Breaking The GRC Stronghold

So the votes have been tallied and the results are out. On 8th May 2011, Singaporeans woke up to the reality of a stronger Workers' Party; having wrested the Aljunied GRC stronghold containing 3 Ministers no less from PAP and retained their traditional bulwark of Hougang, their presence in the Parliament has strengthened from 1 seat to 6 (not including any possible NCMPs too). This is also the most number of elected Opposition seats taken up since Singapore's independence.

But the feeling of dissatisfaction is strong in the air and one wonders if PAP will take heed. They have clearly lost ground; the previous election in 2006 PAP having garnered 66.7% of the votes, only 60.14% voted for them in 2011. Two PAP heavyweight ministers, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong and Minister Mah Bow Tan also received poorer scores for their "report cards" this time round, having lost a significant share of votes from the previous election. These 2 constituencies were also notable for their 'wins' due to the slate of fresh candidates offered up by National Solidarity Party. For first time contestants, their share of votes gained were very credible and noteworthy.

But on a whole, what tips could the opposition parties glean from this election?

1) Consistent Messaging

The Workers' Party's communications plan was the strongest and the tightest amongst ALL the parties contesting this time round. Yes, even the PAP could take a lesson or two. Having attended their rallies and watched their videos online, every candidate knew the party's mission and ideals by heart and embodied it. Ending every speech with a consistent "Vote for the Workers' Party towards a First World Parliament", that line became synonymous with the party and in fact, the strongest rallying cry for the election.

I will not go into whether the message itself could have been better, but their consistent delivery cannot be faulted. The PAP recognised and went for the jugular by attempting to tear it apart, with MP Indranee Singh leading the pack. But Mr Low successfully rebutted every attack backed up by Ms Sylvia Lim in the press and the messaging was reinforced credibly by every candidate during the rallies. So not only did they settle on a communications message, but plans were laid for a vigorous defense and strong comebacks to what was a rather predictable PAP challenge.

2) Brand Loyalty

Workers' Party candidates also stand out by having a strong loyalty to the cause, something in which every other political party (besides PAP) suffers heavily from. In this aspect, I actually believe that WP took a leaf or two from PAP's own book!

The leader and "star appeal" from the get go has always been Mr Low Thia Kiang, flanked by the very capable and charismatic Ms Sylvia Lim and the extremely credible Mr Chen Show Mao. Mr Pritam Singh also came into his own with his steadfast delivery but overall, the strongest spotlight was trained on Mr Low and nobody else fought to detract that from him. And it worked for the voters. Mr Low came across as a strong party leader backed by strong lieutenants and the voters bought it. Having stepped out firmly into the unknown to contest for a GRC, the challenge was thrown during Nomination Day and the battle lines were drawn.

PAP tried to play a game of chicken, challenging Aljunied GRC voters if they dared sacrifice Foreign Minister George Yeo for a normal MP like Mr Low but that strategem backfired tremendously. And it went to show that voters were not impressed with titles and fancy sounding portfolios; instead a strong character coupled with integrity was what counted and WP came out the stronger winner.

The National Solidarity Party got off to a shaky start with the loss of their Principal Election Agent and older brother of party chief Goh Meng Seng. From then on, it sadly became the Nicole Seah Show, with attention within and without the party trained solely on her young shoulders with very little else coming from the rest of the party candidates. But what a marvelous job she pulled off, backing Senior Minister to the polls with only 54% of the votes garnered. This was an incredible feat made no less by the fact that she was a political newcomer. Very little was heard from party chief Mr Goh Meng Seng through out (the other Mr Goh) despite Mah Bow Tan's obvious unpopularity and SM Goh's clumsy gaffes. Previously touted star candidates or "A-team" comprising of former scholars and couple Tony Tan and Hazel Poa also failed to impress or garner much traction amongst voters.

But it could have been better. The musical chair of opposition candidates played out prior to Nomination Day did not help the cause overall with personas and egos jumping ship every so often. The Reform Party suffered the worst of this and generally arrived at Nomination Day with an air of having cobbled their candidates from anybody and everybody willing to "have a go at it". Not the sort to inspire faith in a voter from the get go if they knew that your candidate joined you just a couple of months or even weeks / days prior to the elections. The only party that stood above and away from the opposition fray with regard to "talent" was Workers' Party and they have the results to show for it. Voters like to know you are in it for the long haul and that includes your membership to the party. After all, Singaporeans like stability even when voting for change.

I think Alex Au once stated that to argue for the greater cause of "unity" was to be disloyal to the party's cause of gaining more seats and sadly, this has played out to be true. Perhaps it is the very nature of an opposition candidate that makes him or her unable to stay within a party that has a set of rules and regulations he or she can't agree with. After all isn't the hallmark of a PAP candidate one that submits to group-mandate?

I personally believe that in the months ahead, we will see loser candidates leave their current parties and join others or set up new ones.

3) Having A Media Plan

A pleasant surprise from this election was the improvement of coverage allocated to opposition parties this time round. The local press had obviously realised that they no longer had the stranglehold on news in the era of Facebook and the Internet. Unfortunately most if not all opposition were caught off-guard but how nicely the press was playing this time round and were still playing by the old rules i.e. do not trust or rely the local press to get your message out. This in a way, is a sad indictment of the trust our local citizenry has towards the press but that's a post for another time.

So aside from the traditional podium pounding speeches and the clumsy fumblings of urging supporters to "share" links and videos online, the opposition failed by and large to play to the local media, something that PAP has had the luxury of since inception. By the time various opposition figures realised this, it was rather too late into the campaign and PAP has as usual stolen a march on them.

Vivian Balakrishnan's attempted smear campaign on SDP backfired and ironically hit him in where he least expected it; via the local press. Disapproving and unforgiving opinions were published and aired in local papers for once, reflecting the louder disgust heard online and within days, the PAP camp found itself in a position of scrambling to regain lost moral high ground. But the fair play exhibited by the local press was unexpected and to be honest, unprecedented and the opposition failed to capitalise on their gains.

All that said, whether this continues to remain as a normal state of affairs remain to be seen as PAP evaluates the performance of the media under their control and whether hidden repercussions are dealt or felt with after the results are known. The loss of a GRC and a well-liked Foreign Minister is guaranteed to rattle the highest management and as history has shown, PAP is not above changing the rules or altering the playing field to suit itself.

Confessions of a Once-PAP Voter

Originally posted at http://www.facebook.com/notes/nicholas-lim/confessions-of-a-once-pap-voter/210916142266133

I grew up in a PAP household. Mum worked for the PAP & was only one reporting level away from a Minister himself. I even volunteered for a couple of PAP events but was vaguely uncomfortable with something I couldn't quite put my finger on. Election periods while growing up meant losing Mum for those campaigning days where she accompanied the Minister as part of the grassroots team going door-to-door canvassing for votes. I recall one GE in particular where Cheng San GRC was The Hot Seat. Mum allowed us to stay up to watch the results come in and we all burst out in spontaneous cheering when PAP won. The just and right government had won and I was proud of my Mum for being part of that process. I didn't understand what were the consequences of a PAP-dominated parliament; these were matters best left to the adults.

Getting to know friends who stayed in Hougang were like getting to know another species of Singaporean. "What's it like living in an OPPOSITION ward?" was a question asked with much gleeful curiousity. My first glimpse of Potong Pasir disappointed slightly; I was expecting a bunch of HDB dwellers really down in the dumps, probably going about their day with snarls and grimaces. Instead it was just like any other HDB neighbourhood, just with more visible wear-and-tear around the edges. I was so glad my parents chose to live in AND vote for a PAP-led ward; I can't imagine life without lifts on every floor and a thriving neighbourhood hub with its own MRT station! Upgrading being allocated to PAP-held constituencies seemed like a logical extension of things, the way the government explained things. But then again, I couldn't vote and these were matters best left to politically-inclined individuals.

The advent of the Internet changed all that perception. Curiosity had always gotten me into trouble before (another story for another day) and one fine day, for the life of me I can't recall why now, I decided to look up political parties on the Internet. PAP's website was a natural starting point; everything was as you can expect it to be. Information was parsely doled out with the usual tidbits on how successful Singapore was and how PAP being in charge was responsible for this and how you as a Singaporean, was truly lucky to be part of this utopia we were all working towards. It further amplified my sense that if I wasn't satisfied and happy with the state of things, I wasn't a true Singaporean then.

The first opposition website I peeked into was Worker's Party. It wasn't very well fleshed out back then (this was before 2005) and a lot of it seemed statistics based or focused. I lost interest pretty quickly and looked for more.

Then I found SDP's and I was blown away. For the first time, there were questions I had always thought about vaguely & then quickly quashed as undeserving of a true Singaporean. Far from the much-demonised caricature one usually sees in the mainstream press, the figures of SDP were normal and caring Singaporeans with a difference but oh what a large one. They dared question the status quo and refuse to settle for less. They put forth in not so many words that the government should be accountable to the people, not the other way around. They fought against blind acceptance of governmental "edicts" and spoke up regarding alleviating the plight of less fortunate Singaporeans. They told me that I had rights as a citizen, rights which were summarily dismissed and taken away without my knowledge.

From then on, I started to read our local press with a much greater level of awareness and also questioned what I read. SDP updated their website with the greatest frequency and I devoured their insights and arguments with great relish. The mrbrown/mr-miyagi fiasco with TODAY (I can't recall ofhand now sorry) made me realise the government began to regard the Internet with fear. They were losing control on how information and more importantly, the truth was being disseminated and they didn't like it. The rise of socio-political portals like The Online Citizen and Temasek Review began to offer editorialised counter viewpoints to the current affairs in Singapore, albeit amateurish. But information was power and I began to feel empowered. I swore that the next time I voted, it would be with both eyes wide open.

Fast forward to 2011. The issues put forth by the Opposition are the same with one exception; the opening of the foreign labour floodgates. Cost of living in Singapore has shot up tremendously as compared to the previous decade along with housing and transport. The government's refusal to agree to a minimum wage system means the lower-income families struggle even harder just to survive and local Singaporeans across every level have to compete with an indiscriminate flood of cheaper foreign labour, loosely disguised as necessary "talent". The PAP always says that with them in charge, the years ahead will always be good. But this time round, I regard a PAP-helmed future with much trepidation.

Over the last 5 years, I have been marginalised and belittled as a Singaporean. I served my National Service with great pride but I witness stories of how locals are sidelined in favour of cheaper foreign imports. A Singaporean ten dollar doesn't go as far as it used to, even in Johor Bahru. Taking the public transport, shopping in our plentiful malls, eating in our local eateries, I have never felt the lack of our national identity more. If I were to order food, I have to be mindful to speak slowly to the China server. If I were to call regarding local services, I have to adjust myself to a Filipino accent. At work, should I be required to interact with the IT department, I have to get used to the thick India-n accent.

Today though, I had the luxury of an all-Singaporean experience at the Worker's Party rally at Bedok Stadium. A Malay family who had arrived early like me, brought spare mats and spread them out, inviting everyone to sit and share with them. During Somasundaram's rally speech, an local Indian was helpfully translating the gist of it to us fellow non-Tamil speaking folk. A Chinese uncle who had spare bottles of water offered them to us when it was 2 hours into the rally.

The irony struck me that for the first time in years, I felt connected and closer to my fellow Singaporeans at an event that is probably the most grudgingly sanctioned one by the PAP - a rally whose purpose was to TOPPLE the PAP. The outpouring of affection and camaraderie was a hundred times more genuine than any extravagant NDP parade, much less the farce that was the YOG. People all around me cheered, hooted and jeered in perfect synchronicity. Everyone were expressing their joy at hearing the opposition speak out against the silent injustices inflicted upon us by the PAP and how over the years, we were regarded less as citizens and more like statistics and figures crucial only to their ever increasing stratospheric self-awarded salaries.

So as a fellow Singaporean, the upcoming week is a crucial one. I ask that you do not take the PAP's words at blind faith; the information is out there and easily available. For those who prefer to harken back to the days of yore, I can only say this; the PAP of our parents' generation is long gone. The ministers of today are less concerned with our welfare and more interested in meeting "KPIs" and "benchmarks". Pursuing economic growth blindly is not the solution nor the answer. These are acceptable practises when it comes to work but when it comes to managing a country, a nation with our lives and our children's future at stake, it is not enough and should not be acceptable.

We have the chance to make things right. It comes only once every 5 years. Do you dare risk another half a decade with a careening PAP at the wheel?

ADDENDUM - Posted this after a friend's friend queried my stance regarding immigrants.

I have nothing against immigrants who are here to stay; I have Korean blood in me from my dad's side. Mum's family is Peranakan & I've got family in Malacca.

However I do take issue with these so-called "talents" who come here for a quick stint & easy access to a PR status with no intention of staying whatsoever. I am unhappy with a government that has no qualms in flooding our country with transient foreign workers.

The neighbourhood coffeeshops at my area have been taken over completely by PRC workers - from the kopi stall to the chicken rice to the fishball noodles to the zhar cai fan. The single malay stalls had to close down because the malay residents didn't feel comfortable having their meals there IN THEIR OWN NEIGHBOURHOOD.

I recently went shopping at Tampines Mall and nearly every shop I went into were unable to serve me in English. I can only wonder at the business logic that excludes non-mandarin speaking customers. Just because I happen to speak mandarin myself does not excuse anything.

A year ago, the firm I worked in hired a Filipino studio manager. Within 6 months, 3/4s of the original team were replaced with fellow Filipinos; a colleague close to her cited that she found it difficult to work with local designers and hence she made the switch. And they all talk incessantly of the day they get to go back to their own country and buy a house.

I have lots of expatriate friends who have come here looking for work and end up finding love, set up home and settled down. They are no less Singaporean to me than my other friends; but I do take offence at a government that refuses to implement a minimum wage and forces us locals to compete with cheaper imports who don't have to contend with the long term consequences of living here.

The Truth Behind The Bullshit

Patriotism : Blood vs Country?

So by now everyone in Singapore knows a little bit more on how Mas Selamat escaped the authorities and fled the country to Malaysia. Yup, his brother, sister-in-law and niece were in on it. *pause for dramatic gasp of shock*.

R e a l l y? Did it surprise anyone to know that he a) had help and b) had it from FAMILY? Well the fact that he fled dressed as a WOMAN was a cause for some hilarity but honestly, trust a terrorist to once again abuse religion in the name of his own fucked-up agenda.

But it all makes for good reading while the PAP government stumble and blush over their facetiously worded press releases and farcical Q&A in Parliament (what kind of a clown would ask if Shanmugam would ensure that women wearing the tudung would not face discrimination when it came to employment, "entering security areas" etc.?!) Note too, the breathless exhortations by various red-faced figures in the government for the people not to blame the Malay-Muslim community over the latest divulgence in the Toilet-Break case.

Well for a bunch of people who are paid multi-million dollar salaries, they sure are fucking stupid. Nobody and I mean NOBODY is blaming the Malay-Muslim community for this entire bad circus sideshow they have going on here. EVERYONE however is well aware of the monumental cock-up led by Wong Kan Seng in his previous multi-million dollar role as Home Affairs Minister (jog our memory abit, what is he NOW again?!) And everyone is sick of the blame-pushing and "cover-backside" statements (then again, how typically 'government' of them, as anyone who has done NS will attest to).

What would really surprise anyone would be if WKS had the balls to step up and say, "I fucked up, here's my resignation." If he needed help, South Korea's now ex-Defence Minister, Mr Kim Tae Young could give him some tips on how to bow out like a man and with honour. But again honestly, I wouldn't hold my breath. I'd even dare say there are better odds of Mas Selamat saying "Fuck you JI, I wanna be a normal person instead of running around wearing a tudung and planning to blow shit up."

Ok fine, my rant's over. But here's the crux of my post; why on earth did his family, his own flesh and blood help Mas Selamat, an alleged terrorist as proclaimed by the government? According to the sketchy news reports, it seemed that during his 2 day jaunt across the island from Whitney to Tampines, Mas Selamat already knew (or thought he knew) that his niece a) stayed alone and b) would be partial to assisting him further in his escape.

Assuming that his family members aren't raving lunatic terrorists, after all they all seemed to be normal Singaporeans with the niece even working as a teacher for MOE, why did they not take one look at Mas Selamat and go "OMG you're planning to blow up our neighbours and friends! I happen to LIKE Yishun MRT station! GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE!" (or something to that effect).

Or did he sell his family a different version of his side of the story? Note that while he has been locked up at Whitney all this while, presumably under the ISA act (I cbf to read up on this), he has not been charged and convicted within a proper court of law. How far would one have to go to ignore his/her conscience in order to help a loved one who is so obviously wrong in his ideals and actions? Did they consider an intervention of some kind or did they in some misguided way, believe that his incarceration was wrong in the first place? Note also that his nephew, who although did nothing of substance to assist his uncle further in his escape, was also privy to the information that Mas Selamat was taking up transvestism in his home and did nothing to alert the bungling authorities about it.

In a nutshell, do their actions hint of a deeper seated root of resentment and defiance against the government?

Opposition Parties: Reaching Out To New Citizens?

Decided to just post up my comment / reply to a friend's FB where commentors were anti-new citizen for the upcoming elections.

"Distasteful as it may be, the truth is the floodgates have been opened and they are here. Whether they are here to stay long term or not, they are here NOW for the immediate future and I'd expect, curious if not eager to exercise their new voting rights.

Reaching out to them is a must. The opposition should not, must not overlook this silent bloc of voters.

Right now they may be feeling the heat from born Singaporeans; it's easy to direct anger and place the blame for the country's woes at the many feet of these new citizens and PRs. But we should not forget the original culprits (i.e. PAP) in favour for an easier target.

If PAP is the only political party offering them succor, then you can be sure they will vote PAP. The ultimate coup de grace would be to get these new citizens to vote PAP out along with every born and bred Singaporean."

That said, what would a new citizen like to hear from an opposition party that would convince him or her to switch sides? I believe everyone agrees that the average new citizen would more or less have a strong preference, if not loyalty towards the incumbent PAP. The propaganda has been carefully laid from the very first moment a prospective citizen hears about Singapore. About how Singapore has only had one political party ruling it since Independence and how it has brought Singapore to where it is today.

The many attributes that foreigners love about Singapore are also tied back to PAP; an efficient government bureacracy, political stability, safe streets and an undisrupted economy, immigration-friendly policies. The many fallacies of the PAP rule are unnoticed by prospective citizens precisely because they are new. Aside from the obvious difference being a shorter amount of time spent in Singapore, many of them are not subjected to localised policies like National Service or subjected to "mix & try" educational experiments. Having spent over a year living overseas (in Phnom Penh no less), I can definitely appreciate how attractive Singapore is as a new home destination and how it all links back to the PAP rule.

So what can an opposition party offer to tempt votes over? After all it is only human to abhor change. And we cannot assume that these new citizens who are sharing the same social spaces as born & bred Singaporeans are ignorant or deaf to the rising resentment towards their presence on this tiny island. If anything, I'd bet they view any opposition party as a threat to their long term survivability in this country, not to mention long term plans to bring over more of their family and friends.

So I would definitely advocate against any xenophobic speeches or proposed policies during the upcoming General Elections. Playing to the audience is expected but not to the extent of driving this bloc of new voters further into the trenches of the PAP side. I'm no policy maker so i can't think what would entice or attract new voters but I can definitely say what wouldn't work and anti-foreigners, anti-immigration and anti-new blood policies is not the route to take in the road ahead.

Rising Tensions & Widening Cracks - The Road Ahead To Elections

I had a kinda oddball conversation with someone online recently regarding political communications and its outreach in Singapore. I mean, even the most casual of observers would notice the palpable tension in Singapore these days with the government. Just for a quick recap (and background info in case you were hiding under a rock), the litany of woes run the gamut from bread & butter issues (foreigners, floods, overcrowding in public transport, rising costs of living against lower wages) to special interests (mandatory death penalty, gay rights, soaring HDB prices).

Singaporeans by and large are unhappy and dissatisfied to the point whereby more and more are shedding the facade of politeness or even institutional fear when addressing "those in charge". This could also be attributed to the increased uptake since the last elections by Singaporeans when it comes to social networking and mobile net access. In the past when blogging or posting one's frustrations was done best from behind a PC or laptop, these days anything and everything could be posted on the fly with a 3G enabled camera phone. Point, snap and tweet.

What's also notable this time round for the upcoming elections; the number of PAP administrative flops being served up as very juicy political fodder for the opposition. Again thanks to the high penetration of Singaporeans on the internet, political farces such as the Mas Selamat break-out, Orchard Road floods, general apathy & distaste towards the YOG and many more would be dredged up in all their pixelated glory for delicious sound bites repeatedly. As they say, you can't delete anything on the internet and many PAP stalwarts would find themselves tasting shoe leather with their infamous quotes replayed over and over again.

Even the PAP's previous trump card of having the state media faithfully devoting columns and columns of fawning print to their candidates WILL backfire this time round if they execute the same old communications plan of denying or worse, censoring opposition parties fair play and coverage in the press. Again, the populace is more net savvy this time round and what's more, hungry for alternative news and information. Whereas the opposition parties were relatively new to exploiting the digital platforms during the last election, they have improved vastly this time round, having laid digital footprints and groundwork years before the PAP even started noticing how far behind they are lagging. And oh trust me lagging far behind they are, especially if the recent farce of a PAP facebook page is anything to go by.

And the comical thing about the PAP institutional mind is how much they shoot themselves in the foot when it comes to managing communications. Their corporate communications philosophy is best summed up in three words: Knee Jerk Reactions. The powers that are have an institutional habit of presuming the people to be simple digits or automatons, best managed with a regulation or law. But when faced with people willing to think out of the box (a certain toilet-prison break comes to mind), challenge the status quo with research and facts, economic factors or even Mother Nature herself, all we hear are lame sounding excuses like "we were caught off-guard" and faulting current technology and science for not being up to the task! (I have to include the Japanese answer to that for posterity though) I am pretty sure nobody will blink in surprise when the PAP unveils their updated "gag order" in a desperate attempt to threaten convince voters that credible information can only be gotten by the state sanctioned press.

Another telling difference for this upcoming elections would be the fact that PM Lee has had an entire first term to show what he was able to deliver for Singaporeans and so far the response from the ground is far from happy. Contrary to the often touted "66.6" number, the PAP only got 35.32% of the electoral mandate, thanks to its 'kelong'-rigged electoral boundaries leading to the Uniquely Singapore syndrome of walkovers in the polls. The Singaporean transferred deference (or preference?) to the son of the still-revered LKY might be wearing off, especially with the widely perceived lack of touch that the PM has with our people leading to murmurs that the previous administration under Goh Chok Tong may be viewed as the "good ol' days" now. The on-ground sentiment is now largely wary at the thought of "5 more years under PAP".

And so far the online efforts by SDP, SPP and RP are paying off, based on my personal perception and interaction with those politically active and inclined. Credit also has to go largely towards independent and alternative news sites like The Online Citizen and Temasek Review (formerly the WayangParty.com lol!), along with numerous blogs and forums for creating digital spaces where the airing of previously taboo or unthinkable subjects, issues or even grouses are now posted, read avidly and commented to death upon. These sites also play a crucial role in being regular soapboxes or podiums for political opposition voices to talk about their policies or reactions to crucial current affairs. (I have to admit at being a little curious though non too surprised at WP's lethargy in exploiting the same arenas or forums, given their lackluster engagement as compared to their more vocal counterparts. As a friend pointed out, it does however lend a sardonic credence to my PAP-lite theory)

But the fallacy of the Internet is that it is still at the end of the day, a fetch medium. Short of a possessing a very large media budget (which is silly given the largely free nature of the Internet!), no less amount of effort should be put into canvassing and spreading the word-of-mouth regarding a political party's ideologies and what they stand for ONLINE than say, the amount of resources poured into a walkabout. If anything, I would say the effort allocated should be even higher. After all it is so much easier to maintain constant visibility online vis-a-vis popping up in person to say hi in a wet market and homes every now and then. Efforts must be made to create and studiously maintain a wide digital network of Singaporeans on various demographic levels, especially in the face of how ineffectual the incumbent government is on this front.

And I cannot stress this enough because while it is easy to assume that most if not all Singaporeans are getting their news online now, THAT IS STILL NOT SO. Media research shows that the majority of the heartlanders, the aunties and uncles, yours and my parents are still very much traditional and conservative in getting their news feeds. Which means they are still being fed the same old government propaganda; the same old diet of PAP excuses, doomsday scenarios and threats of how terrible things would be if they aren't in-charge. it is not that they are not online; they are just unaccustomed to thinking or even considering that alternative truths or versions can be had online, contrary to the milk-sopped diet courtesy of the 133rd.

Judging by the tremendous turnout for opposition rallies during the GE2006, it is obvious that Singaporeans by and large are hungry and willing to listen to alternative voices (though whether they get to vote or not is a different matter). Translate that to the ease of reaching out and pulling in these interested audiences online and the oppositions' work is cut out for them. Provided they pick up the pace and act now to put such a huge lead behind them that the PAP has no hope of catching up.

Encounter Of The Rude Kind

So my colleagues and I decided to take the train one afternoon, to a different location for lunch. We were heartily sick of the food around our area and for the heck of it, wanted to try something new.

The train at approximately 1.30pm was PACKED. Fortunately it was only 1 stop, so we just shrugged and boarded the train. There was space barely enough to accommodate the 4 of us. Conversation was mundane, with us just discussing work and what not.

The train had barely pulled out of the station when I noticed that a family consisting of a mother, her 4-5year old kid and grandmother had gotten / stood up from the seats next to the door. My colleagues were pretty absorbed in discussing work and over the clamour of the train, didn't notice the mother's rather abrupt and rude "ExCUSE me!" as she tried to angle for the door with her kid in tow.

However I did and quickly taking stock of the situation, realised that was absolutely no way for us to maneuver anyway. Anyone who takes the MRT would have at one point in time or another understand what I am talking about. You are pressed like a sardine against the door to the point when your hands are almost pinned to the side and any movement on your part had best be executed with ginger care.

I caught the mother's glaring eye over my colleague's shoulder and gave an apologetic smile and said "It's alright, we are getting off the next station." Again, perhaps due to the clamour of the train, she didn't hear me (or want to) and brayed again in an increasingly annoying nasal tone "ExCUSE me!" By now my colleagues had caught on to what was going on. The train however at this point was only at its midpoint in between stations. Given the cramped space we were in, honestly I wonder at what was going through the mind of the annoying mother!

I rolled my eyes at my colleague who was looking at me with a quizzical expression. Now amongst us 4, this colleague of mine H is not local. He's a pretty mild mannered guy from KL with a penchant for polo tees and thick black rimmed glasses. I opened my mouth to tell him, well I dunno what because at this point the annoying mother kinda lunged and tried to shove him aside in a bid to make a break for the door. All she accomplished however was that my colleague was off his balance and pushed into the surprised faces of my other 2 colleagues and instead of facing the door, she was facing all 1.79metres and 80 kilograms of a very cheesed off me (fine I need to lose weight ggrrr). Which to hear it from my colleague was a rather comical sight considering the mother was probably only 1.6m at best.

Ok so I admit it, at this point my patience which was already wearing thin thanks to the hot weather. I bent down or rather, loomed over her a little and snapped at her, "Look woman, what's your problem? We are getting off at the next stop too and the train hasn't bloody stopped! Can't you wait??"

She blinked a couple of times and trained (haha pun!) her sullen glare at me for a couple of moments before retorting "You all are standing there like statues!" to which I arched an eyebrow in a most condescending manner and replied "Well your sour face is enough to turn people into stone too!" I was surprised and mildly gratified at the titters and giggles that ensued around us.

Okok so it wasn't my proudest moment but seriously, I have had it with the increasingly packed shoving masses one finds everywhere in Singapore these days. It's a well known fact that Singaporeans by and large are not known for their social graces and coupled with a rapidly increasing population straining at the seams, you can bet that whatever little civic graces the past few courtesy campaigns have managed to inculcate are vaporizing faster than the flood waters around Bukit Timah after a storm.

So the government wants to further compound the problem by importing another 80,000 foreigners "only" from their initial target of 100,000. The cynical side of me goes "Oh yeah and how many more they gonna bring in AFTER they win the elections to make up for this necessary public relations move?"

PA's Surest Guarantee Of An Election Landslide Win

So having caught snippets of that old man, LKY giving interviews of what's it like to watch his wife succumb to sickness despite the best medical care available etc. (welcome to the club old man. been there done that without the luxury of a private SQ Boeing too) and talking like his days are running out and how he fights dementia by hanging around to work (is that why our retirement's age going up? So thoughtful of him!) etc. etc. blah blah and the cynical side of me kicked in and went...

"Wow if this old conker kicks the bucket NOW, PAP's gonna sweep the election polls like hell."

I mean, it's not hard to imagine the scene into should HE die. The past few years we've had previous PAP stalwarts buy the farm and the lines of "grieving Singaporeans" forming to weep and share in the moment have been nothing but gag-and-eyeball-inducing. So imagine the frantic mania and faux hysteria everyone will be whipped into when he goes. After all this is no less than the father figure generations have been misled to solely credit for Singapore's current success.

Honestly, I see the aftermath of his death to be pretty much like what happened after Chairman Mao was declared dead. Only ours will be a whole lot neater, better processed and even with matching commemorative EZ-link cards perhaps.

I wouldn't put it past the wily old man to perform one last kamikaze mission just for his son's regime.

Are We All Becoming Pauline Hansons?

Surf anywhere on the local blogosphere, forums and alternative news sites, you'd find an article or more regarding the unhappiness with foreign immigration or as the laughable misnomer by the PAP goverment calls them, "foreign talent".

The government's badly managed PR push to get Singaporeans to welcome these "necessary talent" is met with a rising tide of scorn and cynicism from a populace long assumed to be apathetic or even guileless to the self entrenched ruling parties ham-handed way of pushing unpopular policies through. For years, the smug "men in white" were able and grew accustomed to
steamrolling national initiatives (increase of GST from 5% - 7%, constant revision of public transport fares etc.) with nary a peep or murmur from the usually pliant citizens. But with the ascension of Lee Hsien Loong to the foregone conclusion of Prime Minister-ship and his opening of the floodgates *snicker to allow unrelenting streams of foreigners, particularly the ones from China and India, the administrations usual tactic of issuing positive-sounding-but-devoid-of-substantive-measures sound bites don't seem to be playing out well anymore.

The rising resentment stems from the fact that most Singaporeans have or are realising that these so-called talent are often just a convenient label for importing cheap labour for menial work. The chorus of dissent sings out that these foreign workers are taking up jobs that could and should be filled by a Singaporean. The evidence is as plain as PM Lee's pink shirt during his National Day Rally; foreigners have now taken up work in coffeeshops, retail outlets, bus captains and so many more. A fawning article by our state press helpfully points out all the other menial work currently being carried out by the so-called talent that the government claims Singapore needs in order to grow the economy and create jobs.

Way I see it, call a spade and a fish a fish. Have the balls to step up and admit that Singapore needs cheap foreign labour to take up jobs that Singaporeans have no interest in filling. Cut the crap with calling them "talent". The initial perception of an influx of well-educated and well heeled foreigners here to do some much-needed technology transfer were quickly dispelled when the first of many pei-du mamas started showing up in the press, arrested for moonlighting as "masseuse" and what not.

Next on the resentment list is the fact that these same 'talents' now strain our national infrastructure to the point where it's bursting at the seams. Other complaints point out that these new immigrants evince no interest in learning our language, leading to many a frustrated encounter in local shops and restaurants. Others point out that the practise of offering cheap citizenships to foreigners led to a bull run on the property market and more importantly, the government subsidised housing apartments. Housing prices have soared to astronomical heights. Foreign students are also offered scholarships and take up places in our local schools and universities. The list could go on and on.

The unhappy truth of course (though no one in the government would have the balls to come out and say it) is that capitalism at the end of the day wins. Many companies take advantage of the foreign-worker-to-locals quota wherever possible to hire cheaper skilled labour. All businesses exist for one reason and one reason alone - to make money. To claim otherwise is a crock of bullshit. As they say, money saved is money earned.


So are we in danger of becoming Pauline Hansons with this rising tide of hysteria over foreign workers coming in to steal our jobs, our homes, our childrens' places in schools? Pauline shot to international fame when she espoused a no-immigrants policy when she was running for elections. Her diatribe over "Asians" taking up jobs, homes and places in school now sound eerily familiar.

Truth is, I personally don't believe that the government owes its people long term job security or first priority in landing a job for that matter. It should however be responsible and oversee other factors that makes Singapore a great place to set up business in i.e. office rents, tax rebates. Instead of giving out lame handouts like GST Offset Package, set aside a real fund from which citizens can draw from to further improve themselves via training courses or the like. Grants for a worker to upgrade himself should be accessible to the individual himself, not dependent on a company. Artificially depressing wages by not implementing a minimum wage and making it so easy for a foreigner to find work here is just plain wrong.

That said, I think it sucks that I have to compete unfairly with a foreign worker for a job. But how I choose to deal with it is to make myself the best candidate possible. I do believe in being hired for my skills and knowledge, not because of my nationality. I have had to interview candidates for positions within my team or department before and the appalling examples of ill-prepared applicants are usually the local ones, whereas foreign applicants come across as earnest, hardworking and sometimes eager to please. Coupled with a "lower price tag", how can one blame local employers for choosing to hire "outside" help then?

Thanks For Making Me Believe

Dedicated to that very Special Someone. Thanks for being there, for loving me the way you do, for never giving up on me.

Happy anniversary.

Following The Bible

Now before you think this is going to be a preachy Christian post by me, worry not. It is a preachy historical post instead. The religious reference is important for the fact that well, modern society these days derived its moral authority from religion, which back in ye olden days provided for a mostly civilized setting for the people back then.

One of the things that infuriate me when it comes to the discourse of any issue is when the person goes into ideological mode and starts to quote the Bible as a justification for his/her very flawed beliefs. From capital punishment ("an eye for an eye") to condemnation of homosexuality, these ostrich-people (cos' they stick their head in the sand) simply parrot back that it's wrong and it says so in that oh-so-very-flawed book.

Well it says in the Bible, Deuteronomy 21:18-21, "If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and will not listen to them when they discipline him, 19 his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his town. 20 They shall say to the elders, "This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey us. He is a profligate and a drunkard." 21 Then all the men of his town shall stone him to death."

That is but just ONE example of the many outdated "teachings" from that book. It also says that thieves should get their right hand lopped off, if a woman loses her husband, his brother should take her in along with any surviving children, polygamy is approved of and oh by the way, so is slavery! if one was caught doing work on the Sabbath,

This next one is hilarious. Deuteronomy 22:11 says "Thou shall not wear cloth of wool and linen mixed together."

I believe that the Bible reflected the thinking of times back then and it served its purpose. But for modern day context, a lot of it is just plain wrong. As thinking and feeling humans, to blindly follow the words from a book reproduced from over 2,000 years back is not just wrong, it's intellectual abdication.

And for the fundamentalists who cherry pick and choose which "teachings" they wish to follow and which ones to rabidly espouse, evangelise and advocate, it's moral hypocrisy.

The Singapore Hotel

So by now the internet and local media is abuzz with the latest National Day Rally by PM Lee Hsien Loong. The state press in its usual oh-so-North Korea style has nothing but plaudits and heavily laden praise for his speech, while the local netizens have been nothing but scornful and cynical.

Personally, my reaction (after reading the bullet points on the PMO website) was more "meh" than anything else. Uneventful as my Sunday was, I didn't wish to further bore myself by watching crap. And the next day's headlines totally justified it.

Let's see, "$9000 to be given to NSmen" reads like a good soundbite, until you realise that most of it will be locked up in CPF i.e. going back to the government anyway. Yeah sure, tell us it's for housing and crap when all along prices have been elevated beyond any reasonable levels. It's like selling rice at an over-inflated premium and then giving you a 10% voucher for it.

What else? Oh yeah, a feeble acknowledgement of how public transport is so over-crowded and how they're going to spend BILLIONS fixing the problem?! Sure, jack up transport costs and then tell us you're looking into adding trains and extending platforms. Thing is, after all these are done, how much MORE are we going to be charged, AGAIN?

One line made me snigger though. He said that if you were not able to get into the first train, be rest assured that you should be able to board the next one. What happened to that joke of a SMRT CEO saying crap like "People can board the trains, it's whether they want to" ? Did the camera pan to her reddened face in the audience? Did she even get an e-invite in the first place? ROFL.

Usual drivel on how foreign talent is here to stay and create more jobs. What's really laughable were the examples he chose to employ. The bus captain who touched lives and sparked off the flood (yeah guess what I'm gonna rant on next :P ) of sentimental letters made me laugh. Maudlin as it sounded, it really begged the question of "Is that it? Bring on the foreigners because we're going to get better bus service!" The way he talked about it, you would have thought the decades of local bus captains prior were all a sullen lot.

I could go on picking his speech apart but let me sum it up. It held N-O-T-H-I-N-G of interest to me as an ordinary citizen. No mention or acknowledgement was given towards the very real fears and dreams of Singaporeans. Nothing substantial about managing the cost of living or base wages. Not a peep about how the government realizes how certain policies may have NOT worked and are looking to address them. Not even a blush on the Orchard Road floods debacle nor an apology the very-real on the ground anti sentiment towards the recently concluded YOG. Forget about the lapse in security in the Mas Selamat or MRT vandalism cases too please. Housing costs have risen at such an astronomical rate it's laughable how young couples are able to afford one, much less consider having babies, so now we finally get a "We're looking into it" a little too late. Seriously, the list could go on and on. Instead we were treated to a rambling monologue more focused on patting himself and his gerry-rigged Cabinet on the back.

I doubt anyone was naive enough to think that our PM would have the guts or gumption to actually step up and say, "We need an open discourse. We know many of you are feeling unhappy and worried. There are bread and butter issues that bother us all. We also need a debate on the death penalty; so many developed countries have signed a moratorium on this. We also need to work towards recognising minorities in our society, racial, sexual and the disadvantaged." Was anyone actually hopeful that for once, our Prime Minister would say something that resonates? Yeah right, keep on dreaming Singapore.

While Singapore may be a great place to do business, it is a lousy place to call home. Because home is where you choose to make a stand and fight for if the need calls for it. Right now, this "country" is more like a hotel. It's run with a 5-star efficiency, with the best amenities and facilities you may ask for. Based on your means, you may live in a deluxe, suite or penthouse unit. The moment something goes wrong, you make a complaint to the management and hope they listen. You don't really have a say in how things are run or managed. Speak out and don't be surprised if security comes knocking on your door. If you don't like it and have the means, check out and book into another country hotel to live in.

I may rave about the good times I have in a hotel, but when it's on fire or worse, attacked by terrorists, hell if I'm going to do anything else other than grab my own stuff and run. Put out the flames and help out? That's what the management is for, man.

Living In A Cloud

Without my knowing it, I have totally shifted my computing habits to one that's very much tethered to the cloud computing system.

it started with mobileme a while back. The ease of having my browser bookmarks, emails and contacts synced seamlessly and more importantly, invisibly across 3 platforms was heavensent. And without realising it, I kinda took it for granted until one day I was rushing out of the office and wanted to read more on a link I had bookmarked, during the commute to a meeting only to realise that I hadn't allowed enough time for the "sync" to go through. Boy was I peeved. And then I began to laugh at how much I had taken it for granted.

I also began using Dropbox to sync work and reference files between my work laptop and home desktop. Thumb-drive to transport files? That's so archaic! And then yesterday my brother let me know that there was the iPhone version. OMG how could I not know this?!

These days with mobile devices stepping up and performing more functions beyond the intended "making phone calls", cloud computing has really come into its own. It's really easy to get into and the convenience it supplies to a busy individual's life is unrivalled. Thing is, how much of a crutch would this slowly become without us becoming aware of it? And what's worse, what would happen when one day something goes wrong and things fail as it inevitably would and should? Can you imagine the collective global scream of horror??



Anyway, here's an awesome website, the Expedition Titanic. What's it about? Well it's a pretty well publicized attempt (yet another) to raise and/or salvage the wreck of the RMS Titanic. Yes, THAT Titanic we all know and love (or hate depending on what kind of cold-hearted creep you are).

I'm mentioning this not because I'm a Titanic fanboy (though the nature of a world-famouse shipwreck DOES have its intrigue) but because of... the website itself!

It's an awesome concept, leveraging on the nature of a dive to have a website just scroll on downwards like seemingly forever. And done rather seamlessly too. But I have to say, using it is a tad of a chore on my Magic Mouse.

When A Family Has To Plead For A Loved One's Life

Yong Vui Kong's Family Plead for his Life from Lianain Films on Vimeo.

This is a damn heart-breaking video, all the more so because it's shorn of any special editing or effects. It's raw, it's real and it's happening whether we are aware or not.

To be honest, I was one of those who were initially cynical and dismissive over this anti-death penalty campaign. Or any of its predecessors for that matter. "Just another drug trafficker sentenced to die, so?" was my general attitude and one that sums up alot of Singaporeans I believe.

I was idly following the coverage that The Online Citizen provides regarding this affair when a sentence from a speech struck me.

"This is about mercy."

And yes, that's when I realised how far removed I was becoming from my own humanity. To be so innured to the thought of another fellow human being that it doesn't cause more than a moment's consideration or worse, a sneer. Is that the kind of person I have become?

To those who say that he was caught and found guilty of a crime, well let those who knows no sin cast the first stone then. If not, STFU seriously.

So yeah, if you aren't aware of this issue, do find out more and sign the petition if you can.

End rant.

OMG I'm Quoted

So a facebook rant of mine got quoted in a Temasek Review article. Woot?

Copied and pasted the article here. My quoted comment in bold.

Chee Soon Juan versus Low Thia Kiang: Who is a more effective opposition leader?
August 22nd, 2010 | OPINION

During a discussion on our Facebook, a netizen compared the contrasting styles between opposition leaders Chee Soon Juan and Low Thia Kiang, claiming that the public sees the latter as a more credible politician than the former.

“Take the case of CJS vs GOV, that guy keeps barking nonstop at anything and everything that the gov do without so much of any viable solutions. what do the general public see of him now? still credible? Take the other case of LTK vs GOV, he doesn’t bark like a mad dog. he criticizes, yet gives credit where its due, what’s the general public’s perception of him?”

It is a common misperception among many Singaporeans perpetuated by PAP leaders and the state media that Chee who minced no words in his criticisms of the PAP regime is a “destructive” politician while Low who almost never does, is a “constructive” opposition.

A real opposition leader should behave like Chee – keep asking difficult questions and take the PAP to task. That’s why the PAP and the state media tried so hard to demonize and fix him.

Chee is pretty mild compared to opposition leaders in other parts of Asia. Take for example the current Chief Minister of Penang Lim Guan Eng. He was jailed for 18 months under the Sedition Act in 1995 for distributing fliers calling for the arrest of Malacca’s former Mentri Besar Thamby Chik who was implicated in the molest of a minor. Lim also took part in several protests and rallies against the Barisan government. He “barked” much louder than CSJ and did not offer any viable solutions too. Now that he’s the CM of Penang, he introduced so many reforms such as calling for open tenders in public projects and releasing the salaries of public officials online.

Another example is South Korea’s former President Kim Dae Jung who was considered a “radical” in the 1970s. He organized a number of strikes and protests against the autocratic government of President Park Chung Hee and was almost assassinated by the Korean secret police in Japan. He did not offer any alternative vision for Korea either when he was lampooning the government. After he was elected the President of Korea, he dismantled the chaebols and democratized the entire nation. Korea is now a vibrant first world democracy.

Low Thia Kiang will be considered a stooge in other Asian democracies by cuddling up to the PAP leaders instead of taking them to task. When asked by PM Lee in Parliament if Wong Kan Seng should resign over the escape of Mas Selamat, Low dared not even make a single sound.

Singaporeans are getting more and more educated and exposed. Public perception towards Chee will change slowly and gradually. That’s what we have been trying hard to do – to expose the dirty tricks of the state media, to highlight the flaws in the PAP system and to educate fellow Singaporeans on their rights as citizens of this country.

Remember what Joseph Goebbels, the head of Nazi propaganda once said:

“Repeat a lie again, again and again several times and it will become the truth to the masses.”

That’s how Chee got fixed by the Singapore media. He may not be politically savvy, but that doesn’t mean we should dismiss all his criticisms about the PAP as mere “barking.”

Addendum by Nicholas Lim:

People who see Low Thia Kiang and Chiam See Tong as “credible opposition” just because they’ve been given the rubber stamp of approval by PAP are seriously deluded and need to get their heads cleared of the cotton wool so carefully stuffed in by the mainstream press.

Over the years the so-called opposition has been watered down and diluted into 2nd and 3rd class version of PAP or “PAP Lite” if you prefer. After all, what have they been able to achieve in terms of truly opposing the government WHEN IT COUNTS?

GST went up with nary a bump when the government wanted, Mas Selamat checked out and stayed out of the country, floods are now an expected feature with a National Day award as a pat on the back, the drastic increase of foreigners, the financial and international embarrassment of the YOG, wanton increase in fares despite the overcrowding of the public transport system, the need for a proper nationwide debate on mandatory vs judicial discretion on the death penalty, hell there was even a petition in Malaysia on highly probable serious miscarriage of justice: seriously the list can go on and on and just where is the “opposition” in all of this?

Oh sure Low Thia Kiang had his 15mins of fame over the SM&C issue and then? You mean that’s all they can do? Or is the the “you only elect me to Hougang hence I only speak up on Hougang issues” tactic?

I can definitely see how the PAP continually awards their “Preferred Opposition Party” status to the ilk of the Worker’s Party and the rest. After all who needs to worry about losing elections with such “foes” around?

Who is a more credible and effective opposition leader? One who dares to challenge the PAP leaders directly and exerts pressure on them constantly or one who works hard quietly in the background to serve his constituents, but seldom question the PAP over its national policies? Please share your views with us here.

Awesome Song By A Local Diva

Want to download want to download want to download want to download WANT TO DOWNLOAD!!!

New Beginnings

So I officially start work at the new agency today! I'm jazzed up and raring to go. I so miss working in Singapore.

At The Gym II

He first caught my attention from the corner of my eye. Blinking in disbelief, I slowly let down the weights I was carrying and subtly shifted my body to get a better look. Yup, I wasn't mistaken.

You don't get to see such a specimen even if you spend 24/7 in the gym. I shook my head in wonder at what I saw. He casually strolled across my field of sight and I got a full view from the back. He was there, almost bare and he was proud of it. I was amazed and to be honest, a little envious.

I glanced around surreptitiously and caught the knowing smile of another guy who was working out near me. He looked at The Guy, then at me and gave a quick wink. I flushed with embarrassment because I was caught looking, BUT I COULDN'T HELP IT.

Should I go up and say something? I was unsure, for all I know he could just give me the rude brush-off. But I hate going through life with "What Ifs..." running through my head and I know this would be one such example. Nervously, I licked my lips and took a swig of water for courage. I glanced over at my neighbour with what I hoped was a pleading gaze for backup but he just mischievously continued grinning at me. I was alone in this whether I liked it or not.

As I crossed the 4 or 5 steps between us, I took in a closer look at his entire physique. Having weighed close to a baby whale mere months ago, I empathised with what The Guy was working to achieve. The thought then struck me as I reached out to tap his shoulder, "Would I wanna know if that was me??"

Too late, I watched as my hand landed somewhat clumsily on his shoulder. He turned in astonishment and for a moment, I was conscious of my sweaty disheveled self. Oh gawd what the hell was I getting myself into??

"Hi..." I heard myself squeak. He growled and/or grunted in reply and stood waiting for my answer. I forced an awkward smile on my face and figured an apologetic shrug would go best with what I had to say next. Around me, I noticed detachedly that people had stopped working out to witness our exchange. Even the music in the gym seemed to pause, to lend emphasis to my next few words...

"Your g-string is showing... think you could pull up your pants?"

A Guide To Commonly Used Terms On Dating Sites

Recently got back into the sack er... game. I was pretty baffled by all the nonsense people spout these days. If you're like me, I hope you find this to be helpful. LOL

P.S Sorry if this is offensive to anyone. It's purely tongue in cheek!

A Guide to Commonly Used Terms on "Dating" Sites

1. STRAIGHT-ACTING = Remembers to lock his wrist every once in a while. Also believes that using the term "Dude!" in conversations makes him sound "man". Can be found hanging out with "TOP".
2. GYM-BOD = Commutes between home and gym everyday.
3. BUFFED = Steroid-induced pecs and abs. Knows all sources of good protein. A dinner date with him will probably see only you eating while he helpfully tells you the amount of calories and fats in between bites.
4. NO EFFEMS/CROSS DRESSERS = Only one bitch in a relationship at a time. In this case, it's him. See "BOTTOM".
5. MSN ME = Wishes to monopolize your time online.
6. I'M NOT EASY TO GET = He is, but he believes this makes him sound less needy.
7. FUN-LOVING = I'm here for sex.
8. HANDSOME GUYS ONLY = Been told since he was 3 what a God's gift to women everywhere he ws by his doting mother. Also firmly believes he's too good for YOU.
9. JUST HERE TO MAKE FRIENDS = I'm here for sex but I'm discreet.
10. TOP = Believes that being a bottom makes him too gay. See "STRAIGHT ACTING".
11. BOTTOM = Only son / had sisters and female cousins only for company when growing up.
12. I'M NICE = Has absolutely nothing to contribute to a conversation. Be prepared to monologue by yourself.
13. I'M BAD = Believes that having sex in the living room/kitchen is the height of hedonism.
14. I AM ATTACHED = Cannot be seen in public with you.
15. I LOVE TO TRAVEL = Cabin crew.
16. IF YOU'RE NOT CUTE, DONT EVEN BOTHER = Looking for more glamour-shots type of profile to add to his Facebook / MySpace / Friendster.
17. I AM SENSITIVE, LOVING, CARING AND HONEST = Above 45years in age. Probably came out to himself after his failed 2nd marriage. Still hopes it might not be too late.
18. I GIVE GOOD MASSAGE = Orchard Towers masseur looking to do freelance on the sideline.
19. NO PIC, NO REPLY = Believes he's God's gift to gay men everywhere with a self proclaimed Simon Cowell personality.. See "HANDSOME GUYS ONLY".
20. DISCREET = Attached and looking to have one-night-stands on the side. See "I AM ATTACHED".
21. CURIOUS STRAIGHT MALE = Dead fish in bed. Be prepared to do ALL the work.
22. SWIM-BOD = Former GYM-BOD.
23.FUN-SEEKING = Disease carrier. See also "FUN-LOVING".
24. QUIET AND SOFT-SPOKEN = Closeted freak who is so paranoid at home, he believes that answering a phone call could out him. See "STRAIGHT-ACTING" and "TOP".
25. MACHO = Closeted BOTTOM.
26. HOMEBODY = Free-loading bum who's occupation has never stated anything other than "Unemployed".
27. OUT-GOING PERSONALITY = Flaming queen.
28. I DONT LIKE CASUAL SEX = Attached feller who wants a regular fuckbuddy. See also "DISCREET".
29. LOOKING FOR A SOULMATE = Late teens / early 20s who's watched Sex and the City way too many times.
30. I AM NOT HANDSOME = Definitely thinks he is but believes this makes him sound modest. See "HANDSOME GUYS ONLY".
31. I'M HANDSOME, INTELLIGENT, GORGEOUS = Purchased a makeover package recently and believes that's all that it takes.
32. SHY TYPE = See " I AM SENSITIVE, LOVING, CARING AND HONEST" and "CURIOUS STRAIGHT MALE".
33. I’M SENSIBLE = Expect to go dutch on dates. Clashes with "HOMEBODY".
34. I’M NOT JUST INTERESTED IN SEX = Utterly tired of getting rejected.
35. BISEXUAL = Dead fish in bed, but can be persuaded to give a blowjob. For like 45secs.
36. BOYTOY = Over 30s, desperate to be young again.
37. NATURE-LOVER = Doesn't have his own place, may have to do "it" in a deserted park/ under the flyover at Fort Road / East Coast public restrooms if you don't either.
38. HEALTHY INDIVIDUAL = Has every supplement product from GNC & Nature's Farm.
39. EXECUTIVE TYPE = Doesn't own a gym membership.
40. TYPICAL GUY = Totally boring on a date, fucks like a jackrabbit and falls sleep right after he ejaculates.
41. I AM SENSITIVE = Desperately seeking a relationship. Would sms you "miss you" and "love you" after the first date. Believes sex = marriage.
42. I HAVE A WONDERFUL MIND = His excuse for why he's THAT fat. See also "EXECUTIVE TYPE".
43. I AM THE LIFE OF THE PARTY = Party-scene queen. Never home on Friday, Saturday AND Sunday nights before 4am. See also "OUTGOING PERSONALITY".
44. DECENT GUY = Over 40s living with his parents, firmly believes his family still thinks he's straight.
45. I AM FUNNY = Watches sitcoms and laughs along with the laughter tracks. See "I'M NICE".
46. PURE TOP = Been discovered to have a "chocolate berry" once when he was bottom and never got over the embarassment.

My DK Is A Rocker Chick

A late night / early morning stroll with my iPod inspired me when this song started playing. For some strange reason I began to think of how death knights are supposedly resurrected on the fields of battle (by the Scourge no less) and what this means overall to their lives. What happens when they meet former loved ones?

Anyway, doing back stories has always been a favourite theme of mine. Hope you enjoy this one half as much as I did making it!