它是一种不伦不类的音乐。哦！它是音乐吗？它不但糟蹋了音乐，还对人类的耳朵与精神造成了伤害，甚至蹂躏！非常偏激，不好意思。电子音乐只适合在一个封闭的空间，让几个懂得欣赏的人享受。但希望那些懂得欣赏的人不要把它带到公共场所来，造成干扰，骚扰。就算带上了耳机，整个地铁车厢的乘客还是听得到你在残忍地损坏着你的耳膜。谢谢你的好意，不需要这种分享。真的真的不明白这类垃圾好听在哪里，该从什么角度去欣赏。想来想去就只有兴奋的时候，狂欢的时候用的上场；所以这类音乐常常和不法分子，不良少年，嗑药的，闹事的人挂钩。物以类聚。这电子音乐既虚无，又没营养，散发极负面的印象。重点是，这音乐能够存在，你们可以听你们喜欢的东西，但麻烦耳机声量调小，更不要把家里的扩音机带出来，尤其时那些景色宜人浪漫的地方，清凉寂静的晚上。有煞风景。Sorry，已经很努力写得不愤怒，不歧视了。但就是受不了。
let the pictures do the talking…
Source: omy.sg
There were only two types of people allowed in to the park on this very night. One being crew, the other was of course the VIP or VVIP or the VVVVIP. Somehow, I was one of the working staff and somehow I stood at the ‘frontline’ during the Red Carpet.
Always love the theme park, that was one of the reasons why I work there. Being able to participate in these opening events made the job even more fulfilling and privileged. When you couldn’t do it as a regular guest, you do it as a staff! Being part of the park opened up many behind-the-scene stuffs for me. For today, it was of course the Gala Dinner!
Was stationed at the entrance area from evening, helping to clear the day’s crowd, directing them to the exit. While the normal guests were making their way out, USS staffs could be seen running here and there, coordinating matters, shifting things, contractors meddling with the lights and fixtures. I witness them arranging the flowers at the entrance, rearranging it then decided to keep it; I saw them touching up the giant Oscars and decided to dismantle them after all; I saw them transforming a normal pathway into an glamorous, Hollywood-style, walkway; the golden stanctions, rolling out the red carpets, turning on the spotlights, all ready for action.
Head honchos of various companies and celebrities all arrived in BMW 7-series. I was more than happy to stand at the entrance doing nothing but star-gazed, ‘officially’. First few to arrived was homegrown stars like RWS ambassador Michelle Chia, then there were Chen Liping, May Phua, Dawn Yeoh, Jade Seah, Adrian Pang, Jack Neo etc. Then came all corparate heavyweights like the Universal Studios CEO Tom Williams, RWS CEO Tan Hee Teck and Genting Chairman Lim Kok Thay etc. Of course, all eyes were on the ‘megastars’ gracing the event: Vicki Zhao was the first of the peck, wavy long hair, oozing feminine, a far cry from her 還珠格格 days, then there was erm American Idol 2 finalist Kimberly Caldwell, oh yea, wondering why too. Maggie Cheung was a 48 year old lady living in a 28 year old body, the 1983 Miss Hong Kong simply looked gorgeous, Jet Li didn’t somersaut acrossed the red carpet, he looked much tamer in real with his small frame, we have to admit that Paula Abdul, the ex-Idol, ever chatty judge was the biggest star of the night after the original big hollywood megastar that was supposed to open USS, Arnold Schwarzenegger, pulled out last minute due to ‘personal issues’.
I wouldn’t say that it was a star studded night, but it was indeed an interesting to witness some fiercely private event, perhaps it was a once in a lifetime experience. Now that it’s opened ‘grandly’, lets hope that all the other new rides in the pipeline would be rolled out within the stipulated time!
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Pictures: Resorts World Sentosa, Omy.sg, Xinmsn.com
“人越来越多了，人潮汹涌，后面的人在挤，在推，我有点不由自主地向前走。潮流，是一股抗拒不了的力量。。。人声喧哗中，灯火炫耀中，我看到那些在热闹背后黯然的粉墙，褪色而无助，嗫嚅着一些好不起眼的悲哀。”《最后的牛车水》
生活在新加坡这个非常现代化，经济非常发达的国家（其实全球一线城市皆是如此），都必须接受新旧交融的过程与结果。因为需要进步，所以我们必须牺牲。这是种吊诡，存在在城市中的各个角落，既矛盾，但又得并存。新加坡很多出色的作家都借助他们的创作来引发人民的思考与认同，梁文福也不例外，而且是我真心钦佩的人物。就让我们以《最后的牛车水》为例来了解梁文福的创作具备了什么让本地人着迷的元素吧。
梁文福创作中写过许多的新加坡个个角落，但以牛车水为主题就有着一种特别的情感。因为，它代表的不尽是一个地方，还有华人，整个族群，华族文化，传统。它们都是在新加坡逐渐失去定位的。英文价值的提高，华文位置的每况愈下，华人传统的不断流失，华族方言的逐渐绝迹，加上牛车水附带着的历史意义都是文章里要阐述的心理。
“咿的一声木门关上了。恍惚间，我觉得那是一道岁月的门槛，隔着屋内属于她的年代，及屋外的现在，如隔着古老的牛车水，和十九岁的我。”
这一幕，仿佛说着房子里，和房子里的人都是暗淡的，是过去的，是被流放，被遗忘；而外面的繁花喧闹，年轻则是代表现在，现代。这样的一个形容难免触动了读者的心弦，发出感叹，觉得可惜。
虽然是在感叹，在缅怀，但是从来不老气横秋，不消极。梁文福文章里常常带有一丝轻松与纯真的。从他毫无杀伤力的文字里对于社会进行感慨，书法情怀，甚至批判。文章抒情中自有落实，是散文诗亦是生活的写照，是人间悲悯的胸怀化为温柔，经过冷静却不僵硬的诉说，轻叩每一扇读者的心灵。平淡中见警策，是我的感受。
运用第一人称来直述己闻，是梁文福的创作特色。通过他自己的口吻，我更加容易的，更加贴近地钻进他的视角里看事物。‘我’往往具有一种主导权，因为是你会感觉作者在和你沟通，中间没有隔阂，更容易接受他所要传达的讯息。这一种主导权有着询唤的力量。它能在无意识的状态下吸引你去接受文本里所要表达的意识形态。就因如此，我会更加地感觉的牛车水没落的遗憾。
梁文福除了在文学作品里表现了对于社会的关怀之外，更大程度上，新加坡人是从他的音乐／歌词当中寻找到归属感的。梁文福除了能够为新谣歌手写出绕两三日，感人肺腑的情歌之外，他更能创作出以新加坡发展为背景，非常现实，非常贴近街景市民的作品。他的歌曲纪录了一代有一代人民的生活。走过来的人能够在他的歌曲缅怀过去，向我这样的年轻人也能从他轻松活泼的曲子当中认识到自己的国家。
让我从他的歌词里挖掘出里面的宝。《新加坡派》深刻地描写了新加坡的变迁，一景一物都准确的表现在歌词里。他反映了建国初期人们对国家没信心的情况，从风飞飞、林青霞反映了当时的流行文化，谈了裕廊镇的工业化、地铁的兴建，反映了新加坡的迅速发展，麦当劳的登陆意味着新的时代的开始。更妙地的是他还把《浪子心声》、《明天会更好》、We Are The World、I Just Called To Say I Love You等风靡当时的流行歌曲编入曲中，不仅反映了当时的流行歌曲，还再现了新加坡开始中西交汇，大量吸收外来文化，环球化的现象。
另外还有《太多太多》和《一步一步来》，它们都道出了新加坡社会的种种意识形态：学生厌恶考试、课业繁重、资本主义与现实社会、应征工作的困难、阶级的不平等与贫富悬殊、薪水低但工作时间又长、小市民必须日以继夜的工作、养家的困难、孩子们学校激烈的竞争等等。他要告诉我们好多事情都在发生，我么应该拿捏好自己的步伐，凡是循序渐进。社会太复杂，存在着太多诱惑和烦恼，我们应该知足，我们应该乐观。这样子的一种社会关怀给予了人民一种正面的力量和希望。
无论是《新》、《一》、《太》或《麻雀》，梁文福除了娓娓道来新加坡的发展与人民的心声外，他还不时地在歌曲里头抒发感慨，怀念；提醒人们‘新加坡不是一天建成的’，我们必须记得一路走过来的牺牲，我们的文化，我们的根。新加坡是我们的家，世世代代温暖的家。‘小小麻雀衔竹枝，都系衔番屋企好得多’（粤语）
梁文福能够从具有诗意的散文中表达对于社会的关怀，他更能够以通俗的方式－歌曲，勾勒出新加坡社会的种种意识形态，让更多人意识到自己周遭的环境，新加坡应该关心的事件，让人从他的作品中得到认同，得到温暖，得到共鸣。香港有许冠杰诉说香港街景市民的生活，台湾有罗大佑掀起的民谣风潮，我们则有梁文福让我们认识自己，认识过去。
They promised a change, an a change came fast and furious. Is it too big a change?
It marked the end of the First and Second Generation of leadership. 6 cabinet ministers stepped down at one go, most notably the departure of MM Lee and SM Goh. All the limelight went to Mr George Yeo previously, after he lost his post at Foreign Minister after losing his Aljunied ward. I wasn’t shock, because what went up must come down, the end would always arrive. It was
more of disappointment, not because we have lost two powerful politicians in the cabinet (they weren’t involved in much decision making anyway), it was more of sentimental attachment. After all, LKY was and is still synonymous with Singapore, he is a symbol. The non-presence of him as one of the highest office holders just feels weird. However, I believe we wouldn’t miss him/ them too much, they are still sitting on many government affiliated organisations and will continue to represent Singapore. Okay, Singaporeans wanted a change, detested the arrogance and authoritative styles of them, their $4m pay package, now that they are leaving, they are unhappy once again. Wrong timing they said.
But what is wrong timing?
Will it affect the results of G.E.? They still stood for their respective GRCs, they are not retiring from politics.
The oppositions have came out and said that had both of them expressed their desire of leaving the cabinet, the oppositions would have won two more wards in the election. Oh really? You mean when MM Lee becomes Mr Lee, you have higher chances of winning Tanjong Pagar?
Judging by the timing of announcement, they must have made the decision after 7th May and wanted to be out before the PM set his next cabinet. They walked the talk, it meant nobody is really indispensable, it meant letting go while proving they are not power-hungry.
Some say it was too sudden, too drastic. I believe as human, you need to have the sense of anticipation. Will the terrorist tell you when they are going to strike? Will you know when the next mega-earthquake will strike? Or even closer to us, will you know when your loved ones will pass away? We always need to remind ourselves that all things come to an end and you always need to be ready. If it’s too sudden, then how long do we need them to stay on? 1 month? Half a year? 2 years? 5 years? I think the highly respected MM Lee has served Singapore with his heart, with his life for 60 years, it is the right time to go. We don’t wish to see someone leaving the world while still serving his post, isn’t it? We do hope that as a normal elderly, he gets to relax a bit more.
People say remove the position of Senior Minister permanently while citing the MM and SM have been drawing humongous salary for nothing. I say, will you remove your tap when you are not using water from it? Just leave it there when unused, turn it on when you really need it. We say 家有一老，如有一寶，we have two! Besides their boo boos during the G.E. hustings, they have contributed significantly to the very nice place you are staying in isn’t it?
PM Lee said that it’s a tough situation and he would really need time to ‘seriously consider’ their resignation. Will younger Lee tell his father, no you can’t quit? So we can be sure that younger MPs can speak up without fearing a strong worded rebuttal from the omnipotent founder of PAP, which more often than not, left the pathetic MP dumbfounded.
If there was any doubt in the past that PM Lee is not completely independent because of the presence of MM Lee and SM Goh in the Cabinet, I think going forward, there should be no such doubt. Now the time has come, PM Lee would have to prove to the people that he has the ability to lead the country without the two statesmen. I believe he can.
okay, I give it to some who said ‘we want a change, but just TPL out of Marine Parade, not the old and wise ones!’
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