Gangly Knives

With all the bad publicity lately about gang fights in Singapore, I thought this wasn't something that a popular supermarket should promote at this time - and at 10 years warranty to booth!

See: 

Crack down on Youth Gangs

Teen Slashed in Ang Mo Kio

Coupon Bonanza

Coupons are great. Coupons are real price savers. No matter if they sell hardware, aesthetic packages, or food. But the prices on this coupon takes the, err, cake for doing the opposite:

I wonder if I can get this at the usual price (UP) instead?.

Stevey

Yes, that's Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft, in person, in Singapore, in the Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre on Wednesday, 26 May 2010. It was taken on my aging camera-phone, so the resolution and all aren't all that fantastic.

Lemonade

First, there was the issue of the pronunciation of Esplanade. I would pronounce it 'Es-ple-nard' but the guardians of good Singapore English would have it pronounced as 'Es-ple-nade' as in 'm-ade'. But then, if you listen to the news on the official TV channels, Promenade is pronounced 'pro-mi-nard' and not 'pro-mi-nade'. Talk about being schizophrenic. It just doesn't stop there. Now even language translations show elements of schizoid syndrome that plagues Singapore's officialdom.

With this kind of public display of linguistic ambiguity, who needs good English?

Tantalising

Saw this in a supermarket. It is at once tantalizing and puzzling. I thought it read 'Buy ALL for $4.00". The '2' seemed displaced. But of course, any offer like this is too good to be true. "Buy 2 for $4.00" would have been much clearer, though not necessarily more eye-catching.

Postcards for the dead

I must hand it to the Japanese. They can think of making anything, miniaturizing, and selling them. They do this even for the dead and departed. Here are invitation cards you can buy and invite people to that last journey.

Money Tea

It is Chinese New Year, and restaurants are all getting in on the occasion by offering one meal package or another. This restaurant shows it understands the sentiments of the occasion.

Video Cart

This is really not new, but in the context of Singapore supermarkets, it is the first time I've seen it. Carts with attached video streaming in-store commercials are now available in Cold Storage supermarkets. Apparently it is an eye catcher because some kids where following me all over as I pushed the cart around the supermarket.

Hail the New Year

You know that the Chinese Lunar New Year is around the corner when you see rows and rows of red in the supermarket.

Another way to inflate prizes is to shrink the portion. This serving of herbal chicken is really pea-size, I kid you not.

Well, some people really like to make a statement with their buttocks. I hope than when the hot burning steel touches, she will not jump out of her pants.

Far encounters

Well, you really, really don't want to sit close to this man, who is busy plucking his facial hair in full public view on the subway train. Talk about the crude and ugly Singaporean, there is non that can compare.

Slow leopard

Long mane and leopard prints? Who does this guy think he is? Tarzan?

Skinnies

Nowadays, chopsticks are really what they are - sticks. Ever noticed that in Singapore, public eateries (aka Hawker Centres/Foodcourts) are serving up ever thinner and flimsy chopsticks? Sometime I worry about accidentaly eating the chopstick too. Yes, there is more than one way to up prices...

Spell Bee

Don't give these apples to your growing kids. They'd end up losing the spelling bee competition.

Squishy Tomato

It's probably not an expensive item on the menu, but this is a real waste. Talk of climate change, People have to change their eating habits first.