None for Nic

Aww...poor Nicole Seah. For trying so hard to play the People's Sweetheart, she didn't even get to slip into the Parliament by the back door (read: NCMP). No wonder she's all tears now. Well done, WP and SPP, for not letting up!

Big Win for WP

Of course, the ruling People's Action Party was returned to power/government once again with a still-convincing 81-6 majority vote after the Singapore General Elections 2011, but Low Thia Khiang's Worker Party rained on its parade by breaking through Aljunied Group Represenation Constituency for the first time in our Republic's history - ending incumbent Member of Parliament Foreign Minister George Yeo's 27-year reign and political career in the process - while retaining its own Hougang stronghold with a bigger percentage than before. And, wow, what a lengthy paragraph!

The Wedding of the Century

From Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace, over 3 billion viewers and spectators alike bore witness - in one way or another - to the Royal Wedding between Prince Willam and Kate Middleton. I thought the whole affair (as in ceremonial procession) was a bit dragged out, but subsequent revelation of those 'private moments' - courtesy of expert lip readers - made up for it.

Let the Rallies Begin

In what's deemed as the most hotly contested General Election in Singapore's history, the incumbent PAP is strongly challenged/opposed on all sides - in all wards save for one - by as many as 6 different political parties. The rallies have begun islandwide and more people flock to them than to getais. Should be a very rousing experience.

Tin Pei Ling

She may be unfazed by flak, but the People's Action Party's youngest candidate at this coming General Election has certainly got her work cut out for her. From her age (barely 28) to her lifestyle (splurging on a Kate Spade bag) to her apparent coquette (read: 'acting cute'), Ms. Tin, whom I feel is quite the looker, had better not let her 'tongue-in-cheek' Senior Minister down at any cost.

Elizabeth Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011)

Best remembered for her acting prowess and eight marriages, two-time Academy Award winner and screen legend of Hollywood's Golden Age, Elizabeth Taylor, has passed away at 79. As for best forgotten? Her swansong performance in THE FLINTSTONES.

Tsunami

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the 500-and-rising casualties of the 8.9-magnitude earthquake and ensuing tsunami that consumed Pacific coasts. Alerts have been issued for this freak of nature and global stocks are rocked from their bases with shockwaves sent across world markets. Keep our hopes up high!

A Small Winner

So the 83rd Academy Awards was more predictable than a prudent accountant's balance sheets, with The Weinstein Company's THE KING'S SPEECH scooping 4 Oscars instead of sweeping the competition clean (considering it was contending in 12 categories). Roger Ebert even went as far as lambasting the lackluster hosts James Franco and Anne Hathaway.

Colin Firth, on the other hand, was crowned Best Actor - but who could remember him in FEVER PITCH?

Tainted

MDIS recently found itself in the headlines for the wrong reasons: A (now) former lecturer and level head named Isabelle Krishnan, 38, divulged P&C English examination questions to three of her international students - 2 Vietnamese, 1 Chinese - for a fee of $450 each. Wonder what Dr. Eric Kuan has to say about this.

Crop/Crap Circles?

UFO enthusiasts and thousands of "curious onlookers" are flocking to Central Java, Indonesia, to investigate a 'crop circle' that arcanely figured in a green rice field. The work of sapient beings from another planet? Highly unlikely. Given that the locals are charging entrance fees to the site, one would be led to believe that it was the farmers themselves who perpetrated this elaborate hoax.

They're Coming

"A report by the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) in the United States said that there are three giant spaceships which are heading towards Earth. According to the Russian Pravda news, the SETI, a non-commercial organization, said that the largest one of the three spaceships is 240 kilometers wide, and the two others are smaller. It further stated that currently the objects are beyond the orbit of Pluto and will reach Earth in December 2012." Uh-oh, we're gonna be so dead!

The Whistleblower

He's not Austin Powers, but he's the International Man of Mystery - and Mischief. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has found himself waist-deep in rape and molestation charges as well as a probable assassination plot right after his website released more than 251,000 classified American diplomatic cables disclosing sensitive state information. A conspiracy?

Call It Fate

WHEEL OF FORTUNE contestant Caitlin Burke had such a good feeling about it that she amazingly went on to solve a 7-word, 27-letter puzzle ("I'VE GOT A GOOD FEELING ABOUT THIS") with only a 1-letter clue - L. She won an instant trip to the Caribbean - along with US$53,000 in prize money - and the attention of a worldwide viewing audience. Fate or feat?

No Smoke without Fire

Just like there's no haze without primitive agricultural methods, the Prime Minister doesn't call for the electoral boundaries to be reviewed/revised without the General Election on the horizon. So, who's ready to head down to the voting booth and cast that secret/sacred ballot of yours?

Another One Bites the Dust

These guys were pretty prominent at the last Career & Education Fair, taking up a magnificent island booth that resembled one of those Greek palaces (complete with part-time 'models' in togas and sandals). Then what happened? Couldn't afford to pay their hefty bills thereafter? Pity them poor students...

He's Baaack!

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And this time, he better be incarcerated in a supermax. We suggest ADX Florence.

The Race Is On - For the 3rd Time

To be sure, the novelty has long worn off. Hamilton and homies will get to zip past the new Marina Bay Sands at 220 mph, but other than that, the only thing that could foreseeably fire up the formulaic (pun unintended) proceedings would be a pre-race striptease from the SingTel Grid Girls.

Will Seafood Prices Go ↑?

Now that Henry Quek, Managing Director of Far Ocean Sea Products and President of the Seafood Industries Association Singapore, has recklessly lost an unprecedented $26 million at the gambling tables playing Baccarat, are the retail prices of swordfish and tuna likely to go up, up, up?

Quitting in Style?

Rogue JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater has been creating quite a ruckus with his high jinks and shenanigans aboard Flight 1052 on August 9. The 16-year aviation veteran apparently snapped and launched into a profanity-laced tirade (against some unknown passenger) over the public address system, before activating the plane's emergency inflatable slide and gliding down the gutter – two beers in hands. Working-class hero who has the guts to quit in style? Or is there a deeper truth to the incident? And what's with the 'nice gash' on his head?

Who Is Paul Yarrow?

We've heard of Space Raiders (a brand of crisps) and Tomb Raider (Lara Croft), but 'news raider'?

Meet Paul Yarrow, a 42-year-old British citizen who wants to be an overnight celebrity like SuBo in the worst way. The stocky balding man in a beige sweater has been 'gate-crashing' some 100 TV news reports, including BBC's 'live' bulletins on the streets. Someone should either put a restraining order on this 'cam stalker' or offer him a talent contract already.