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Monday, September 06, 2004
The Best Bush Speech ... ever! (... yet?)
It's a pity I didn't get to watch the Republican Convention. I did manage to catch Giuliani's rambling speech. It's amazing how people can ramble when they have so many good things to talk about, really.
It's a pity, not cos' I'm such a big fan of Dick Cheney or Zell Miller. The only Republican I can think of who can speak as well as Bill Clinton just passed on. But it's a pity because I watched on c-span (and yes Beijing does not censor c-span), and Dubya's speech was wonderful. Especially the conclusion. At the end, he reminded me of Bill Clinton (although Bubba would never have needed Schwarzenegger to correct his English), and I almost wanted to hear again "I still believe in a place called Hope" ... but whatever. Yes, I thought it was on a level where he was fit in my mind to end "I still believe in a place called Hope". It was a personal spiritual connection with a nation and audience and I thought it was very heartfelt and full of conviction. The elements of great oratory. Okay, it's not greeeaaat. But I was impressed.
It's a pity I didn't get to watch on TV the best Bush speech ever. As they say, ten minutes on stage is the result of ten years of hard work. I wonder how long he took to rehearse that speech ...
So let me change the saying to ... "ten minutes on stage is the result of ten years of hard work, and can result in ten point surges in opinion polls"
... ever or ... yet ... guess it depends on your political opinion ...
wows wonders at 9/6/2004 10:48:52 am
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It's coming to that time (almost always after the Olympics), when the American presidential race starts to heat up, so probably will be looking more closely than before. John Kerry is now down by double digits in a nationwide poll. But America has the electoral college, so perhaps the more important thing, as I said earlier, is that the number of "undecided states" or swing states is very few. In fact, there is only Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida left in terms of big time states. In other words, John Kerry has to take at least two or all of these states before he can win. It's more than very tough, but on the other hand, there are very few states where any candidate has a double digit lead, really very few.
People are often tested when they are down. I don't really doubt Kerry's ability to grit his teeth and fight on. But the Democratic Party isn't the best party when they are down. They have this propensity to whine and groan and kick up big fusses and all make so much noise that the candidate has more problem trying to respond to the fuss and overcoming the trouble of being pulled in so many directions by different groups, than refining his campaign strategy. That's the interesting thing to look at - how the Kerry campaign moves on. Time to hook up onto a vision, a big theme man. Kerry hasn't shown a trump, I mean if people like me know it, the Campaign better know it. Otherwise Kerry might as well just lose.
wows wonders at 9/6/2004 10:29:30 am
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Wednesday, September 01, 2004
Falling onto the Track Record
锘縄t's astounding how many people can fall onto the MRT track. It just begs to be taken as people who you yang xue yang (鏈夋牱瀛︽牱). But then again, I remember that accursed year when there were sooo many bus accidents involving SBS buses, like a year or two before they changed their name and made themselves all purple. But 4 in a month or so is just way too many.
Not that I like the idea of barriers, because I think having barriers with lobangs at the door is not gonna solve the problem. Kiasu Singaporeans would stand at the lobangs anticipating quick entry into the train anyway. But, the cost of having disruptions and bus re-routings is just too high to keep having people falling and disrupting trains like that.
Also, pity the poor drivers who ram themselves into the victims. And pity the families who have to go wonder whether their relatives really fell in or jumped in ... oh gosh ... and pity the SMRT, who has to wipe Singaporean asses again ... wows wonders at 9/1/2004 11:08:54 am
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Sunday, August 29, 2004
It's a happy coincidence to be free in Beijing on a Sunday. Walking around Beijing just proves to be such an interesting eye-opener. But initially it all started rather dustily. Was walking along 媽屰極戝奨 (Old Drum Tower Avenue) and ... it was really old. Buildings were getting torn down everywhere and the dust was flying everywhere as well. It also started as a day of funny looks, looks that go like "this guy looks Chinese but he doesn't look like a Beijingren" .... =S
Soon got better, when I got into the first 層摨 (hutong or alleyway ... in Shanghai the equivalent is 棦楳 or lilong). They have really weird names. The first was 戝愇旇層摨 (Large Stone Plaque Alley). Then there was 彫愇旇層摨丆鄒摛層摨丆朮橷層摨丆钱忪層摨 etc. etc. Anyway Dashibei was this mazing mix of dilapidated houses and modern houses. It's all rojak. Then along the way I got lost, and only found my way back by gazing at an equivalent of an RC noticeboard ... some neighbourhood action committee. It came complete with blackboards scribbled with slogans.
One thing that's so noticeable in Beijing all around, or perhaps in China everywhere, is the prevalence of slogans. In and around where I walked, the most frequently seen ones are those beseeching city dwellers to make their city cleaner (卫惗) and more civilised (暥柧). So for example one would go like 慡椡实峴杒嫗卫惗嬫妶动 (All efforts to realise the clean area of Beijing) or something of the sort. It reminds me time and time again that this is still a very slogan-driven centrally-controlled country. But the good thing is there are also more friendly slogans, like those apologising for inconveniences caused by construction work. That's sweet.
Anyway, so it was good it was a Sunday, cos' everybody was out relaxing. Of course some were working, like street barbers, cobblers etc. Most, however, were playing. Playing mahjong! There were so many along Qianhai it's a total joy to watch. Yes, it's quite a joy to watch for example people haggling and yelling about how much to pay, what gang and what tai and how much to pay and all that stuff. And the world also isn't perfect, so there are those 嶰銥堦 people who just sit there and look miserable. But there're so many tables beside the lake under the willows ... and there're people chatting and gossiping on the stone benches ... it's just so idyllic.
In the hutongs there are less people playing mahjong. There are more people going about chores, shouting across wondering whether their neighbours are doing, playing weiqi with their kids, or just cycling around saying hi to everybody around ... But it's a pity I didn't get to see authentic 巐崌堾 (siheyuan, courtyard houses). I went into one that was converted into a restaurant, but that's just the outer courtyard. So couldn't get to see anything beyond that.
What I did get to see was public toilets. They are everywhere. Initially I had no idea why there should be soooo many public toilets. It's almost like the way Starbucks pops up everywhere. Then somebody provided the answer - siheyuan have no toilets!? Dunno whether that's true, but will leave it as that. Some of them are really nice (ok, yes I went into many public toilets). Others ... erm ... i.e. those I didn't go into, erm just smell ...
Speaking of Starbucks, met up with Teo Heng and Chris after that and stayed at Starbucks for a long long time .... and tried a novel tasting spicy beef mooncake. They also have XO scallop, and other interesting milky lotus paste flavours. So there I was wondering how mooncakes can possibly pack such savoury flavours before I was kindly reminded that in Singapore there are egg yolks ... ahhh.... Considering that most Chinese earn about 3000RMB a month, there is no way any Chinese in their right mind would want to have a Frap. It costs the same as in Singapore.
Well well so that's the end of R&R session 1. Will have more over the next few weekends I suppose. wows wonders at 8/29/2004 2:14:29 pm
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Saturday, August 28, 2004
First day in Beijing today, and it was awesome! Initially I couldn't recognise the airport. Then the driver told me it has been upgraded since 1997. No wonder. And not just that, it was sooo efficient, like Changi Airport! I think Asian airports are beating European ones everywhere.
Something's a little different about Beijing than from other places. I was left alone after checking in, and reading LP is a strange experience, what with all the hanyu pinyin. Somehow it feels very comfortable to be in a place that is foreign, but yet filled with foreigners who I rather look like, and whose language I can speak rather better than Hello, Byebye and Thank You.
Of course it certainly helps that it's a Saturday, and I guess everything is a little more vibrant than usual. I went around 王府井 (Wangfujing) and there were sooo many people. There was a CD shop with erm, CDs at ... erm let's just say Bugis people are earning 75% profits. There were also masseurs offering services, plainly-dressed women asking people whether I wanted to visit a jiuba. All I could do was to pretend I didn't understand. Obviously I pretended well because she then started to speak in English, which promptly unleashed another pretence ...
It's definitely a bit different for me to be travelling and understanding what many people are saying, what the policemen are telling the beggars, what the people are shouting to each other about on the subway, and in fact what is being said by the announcers at the subway. And I realise that what's being said on the subway in Beijing matches everything on the NEL ... goes something like "Next station is so-and-so, passengers who are getting off please prepare to do so, for your convenience I shall announce the travelling times for Circle Line" (isn't that amazing?) ... Being China, they have all the messages beseeching people to let alighting passengers pass first, to give up seats for the 老幼病怀孕 (the elderly, young, infirm and pregnant).
But the highlight of the day was definitely 王府井小吃街 (Wangfujing Snack Street). It was absolutely gagayifying. Soooo much activity and so many smells. So basically I just grabbed a lamb kebab, sat down at a 炸酱面 zhajiang noodle stall and had a bowl, sat down on a 担担面 dandan noodle stall and had another bowl, then had some really disgusting 爆肚 ... together with some ... supposed Beijing opera. Oh gosh ... all that in less than an hour. I felt soooo very bloated after that.
The only downside is that I was a little alone. Okay maybe I was just alone. That invites masseurs and mamasans, and also women knocking on the doors (single rooms, male ... erm well). Interestingly I also met Singaporeans. As usual met by the accent. Was talking to mummy on the phone when this person suddenly came up and went "Are you Singaporean?" and I was like nodding furiously and shaking hands. So strange. Rarely has such a place so overwhelmed me in the first few hours. Rarely do I feel this need to just run to the nearest Beijingren I know and hope he/she will bring me to see more of this place. wows wonders at 8/28/2004 3:09:10 pm
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Friday, August 27, 2004
So it's off to Beijing for my wonderful attachment which I am so totally unprepared for. Fortunately I probably have one more day to catch up on stuff, and take in the unknown city. I have so many numbers - two from Beida, two from Bayi, one from KCL's gf ... it's amazing the array of people I can think of choosing to call in an emergency. Suppose too many people to call is not a bad thing. Kinda looking forward to the trip, although the thought of speaking Mandarin continuously for three weeks sometimes feels a little stressful. But hopefully I will come off with a smashing impression of the 2008 Olympic city and its people, and also the schools. It all sounds good ...
wows wonders at 8/27/2004 6:09:58 pm
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Yakked about stingrays at the three places I went to. Yesterday went to Yuki & Yaki, and had the most disgusting ammonia-stenched stingray ever ... =S I think it was keeevin who once tried to create the sambal skate at Oxford, and it turned out quite okay except for the slight ammonia smell ... which I thought came from the banana leaf. So where does it come from?! Does anyone know?
But cos' I love the thing so much, and anything I love I love to know how to create it myself, I was overjoyed to see stingray featured in Today a long long long time ago. I actually emailed bd, the deputy editor who comes up with these recipes, to ask her for more advice, and lo and behold, she came back with three recipes!
MARINADE ONE:
Mince or blend 2 cm piece ginger, 2 redchillies, 1 brown onion, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, lemon grass if you can get it or a couple of kaffir lime leaves. Place marinade and sting ray in a ziplock bag and chill for at least an hour or more. (The longer you marinade it, the better it tastes!)
MARINADE TWO:
Chop or blend three tomatoes, 2 red chillies, 1 bunch spring onions, 2 cm piece ginger, i teaspoon salt, juice of 1 lemon. Place marinade and stingray in a ziplock bag and chill for as long as you can manage.
MARINADE THREE:
Blend 1 teaspoon doubanjiang (hot beansauce from Chinese grocery), 1 bunch spring onions chopped up, 1 teaspoon sesame seeds. Apply sauce on stingray steaks and wrap up in oiled foil.
Voila! wows wonders at 8/27/2004 2:59:48 pm
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It's bizarre how a something pops out in life so often. If it's eggs recently then maybe it's not so bizarre. After all, they are exhorbitant to buy, so much so that the shou gong mian stall at Hougang Mall has this huge sign saying "No Eggs" ... I'm sure it's not just at that particular stall lor ...
But this piece I read off the Feedback Unit Forum just reminded me of KCL, who said he was gonna go beat eggs for his aunt's kuay neng geng for Hungry Ghosts' ... (all the joss-stick smoke this weekend will be astounding I think). Apparently he's gonna keep beating for two hours from about 9 in the morning, just to make the kng. wows.
Anyway, so that's a perfectly innocent and simple thing, beating eggs, until I saw that Feedback Forum piece, which goes like
Last weekend, I fried Roti Prata for the family and kids enthusiastically volunteered to crack eggs. Mom was alarmed by the potential mess kids would generate.
Kids stated they wanted to learn and they wanted to be part of the family activities. Mom promised them they could stand aside and watch to participate; and also promised future opportunity for them to learn.
sic
!? But that's the price if we want perfect, efficient roti prata~! So either, we learn how to understand that there can be children beating eggs and perfect roti prata, kuay neng geng, oyster omelette etc. etc. etc. in good time. Or we only call on the children for help when we are making kuay neng geng, once in a while, when we absolutely absolutely need them children to beat the eggs (if not then die).
Makes me wonder about our times -
Are we being allowed to beat eggs more often so we can all learn how to have many hands make good food?
Or is this just an annual kuay neng geng making session? wows wonders at 8/27/2004 2:45:09 pm
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Very nice piece. Must say I got the same weird feeling when I went to RJ too. Or for that matter, whenever I observe weird lavender-white uniforms and lavender-white-green uniforms strutting on the streets. Ghostly indeed.
wows wonders at 8/27/2004 2:31:06 pm
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Thursday, August 26, 2004
TalkingCock is back, but erm, apparently it's all old articles. It's worth just going there to take a look. Guess that was the first sign that bird flu was coming closer to home ... (why didn't they think of that ...?)
wows wonders at 8/26/2004 6:41:34 pm
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