talent schools not for nerds

The fallacy of good academic grades The Arts School has clarified that an express stream grade is only a guide and not necessary a prerequisite for admission. Somehow there is this obsession that everyone must have good grades in order to have talents. So Beckham, Owen and all the footballers in the English and European Leagues and Singapore league, please do not apply. And all the pop singers, dancers and actors and actresss, also don't apply. We will call you. I thought god is just being fair by giving academic talent to the nerds and artistic talents and sports talents to those who are not academically gifted? But what can one expect when Arts and Sports schools are managed by academic talents? If I will to set up such a school, I will make it a point to sack all the applicants who have good academic grades and take in the real talents in the respective fields. Better still to make those with good academic grades feel unwanted in these talent schools. Talent schools are for specific talents and not for nerds. This is elementary.

my god, so many complainers

My god, there are so many complainers in the papers about the smallest of HDB flats. Do these people know how good life is inside a HDB flat, especially the space they are getting? The HDB have done many meticulous studies before they came up with the optimum size of flats to suit the residence. And how can they ever think that HDB is wrong in the size of the flats? I asked the two cockroaches inside my kitchen cabinet whether they feel squashed and they looked at me in amazement. Squashed? It is like a universe. They have been running around freely and still cannot explore all the corners of the flat. It is too big! It all depends on your size and on your need as a lessee. A lessee may find it too small. But from the perspective of HDB, that is good enough. So don't argue, and stop complaining.

Talk to your neighbours

Talk to your neighbours This is the latest war cry in Singapore. We are living so closely to each other but not talking to each other. In fact many quarrelled instead. The objectives of building a closer knit society where everyone knows each other and feel as a member of the sociey, as friends, to share and help each other, especially the old, handicap and lonely. Who can quarrel with such a great idea? But then, do people want to talk to their neighbours? What is so great about your neighbours when some will get to your nerves with their antics, unhygenic ways, unsocial mannerism etc? Lifestyle of 21st century and city life are changing rapidly. Every home is a self contained unit for entertainment and to rest or to keep to one's own privacy. Everyone has a different lifestyle, different likes and dislikes, different tolerance than before when the neighbour's living area is also your living area, sharing kitchen, toilet and many common facilities. For the old and lonely who needs people around them, having helpful and caring neighbours is a great bonus, no doubt. But such community bonds and relationship cannot be enforced. They can only be fostered, encouraged and need time. And conditional upon whether the neighbours are those who want to help and come up close. Making efforts towards this direction is necessary but cannot be overdone when it becomes fake. There are still calls to play hops scot, marbles, five stones, chatek etc. These are good to reminice but hold no value and unlikely to capture the interest of a new breed of children brought up in a push button for satisfaction world.

when 8 As are not enough

I have read a reply in the Straits Times forum by Choo Lee See, Director of PSC Secretariat. She said that students vying for PSC scholarships should have 11 or more subjects (at presumably O levels). When 8 As are more than adequate, I thought it would be better for the bright students to spend their times exploring the stars or some other interests, maybe smelling the roses, instead of chasing for more As. These students, with a min of 8 As are already exceptional students and academically need not have to prove that they can do even better. What is lacking is probably the development in other areas, humanity and character building and other interests. Their extra time should be allowed to be spent in things other than more muggings. It will help to reduce more exam stress. And PSC could assess them better as a whole person.

happy old singaporeans

'I love being served by older workers...they have smiles from their faces that really come from the heart.' Jo Anne Lee Actually I was wondering whether to put this in the myth column, about the mythical Singapore and mythical Singaporeans, all happy, especially the young, and very happy to be served be equally happy old Singaporeans. Old Singaporeans nowadays don't retire into happy villages or be bored by highly spirited grandchildren, or a world cruise round the world to the sunset. Happy Singaporeans are those cleaning up tables and serving at MacDonald counters. And their smiles are genuine. They are so lucky. I think I will submit my application to MacDonald for a happy retirement job. And who says old workers are not wanted?