we are singapore.

With the World Cup Finals looming on the horizon, or rather on our TV screens if we had paid StarHub S$15, it's apt to talk about Singapore's turn, if it ever comes, to play in the World Cup Finals.

There was a time when people said that Singapore wouldn't make it.
But we did.

That line from the ever-popular National Day song should serve as an inspiration to all soccer players, in fact all sportsmen and women, to show to the critics that Singapore can be a global sporting powerhouse, not only an economic one.

In fact, Singapore soccer has the basic groundwork necessary to produce talented players. We have so many soccer courts or state lands around, so many in fact that Singapore youngsters are not willing to play on "lousy" surfaces as much as possible. I believe our worst courts or pitchs are comparable or better than the state of the area kids in Brazil play soccer on. And Singapore is surely safer. And also, there are rules and laws prohibiting soccer being played at void decks, whatsoever. What is this? The government hopes to develop our talents, yet we can't play soccer in void decks, which make good practice places because of the pillars. And we have to pay to use the fields which are otherwise vacant. What is this?

In my opinion, the government should just allow people to play on any available fields, not including the school fields and private fields for a logical reason, but all the other fields which are stand-alone and can be opened without allowing access to other properties. Then again, people who really wish to play soccer should not be so picky about the state of the land. As long as it is flat and suitable for soccer, it should do. Of course concrete land is more ideal, as it will surely be flat. But that will bring up other problems as well. The main thing I'm trying to say is that, in order for Singapore to even smell the World Cup Finals, the government have to first give soccer players in Singapore all the area it can to play soccer. Only then can talents be developed, thus spotted and nurtured to play for the Lions.

And if we should ever get to the Finals, we should start singing...

There was a time when people say that Singapore wouldn't make it,
But we did.
There was a time when the World Cup seems too far for us to reach,
But we did.

We built our soccer team, strong and fast.
Playing as one heart, for the ultimate dream..

We are Singapore,
We are Singapore,
We're a nation in the Finals for the first time.

We are Singapore.
Singaporeans!

timeless

Today, I had that time-stop feeling I've not felt in a long long time.

Well anyway, I found it at this park connector by a canal in Tanah Merah. I was cycling along when I wondered where the path goes. I was hoping it would lead to East Coast Park. But it didn't. Instead it led to a dead end.

But all that's beside the point. The point is, I saw these men using the front cover of a fan and digging in the waters of the canal for something. At first I thought they hoped to find some precious items or stones to sell for money. But I was wrong. I asked this old man what he was digging for in the canal. He couldn't speak, but was capable of making incoherent grunting sounds. It appears he was digging for some kind of shellfish, with beautiful shells. They looked like mussels, but quite small ones. He 'told' me, using a combination of sound and sign language, that the mussels tasted good once put into the mouth. He had a lot of them, so I guess he would be enjoying his dinner.

As I was cycling home after that, I was thinking of the fact that one could still find people looking for food in Singapore. As in, looking for food that doesn't cost money. Everywhere else I see people queueing up to pay for food. But the old man was enjoying digging in the canal for what was to him, good food. I sensed happiness in him as he was talking to me (really!) and that short "conversation" sort of made my day for me. I thought of how it is really quite impossible for people like me to lead such a life. Given that we have to study, then work in order to provide for ourselves at least. But it wouldn't hurt to occasionally put it all aside, and simply relax, just like the old man. So that we wouldn't have to be bogged down by society's load, and instead just do what we enjoy, and thus find happiness.

Maybe I'll go there again when the feeling comes, even though it's only a dirty smelly canal to many people, I believe.

worthy final.

In a little less than half an hour, what I believe to be the most exciting UEFA Champions League final in recent years will be kicking off.

2004's Liverpool vs Milan was good, but these two teams don't have the attacking flair that Barcelona or Arsenal currently possesses in Ronaldinho and Henry.

2003's Milan vs Juventus was not even worthy of a mention. It ended in a penalty shootout after a boring 0-0 draw.

Today's match brings together two teams that surely cannot be said to be on the same level, after the way Barcelona dominated their dosmesic league, while Arsenal laboured to ensure qualification for next season's Champions League. But yet, both teams are going head to head for one of the biggest prizes in club football today.

Man to man, I believe no team has the advantage. Where Barca has Ronaldinho, Arsenal has Henry. Though it's true that Samuel E'too is a much accomplished goalscorer compared to anyone Arsenal has to offer other then Henry, it cannot be denied that Jens Lehmann, providing he doesn't lose his head, is an extremely reliable and very experienced goalkeeper compared to the young Spainard in Barca's goal, Vitor Valdes.

Even though Ronaldinho may be the reigning World Player of the Year, and on paper, seems to have the better team to complement him, I believe that Henry, with all the hype surrounding his presumed exit from Arsenal, will show us the same form of leadership Gerrard showed in the FA Cup final to drag Arsenal all the way til he lifts the coveted trophy. Arsenal to win the Champions League courtesy of Thierry Henry. By then, he can leave Arsenal (for Barca?) with fond memories of Highbury and his name surely deeply etched into the walls of Ashburton Grove.

Ronaldinho and Co. still retain the ability to be back in the final this time next year, perhaps with the addition of Thierry Henry in his prime. But today, in this very game, Highbury's Thierry Henry can wait no longer. It is almost certain to be the only chance he has to lift the trophy as the captain of this young, but very talented Arsenal team. It could very well be his last game as captain of this team.

rockson

http://rockson.blogspot.com

This blog is really good. Offers an alternative view to the things happening in Singapore, and perhaps beyond our shores. Be warned though, the language used can be slightly crude. So if you're not used to crude language, please avoid the blog. Do not flame it simply because you don't like the language.

At the very least, it is a blog that can make me laugh while reading the posts and I quite agree with whatever he writes.

elections.

The General Elections are in 2 days' time. 6th May 2006.

Well, I don't really bother about the elections. Because it seems to be more like a circus the way it is going. With Gomez and Dr Chee pulling their stunts, it really diverts the attention away from the important factors regarding the election. The people should be more concerned with the credentials of the candidates, rather than the tricks they have up their sleeves. The candidates themselves should try to shy away from bringing up these incidents, and instead try to convey their abilities and their ideas on nation and community building to the people, the ones who have the power to vote.

Luckily, PM Lee Hsien Loong said today that Singaporeans should be more concerned with the actual election campaigns rather than the entertainment being provided by the side. It's rather good timing to say that, with the elections just 2 days away, the people's focus should be brought back to the crucial campaign ideas.

Anyway, since I'm not eligible to vote, I don't understand why they should choose a Saturday as Elections Day. Wouldn't it to better to set it on a weekday, so that non-voters like myself can enjoy a day off from school, and perhaps meet up with a few friends to discuss how we should select our MPs in the future...