TR EMERITUS

Despite the desperate attempts of the Singapore media to hype up the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) and create a "buzz" about it, the support from Singaporeans on the ground is turning from lukewarm to non-existent. The YOG concerts "Celebrations @ Marina" have been playing to rows of empty seats for the last few days, starting last Sunday. [Please sign the petition demanding a public apology from Dr Vivian Balakrishnan for mismanaging the YOG here.] In an interview with YahooNews, the Senior Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports Mr Teo Ser Luck said he is “confident” that more YOG tickets will be sold when Singapore starts to perform well at the games. “I wouldn’t say we are disappointed, I think we are quite happy with the ticket sales so far but I also hope more Singaporeans will also support the games and Team Singapore,” he was quoted as saying in Yahoo News. Organizers have also expressed hopes that interest in the YOG will pick up half-way into the games. A video clip taken by a netizen yesterday showed the Vox pop group playing to a few thousand empty seats at Marina promontory: The costs of setting up the stage and hiring the performers for this "wayang" at Marina promontory is not known, but it surely reflects very badly on the organizers who are literally throwing taxpayers' monies down into the nearby Marina barrage to be washed away into the seas. The embarrassing fiasco was not reported by the state media which is still trying hard to portray the YOG as a "success" to mislead, deceive and hoodwink Singaporeans. The inaugural YOG is likely to come in sporting history as a $389 million dollar FLOP, thanks to the inept leadership of Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Teo Ser Luck, Ng Ser Miang and co. EDITORS’ NOTE: Singaporeans, please feel free to email us to share your frustrations, anger and grievances against the YOG. Your views matter alot to us. You are a citizen of Singapore and as a citizen, you have the right to speak up. Let us be your uncensored voice and fight for your rights. Foreign journalists, please stay tuned on our site and Facebook for the latest updates on the ground about the YOG. You can never get any authentic or accurate news from the Singapore media which is ranked a pathetic 133th in terms of press freedom by international media watchdog Reporters without Borders last year. All the papers in Singapore are owned by a single media company – Singapore Press Holdings whose Chairman is a former PAP minister Dr Tony Tan. Related articles: >> Dr Vivian: YOG glitches are unavoidable >> Petition to demand public apology from Dr Vivian Balakrishnan >> YOG food poisoning scandal: Open letter to Dr Vivian Balakrishnan >> Live maggot found in YOG food >> Ng Ser Miang: YOG gets positive reviews >> Kuo Chuan Primary School principal admits to blackmailing students >> Parents should pull children out of YOG >> No apology from Dr Vivian on YOG food poisoning scandal >> Massive outcry over screw-ups in YOG ticketing >> Why Ng Ser Miang should resign as Chairman of SYOGOC >> Dr Vivian: probe into YOG food poisoning scandal will take time >> PRC photographer fell down from temporary platform at YOG venue >> Cover-up of YOG food poisoning scandal? >> NEA, MOH to probe YOG mass food poisoning outbreak >> Singaporeans “enslaved” by YOG organizing commitee >> Kuo Chuan Primary School students forced to pay $5 to attend YOG >> Singapore students forced to welcome YOG torch rally >> Mass food poisoning outbreak at YOG venue yesterday? >> YOG! What YOG? >> Canvas roof at YOG fell apart >> Zaqy Mohd defends MCYS >> Singapore students “invited” to attend YOG event >> Singapore volunteers forced to work long hours without rest for YOG >> PM Lee caught napping at YOG opening ceremony? >> Disaster at YOG opening ceremony >> 8 reasons why I am disappointed with YOG opening ceremony >> Netizens lampooned YOG opening ceremony >> No news of YOG opening ceremony in rest of the world >> MOE teacher: How students can stay out of YOG >> YOG Webcast server crashed >> SFI promises to improve “DOG” food for volunteers >> Primary school students stand in the rain to welcome YOG torch >> Plight of Singapore volunteers at Youth Olympic Village >> JC students forced to attend YOG events >> Dr Vivian: Singaporeans are proud of YOG >> PM Lee: YOG has struck a “chord” with our people >> Dr Vivian: YOG venues will not become “white elephants” >> Online pressure forced SFI to provide better food for YOG volunteers >> Improved “DOG” food on 14 August 2010 >> PAP provides three daily buffet meals to YOG athletes and officials >> YOG volunteers complain about being given “DOG” food >> Civil Service Club offering free YOG tickets >> Journey of YOG flame costs Singaporeans $7 million dollars >> Corny YOG propaganda in Straits Times >> Tharman: YOG enthusiasm is real >> Polytechnic student: I don’t care about YOG >> JC students being “volunteered” for YOG >> YOG: What the HELL is that? >> PAP provides YOG athletes and officials three daily buffets >> YOG students being given “dog food” >> Singapore students forced to volunteer for YOG >> Poor ticket sales forced closure of YOG gallery section >> PM Lee calls on Singaporeans to support YOG >> Young Singaporeans hurl vulgarities at YOG >> Dr Vivian wants Singaporeans to celebrate YOG >> NTU students complain about YOG >> Dr Vivian: Sports is not about “petty politics” >> More than 300 Singaporeans joined “I hate YOG” Facebook >> CNA poll: 90 percent of Singaporeans “not interested” in YOG >> Slovak YOG Ambassador slams YOG venues of “school standard” only >> Two Facebook groups calling for boycott of YOG >> Free condoms for YOG officials and athletes >> Singapore helping to repair Jamaica’s stadium in return for YOG marketing >> Former stripper to choreograph opening ceremony of YOG >> Desperate PAP wants Singaporeans to get “passionate” about YOG >> PAP to Singaporeans: Give way to YOG vehicles or get fined $130 >> PM Lee wants Singaporeans to do their part for YOG >> Only six teams in YOG soccer tournament Please join our Facebook page here and invite your friends to do so to create awareness of the current affairs affecting Singaporeans. 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In what appears to be a step closer to the General Election, some 860 void decks or precinct pavilions have been reserved for use as polling stations. Of these, 660 have been reserved as backups, including for locations that had been earlier identified for use as polling stations such as schools and community clubs, said the Elections Department on Friday. The department was responding to MediaCorp's queries. Its spokeswoman added that each of these locations will be reserved until a better alternative - for instance a school, CC or new void deck - is available. The spokeswoman said: "(The) Elections Department will predetermine the location for the polling stations and reserve the specific void deck (or precinct pavilion) with HDB. The reservation is long-term, to ensure that the site is available anytime an election is called." The presidential election is due by next August and the General Election is due by February 2012. Meanwhile, the department has also requested quotations for the supply, subscription and maintenance of commercial off-the-shelf software. These are specialised software that can be used with little or no modification. Last month, the department issued a tender document for the purchase of at least 1,000 mobile broadband devices and SIM cards, as well as video collaboration services, which will be used at electoral premises. These would enable election officials to make video calls to one another. The department has also bought 8,500 trays that can be used to hold voting slips, beefed up its hotline and e-mail system, and arranged a telephone etiquette course for staff.   by ALICIA WONG Source: TODAY  Read More →

Convicted molester, former TV actor Mark Chow Yee Sze, was slapped with more jail time on Friday - a day before he was due to be released, after the prosecution appealed. Chow, 30, was jailed by a District Court for a total of four months and six weeks for molestation and criminal intimidation in April, this year. Chow, who owned a modelling agency, had touched a woman's breast while she was semi-conscious in a pub. He molested another woman on the pretext of examining her suitability to be a model. High Court Judge Steven Chong, concurring with the prosecution that the previous sentence was "manifestly inadequate", increased his sentence by more than four-fold to 18 months after the prosecution appealed against Chow's $6,000 fine - which he served four weeks' jail in default - and the four-month sentence for the molestation charges. Taking into account the time Chow had already served behind bars, that means he would have to spend at least another year in jail. According to information posted on his blog, Mark Chow is a YPAP member of Pasir Ris-Punggol South and was nominated for Spirit of Enterprise Awards. Mark’s YPAP membership was not reported in the press.   Chris Low  Read More →