering at his place.

This Postcard was produced and used for CCE lessons in schools 2016. It showed the first flag raising ceremony at the school field of Tanglin Technical  in 1963

 Main teaching blocks of Tanglin Technical, hall was on the left side of the photo.

Old first photographs of Tanglin Technical, as viewed from Tanglin Halt circa 1963. The canteen was on the right of the photo.

Class of '69 : Gathering at AMK in 2024. All of us are in our 70s!!!!!

X-factors in Sportsmen

-factors:
Sex appeal : All these sportsmen exults their sex appeal in their own way. Nadal, C Ronaldo, Hamilton (t0 some extent) have die-tohave great body and physical presence. It made the females fantasise and the males admire.
Looks : Nadal has the smoudering Latin chiselled feature like mystical Thor, C Ronaldo has the boyish handsome charm and Lewis got the exotic feature.
Personality : Nadal got a charming personality, C Ronaldo a wicked, cheeky look about him and Lewis charmed most of the ladies around him.
Contorversy : Each of them has some controversies around them at one time or another and thus could not be out of limelight for long. C Ronaldo’s list is long. Lewis Hamilton’s ditching his long time girlfriend for the glamour ladies. Only Nadal has few controversies around them.
All these factor, including their exposure on TV made them well known as well as special, ie X-factor.

22 July 2008

Tanglin Integrated Secondary Technical School - 1966 - 1969

TISTS taken in 1968

The Badge reflected Technical Education

From Birkhall Primary, I went to Tanglin Integrated Secondary Technical School. It was not my first choice which was Queenstown Technical School, one of the more popular school in the 60s when Technical education was top.
I was in the second batch of Tanglin pupils. Already, the pioneer group was making headlines by winning the National Badminton title.

During those days we have the Chinese stream pupils as well. There were no problem mixing with them.

After secondary one, I was surprised that many of my friends were posted to Queenstown Technical to continue their studies. Till this day, I did not know why I remained in TISTS.

In Sec 3 I was streamed to do Woodwork which I didn't fancy as Metalwork was more 'glamorous'. However I dug on. In Tech 4A, I did Woodwork and Building Drawing as two subjects besides pure sciences and additional mathematics. I began to enjoy the Building Drawing lessons as it required us to draw very fine details. Some of my friends did Metalwork and Mechanical Drawing. I could still remember the drawing room which was located on the top left corner of the building. (see above)

It must be noted that we didn' t get to wear long pants during our upper secondary days. Some kind of policy, I guess.

Tech 4A (1969) in short pants