Friday, September 17, 2004
Singapore, The Big Issue
When I had the opportunity to go to Singapore for studying English, I found an interesting story on a workbook. It was a story of Fred Corbett who became the homeless from the millionaire.
To paraphrase part of it, " I bought a helicopter and several cars, but I crashed all of them. So on the advice of my accountant I bought a large number of shares in Barings Bank. Maybe you can guess what happened next. Barings Bank went bankrupt, and I lost a fortune......" (New Headway English Course Upper-Intermediate Workbook with key, Oxford University Press).
Nowadays, he sells as many copies of the Big Issue (a magazine by homeless people) as he can. But he has made real friends at a hostel for the homeless and he is happier than ever before.
He said, " Something I've learned from my experience is that money can't buy you love!".
Lately, I knew the Big Issue Japan is published in Japan. It costs 200 yen( US$1.80) a copy, and sellers earn 110 yen( US$1.00) from each copy. We can buy the Big Issue Japan in Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto, Tokyo and Chiba.
To paraphrase part of it, " I bought a helicopter and several cars, but I crashed all of them. So on the advice of my accountant I bought a large number of shares in Barings Bank. Maybe you can guess what happened next. Barings Bank went bankrupt, and I lost a fortune......" (New Headway English Course Upper-Intermediate Workbook with key, Oxford University Press).
Nowadays, he sells as many copies of the Big Issue (a magazine by homeless people) as he can. But he has made real friends at a hostel for the homeless and he is happier than ever before.
He said, " Something I've learned from my experience is that money can't buy you love!".
Lately, I knew the Big Issue Japan is published in Japan. It costs 200 yen( US$1.80) a copy, and sellers earn 110 yen( US$1.00) from each copy. We can buy the Big Issue Japan in Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto, Tokyo and Chiba.
Saturday, September 11, 2004
Singapore, National Day
Aug 9 is National Day in Singapore. (date corrected:7/8/05)This year, it was Singapore's 39th birthday. Oh-oh, she is almost twelve years younger than me.
As you know, Singapore is a multiracial country. The population consists of 76.5% of Chinese, 13.8% of Malays, 8.1% of Indians and 1.6% of other races. (source: "Singapore 2003" by Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts)
So as for Singapore, it is very important to unite the country regardless of race, language or religion.
Singaporeans fly the national flag on the wall of their apartment building, lucky 60,000 spectators see the National Day Parade at the National Stadium, the rest of Singaporeans watch the parade on TV that day. They sing National Day Songs and National Anthem all together wearing red-coloured official National Day T-shirt.
Me? I watched the 2004 National Day Parade in Tokyo live on the internet. I put on the red T-shirt, too.
As you know, Singapore is a multiracial country. The population consists of 76.5% of Chinese, 13.8% of Malays, 8.1% of Indians and 1.6% of other races. (source: "Singapore 2003" by Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts)
So as for Singapore, it is very important to unite the country regardless of race, language or religion.
Singaporeans fly the national flag on the wall of their apartment building, lucky 60,000 spectators see the National Day Parade at the National Stadium, the rest of Singaporeans watch the parade on TV that day. They sing National Day Songs and National Anthem all together wearing red-coloured official National Day T-shirt.
Me? I watched the 2004 National Day Parade in Tokyo live on the internet. I put on the red T-shirt, too.
Tuesday, September 07, 2004
Singapore, a FINE city
Some people say " Singapore is fine city." Yes, it's true. I think I can walk on a main street in Singapore such as Orchard Road with bare feet. I don't want to do it in Shibuya, Tokyo.
I can't have a chew of gum on a street or can't eat hamburgers in commuter train. Or sometimes I need extra money to enter city centre by a car.
Tokyo is disciplined city too. But in my opinion, Singapore is the city that is more people-friendly and more comfortable to live in than Tokyo.
I can't have a chew of gum on a street or can't eat hamburgers in commuter train. Or sometimes I need extra money to enter city centre by a car.
Tokyo is disciplined city too. But in my opinion, Singapore is the city that is more people-friendly and more comfortable to live in than Tokyo.
