Using Death to sell marriage

The government is trying to use a new tactic to sell marriage. Through Death!

Well, it is very funny and sad at the same time. But at least it is refreshing and different. Out of the box!

I read that some people cried when they saw this commercial.



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3 April 2009

Imperfect ties that bind

By Ang Yiying

RELATIONSHIPS are imperfect and a $1.25 million ad campaign by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS), starting on Sunday, aims to convey that.

It broaches a taboo theme - a funeral, where a widow talks about her late husband's flaws and what it means to her. It also features an inter-racial relationship.

The inspiration for the ad, produced by advertising veteran and award-winning film director Yasmin Ahmad, 51, comes from her relationship with her husband. The imperfection she likes about her husband: his crooked teeth.

The ad is a move to get singles here to go beyond waiting for the perfect partner, a finding from a 2006 survey.

Said MCYS director of communications and international relations Richard Tan on Friday: 'The strength of family and family bonding is important but if you don't have family, you can't talk about strength of family and family bonding.

'And where do we get family from? We got to get young people to get married.'

He added: 'More importantly, it's to tell people that in any relationship, there will always be flaws, there will always be imperfections but you can build on a relationship without this imperfection affecting it.'

The ad garnered positive reactions at a preview screening for media and invited bloggers on Friday. Said paper designer and blogger Aida Haron, 45, of the ad: 'It's not rah-rah. It's more realistic. It features tragedy, sadness, humour and uplifting feelings.'

To reach out to the internet generation, the ad will also go on Youtube. The English version of an earlier MCYS family commercial about the relationship of a young woman and her father, by the same director, has garnered about 26,000 hits on the video sharing site.



It also won the recent MediaCorp's Viewers' Choice 2008 award in the local category.

The Facebook Bitch

This is what I called a Bitch.

Sigh. People these days are just so vengeful and vindictive.

Eh...I really dun know the guy, but I know of many young pathetic horny guys like him.

Is it necessary for her to go all the way to get rid of a horny guy who wanted to know her? All she need to do is just to block the fella pestering her.

And the worse thing is the facebook bitch is a teacher in training! Yeah, that's right, this vindictive bitch is going to be a teacher to little kids in the future.

Isn't that a horrible idea?

And yet what she did is not even considered "criminal", and as such the police cannot do anything about her.

And neither can her school, National Institute of Education, cos it's a "private matter".

Well, what can the poor horny dude, Ong JZ do except to just chalk this up as a bad learning experience.

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The New Paper
2 Apr 2009

Facebook face-off

Man: Woman & friends left me with big bill at bar Woman: We did it because he was a show-off

IT SOUNDED harmless enough - a drink with a group of new friends.

By Liew Hanqing

IT SOUNDED harmless enough - a drink with a group of new friends.

But soon after, the gathering turned sour, and Mr Ong Jian Zhao, 21, found himself left alone at a bar, with a $213 bill to settle on behalf of people he hardly knew.

Mr Ong, a civil servant, got to know Miss Chloe Yoong, 21 - one of the members of the group - through social networking site Facebook last month.

He said: 'I was randomly browsing through profiles and I decided to send her a message.'

After several messages over the course of a few days, they exchanged handphone numbers.

He then asked her out several times, but each time, she declined saying she was busy.

But on the evening on 28 Feb, Mr Ong received an SMS from her inviting him for a drink at Raffles Hotel's Long Bar with her, her boyfriend and three other friends.

Said Mr Ong: 'I was reluctant at first, but she told me to join them anyway and not to be a wet blanket.'

He recalled that when he arrived, there were already several drinks on the table - two cocktails, a glass of bourbon and a bottle of red wine.

He then chatted with the group for a while.

But after about 20 minutes, Miss Yoong and one friend left, claiming they were going to the toilet.

Shortly after, while Mr Ong was away taking a phone call, two others left.

When he returned to the table, only Miss Yoong's boyfriend remained.

But he, too, left immediately, saying he had to take a call.

Mr Ong claimed he waited for about 30 minutes for the group to return but nobody showed up.

When he SMSed Miss Yoong, she claimed to have left with a friend who was not feeling well.

He then paid the $213 bill for the drinks and left.

He told The New Paper he believed the evening was planned by the group of friends to get him into paying for the drinks.

He said he had repeatedly tried to ask Miss Yoong for his money back after the session but she had been uncontactable. He even contacted the National Institute of Education, where Miss Yoong is studying, hoping to get hold of her.

However, he was told to settle the matter on his own.

When contacted, both Miss Yoong and her boyfriend, Mr Alex Lim, 25, confirmed the incident.

Mr Lim said they had decided to leave Mr Ong to settle the bill because he had implied that he wanted to pay for the drinks.

He said: 'When he came over, he kept bragging about how well he was doing and how well-off he was.

'It is ridiculous that he is asking us for the money back.'

Miss Yoong added that in their exchanges on Facebook, Mr Ong said he had planned to treat her to a drinking or clubbing session.

Did not expect her friends

Mr Ong did not dispute this, but said he had only planned to take Miss Yoong out, but not her friends.

Said Miss Yoong: 'When he first sent me a message, he said he didn't have a stable relationship with his girlfriend.

'He asked me out to go clubbing or for drinks, and said he wanted to treat me.'

She added that she began to get annoyed by Mr Ong's persistent requests and decided to 'get him off her back' once and for all.

'It happened that my boyfriend was around (on the night of the incident) so we asked him to join us.'

Immediately after he paid the bill, Mr Ong reported the incident to the police but was advised to settle the matter privately with her.

However, he claimed he has been unable to contact her since.

The New Paper contacted Miss Yoong at the number provided by Mr Ong without any problem.

He said calls and SMSes to her handphone went unanswered, and she later deleted him from her contact list on Facebook as well.

What he hopes for is an apology and his money back.

When asked if they would accede to Mr Ong's request, Mr Lim said: 'Are you kidding?'

He added: 'It would be a different matter if he had been polite and nice.

'But after all that bragging, it was really difficult to be cordial to him.'

Borders 30% Discount ...till 16 Apr 09

Borders is having another promotion. This time, it is 30% for 3 full price books. (40% if you are a member).

Hey, it is not as good as the prior promotion, but then this is about 40% discount we are talking about. And in times like this, 40% is A LOT of money saved!!!

Promotion till 16 April 2009. Local stores only, NOT worldwide.

One per customer. But then if you got more than 3 books, just make the payment at the other cashier or pay 30 mins later.

Enjoy. And yes, you need to print out the email to enjoy the offer.

Let's talk about Death!

Channel NewsAsia
3 Apr 2009

Being a burden to one's family, medical cost and pain -- these are Singapore residents' top three fears about death, as revealed in a first ever survey on death attitudes in Singapore.

Commissioned by the Lien Foundation, the island-wide survey polled 800 people between the ages of 25 and 59 from October 2008 to January 2009.

The survey was conducted by Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

When asked about the top three most important things when one is dying or at the last stages of a terminal illness, the respondents said they want to be free from pain, surrounded by loved ones and to be conscious and able to communicate.

Eight in 10 respondents said they knew that hospices provide care for the terminally ill, but half of them did not know that hospices also provide daycare services and care in the homes of the terminally ill.

Only two in 10 are open to the idea of being in a hospice so that they can receive adequate care.

Six in 10 respondents said they are comfortable talking about their own death or dying.

But they are not comfortable talking about death or dying to someone who is terminally ill.

Paper Wealth for the Dead

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New Paper
2 April 2009

PAPER WEALTH

Buying unusual items to burn for the dead during Qing Ming Festival

THE dead want to be fashionable.

They want matching lacy bra and panty sets, fashionable bikinis, and the latest designer-styled handbags and wallet sets.

They want treadmills to keep them fit, and heavily padded massage chairs to relax them and keep them pampered.

The young and the young-at-heart want their fast-food meals.


HOT ITEMS: (Above) A designer-styled bag, a massage chair and a treadmill, all made of paper. (Below) A fast food meal minus the food. TNP PICTURES: PEARLY TAN

These are some of the mind-boggling things people buy to burn at this year's Qing Ming Festival, also known as Tomb Sweeping Day, which falls on Saturday.

Mr Ang Chee Kiong, 52, owner of It Tian Heong, an incense shop at Geylang Lorong 7, said that there are more customers today looking for uncommon items.

'Clothes and food are still the most popular but we have more requests for things like yachts and aeroplanes,' said Mr Ang.



Another example is firearms, which are hot this year.

From hand pistols to machine guns, customers can choose whatever weapon they would like to equip their dead with.



Price

Prices range from less than $5 to the most expensive item - the karaoke set, which costs $60.

He said in Mandarin: 'These (guns) are our new items. People have been requesting for them for a long time, but no one has dared to bring them in so far.

'Most people buy them for their relatives who were in the army or who were policemen.'

Customers also often ask Mr Ang for recommendations to the latest fashion available.

Mrs Pauline Leck, 45, who was buying some accessories and shirts for her late husband at the store when The New Paper visited, sought his opinion.

Said Mrs Leck, whose husband died two months ago: 'I want to get the latest clothes for him. It must be the best.'

With higher standards of living, more people are seeking ways to help their relatives enjoy the same luxury.

To meet the entertainment needs of the dead, billiard tables, basketballs and mahjong sets are also available.

For some, ready-made items are insufficient.

Shopowners told The New Paper that there have been customers who have made requests for unusual items.

'We allow orders for custom-made things like jackpot machines,' said Mr P K Lim, in his 50s, owner of Lim Sam Seng incense shop.

At another incense shop in Chinatown, requests had been made for life-sized items.

Shop owner Mr Teo Bee Kim, 58, said: 'We have had customers asking for big aeroplanes, but we told them to just buy the ready-made ones.

'Most of the things we sell are manufactured and imported from China. I don't think anyone in Singapore has the skills to make them anymore.'

Mr Lim said that the strangest request they had from a customer was an order for a tractor.

'He (the customer) explained that his relative was a construction worker before and he wanted him to be able to do what he knew in the afterlife.'

But it appears that the recession has hit the industry, too.

All the incense shops visited by The New Paper reported a 10 to 20 per cent fall in sales compared to last year.

Mr Ang said: 'People have not stopped buying, but most are buying less. We also cannot set prices too high, if not people will not buy.'

Pearly Tan and Bernice Huang, newsroom interns

Remembering Daniel

It has been about 6 years (2003?) since Daniel passed on.

As usual, I was looking forward to the obituary page for his death anniversary notice.

Frankly, I am not sure it would be there this year.

I saw it in the papers on the 1st 3 or 4 years after his death. And then when the death anniversay fell on weekends during the past few years, there wasn't any memorial notices.

This year, the day fell on a weekday.

I opened the papers. It wasn't there.

Had Daniel loved one forgottten him after so many years?

Hmmmm....I am sure I am not the only one who remembered Daniel. He got friends!

SO said that he dun believed in placing all these memorial notices in the papers during all these death anniversaries. He said there is no point in doing so cos he felt that remembering some one so openly and publicly is a bit fake and hypocritical.

He said that remembering someone did not need putting an ad in the papers, you just remember them in your heart.

Frankly, I think it's his crap. That bitch is just too lazy to do so.

It is easy to talk and pay lip service. The time, effort and money spent in putting an death memorial ad in the papers cannot simply be dismissed or denied.

So I can forget about an anniversary ad in the papers after I died.

Oh well!

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This song, Daniel by Wilson Philips reminded me of Daniel everything I hear it,

A wicked April fool's joke from a bald idiot

I just came across the worst April fool's joke.

It was from this young balding fellow's blog which I followed from time to time.

Frankly, I dun think it was funny. It was a joke in very taste and simply showed his immaturity. I think it's sick of him to make such a joke just so he can prank his friends.

I am not sure if he even have a brother in real life.

A few friends emailed and called him to verify the truth. After all, who would joke about a death in the family.

A friend from Australia even made a long distance call to check on him.

He has since deleted that post after he incurred the wrath of the people around him.

Stupid!

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This is what he wrote on 1st april morning.

Hi my brother passed away this morning after he was sent to TTS where the doctors could not rescue him and his heart stopped. Wake ceremony will be arranged by Bishan Crematorium. I do not know his frds so pls contact me at my mobile.

Adam Lambert...the Gay Idol?

This is Adam Lambert, the American Idol contestant.


This is Adam, making out with his ex-boyfriend.



This is Adam, in a gay groin to groin pose with his ex.




This is Adam, in glittering eye makeup, making out with his ex.

Well, when Adam first joined Idol, I told SO, this guy is gay and is giving out very gay, diva vibes.
SO was like...ya ya...every one who looked like that is gay.

And now that Adam very gay photos has surfaced, I am having the last laugh at SO's expense.

Well, the photos are pretty gross even by gay standards or for gay men.

As for his chances of becoming THE idol, chances are not that great.

America though liberal has its share of conservative audiences, who may not appreciate this type of "intimacy".

Letter from the family of the late Dr Allan Ooi

Allan Ooi's family has wrote in to the forum. They are seeking "an inquiry by an independent panel with oversight powers" to find out the truth about his death.

And should the truth ever be uncovered in years and years to come, would the public be notified?

Nope, I dun think so. This is the military and it deals with the issue of national defence security. And the truth could very well unravel the image and reputation of the SAF which the government has been trying so hard to protect.

And so the public is waiting to see what sort of response SAF would have towards this demand of an inquiry. Would they set up an independent panel or would they just try to sweep the dust under their feet?

Anyway, do you know that SAF spent millions on advertising each year. They are one of the top 3 advertisers in the country.

And the purpose of such military advertisements?

As quoted....
In today's uncertain security environment, having a strong defence force and maintaining the public's confidence in the defence and security of our country are important. There is a need to continually assure the public of the operational readiness of the SAF as well as to attract the best to join the organisation through corporate advertising and communications.

Advertisements that showcase the SAF'ss commitment, varied capabilities and technological advancements serve dual objectives: confidence building of Singaporeans on our military capability and readiness and recruitment.

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SAF doctor's family responds to MINDEF's statement.

AsiaOne
31 March, 2009

We write in response to MINDEF's ST Forum statement on 23 March regarding Cpt (Dr) Allan Ooi Seng Teik, who ended his life on 3 March 2009.

Allan was proud of his SAF study award and pursued his studies and housemanship enthusiastically. His 12-year bond was to include two specialisation courses, and that it could be terminated, subject to liquidated damages.

The following is an excerpt of his last email:

"My job was terrible - no joy, no satisfaction, 10-14 hours a day of nothing. A prison. One of my own forging, perhaps, by signing a contract with the SAF at the age of 18. Youth was not an excuse, yes, but I refused to accept being deceived into believing things about the nature of my employment that were simply untrue. 12 years of bonded service became potentially 15 or 16, became unbreakable. How can a bond be unbreakable? How can it be extended at will by an administration, simply by passing a paper?

And how can the people subject to this bond not even question it, but instead sit in silent resentment and ultimate dissatisfaction?

I was angry, so angry, which stemmed ultimately from a sense of waste and imprisonment so profound that I had no choice but to leave it entirely. To the people within this system, please change it to better benefit yourselves and future generations, instead of creating a self-perpetuating cycle of, at best, painful obligation, and at worst, utter despair.

That was certainly the main cause for my severing of ties."

Other speculative reasons have appeared detracting from the real reasons for his drastic action so plaintively explained by Allan himself.

We ask for details of Allan's discussions with his superiors and how a contract is subject to policy changes, including prolonging his bond by three years for one six-month specialist course.

Importantly, why would a bond be breakable only in "strong, extenuating circumstances" when this was not stated in his contract? What are these? We now know Allan wrote to HQMC Manpower in July 2008 with the intention of breaking his bond. What was the outcome?

We feel Allan's concerns can only be addressed effectively via an inquiry by an independent panel with oversight powers. We hope to help bring possible deficiencies to light in order to avert a similar tragedy and pain to other families.

Family of the late Cpt (Dr.) Allan Ooi

Kitten Foster Mom

I was accessing my youtube account and came across this message.

It was from Sul, the lady who fostered the 3 kittens we found 2 years ago.

SO and I were then walking our dogs and we chanced upon this 3 kittens in a box. They seemed to be only days old and were mewing continuously.

Well, we had no experience with raising new born kittens so in desperation, I put up various seek help in local forums all over town.

Sul contacted us and we drove to her house the next day. We also gave her some cans of animal baby milk and $50.

We promised that we would keep in contact and that she would fostered the kittens for 2 weeks to a month.

One of the black kitten died of some urinal tract infection.

We couldn't find any one willing to adopt the kittens after that and we were too embarrassed to call her back. We did tell her that we would try to find people willing to adopt and also asked her to ask around.

Well, that was the last we heard of her and the kittens. Until now.

We were so glad that the kittens are now well. And adopted by her cousin.

But frankly, next time, if we ever chance upon new born kittens, we would not bring them back home. It is too much trouble and of a hassle.

We had called several local cats welfare society and they advised us to give up as such newborn kittens normally dun survive under human care.

We were simply disappointed with these so called cat-lovers!

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Hi there!! I'm Sul. The girl who fostered these 3 kittens. I stumbled upon their video on youtube and I cannot tell you how happy n excited it made me feel! My heart JUMPED!!!

As you might already know, the black kitten fell seriously ill, and died. It was really sad. But the other two survived and they are now doing very well. My cousin adopted them... They are now big and strong kittens. I'm so glad that they survived, because they were so tiny and had very little chance of survival.

Now, i have a small request. Can u please send me the two videos if you still have them? You can email them to me at: xxxx@yahoo.com

This would be VERY VERY much appreciated!! I would like to also give the videos to my cousin who has adopted the cats :-D

Regards,

Sul