G.E.M. is the biggest star to emerge from China

        Born in Hong Kong and choosing to sing in Mandarin rather than Cantonese, GEM is currently embarking on a 100 cities tour of China. Nothing can stop this young lady from making it really big. She was a semifinalist in the 2nd edition of The Voice China. Her vocals are strong and she exudes a confident lady image, much like A Mei of the '90s.

Important Steps as to how to deal with WannyCry Ransom Ware

Shared by WSJ a few days ago from a friend, Kent Tan 

          My Outlook Express mail server every other day receives suspicious emails telling me that I've won the lottery, received Purchase Orders from hitherto unknown companies, payments from UK, requests for items to purchase again from unknown companies and bogus requests for quotes with zip attachments. I normally discard them and run the McAfee Scan just to be safe. 3 days ago the Ransomware virus affected many PCs worldwide and our 2 Universities  NUS and NTU were hit. It is a dangerous world we live in whereby there are scams abound at every innocuous email and requests for quotes. 

Just disable SMB to Prevent against WannaCry Attacks 

      This simple procedure should help you and your PCs to disable this virus once and for all. Lets never take web safety and people's sincerity for granted. There are many crooks out there together with the well meaning good people in society I am afraid.   

                Follow this 2 simple steps and save yourself a lot of trouble later on.  

Why I like Caps

On the Eurostar train from Gard du Nord to St Pancreas station

        I have in the last 2 years taken an interest in caps. Especially embriodered ones, which are of high quality and good fit. My favourite one which I really like is the F1 GP cap sold at $70 from the Fairmont Stamford. It is comfortable, provides long cover at the front, and grips my 'mango head' well (my parents were concerned with my mango shaped head when I was a toddler so much so they brought me to a General Practitioner to assess my head size back in the '60s !).   This cap fits my head well, and its embrodiery is top quality. On one side shows the Ferrari F1 car an the other some icons of Singapore like the Singapore Eye. 

        Stating the obvious, caps provide the required shade from the harsh sunlight. I notice that my eyes are getting more sensitive to the light, so sunglasses and caps are mandatory for me to prevent or slow down the growth of cataracts or other macular related diseases caused by excess glare.

My latest acquisition ; W for Wolves ! 

       I hope to increase the collection to about 10 but I will only go for only select ones with the right colour and message or logo. I do not get any endorsements from any cap or brand company so I had better choose the ones I identify with.  

My Favourite Cap 

The prerequisites for me if I am keen on a cap are :

a) It must fulfill the purpose of keeping the sun out ; hence the long overhang.

b) It ideally should be limited edition (like my Singapore F1 cap)

c) It should be embroidered

d) Colour should be strong and bold (red, white and even khaki are my favourites)

e) No brand visible if possible

f) It fits my 'mango head' to a 'T'. 

         

Sienchin - Shitoryu Kata ; Perfection

Remembering My Wonderful Mum Anna 1930 - 2011 ; Happy Mother's Day !

Mum in her cheongsam, or qipao 

          Today is Mother's Day ; the 2nd second Sunday each year, billions of people around the world remember their mothers and spend some time reflecting. My mother was a WONDERFUL MOTHER to me and my brother John. True, people can remarry and the children can have step mothers and the like. And some stepmothers do handle their motherly duties even better than their biological mothers. Born Anna Wen in Guangzhou, she was the eldest of 4 daughters of the late P.C. Wen. He was the stationmaster of Guangzhou train station and was a very talented individual. I only met and knew him fleetingly when he suffered a stroke and came to Singapore to stay in our house for 3 years before heading back to Hong Kong. My brother and I called him Ah Gong. 

Taken in 1957 

            Mum was a very hardworking young lady when she came to Singapore probably just after the 2nd World War. Singapore was just picking up the pieces after the Japanese Occupation and the Federation of Malayan States was formed in 1957. There were numerous political parties, the Workers Party, the People's Action Party and Singapore was also under the influence of the Communists through the Middle Schools and Unions. 

          During her school days, she was the Girl Guide Troop Leader in the early 50s after the 2nd world war and even walked Prince Philip (of Edinborough) around the Padang showing off her troop ! 

           Mum landed the job as the Personal Assistant to the Perm. Secretary for Health in the 1960s soon after I and my brother were born, and she kept at that job for over 40 years. A very people centric person, she managed our household keeping the finances well under control as she was very thrifty till the mid 90s, but she showered her love and resources to John and I.

         

At the Singapore Cricket Club 2010

         She went for her honeymoon with my Papa in Japan as well as Cashmir. After we were born, she was really involved in firstly her work, then after joining the Singapore Swimming Club in Dec 1974, the Club was here second home, and we all went to several Swimming Competitions (Sanya Samaki Cup) at each year end starting from 1975 (Bangkok and Penang), 1976 (Manila), 1977 (Thailand), 1978 (Indonesia). Those were halcyon days for my brother and me. I was an above average swimmer and nominated at Swim Captain for my House, and also the Boys Captain from 1977 to 1978. In 1979, during my first year at the JC, I captained the Barracuda  team to the swim championship within the club swimmers. A mean feat as I was the weakest 'strong' swimmer amongst the 4 captains ! 

On the swings in 1964 outside our house at 6 Adis Road

          Mum then devoted her time mainly participating in badminton, kong chian, tennis, squash, swimming jazz ballet etc. You name it, shw would have taken part in it. A true blue tryer !  

Mum with her Jazz Ballet 'Gang' 

         Well, to my Mum up in Heaven. Happy Mother's Day. Have Cake and Rest Well. 

         Much Love from your Son, May and the 2 grandsons. 

        

   

Kumite Free Sparring - Shitoryu

           This was done some years ago. The emphasis should be on front blocks and kicks and neutralise the attacker. Faced with a larger and bulkier opponent, I have to be more aggressive in taking down the fighter with a direct or indirect punch followed by a flurry of kicks. 

           See for yourself. Its all done in a controlled manner. Sports karate is about attaining points and not injuring or mortally wounding the opponent. 

Great Popiah, Mee Siam and Pie Tie at My Cosy Corner, Cornonation Plaza, #02-02

Mee Siam (without prawns) for S$ 4.80 ; with prawns its S$ 5.50

       Tucked away at the corner at 02-02 of Coronation Plaza, next to the Coronation Clinic, is a hole in the wall shop, called My Cosy Corner. Managed by the Leong family, for the last 30 years, it is a veritable gem of a food shop, which specializes in the selling Peranakan (Straits Born Chinese) food since my teenage days. The shop seats a maximum of 18 7 tables of 2 to 3  and a long table outside of maximum 4. Come at off peak times (peak is usually luch from 12 - 2.30pm) and savour the most delectable Peranakan dishes.

       The mee siam (pictured above) is really good, an acquired taste for many Singaporeans. It is basically rice vermicelli or bee hoon, and granished with the famous mee siam gravy (I need to reserach what goes inside there, but coconut milk definately is inside). The meal is practically vegetarian, some fried dough fritters, spring onion garnishing  with a boiled egg and small lime to top it off. 

Rating for me - Mee Siam 

Food Quality and Taste :   4.8 out of 5 (perfect sourness in the bee hoon and gravy

                                          is the right texture and flavour)

Service                         :  3.5 out of 5 ; it is prompt and for small foos outlet, they 

                                        are courteous

  

 Ambience                    :  3.0  (small and its just for the eat and go persons) 

The Pie Tie is another truly Peranakan Chinese dish.  The cups of fried crisp rice fritters are really crispy. The main ingredients inside are the bangkuang or turnip which has been steam cooked for hours. There is a smattering of boiled egg inside the rice fritter cups, and the final 2 garnishings which are a must are the Chinese parsely and the red chilly sauce freshly prepared. 

Rating for me : Pie Tie 

Food Quality  and Taste  :   5 out of 5 Superb !   

          In 2015, there was an island wide search of the best hawkers in various categories, and the Cosy Corner emerged champions in the Popiah (stuffed vegetarian roll) category. It is really stuffed full of bangkuang, some veges, crispy rice fritters and egg. I did not try it this trip but I am a regular diner of cosy corner. It is a piece of food comfort which no country except at home here in Singapore which makes me say : I am home 

    No. 1 amongst the top 3 ; there were over 600 recommendations from all over Singapore for more than 10 categories.