Mr Wise Guy Blog

I've seen this a lot of times. Man sucks in Helium, Man speaks, Audience around him break into laughter. Man is happy!

But how does it work? It has nothing to do with the vocal chords. Rather, it is just an increase in the speed at which sound travels in less dense mediums. In this case, Helium. (airships float thanks to helium)

Sound waves can also travel slower if you use something more dense than air. Here's a video that clearly explains how.

First thought upon seeing the blue dormitories at the Muslim cemetery was for the labourers who are exhuming Blocks 1 and 2 Muslim graves at Pusara Aman for February next year. But that changed after I read an article on the Straits Times, regarding the relocating of foreign workers from Serangoon Garden to Chua Chu Kang. So, I begged dad to drive me to the Muslim cemetery in Chua Chu Kang. Blue colour dormitories only a few meters away from the cemetery. Hmm... it was rather disturbing.

The scenario now is different for my occasional visit to my extended family's resting place. A solemn environment as I always remember because of its surrounding, far from housing estates. But now, there are few a Nurseries and an army camp nearby. I called it the mini "Little India". Towels, shirts and pants hung to dry and few Banglas, sitting and chatting at the dormitory "balcony". They were there because Singaporeans felt disturbed to have them living in our housing estates.

They came here to help with our economic structure, and about 756,000 of them were here in 2006. With limited land and a five million popoulation cramped in a small island, vacant land needed to house them is scarce. We have limited manpower and high labour cost, the reasons why we still have to rely on these foreign workers.

My own experience, a neighbour above my flat, rented out theirs to Indian nationals. I could smell the aroma of dalcas and curries everyday...... yummy! They are not use to living in a high rise building and that has become our problem. They hung out dirty mop and dripping wet uniforms outside the kitchen window. Mom went up twice to inform them that their dirty wet mop dripped on to her laundry below.

The first incident was in late afternoon, mom's laundry were almost dry, but it got wet again as dirty water dripped on to her laundry. Mom went up to to inform them that dirty wet mop was not supposed to be hang outside the kitchen window. Mom was greeted by three Indian men in the house. While mom explained to them, one of the men nodded and said sorry to mom. But a week later the same incident happened again!. My youngest brother was at home and mom asked him to accompany her to go upstairs. She brought her own mop!..my brother was stunned and asked why did mom has mop with her. Mom was so furious and told my brother to keep quiet and just follow her. Mom knocked hard at the door and again three Indian men, but different men, again at the door to greet mom. My brother stood a distance from the flat just in case. Mom lifted her mop and explained slowly to them as not to hang their dripping wet mop outside the kitchen window. One of the men apologised and turned to his friends and he spoke in Tamil, maybe he was telling the rest what brought mom to their flat.

Thank God! Mom's second visit was the last.. Amin... But the sound of pounding and banging irritated us daily but we are a non complainer citizen to call up the Town Council. We put on a deaf ears as long as they did not dirty mom's laundry and make hole out of our ceilings.

I have seen them at their happiest hours, they drank samsu/ todi (liquor) at the void decks and left the empty bottles and dirtied the area with their urine too. It was an eyesore and I do not feel safe to take the lift alone when they were around. Not prejudice, but to some extend we have to be safe than sorry We "feel" them for leaving their hometown and families to work here as laboures but they are still foreigners.

I hope the MND would come up with better solution. Housing them in dormitories near the cemetery is not problem solving at long term cos of the limited land. I wonder how they feel living near the dead at night time especially for those facing the many tombstones.

Put me there for a day to stay, I will be restless because "everyone" there is resting in peace. Amin.

Or perhaps..... It is the only solution?

We talk, listen and think differently and brought up to be individual. But this does not mean we cannot be with others who does not share our style and opinions. I am quite a simple person, I can sit and enjoy hawker food. Relaxing day out shopping at my neighbourhood store. Others feel that wearing designer clothes and having expensive dinner is "high class".

This is my true experience overhearing a young "punk" telling his friends in detail about a wedding lunch that he attended with his parents last week. They are from a neighbourhood primary school near my place. One of them had tidbits which was passed around from one person to another. Laughing out loud as though no one was around. I could not understand what were they doing at that time as they should be at home revising school work as exams are around the corner.

One of them, the tallest among the group, was talking about the wedding lunch. He complained to his friends that the wedding deco at the void deck was not "standard", the food was lousy and the music was too loud and the one phrase that puzzled me was, "not high class". Oh my God! What were they being taught at home? That was my first impression of them. Were they spoilt by their so called "urban living environment"?.

They were complaining about food whereas children living in third world country have nothing to eat on daily basis. What is your definition of "high class"?. To me it means someone with academic qualifications and a successful career. Not about wedding deco or buying shoes at Orchard Road. These children are spoilt brats! They have not seen the real world. The world is in a global economic crisis.

Not wearing designer shoes and clothes defines you as not "high class"?. I come from a middle class income family but I rarely do shopping in town. There is a shopping mall near my place adequate enough for me. I can go and come back quickly, no need to spend hours on the journey and no need "to dig a big hole in my pocket".

Oprah Show got me glued to my seat as if I was hypnotized when Tina Turner sang, Nutbush City Limits at Ceasar's Palace, energetic with powerful vocals. Her stage presence never fail to leave a great impact on the audiences.

The media turned back to Tina Turner after What Love Got To Do With hits the chart. It was on air all the time. Many had impersonated her. Our own Miss Tina Turner was won by Miss Melissa a teacher in a special school (if i got the name correctly though) in late 90s. Wearing Big hair on her head is a signature to Miss Turner.. still till now (if mom has hair like that the first words from me...is she nuts! but not Tina Turner). She is sexy in her 60s and look at those long legs! Hubba Hubba!. Queen of Rock And Roll.

THE MOVIES AND SONGS

Here are some of Tina Turner biography that I had read from an article that interest me. More than two decades ago, singing started from funky rythm and blues and now rock genre. Many failed records Turner took on a solo career in the late 70's. I watched her acted and performed the soundtrack for hit film Mad Max Thunderdome. She sang Golden Eye, theme song for James Bond movie. I'm not a Bond girl. A movie What Love Got To Do With It, based on true story about Tina's abusive marriage turned into box office film which won both the leading actors for Best Actress and Actor, Angela Bassett who played Tina and Laurance Fishburne who played Ike.

THE ACHIEVEMENTS
She performed numerous variety television shows and took on road tours. She clinched eight Grammies and for Best Female Rock Vocal performance. Her albums sold over a million copies worldwide. This year CBS broadcast live on February 10, performed together with Beyonce at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards.

THE HISTORY
Born on 26 Nov. 1936 in Nutbush Tenessee, Anna Mae Bullock born as a Baptist and changed to her stage name Tina Turner. She then converted to Buddhism in 1974 and credited Buddhism in giving her the courage to leave her former husband Ike and has helped her to find peace. She sings at eighteen while still in school and later joined a singing group. She has a son from her marriage with Ike Turner, another son before she married Ike, Raymond Hill a saxophone player in Ike's band. An adopted mother of Ike children from other relationships.

THE LOVE STORY
She first moved to London in 1986. Met a German record executive named Erwin Bach, who is seventeen years her junior while at Heathrow Airport in London in 1986. Now settling in Switzerland, has a villa in France. They started dating only after a year and have been living together ever since for twenty two years. Tina is a Diva and she's Simply The Best!.... Granny.

MY TO DO LIST
I'm not sure if I would be in good shape and have legs that could fit in tight pants and on high heels at 60s.. not even now. Better watch my diet and monitor those cholesterol and cutting down on Nasi Briyani and Prata to stay healthy for my future old age.....

Coco is a playful cat and it is to no surprise that at times, we caught her playful bug and do funny things to her. This was courtesy of my mom, who somehow got Coco to put that scarf thingy on. Coco didn't move a muscle! I wonder if she's enjoying the attention... hmmm...

Awwwww, she's soooo adorable!

Here's something I received in the mail today. Definitely some food for thought for the unmarried bachelor like myself. Have a laugh and you can add your take in the comment section too. :)

When a man steals your wife, there is no better revenge than to let him keep her.
- David Bissonette

After marriage, husband and wife become two sides of a coin; they just can't face each other, but still they stay together.
- Sacha Guitry

By all means marry. If you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.
- Socrates

Woman inspires us to great things, and prevents us from achieving them.
- Anonymous

The great question... which I have not been able to answer... is, "What does a woman want?
- Dumas

I had some words with my wife, and she had some paragraphs with me.
- Sigmund Freud

"Some people ask the secret of our long marriage. We take time to go to a restaurant two times a week. A little candlelight, dinner, soft music and dancing. She goes Tuesdays, I go Fridays."
- Anonymous

"There's a way of transferring funds that is even faster than electronic banking. It's called marriage."
- Sam Kinison

"I've had bad luck with both my wives. The first one left me, and the second one didn't."
- James Holt McGavran

Two secrets to keep your marriage brimming
1. Whenever you're wrong, admit it,
2. Whenever you're right, shut up.
- Patrick Murray

The most effective way to remember your wife's birthday is to forget it once...
- Nash

You know what I did before I married? Anything I wanted to.
- Anonymous

My wife and I were happy for twenty years. Then we met.
- Henny Youngman

A good wife always forgives her husband when she's wrong.
- Rodney Dangerfield

A man inserted an 'ad' in the classifieds: "Wife wanted". Next day he received a hundred letters. They all said the same thing: "You can have mine."
- Anonymous

First Guy (proudly): "My wife's an angel!"
Second Guy: "You're lucky, mine's still alive."
- Anonymous

Once Upon A Time,...we got panic attack when our fridge broke down for the third time last saturday after only 9 months it got its thermostat replaced. Another 911 call for my family to deal with another 'sick' home appliance. I summoned the same repairman that came 9 months ago. A fast 'job' done and dad paid $250 for part and services.

Before sunset...It broke down in 2002 for the first time, 3 years after dad bought it. I looked up for a fridge repairman from the classified section. He turned up an hour after I made the call and without wasting time he took a closer look at our fridge and told dad that the timer needs to be change. Dad paid a hefty price of $200, $150 for the timer plus service charge $50 (easy money!). Guaranteed for 3 months and it was ok for 6 years until early this year.

We pray but...Lady luck is not on our side, it broke down the second time on Sunday night in January. I scoured through the classified section for 24 hour service for another fridge repairman AGAIN since dad had misplaced the previous business card. He's right at my doorstep half an hour later! (Superman or repairman?) much younger than the first one who looked more like ah pek. He greeted us with a quick Hello(business strategy), and without utterring much he started his 'demolition' work!(I'm not sure which part he took out..., poor me).

The knight... "Wah... this one ah, the Themorstart spoil, must change", he said. "Do you have it and agak agak(estimate) how much?" dad asked him. "Around $200". Before my dad could say anything he continued, "Cheap already you know...I never charge expensive".

The villain... If only the culprit (no clue till now) closed the fridge properly and not until the next person found out that it was slightly ajar. Can we imagine our life without it. Still unsure if that may cause the fridge to breakdown.

Life is heaven with modern technology. But due to some irresponsible attitudes we are the culprit to those constant breakdowns. To be honest, the fridge is our fourth. I got to know some of my friends who had their fridge for almost 20 years!. Maybe they seldom open their fridge?(or most likely never eat at home hehe). We are relying on all kinds of home appliances to suit our modern life style but discipline has to be practised strictly on daily basis. So as for now our fridge is working fine and we pray that it will last for another 10 more years? You think so?

Have you heard about the latest accident which happened today at the Singapore Zoo? A Malaysian contract worker was mauled to death by the white tigers! Hmmmm, perhaps it wasn't an accident. Reports suggested that the man had intentionally jumped into the moat. More like suicide...

The three white tigers had a 'go' at the man for 5 to 10 minutes while the zookeepers tried in vain to distract the animals.

I've got a pair of stock parts rear Honda Wave 125cc Rear Suspension for Sale! Willing to let it go for SGD$20 and price is negotiable. . Reason for selling is because I upgraded my suspensions. Condition is very good. Can see for yourself in the pictures. Rubber bushing practically mint condition.

Comment on this post if you're interested and I'll revert ASAP.

You wouldn't want this to happen to you while playing soccer, football or any kind of sports. The last similar injury I've seen happened to Cisse, then, a Liverpool player. Injuries like these can take up to half a year to heal, and up to a year before the player can start playing again. Knee or ankle pain, unequal leg length, malalignment that leads to arthritis, nonunion, infection, rotational deformity, compartment syndrome, and vascular injuries are among the possible complications. May you have a speedy recovery.

Public transport such as our buses and the MRT, are all air conditioned, and that controls the temperature and humidity of the air. If you stand or sit beside the culprit with BO in public transports, be civilised(urghh!). Turn your face way or move away from that individual. I want to share some of my experience about BODY ODOUR.

Last week, I went window shopping in the afternoon to avoid the peak hour crowds. Taking the MRT to Ngee Ann City in Orchard Road is a breeze. Many stores were on sales, deploying staffs at the entrance to lure the shoppers. The sweet smell from a nearby Aroma therapy store was drowned by stinky smells. Many locals and tourists infested the shopping mall on that day. Toddlers seen with parents sitting on the marble slabs enjoying the scenario. Some were just passing time chatting and drinking with family and friends. But many just walk walk see see (window shopping).

At one bargain corner, many shoppers were tossing and choosing at items that were on sale. It is stuffy and crowded. I stayed away but went for the 50% discount items at the other bargain corner. I got one floral blouse and was looking for the fitting room and joined the long queue. While waiting, a middle age lady came standing behind me. She too wanted to try on a skirt. She's on her cell phone and she's very loud, how inconsiderate, and what made her more ugly, she has bad BODY ODOUR! I moved away quickly from there before I puke. Gosh! the smell of her BO is over whelming. Lucky for me, I always carry a bottle of Vicks and rub some on my nose. A small bottle of Vicks vapor rub always in my handbag for stand by just in case(I have occasional sinus). I returned back the item and walked out of the store empty hand.

Singapore, like many other countries, bring in foreign talent in a bid to remain competitive and relevant. The expertise they offer is invaluable and as they say, "Knowledge is Power." An influx of intelligent and highly capable individuals stimulate growth to a company and result in better results and savings.

Unfortunately, not all talent brought in from faraway lands contribute to the economy. Some come from far away just to sell pirated VCDs/DVDs. While some try to re-live the bus riding experience in their homeland by sitting three to a seat. Best of all, some even thought they're still at home, opting to sit with their feet up on the MRT, and talking loudly on their mobile phones.

Please respect the soil that you're walking on, and do not fly your flag in public view or Canteen!.

Ok sure, Obama was elected President of the USA a few days back.

And DBS retrenched some 900 workers from Singapore and Hongkong.

Not forgetting too that the Marina Sands Casino project is going on as planned even though there were reports suggesting it was screwing itself up.

What matters most is the exams next week! It is my first time taking an academic paper in nearly two years and it has been a while since I was last under pressure. Oh well, we'll take it as it comes and take things one step at a time.

Study Study! Cheerios!

The Grass is Always Greener on the other Side of the Fence. In Wikitionary (an unreliable source, but the explanation seems reasonable), it states:

Other people’s circumstances seem more desirable than one’s own.

You could put it in a relationship context, in everyday life, your career and other things. But for now, let's relate to b-g relationships where I spend a good part of my life in.

There's this friend of mine. Who at every moment we meet, he'd tell me how he wished to have my kind of lifestyle. Stable relationship, no detours (detours == women in this context), good education and only a handful of super close knit buddies to upkeep. Initially I do not understand what he meant (come on, with so many women in your life, it must be heaven!), but as time goes by, I'm slowly grasping the deep meaning underlying his sayings.


Sure, my grass might be greener to him, but if you were to ask me, I wished my life had been easier to bear. Stable and long relationships are good, but you gotta admit that it might have been foolish to put aside your younger years to get to know more people. You wished you could've met someone with a complete package. Perhaps, who knows with a stroke of luck, you could find someone who shares a similar interest (In my case, gaming, outdoors, swimming, camping, diving, cycling, fixing stuff, navigation) or much more physically pleasant.

Secondly, long term relationships starts usually when you are young, and you are not as mature and your intentions on why you get yourself in this relationship can change over time. First you might get into one because you need someone to go out or study with (O-levels, A-levels, Diploma), then perhaps into someone you can talk to in the middle of the night (when you could afford a hp), someone who understands you (when your friends are screwed up), then for companionship (when you work and get bored of everyday life) and ultimately for a life-long partner (marriage). Okay, timeline is inaccurate, but you get my drift.

On the other hand, emotionally, you're much more stable and focused. You think long-term and whatever you do will affect your relationship. You learn to be accepting to people and their negativities and learn to cope with whatever you have in hand. A bad thing can be turn into a good thing with just a change of thinking. And perhaps, who knows, that person might be your destiny.


There's always a good side and a bad side to everything even in something as divine as religion (no alcohol?), straightforward like candy (makes you fat, but yummmmy) or something as complicated as a relationship. What matters is you make full use of your life and your youth because it doesn't stay with you forever.

The Grass is Always Greener on the other Side of the Fence, how you make your patch of grass greener is by watering the lawn. Enjoy!

Everyday I see this AH PEK, sitting alone at the void deck near to my block. He's always in white t-shirt and pants. Frail and has a walking stick but always smile at passers by including me. An arm sling on his right shoulder to hang his fractured hand(he fell recently in the toilet). Hello AH PEK!!! sudah makan? (have you taken lunch?) That's how I always greeted him . Su...dah...(murmuring) With the same question each time we meet, I think he got sick with me. He carries a small transistor radio, his loyal companion. Sometimes there are few other AH PEKs sitting and chatting with him. Come rain or shine he will be there sitting and went home only before 10 pm (I busy body and that's how I know). He's staying with his son and daughter in law while his wife (a stroke patient) stayed with his daughter in Bukit Merah.

Lu tak pigi jalan ah ini hali?( you did'nt go out today) he will ask if he sees me without my bag. Tak lah AH PEK, ini hari wa mau pigi library (today i'm going to the library). He nodded and waved at me a sign for good bye and take care? I guessed. He could do some reading or watch tv at home to kill time rather than spend all day sitting on the stone stool alone. I pity him.

Another block neighbour, whom I bump into occasionally. I call her aunty and sometimes amma (I'm confused). Not amma lah, call me aunty she said proudly. Amma is too old for her? (chuckled). Anyway I obliged. A funny incident took place one rainy day as I was my way home. Suddenly she popped out from nowhere, on her bicycle. She asked me, Eh...lu ada lighter? (do you have a lighter). I answered.. Wa punya lighter oil sudah habis (my lighter dried up) honestly I never smoke, just teasing her. She said ok never mind, waved at me and cycle off with a cigarette stuck on her lips.

My senior citizen friends never failed to smile and say hello to me. I chatted with AH PEK occasionally whenever I'm not in a rush to go out. They are sincere unlike some, will say hello on good days but just turned away when not in the mood to do so.