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Saturday, November 15, 2008

Bolivian Nacimiento accepted for Christmas Creche

The nativity scene of pieces from Bolivia was accepted for exhibition in the Annual Creche in Palo Alto this season. Pictures to follow.

What is a crèche?
Whether called the French crèche, the Italian presipio, the German krippe, the Spanish nacimiento, or the English crib, the depiction of the nativity scene is one of the oldest and most beloved Christmas traditions. A crèche is a three-dimensional artistic representation of the birth of Jesus. While focusing on the central figures of the mother Mary and the Christ Child, crèche artists often telescope time and place to bring together a host of earthly and heavenly participants - shepherds, animals, angels, wise men, and commoners. ... from

http://www.christmascreche.org/index.html


Monday, November 3, 2008

Princess Zara makes her debut!

First grandchild of Raymond and Noor Quek,
Daughter to Nadia and Lee Taylor,
born Tuesday 28 Oct 2008 in Singapore


Princess Zara has already started to tell the world what she wants!
And notice how she does it - by cell phone, no less!
Or is it an i-phone?
Congratulations to the proud parents and grandparents!

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Winnie's Travel Blog: Meltdown in Iceland

Check out Winnie's Meltdown in Iceland discussing this little country near Greenland, and the unique ways of preparing unusual foods for consumption which make durians seem tame by comparison.


Friday, October 24, 2008

What is the true Warranty Expiration Date of a product?

Have you ever bought something and found that it needed warranty service and thought it should actually be in warranty when the manufacturer says it was out of warranty? This blog post gives some insight on how it is computed, based on personal experience, and may shed some light on the mystery.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

ACSian High Finance Comments: Bar Stool Economics 2: How the Taxes REALLY Works

An alternate view of Bar Stool Economics
ACSian High Finance Comments: Bar Stool Economics 2: How the Taxes REALLY Works

ACSian High Finance Comments: Our Tax System Explained: Bar Stool Economics

Income taxes explained in the mini-world of a bar.
ACSian High Finance Comments: Our Tax System Explained: Bar Stool Economics

Contaminated Milk Products

It was reported last month that Taiwanese produced instant "milk" coffee under the brand name of Mr. Brown was contaminated with Melamine. Since the FDA and other governments cannot locate and test all brands, it is probably wise to stop drinking all the condensed milk, instant milk coffees and milk teas produced in South East Asia (such as the popular DeDe and Nara Thai ice tea brands, and Singapore's Owl brand) since any number of them may have purchased their milk from China as thousands of multinational food companies source food there. Each individual company has to certify that their milk products are safe and free from melamine contamination before consumers begin to buy their goods again. In fact, I hope food labelling now should move towards the food-source country as well as the country of manufacture.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Monday, October 20, 2008

Comments on the Global Financial Crisis - Linda Lim

Linda Lim, one of our ACSian cohorts and Professor of Strategy, Ross School of Business, University of Michigan was kind enough to provide copies of her latest thoughts on some factors leading to the global financial crisis, the role reversal of the Asian Financial crisis a decade ago,
consideration of whether we are entering a new age of greater caution and prudence, and the role of Credit, Credibility and Political Creed.
Shedding Light on the Factors
Reversal of Fortune
New era of caution and prudence?
Credit, Credibility and Political Creed

Friday, October 17, 2008

ACSian High Finance Comments: Buy American. I am - by Warren Buffet

ACSian High Finance Comments: Buy American. I am - by Warren Buffet
An article forwarded by an ACSian where the Oracle of Omaha says he is buying equities.

Guess Who and Where? Singapore Satay on Sale


A photo with one of our cohorts selling Satay and other items many years ago. Guess Who? The other person is a public figure in Singapore. Please enter answers using the comments link. Extra credit for identifying where.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

ACSian Tidbits: Faith

Faith, the dog who walks on two legs. ACSian Tidbits: Faith



Wednesday, October 15, 2008

ACSian in Action: Noor Quek in Breast Cancer Fundraiser

Check out Noor Quek in her activities to raise funds for Breast Cancer Fundraiser

"ACS Echo" - "A" Level Class of 68's 40th Anniversary

The following comes from "ACS Echo Alumni Roundup" in the Oct-Nov 2008 issue



The ‘A” Level Class of 68’s 40th Anniversary celebrations held at The Churchill Room of The Tanglin Club on 9 August (Singapore National Day) was attended by more than 50 members of the cohort.

Among those present were 7 schoolmates who flew in from as far as the USA, Qatar and Australia to join the celebrations, and former teachers and principals.

The occasion was a joyous and entertaining one with performances by Andrew Liew, Noor Quek (our very own Anita Sarawak) and Irene Hoe (of Sugar & Spice fame).

Another highlight of the evening was the virtuoso performance in ballroom dancing by Shahid Mujtaba from San Francisco, USA. He was in so much demand that ticket numbers had to be allocated to the girls queuing up to dance with him!

Apparently impressed with his star ‘nerd’ pupil, Mr. Wan Fook Weng remarked ‘this is what a foreign education does for you!”



The complete article together with photographs is available here

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

ACSian High Finance Comments: We Are Facing an 'Inflation Holocaust': Jim Rogers

Markets do not trust the governments' plans to keep struggling banks alive and investors will only calm down when the companies with bad assets are allowed to go bankrupt, legendary investor Jim Rogers, CEO of Rogers Holdings, told CNBC on Friday.

"The way to solve this problem is to let people go bankrupt," Rogers said.

ACSian High Finance Comments: We Are Facing an 'Inflation Holocaust': Jim Rogers

Sounds pretty unpleasant. What do others think?

Sunday, October 12, 2008

ACSian High Finance Comments: Financial Engineering: A Primer on SubPrime Mortgages

Taken from a PowerPoint Slideshow with unknown authorship sent by one of our cohorts, it explains in a cartoon presentation what many of us have been trying to understand in simple terms - what the subprime mortgage market has, how it seems to work, and why it may be causing the disasters we are now seeing.

ACSian High Finance Comments: Financial Engineering: A Primer on SubPrime Mortgages

ACSian High Finance Comments: All That Money You've Lost - Where Did IT go?

With all the losses in the stock market, housing values, and just about everything else except what you owe, who is getting rich? This article claims that it has simply disappeared....
it is a little tough to swallow...
ACSian High Finance Comments: All That Money You've Lost - Where Did IT go?

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

[ACSians] Launch of ACSian High Finance Comments Blog

Various ACSians have offered jokes, comments and articles about the current financial crises. With the addition of an item today by none other than our cohort Linda Lim that was published in the Yale University website, the blog http://acsian-finance-comments.blogspot.com/ in now ready for reading by the general public. Linda discusses if Asia can rescue the global economy.


Given that so many of our cohorts and classmates are in the banking, finance and economy related businesses, comments and articles from all are welcome - I believe the comments reflected make more sense than the testimony of the CEOs of some of these high flying companies to US Congress. You may choose a pen name, your real name, or remain anonymous.

The Other Wall

Where in the world is the other great wall besides the one we always hear about? Check it out here

No Starbucks in BA

Check out Winnie's posting on how to get around the lack of Starbucks in BA..... where in the world is BA? (Worthless prize for the first person to get it right by recording it here in the comments section.)

Sunday, October 5, 2008

CONFESSIONS OF A LANGUISHEE - LIFE IN DOHA, QATAR

If you think life in this land of sand is harsh and unforgiving, you're right!

World's richest country it may be with a per capita GDP of US$76k (compared to US$24k back in the old kampong), but it is desperately short on creature comforts and not exactly known for its vibrant night life. In fact the raunchiest thing one could get up to in Doha is to tune into Fashion TV.

Sigh...so why did we choose this land of sand to languish in when there is the south of France? For me, it is the excitement of building something new in a strange land. Death is maintenance, boredom is repetition , and sameness is suicidal. While life in Doha is suicidly boring, I get my kicks as midwife and proud parent to a spanking new baby bank. After all, how many new banks are being born (versus biting the dust) these days anywhere in the world amidst these new hard times? The business action, if not the night life, is here in the Middle East, at least for next couple of years.

"No man shall languish alone." Not sure which bard or bird uttered those pathetic words, probably me. I learnt through the avalanche of emails preceding our 40 Years On reunion that I was not the lone languishee in this land of sand. The fateful discovery of alternative life conversation went something like this:

"Josh (Joshua Choo), is that really you?"
"Yup."
"So what are you doing here?"
"Opening a new restaurant"
"Really, where?"
"At West Bay"
"Really! I stay at West Bay. Where exactly?"
"At Ezdan (an apartment complex in Doha) Tower 3"
"...(screaming) Gosh Josh, I stay at Ezdan Tower 3 !!!"

So it came to past that Josh and I reunite forty years on in a strange land at a time in our lives where most people prefer sipping tea or sashaying down the Champs Elysee.
No not us .
Still crazy after all these years.

If you are ever in our neck of the woods (or sand bank to be more exact), accomodation is guaranteed at my pad, so is access and availability to good wholesome Singapore food. There is one catch though, you will have to share my room with my balls (golf) and clubs (golf, what were you thinking!).

No doubt off the beaten tourist trap as tourist traps go but Doha is worth a visit 'cos you get to kill two old birds with one stone or sand pebble. So while the streets may be dusty (ok, ok very dusty with all the construction going on), they are paved with oil and gas. Opprtunities abound but are elusive like the shifting sands. Growth sectors include real estate and construction, financial services and tourism (yes, tourism).

Like the Great Gatsby and Mas Selamat, we languish on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past. And so we beat on until one day ...
we fly higher, run faster, stretch farther.

Friends and fellow languishees wherever you are:

The Best Is Yet To Be


"No man shall languish alone"

.....posted on behalf of Andy Liew

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Links to Singapore Grand Prix

The Singapore Grand Prix - Big Pictures
"Formula One Racing held its 800th race on Sunday in Singapore,with the Singapore Grand Prix - also the first Formula One race held at night. Organizers built, then lined a 5 kilometer track with over 1,600 lamps, said to be four times brighter than those used at football stadiums. Twenty drivers drove 61 laps for a total of 309 kilometers at speeds sometimes approaching 300 kilometers per hour - in a country that once banned the sport, in part for promoting reckless driving.  Driver Fernando Alonso of Renault won the race with a time of 1:57:16.304."
- Boston.com September 29, 2008

Singapore the big winner in first night grand prix
- Boston.com September 29,2008

Singapore hopes F1 will rev up economy
- BBC.com  September 29,2008

2008 Singapore Grand Prix
 - Wikipedia Entry

And from Singapore based websites...
Singapore Grand Prix

Thursday, September 25, 2008

White Rabbit

Was there anyone who did not buy and eat White Rabbit candy from the Chinese Emporium in the 1960s? Fortunately for us during those times, plastic melamine was more expensive than milk. I began NOT buying foodstuffs from China more than a decade ago, even when manufactured by the more familiar names like Yeo Hiap Seng. In Australia, their soy bean drinks are canned, not in Singapore, but in China. In the U.S., Yeo's soy bean drinks are canned in Thailand but I still look at the label each time I make a purchase that they are. There are several soy sauce brands and sesame oils that are manufactured in Japan by Kikkoman; Canada also exports a wide variety of Chinese cooking products. Australia produces wonderful organic buckwheat noodles for the Japanese brands. You can also buy rice noodles made in Vietnam.

Chelsea Market, NYC

Greengroceries in Chelsea Market in New York City.

Chinese in LA

Winnie's suggestions on places to get Chinese food in LA

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Interlaken, Switzerland

This small Swiss resort is a restful place to stop off for a couple of days if on a train between Western and Eastern Europe ... more about Winnie's experience ...

Febo's Travel Blog: Wandering Along The Jurassic Coast - May 2007

William Meyer's Adventures along the Jurassic Coast Febo's Travel Blog: Wandering Along The Jurassic Coast - May 2007

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Febo's Travel Blog: Our Big Rollabout - September 2007

William Meyer's Big trip in September 2007
Febo's Travel Blog: Our Big Rollabout - September 2007

Missing in Action

Where were you Sylvia Lim, Lee Yoke Teng, and Rebecca Lim and most of the gang in Arts A and B? At least Lynne Ong had planned to be with us. She had a major rethink because airline fuel surcharges made her trip home horribly expensive. And then she had a rather spectacular road accident that totalled her car and settled the question. She had a miraculous escape after her car ended up under a lorry.

Mirza reported that one of our Arts classmates said she wasn't attending because this was a "science students' party".  It wasn't.  But it nearly became one. So the turnout was Science A 47%, Science B 29%, Science C 42%,  Arts A  12% and Arts B 8%. [official stats here]

Among those who did attend, instantly recognizable was Arthur Cheng, still handsome and trim with no apparent greying (or was it hair to dye for?).
Among the very nearly unrecognizable was  Vivekananda, now with perfectly white hair.

And the women? The women looked fabulous. Count Geh Min,. Fang Ai Lian, Mary Seet, Evelyn Tan and Ang Lian Hua among the ones who could step right back into their school uniforms and still look the part. Darn!
Mary Seet made a late entrance, after attending the National Day Parade, embraced Arthur Cheng. enthusiastically, and declared for all to hear: "Arthur! My first boyfriend!!!"
Her other ex, Eric Nagano, wasn't around to get jealous. .

Edward d'Silva and Kwan Wai Meng were among those who signed up but didn't show up. There was one empty table and seemed to be several others with empty seats. Alamak, why like dis lah!
If you didn't come to the reunion, it was actually two parties you missed.
Mirza had invited the organizing committee plus spouses and all the overseas contingent to his home for dinner the following night.
On Saturday night at the Tanglin Club, he continued issuing invitations. So most of the gang ended up poolside at his house in Bukit Timah on Sunday night.   Even Wai Meng showed up (from his house next door) when almost everyone had left.
So he also missed the hipswivelling, pelvic thrusting, madly gyrating  performance of the Class of 68's own minstrel Andrew Liew, who was persuaded to get his guitar out of his car boot and let 'er rip.
Yep, the boy's still crazy after all these years. Andrew's busy establishing an ACS Class of 1968 outpost in Doha, Qatar, with Joshua Choo. Doha? Think sand. Lotsa sand. Think sun. Think 45 deg C heat.

Post reunion note: Andrew, on his return to Doha, had dinner with Joshua (who runs Palm Beach Restaurant there).
Joshua cooked and Andrew ate, we are told.  We have it on the most reliable authority that Andrew is as hopeless in the kitchen as he is fun at a party.
Hope to see you at the next one.

Irene


originally provided Aug 22, 2008 but not uploaded

Monday, September 22, 2008

40th Reunion Video Presentation


Compiled and edited by Patrick Leong

Maggie Mason in swimsuit


Featured: Winnie, Maggie and Sylvia during ACS FunFair 1968 when trying to raise funds for a new Olympic sized Swimming Pool at Barker Road, which alas, we did not get to enjoy while we were there. This prized and treasured photograph was in Winnie's personal collection, and has been scanned and digitally enhanced. This is the latest posting on Maggie Mason sightings!

Friday, September 19, 2008

Tips from Shahid's ACSian Web Tips Blog

Various tips as well as the ability to indicate what you think is important available ...here...

How to control Picasa Photo Slideshows?

The photo slideshows are actually hosted on Picasaweb, which is owned and managed by Google. ...more...

[ACSians] Maggie Mason in green swimsuit picture coming!

On ACSian Nostalgia Blog on Sep 22 at 3:33 am is scheduled to appear a picture of Maggie Mason in a green swimsuit waiting to be dunked into a pool of water for the Fun Fair. The treasured photo comes from the archives of one of the other two ladies in the picture, and has been scanned, enhanced and presented for your nostalgic viewing.

While there, you may note that there have been some recent contributions by some of our cohorts on travel and gardening . These were added to the initial topic of Nostalgia messages. In response to comments about difficulty in logging in, there is also a section on Web tips and hints . Since there is so much to write about, we will let democracy rule, and publish hints on the most requested subjects and topics.

The blog has grown a lot since we last met, and also included is a slide show of the 2006 reunion of Sec 4 '66 cohorts . The 2008 reunion still so close in our memories will have a slide show based on the set of photos assembled in the now famous DVD put together by Patrick and with names associated with faces in pictures for you viewing convenience.

If you have the urge to write, comment or ask questions, feel free to do so in the comments section after each posting. If you would like a more permanent presence where you can give free rein to your creativity, a special blog site can be set up for you upon request. It has been found that for starters about 10 articles need to be written to make it meaningful; they can be short, but all relevant to a theme of interest to you, and preferably something that can evoke a response in others. Trying to fill an empty blog can be discouraging, and expecting others to contribute to an empty blog may require a long wait. Remember, the direction of this blog will depend on what people write or the material they contribute - and we have many experts amongst our cohorts that have world and life experience in divers areas - from medicine, to the world economy, to travel in strange and wondrous land, to comments on places to stay, visit, and eat - and this will provide an outlet for individual creativity. Photos and videos can certainly be added, and you can certainly get help in publishing the first few articles.

A copy of this message will also appear on the blog since all messages to the mailing list end up there, awaiting approval for publication.
.

William Meyer's Nostalgia List

Carefully collected and kept together for years until they saw the light of day here.

[ACSians] Conference

The following is posted on behalf of Linda Lim:

Dear fellow ACSians,
I have been following the reunion and post-reunion events and comments, etc. with interest, and some envy that I could not attend.
I will be making a flying visit to Singapore next month, however, and in case any of you might be interested in attending, attached is info on the public conference at which I will be speaking. I understand it is not an academic conference per se but an annual affair at which economists present their work for a public audience. Given the traumatic financial market developments of the last few weeks, it will be interesting to see how Singapore fares!
If any of you can make it to the conference, I would love to say Hi there.
Best,
Linda
.
Link to registration form and program,_._,___

Winnie's Travel Blog

Check out entries on Coffee Houses in Melbourne; Helsinki and Stockholm; Life after Gaudi in Barcelona; Travel Maps; Botanical Gardens; Calling Oyster Fans; Kakulas, William Street, Perth; Visa to India; Belem, Lisbon, Portugal; Charleston, North Carolina, U.S.A.; Hotels in Italy; Getting to Machu Picchu; The Alhambra and Generalife; here

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Kaufhaus de Westens, what?

...the best food hall Winnie ever visited in her life compared to Harrods Food Halls and all over the world ... more ...

Yo, its Yotel...

and you can stay there when you get in and out of Heathrow or Gatwick, either after you have arrived and gone through immigration and customs or before you check in to leave the country. ... more ...

Worm Composting

Worm composting is a convenient way to compost kitchen waste and provide ... more ...

Italian Plum Tomato Drying

Clean and dry tomatoes. Peel if desired by dipping the tomato into boiling water ... more ...

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

What is the Mission of this Blog?

This Blog is dedicated to the cohorts whose questions and comments led to the humbling realization that the value of the blog comes from what visitors get out of it rather than the effort to put in the latest and greatest features. ... more ...

Roof Rats

Have you found snail empty shells stashed in out of the way places, fruit with holes gnawed in them or grape skins scattered around? This could indicate roof rats. Roof rats are agile climbers and usually live ... more ...

Neem Oil

Neem oil is an approved pesticide in California for use on ornamental and food plants  ... more ...

Monday, September 15, 2008

What is FTP?

FTP is File Transfer Protocol, a set of instructions and the rules for transferring files from one place to another over a network ...more...

Mosaic Virus

Mosaic virus on squash and cucumber plants ... more ...

Grasscycling

Leave the clippings on the lawn when mowing. ... more ...

Coffee Houses in Melbourne

Personally researched individual coffee houses ... More ...

Sunday, September 14, 2008

What is a Google Account?

A Google Account is required to gain to access to some capabilities of properties and services that Google provides. ...more...

What is a Blog?

A Blog is short for WeB log, and as the name suggests, is a website which serves as ... more ...

Helsinki and Stockholm

I always wondered why the suicide rate in Finland was one of the highest in Western Europe despite the cradle to casket care provided by a socialist democracy. After arriving in Helsinki, I began to think that I, too, might kill myself after ... More ...

Gardenia with Yellowing Leaves

Chlorosis is usually caused by a lack of iron in the soil. ... more ....

Carrots

If you have a light fluffy soil, perhaps in a raised bed, you can grow those long beautiful carrots ... more ...

Life after Gaudi in Barcelona

After gawking at the monument dedicated to La Sagreda Familia by Antoni Gaudi, don't buy any of the souvenirs since they are ... more ...

Travel Maps

The best brand is STREETWISE maps which are available for sale in ... more ...

Botanical Gardens

are some of the nicest places to visit in foreign cities, such as in ersailles, Melbourne, ... more ...

Kakulas, William Street, Perth

Cooking fanatics are generally fascinated when they visit Kakulas in Perth. No one can be prepared for such an array of basic cooking ingredients at such reasonable prices in any amounts ... more ...

Belem, Lisbon, Portugal

To Malacca from Belem in 1551 …..Belem is a parish about 6 km away from Central Lisbon, easily accessible by tram. A port city named for the city of Bethlehem, ...more...

Calling Oyster Fans

In New York City, go to Pearl Oyster Bar in the West Village or Mare on ... more ...

Visa to India

Get a speedy visa to India from Singapore. Check this out!

Charleston, North Carolina, U.S.A.

Next garden and home tours in March 19 to April 18 ... more details here ...

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Hotels in Italy

Italian family hotels are a refreshing change from the chain hotels. In Rome try Hotel Alamansi, ... more ...

Bougainvillea Pruning

You can prune at any time to shape or direct growth. ... more ...

Watering Trees

Even if a tree gets watered every time the lawn does, it needs deep watering ... more ...

From Winnie: Answer to Maggie whereabouts

Both my home and work computers have blinked out but we are working hard on the blog which will have a lot of new features. Having met up with the classmates after 40 years, I found we have a lot in common (ie old age commonalities) in that we all enjoy travel, gardening and walking, talk and food. Followed by more food. As a result, we are putting together many articles which will be of interest to all of you bloggers. For those of you who are sole obsessed with Maggie Mason sightings, I have found only one photo of my days in ACS. This happens to be the one I took with Maggie on the spring board (in swimsuits!!!) over the swimming pool back in the days when our pool was once in a lifetime, above-the-ground during the fun fair.

It should be up soon! In the meantime, check out the blog for the new articles.

Friday, September 12, 2008

ACSOBA Acknowledges Donation from Class of 68

A Thank You note from the ACSOBA acknowledging the donation to the Teachers Retirement Fund - a generous gesture from the class of '68 ... more ...

Spider Mites

Spider mites are closely related to spiders and are about the size of ... more ...

Leafcutter Bees

Do your rose bush leaves have smooth round holes in them? The likely culprit is ... more ...

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Brown Spots on Apples

You may have noticed small areas just under the skin that are brown and corky. ... more ...

Winter Squash Harvesting

Winter squash is ready to pick ... more ...

Getting to Machu Picchu

this most visited attraction in South America required careful planning. Besides a substantial sum of money, luck plays an important role on this journey. Foggy weather can delay your plane trip or an event like the August 2007 Peruvian teachers’ nationwide protest which disrupted train service from Machu Picchu leaving many visitors stranded. ... more ...

The Alhambra and Generalife

In Southern Spain, visit Granada where the Alhambra and Generalife are located. There are several sites devoted to these monuments which can best describe these places. Buy your tickets in advance of your visit ... more ...

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Dinner in Palo Alto with Kee Chin Heng (PU Arts) on August 29, 2008

Like a bad penny, Kee Chin Heng turned up for dinner in Palo Alto to eat with 1966 PU II Acsians on August 29, 2008. (Lai) Choon Yong (with spouse Julia) and Shahid (Mujtaba) attended with Winnie (Lewis) hosting. With summer temperatures in the 90sF (or high 20sC) we ate a copius amount of rojak, among other salads followed by fruits, cake and panne cotta.

Chin Heng lives in the California Central Valley in a small town of Escalon, near Stockton (for those of us who watched "Big Valley" in the 1960s) about 1.5 hours drive from the California coast. He teaches High School. He does return home to Singapore, missing our 2008 reunion because his teaching schedule got in the way.

After the initial conversation during which everyone is updated of the lives and times of others, Chin Heng went down the list of his old girlfriends (no names but you gals know if you were on the list) and the rest of us assured him that they were as beautiful today as he remembers them. He shook his head with great regret remarking that his one great "love" at 18 would surely reject and even spit on him today. No, we assured him earnestly, she wouldn't spit on him, but certainly would reject him!

Great to see that after 35 years of not seeing each other, Winnie and Chin Heng immediately launched on the same dissing and insulting dialogue commonly spew among our class members!

Saturday, August 30, 2008

40TH ANNUAL ANNIVERSARY DINNER FOR 'A' LEVEL CLASS OF 68 ON 9TH AUGUST 2008 AT TANGLIN CLUB, CHURCHILL ROOM

From:Mirza Namazie
Sent: Friday, August 29, 2008 3:00 AM

Dear all

For those of you who attended the reunion dinner on National Day we thank you for doing so and earnestly hope you enjoyed yourself catching up the old times.

For those who were not able to make it we look forward to seeing you at the next reunion.

For the record we had an attendance of 50 out of 188 from the year of 1968 (26.60%) and 7 teachers. The teachers were Mr Lee Hah Ing, Mr Wan Fook Weng, Mr Earnest Lau, Mr Lim Choon Mong, Mr Wee Teow Kee, Mdm Kwan nee Seet Ngoh & Ms Yeo Chee Kai.

We were delighted that the following members of our cohort who reside overseas took the trouble specially to come to Singapore to attend the reunion dinner. They are:

1) Manjit Singh Arts A Sydney
2) Andrew Liew Arts B Qatar
3) Shahid Mujtaba ScA San Francisco
4) Lai Choon Yong Sc A San Francisco
5) Winnie Lee(nka Winnie Lewis) Sc A San Francisco
6) Arthur Cheng Wee Bin Sc C Sydney
7) Sim Lee Ling Sc C Canberra

For the record the attendance by class was as follows:-
Arts A - 5/42 - 11.9%
Arts B - 3/39 - 7.69%
Sc A - 17/36 - 47.22%
Sc B - 10/35 - 28.57%
Sc C - 15/36 - 41.67%

8 members of our cohort who signed up for the dinner did not turn up, 4 of whom have yet to make payment of their dues of $150 each. It would be good if these 4 would send their cheques to Eunice Chan as soon as possible to pass on to the OBA for The Teachers' Retirement Fund for their annual gathering next Monday evening at ACS Barker poolside.

For the record apart from the outstanding amount from these 4 persons, there was a surplus of $2500 which has been paid to the OBA for the benefit of the Teachers' Retirement Fund.

An account of same is set out below:-

Collection$9802.55
Less: Matthew & Mandarins $1500.00
Tanglin Club$5522.55
Photographer$280.00 $7302.55
Balance $2500.00

Mr Lee Hah Ing, Earnest Lau and Wan Fook Weng were good enough spend some time addressing to us.

A book by Earnest Lau was also distributed to all members who were present at the dinner.

We also had lots of fun that evening with Andrew Liew, Noor Quek and Irene Hoe performing and last but not the least the virtuoso performance in ballroom dancing by Shahid who was in so much demand that ticket numbers had to be allotted to the girls queuing up to dance with him.

All Mr Wan could say about his star "nerd" pupil was that "this is what a foreign education does to you".

Till we meet again,

Au Revoir

Regards

Organising Committee:-

1) Chan,Chu Jan Eunice Sc C
2) Leong,Mun K ien Patrick Sc A
3) Liew, Andrew Arts B
4) Motiwalla,Juzar Sc A
5) Namazie,Mirza Sc C
6) Ong,Soo Lin Michael Sc A
7) Ong,Lay Chuan Patricia Sc A
8) Quek Noor fka Noorhayati bte Kassim Sc C
9) Tang Boon Teck Sc A

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Mark Your Visit!

This blog has exceeded expectation given the limited number of people that it relates to. However, it appears that this cohort of ACSians (or at least interest in some of them) is scattered around the world. Visitor logs as well as the maps below give an indication of where visitors are coming from, but so far there have been visitors from the N.American, Australian, African, Asian, and European continents. We are only missing visitors from S. America , Antarctica and Greenland, so we may not yet have any of our cohorts visiting the Polar Bears and the Penguins.

Here is a request: Please indicate where you are visiting from, by clicking on the Comments link on this post, and put in the city, state and country from which you are visiting. You may leave a real name, a pen name, or call yourself anonymous as you wish. No login or registration is required.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Final list of attendees at 40th Reunion Tanglin Club August 9, 2008

Name

Class

Country

1

Ang Lian Hua

1a Sc

Singapore

2

Arthur Cheng Wee Bin

1c Sc

Australia

3

Chan Chu Jan, Eunice

1c Sc

Singapore

4

Chen Ming Liang, Maynard

1b Sc

Singapore

5

Derrick Wong Ong Eu

1c Sc

Singapore

6

Fang-Ho Ai Lian

1b Sc

Singapore

7

Foo Kam Cheng

1a Arts

Singapore

8

Foong Hoh Yee,Vera

1c Sc

Singapore

9

Gay Sai Choo (Grace)

1a Sc

Singapore

10

Geh Min

1b Sc

Singapore

11

Han Him Fong (Charles)

1a Arts

Singapore

12

Ho Kum Koon

1b Sc

Singapore

13

Irene Hoe

1b Sc

USA

14

Jen Shek Chuen, James

1a Sc

Singapore

15

Koe Swee Kiok

1b Sc

Singapore

16

Kwa Kie Tjiong (Dr)

1b Sc

Singapore

17

Lai Choong Yong, Jim

1a Sc

USA

18

Law Chwee Kiat, Winston

1a Arts

Singapore

19

Lee Beng Cheong, Billy

1a Sc

Singapore

20

Lee Voon Ee, Winnie

1a Sc

USA

21

Leong Mun Kien Patrick

1A Sc

Singapore

22

Liew Andrew

1b Arts

Singapore

23

Low Kee Cheong

1c Sc

Singapore

24

Michael Goh Siew Siong

1a Arts

Singapore

25

Mirza Namazie

1c Sc

Singapore

26

Motiwalla Juzar

1a Sc

Singapore

27

Mujtaba M .Shahid

1a Sc

USA

28

Ng Hwee Miang

1a Sc

Singapore

29

Noorhayati Kassim

1c Sc

Singapore

30

Ong Cheong Bee;Patricia Fu

1b Arts

Singapore

31

Ong Lay Chuan;Patricia Thum

1a Sc

Singapore

32

Ong Soo Lin;Michael

1a Sc

Singapore

33

Pang Puay Koon;Dorothy Aw

1c Sc

Singapore

34

Robert Wee

1c Sc

Singapore

35

Seet Mary (Mdm)

1b Sc

Singapore

36

Sim Lee Ling

1c Sc

Australia

37

Singh Gurdip

1c Sc

Singapore

38

Singh Manjit

1a Arts

Australia

39

Sng Leong Soon

1b Arts

Singapore

40

Sum Yee Loong

1c Sc

Singapore

41

Tan Aye Neo,Evelyn

1b Sc

Singapore

42

Tan May Hua, Linda

1b Sc

Singapore

43

Tang Boon Teck

1a Sc

Singapore

44

Tay Boon Sim,Michael

1a Sc

Singapore

45

Tay Willie K. L

1c Sc

Singapore

46

Tham Kok Ho

1c Sc

Singapore

47

Toh Choong Fook

1a Sc

Singapore

48

Toh Choong Sang

1a Sc

Singapore

49

Vivekananda Kuhadas

1c Sc

Sydney

50

Ying Siew Hon Francis

1a Sc

Singapore

Teachers
Mr Lee Hah Ing
Mr Wan Fook Weng
Mr Ernest Lau
Ms Yeo Chee Kai
Ms Seet Ngoh
Mr Lim Choon Mong
Mr Wee Kay Teow

How to get more from photos or slide shows

Clicking on the thumbnails of photos may get you to a larger version of the photo. Clicking on a slide show will get you to the Picasaweb page with the slide show, where you can view each individual photo full size, and also add captions and comments for each photo.

Memories '68 Slide Show



Recreated from the continous slide show running during the 40th Reunion at Tanglin Club, for your continuing nostalgia.

Created by Patrick Leong.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

How to Handle Video & Photo Album Errors

This has been tested only on Internet Explorer 7 on Windows XP.


For Videos:

If you are not seeing a thumbnail with a "play" button it, it means that your computer does not support the Windows Media Player that the video needs. In that case, you need your friendly local IT expert to give some advice on how to fix it.

If the video plays choppily, it most likely means that your internet connection is too slow, and you can view it better on a faster internet connection.

For Photos:

If you are not seeing a photo thumbnail, or the album changing pages periodically, it means that Macromedia Flash player is not available on your machine.

Entertainment by Andy Liew & Co

Andy and his band playing at Mirza's home on August 10, 2008

Sunday, August 24, 2008

How To Caption & Comment on slide shows

The two photo album slideshows from Shahid's photo collection are actually hosted on Google's Picasaweb, which you can get to by clidking on the slideshows. Once you get there, you have the opportunity of veiws the slides in the original larger size, and also to add captions and comments to the photos, provied you sign in with a Google Account.

Sighting of Kee Chin Heng

With Choon Yong's help, we got in touch with Kee Chin Heng (PU Arts A) who also attended University of Hawaii with me and Jolly Aw (Dorothy Pang's spouse) in the 1970s. Chin Heng lives in California (of course, the rest of us California residents from Singapore didn't know) in the inland valley by Stockton. He promised to meet up with us the next time he visits San Francisco.

Friday, August 22, 2008

Dancing the night away


Video provided courtesy of Maynard

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Mirza's Home August 10, 2008

>

The Party after the Reunion
Photos from Shahid's Camera

Tanglin Club, Churchill Room, August 9 2008

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Re: [ACSians] Where is Maggie Mason...

Wan Fook Weng is right! After looking at the ease with which Winnie and Shahid (and Choon Yong) handle "difficult" issues (dancing and eating included).....it's really going overseas to live and work which provides the cutting edge!

Well done Winnie!


Now we wait! (wonder what it would be like when Maggie does respond!)


Cheers all and good weekend


Noorhayati

.

__,_._,___

Friday, August 15, 2008

[ACSians] Where is Maggie Mason...

From Winnie Lee

Hi: all these amateurish efforts looking for Maggie.... Yesterday, I contacted the guy associated with the Singapore alumni branch of McGill University and he forwarded my requested to McGill University Alumni Association who responded and also forwarded my request to Maggie.

Now, we wait. A brief thank you to all of you for that Singapore hospitality, AND especially our friend from Daikin AC. I counted more than 20 Daikin units at my brother's home and he says they all work perfectly! Kept me very comfortable.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Mr Ernest Lau's Message to Old Boys (and Girls)



Mr. Hee Hah Ing's Words of Praise for Class of 1968


Mr Ernest Lau saying Grace before Bread and Soup


[ACSians] Re: And here's to the next magical sighting of Maggie Mason

Dear Irene and other ACSians,

Glad to hear your comparative appraisals of the Reunions, and your finding of ACS Class of 68 Reunion being the most fun.

Thanks for the narrative about the meeting between Maggie and Irene in the best Hindi movie tradition in Montreal in 1971.

For enquiring minds who are asking "Where's Maggie Mason" and anxious to find out,
these clues together with the suggestions from Irene can may help in the search. More "magical sighting" reports are definitely welcome and will be published when reported.

Shahid
.

__,_._,___

And here's to the next magical [MAGGIECAL] sighting of Maggie Mason

From: Irene Hoe
Date: Wed, Aug 13, 2008 at 2:07 PM
Subject: And here's to the next magical sighting of Maggie Mason

Dear friends,
Since I got home from a long trip at midnight last Friday, it's been one reunion after another, starting with lunch and dinner to mark Eusoff College 50th anniversary and ending Tuesday when I gathered my sister Mary's closest pals together to celebrate her birthday.
Every party was special in its own way, but without a doubt, the ACS Class of 68 gathering was the most fun I've had this year with clothes on.
Thank you Mirza & Co, for all the spade work, and Chui Fong, for feeding us and letting us mess up your home. And Elvis the Pelvis Liew for insisting that I still belong to the 68ers.
My only regret is that I could not produce the elusive Maggie Mason.
The last time I saw MM was in the summer of 1971 when I was in Montreal. From across a busy street, I spotted her and shouted: "Maggie Mason!!!!" And she responded "Irene!!!! Is that really you!!!" (You can tell we weren't strong on originality).
Then in the best Hindi movie tradition, we ran towards each other and embraced, on a traffic island with traffic rushing by on either side of us. Our hugfest was as intense as it was brief.
When I Googled "Maggie Mason", I found a marathoner by that name, of the right age, from Santa Barbara. Shahid, maybe you could check out "Mason, M" in the online directories, or look for her brother Peter. Or check out the McGill University alumni website if you know any alumnus.
The Quest goes on.

Looking forward to the next reunion,
Irene

Monday, August 11, 2008

Thank you notes

Posted from an email from Ho Kum Koon:

To the organizers of this gathering: A big THANK YOU.
Seeing shahid dancing was something that was beyond my imagination. For 40 years many of us have gone out to look for that pot of gold and found it. I am not so sure if that is what life is all about. I am told that some of our cohorts were reluctant to come because they felt that they have yet to find theirs. This is terrible, to think that we would be wasting our time gathering to compare numbers!

In the final analysis of the book Forty Years On, Erny has given us some good advice on life. In my own words I think it has to do with 2 words- success vs significance. Success is to add value to yourself while significance is to add value to others through serving others. In the next 20-30 years I hope we will be significant and not be measured by the so called success in $$$.

We may not be around for the 50th anniversary but as Lee Hah Ing puts it , in the meanwhile count your blessings. Time is ticking away towards that appointment everyone must keep. The greatest blessing that one can have and which I believe Hah Ing very much desires for us is to know our Maker before we meet Him face to face.

To God be the glory.

Kum Koon

Sent 8/10/08 10:41 PM PDT = 8/11/08 7:41 AM SGT

Sunday, August 10, 2008

How Old Are You, Anyway?