Activities For The Jubilee Weekend!

Can you feel the footsteps of the Jubilee weekend approaching?

As Singapore marks 50 years of independence this year (09 August to be exact), the President has declared 07 August 2015 (Friday) a public holiday. This will make for an extended Jubilee Weekend over the 07 to 10 August period so as to enable all Singaporeans to participate in commemorating this special milestone in our nation's history.

Over the Jubilee Weekend, special programmes have been prepared for Singaporeans around the island to revisit and experience afresh the journey of Singapore's story.

Here, I have compiled some events which is taking place during this Jubilee weekend!

SG50 Hello Kitty From McDonald's!

Hello Kitty fans rejoice!

Singapore is celebrating her golden jubilee this year and McDonald's is launching the SG50 Hello Kitty series!

This set of unique Hello Kitty plushies is exclusive to Singapore so be the first to get your hands on the limited edition collectibles!

Video: 台湾八仙乐园粉尘爆炸 Horrifying Explosion At Taiwan Water Park *Warning: Graphic*

Last night, I was horrified to learn of the explosion at Formosa Fun Coast, a water park in Taiwan. Colourful clouds of flammable powder were fired at the party goers out of pressurized canons at the Colour Play Asia party which, unfortunately, ignited and engulfed them in flames.

It was like a scene out of a disaster movie as the victims scramble for their lives in the fire.

At the point of penning this entry, casualties numbered to 500 with close to 200 in ICU.

May God bless the injured.

Video below.

In Memorium: James Horner 1953 - 2015

Oscar winner James Horner has been killed after crashing his single-engine plane in Southern California on Monday morning. 

Ventura County fire spokesman Mike Lindbery said the crash happened around 9.30am in the Los Padres National Forest, with the Federal Aviation Administration adding that the plane was an S-312 Tucano MK1 turbo-prop with two seats and that the debris was spread across an acre of land. 

Crews extinguished a fire that erupted in vegetation after the plane became engulfed in flames upon impact, about 100 miles northwest of Los Angeles.

Horner, a husband and father of two, was later confirmed dead by one of his employees.

Horner's assistant, Sylvia Patrycja, confirmed that it was the beloved composer who died in the tragic accident. 

'We have lost an amazing person with a huge heart, and unbelievable talent,' Patrycja wrote on Facebook. 

  

'He died doing what he loved. Thank you for all your support and love and see you down the road.' 

Jay Cooper, an attorney for Horner, said the plane was one of several owned by the 61-year-old composer. 

  

Horner’s representatives have not commented on the issue. - Daily Mail

Free Minions Figurines With McDonald's Happy Meal

McDonald's Singapore will be launching a set of 10 Minions collectible toys from the animation, MINIONS this coming Thursday, 18 June 2015 at 11am.

The Minions are:

01. Guitar Strumming Stuart
02. Groovy Stuart
03. Minion Caveman
04. Lava Shooting Kevin
05. Chatting Bob
06. Egyptian Hula Minion
07. Minion Vampire
08. Marching Minion Soldier
09. Martial Arts Minion
10. Guard Minion

The toys will come free with every purchase of a kid's Happy Meal.

Hatyai Sabbatical 2015

I must really apologize for the lack of updates.

The first half of 2015 has just gone in a flash. A lot has happened during the last six months and my mind have been bogged down by family matters. All is fine for now and I hope it stays that way.

Last month, my folks and I brought forward our yearly retreat to Hatyai (we usually go during year end) and we took the opportunity to recharge and re-energize. Hopefully, we did not bring the negative vibes back with us.

I think Hatyai has been blogged to death by me so I shall consolidate the entire five days into one single post and not go into the details. Since it is simply a staycation, we spend most of our time sleeping/watching TV in the hotel when we are not out looking for food.

Now if you would fasten your seatbelt, our journey shall begin in just a minute.

Singapura: 700 Years Exhibition At The National Museum Of Singapore

After visiting the Lee Kuan Yew memorial exhibition on level 2 of the National Museum, I proceeded to the basement to visit yet another exhibition - Singapura: 700 Years.

History is one of my favorite subject in school so how could I miss it?

I studied South East Asia history in school and I would like to attribute my keen interest in the subject to my history teacher, Ms Lau Gek Moi who managed to make her lessons unboring.

Entering the gallery, I was thrown back into the pre-Colonial days when the then Temasek was still a Sultanate. Bit by bit, like fragments of a long forgotten memory, the story of Parameswara and the invasion from the Majapahit Kingdom all came flooding back.