S's Reading Corner

Reading's List


Current Book List (To Read)
Chinese Titles
Park So Hee- Goong Manga Volume 1-15
Romance of the Three Kingdoms (Chinese/English)


Japanese Titles
Giles Murray - Exploring Japanese Literature (Japanese/English)
堀田 由美, Hotta Yumi - Boy Meets Ghost ヒカルの碁 -
西尾 維新, Nishio Ishin - Death Note: Another Note
筒井 康隆 Tsutsui Yasutaka - The Little Girl Who Conquered Time 時をかける少女


English Titles
Neil Gaiman - Smoke and Mirror
Neil Gaiman - Fragile Things Short Fictions & Wonders
Tim Heald - Princess Margaret A Life Unravelled


Past (Have Read)
Biography
Antonia Fraser - Marie Antoinette


Business/Finance/Investment
Bill Paul - Future Energy (How the new oil industry will change people, politics, and portfolios)


Fiction
Catherine Coulter - Rosehaven
Catherine Coulter - The Offer
Catherine Coulter - The Rebel Bride
Catherine Coulter - The Heiress Bride
Catherine Coulter - The Hellion Bride
Catherine Coulter - The Sherbrooke Bride

Kazuo Ishiguro - The Remains of the Day
Khaled Hosseini - The Kite Runner

Nakano Hitori - Train Man
Neil Gaiman - American Gods
Neil Gaiman - Anansi Boys
Neil Gaiman - Neverwhere
Neil Gaiman - Stardust

Philippa Gregory - The Constant Princess

Sue Monk Kidd - The Mermaid Chair

Tetsuko Kuroyanagi (Translated Dorothy Britton) - Totto-Chan The Little Girl at the Window


Literature
William Shakespeare - King Lear
William Shakespeare - King Lear with Detailed Explanatory Notes - FOLGER Shakespeare Library
Dante Alighieri (Translated by Allen Mandelbaum) - The Divine Comedy


Fiction (Chinese) 武俠小说
金庸 - Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre 倚天屠龙记
金庸 - The Legend of the Condor Heroes - 射雕英雄传
金庸 - The Return of the Condor Heroes 神雕侠侣

S's Korean Drama Library

's Korean Drama Library - Available For Loan


18, 29 (2005)
Coffee Prince (2007) (4/5)
Fireworks (2006)
Foxy Lady (2006)
Goong Princess Hours (2006) (4/5)
Hello, My Lady! (2007)
Little Bride (2004)
Lovers in Prague (2005)
My Girl (2005)
My Name is Kim Sam-soon (2005)(4/5)
Really really like you (2006)
Someday (2006) (3.5/5)
Spring Waltz (2006)
The Darling Sisters (2006)
Wedding (2005)
Which star are you from?(2006)
Witch Yoo Hee / Witch Amusement (2007)

Heart

Came across this conversation between Rukia and Kaien-Dono [Manga Bleach] which I find rather meaningful.

Where do you believe the "Heart" lies?

Think about it...

Every time you and I connect with each other,
A little bit of Heart is born between us.
Heart isn't something inside you.
But
whenever you think,
whenever you remember someone,
That's when Heart is born.
If,
you were the only one alive in this world,
Heart wouldn't exist now, would it?

S's Movie of the Year

Featured during the closing credits.

Rule the World - Take That
You light the skies, up above me
A , so bright, you blind me, yeah
Don’t close your eyes
Don’t fade away, don’t fade away oh

Yeah you and me we can ride on a
If you stay with me girl
We can rule the world
Yeah you and me we can light up the sky
If you stay by my side
We can rule the world

If walls break down, I will comfort you
If angels cry, oh I’ll be there for you
You've saved my soul
Don’t leave me now, don’t leave me now oh

Yeah you and me we can ride on a
If you stay with me girl
We can rule the world
Yeah you and me, we can light up the sky
If you stay by my side
We can rule the world

Ooooooooh

All the stars are coming out tonight
They're lighting up the sky tonight
For you, for you
All the are coming out tonight
They’re lighting up the sky tonight
For you, for you-

Ooooooooh

Yeah you and me we can ride on a
If you stay with me girl
We can rule the world
Yeah you and me, we can light up the sky
If you stay by my side
We can rule the world

All the are coming out tonight (oooooooh)
They’re lighting up the sky tonight
For you, for you
All the are coming out tonight
They're lighting up the sky tonight
For you, for you

All the , are coming out tonight
They're lighting up the sky tonight
For you, for you
All the , are coming out tonight
They're lighting up the sky tonight
For you, for you

British flamed for bullying trishaw old man

This subject caused some uproar recently. 3 British tourists visiting Singapore took a trishaw ride, taunted and mocked the old rider, and eventually left off without paying for the ride. These jokers even took a video of the entire episode and posted on YouTube, resulting in the mass public awareness of the matter. They took down their video, but someone else reposted it on YouTube. Local forums started to flame and curse the 3 British, Singapore news tabloids like AsiaOne and The New Paper reported the incident, and even UK Daily Mail carried the news.

Why are we still having manual trishaws in Singapore? I understand about the "keeping heritage" part, but we can easily retain the rides but motorize the trishaws so that the riders do not need to supply manual power to drive the trishaws. The essence of the heritage can still be kept this way. I don't think any normal tourist who takes the trishaw really wants just to see the riders struggling to pedal. They just want the experience of sitting inside a trishaw, and perhaps get someone to explain the sceneries during the ride. Pretty much like the Duck Tour or other tour rides.

Also, who is overseeing the operations and welfare of these trishaw riders? Uniquely Singapore? How do the riders determine the prices? Who provides the intervention when a rider gets bullied? Or when a passenger gets scammed? And who ensures the trishaw riders follow traffic rules carefully? I've seen some trishaw riders moving recklessly on the road, especially when tackling right-turn traffic signs in cross juctions or some blind spots. It is only a matter of time and unfortunate chance that something majorly bad happens to a trishaw rider and/or its passengers.

Lots of questions but no answers. I wonder how soon will the people-responsible, if any, make some official remarks on this incident.

[EDIT 2Nov07] Look how much talk this incident has generated! Especially on both Singapore and UK forums! :O

ERP goes up... because we have too few cars?

Just 1 week after our wonderful minister said ERP helps more S'poreans to own cars, the government has decided to increase ERP rates AGAIN. 3rd time this year some more. I wish my salary can also increase 3 times a year.

So, does the government think our roads are too empty, and so more cars are needed, and so ERP has to go up? Let's take a look at the traffic cameras on our S'pore major roads to find out! And please, be sensible. Look at the traffic going AWAY from town area in the MORNINGS and look at the traffic going INTO town area in the EVENINGS. Who would travel to town in the mornings and travel out of town in the evenings? Very few I guess. That's why the roads are under-utilized and we need more cars. Or better yet, look at the traffic only during 1AM to 5AM, where the public transport is not in service. I mean, when there's no public transport, of course you need cars right? How else will the citizens travel during the busy timing of 1AM to 5AM?

===========================================
ERP rates going up again for third time this year
By Margaret Perry, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 29 October 2007 2045 hrs

SINGAPORE : Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) rates are going up again for the third time this year.

There will also be new gantries erected.

The highest amount will be charged at the Pan Island Expressway (PIE). The gantry affected is the one at the slip road into the Central Expressway (CTE).

From November 5, motorists will pay $3.50 from 7:30am to 8:00am. The amount charged goes up to $5.00 between 8:30am and 9:00am. This is a $1.50 increase in the 8:30am to 9:00am period since February this year.

The latest hike comes just days after the opening of the Kallang-Payar Lebar Expressway (KPE) Tunnel.

The KPE is expected to ease congestion on the CTE when it opens fully late next year.

ERP rates will also go up by 50 cents at six other gantries.

The CTE gantry north of Braddell Road will cost $2.50 between 7:30am and 8:00am.

Three CTE gantries south of Braddell Road will cost $4.00 between 8:30am and 9:00am.

Those travelling along Bendemeer Road will have to pay $1.50 from 8:30am to 9:00am, instead of the current $1.

Drivers on Thomson Road will also have to pay $1.50 between 8:30am and 9:00am.

New ERP gantries will also start operating on November 5.

There will be one on the north-bound CTE just before the PIE exit, and two along the east-bound ECP before the Rochor Road exit and Ophir Road slip road.

There is also another one on the south-bound Bukit Timah Expressway after the Dairy Farm exit before it joins the PIE. - CNA /ls

Blog Template Update

Been using the minimal black design template for quite a while. It's well... minimal. So I figured it's time for a change, so I downloaded a template that S had browsed recently and started modifying it. Some minor details are still not corrected yet. Hopefully I can get everything done within a week or so.

Do you like it? :)