I think many Singaporeans remember this very funny advertisement from Ikea. A group of thugs breaks into a house and confronts a young man.
Thug (menacingly): Where’s the stuff? Hand it over quickly! (presumably referring to drugs)
Young man: I don’t know.
Thug gets impatient and repeats question:
Young man (in exasperated voice): I don’t know. I really don’t know.
Read full article here.
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Last week I wrote a couple of articles at Yesterday.sg and My 5S Corner. Sure would like to hear your views about these 2 issues.
Article No. 1 – Time to Make Some Trouble
Recently, I was privileged to be invited by the National Heritage Board to attend the book launch of Singapore’s Monuments & Landmarks: A Philatelic Ramble. The main author was one of my fellow ‘Friends of Yesterday’, Dr Tan Wee Kiat. The launch was held on 2 April 2007 at the Singapore Philatelic Museum. I must apologise for not blogging about that event because I was quite busy at that time.
Read full article here.
Article No.2 – No Littering in Singapore?
There’s an article in page 35 of The Straits Times today (27/4/2007) titled, Singapore Wows Vancouver Visitor. Written by a Vancouver architect, planner and property developer, Michael Geller, the article was full of praise for our country; especially its cleanliness. “During my stay, I did not see any litter on the streets.” he declared.
“CLEAN LIVING: No littering, no graffiti … Singapore has to be the cleanest country in the world.”
Read full article here.
9 comments:
Having visited Vancouver a few years back (its my mother's home city) I have to say that is praise indeed because Vancouver is an impressive city as well.But all places have good and bad aspects - Singapore has a reputation internationally for being very strict on rules about litter etc (we all know about rules on chewing gum for example) so at least there is a strong awareness of the problem and some determination to tackle it - but maybe that's just because the problem is so severe!
On a slightly different topic - today's papers in the UK are reporting on a survey about the pace of life in cities around the world - measured it seems by viewing video footage of people in the streets - and Singapore comes out as the fastest walking place and therefore with the fasting living pace? Do you think that true? I always tell people that my slow walking in the hot sun is something I learnt from my time in Singapore! How things have changed, maybe people are walking quickly to get back to the air-conditioning?
My parents had visited my uncle in Vancouver in the early nineties and were very impressed with the city. From there, my father took a conducted tour to the nearby US and had a good time there.
Talkling about brisk walking, My family members complained that I always walked ahead of them, as though, what the cantonese used to say: "someone pouring hot water over my feet", meaning that I was always rushing to somewhere. I must also stress that this habit took place while I was working in the port that never sleep. Now (retired) I walk like a tortoise, with everybody rushes ahead of me. I guess the pace of working life has something to do with fast walking. Our govt is smart. In order to encourage walking among its reluctant citizens, covered walkways, covered overhead bridges, underpasses/links, tree-lined roads, streets closed to vehicles (mainly in Chinatown) are progressively built to be walking friendly. You are right on the airconditioning. In Singapore practically all buses, vehicles, shops, offices, and almost all housing are airconditioned, without which we won't be able to survive the tropical heat.
I can see why Victor chose to give you the Thinking Blogger Award.
Hi Brian,
Having very strict rules or laws, but no one to enforce it make it useless. Only when the campaign is on, then probably we are seeing some enforcement officers around. Other than that, it's only the cleaner that is doing the job.
Brian. Spore is 8 hrs ahead of London and yet you get your news one day before us. We are not that fast after all.
Not only our people walk fast, they also drive fast and that has led to many tragic accidents lately. But anyway, I think we should take these studies with a pinch of salt. I have been told a few times that Hong Kong people walk much faster. I have also observed the same in Toykyo, but that was 20 years ago.
Firehorse. Thanks for that compliment. I'd like to believe that, as a close blogo-friend, the judge was a bit biased in his assessment. I think too much about the past.
A side story, the uncle I mentioned who stayed in Vancouver had actually left Singapore for a number of years, looking for a retired home oversea for himself and his wife. He had gone to Sidney (near his nephew), London (near to his married daughter), Belfast (near another nephew), US Dallas (near to his married daughter), Vancouver (for its scenic beauty), and finally after one big round, came back to the 'green green grass of home- Singapore". I asked him: "uncle, why after going to so many nice country, you choose to come back here?" He replied: "Well, falling leaves from a tree, need to return to their roots", quoting a Chinese saying, meaning that this country, despite being a tiny red dot, is still his original home. He passed away a few years back, leaving my aunty staying alone (with a maid) in Farrer Court.
Yes, S'pore has a reputation for being a very clean country. It is very noticeable especially when you cross over from JB or coming from the airport.
But if you go deeper into the heartlands you will find that there are litter everywhere. Especially early in the morning before the cleaners can get to it.
In the west, dog owners are so used to picking up their dog droppings. Here I have seen dog droppings in the morning sometimes on the grass or walkway. That is not very responsible of them. And it is not fair to the cleaners too.
My toddler has commented why there is a sign put up "please be considerate,remove your dogs dropping"
But he can still see them around.
It is vey hard to to teach the young the proper thing to do when there are some inconsiderate people around.
Tom said..
Talking about fast walking Brian,
There was a artical in the Edinburgh evening news,saying Ediburgh is the tenth city in the world for people walking quickly and singapore is the fastest wow wow, The next time someone takes
another survey, They will be telling us we are running to fast
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