A TODAY reader, in a letter today (5 Sept), reminds us that, "Soon, the Speak Good English campaign will be upon us... It is astounding that in Singapore, where we are surrounded with material in English, many are still struggling with the language. From accent to pronunciation and grammar to vocabulary, the basics seem to have eluded a large number."
While I agree with his assessment, I feel that the advent of the Internet Age has actually empowered ordinary people to speak and write better English. But first they must know what are the pitfalls.
That is why I am less than impressed with the annual Speak Good English campaign. It exhorts but does not provide useful templates, other than issuing meaningless pointers such as telling parents to speak the language well because they are role models for their children!
I think that, in the Singapore context, the starting point is that, in speaking to each other, people do by and large understand each other. This does not mean that they are necessarily getting their pronunciation, choice of words and grammar correct. But the language campaign's people should start listing out the unambiguous dos and dont's, and the areas where there are variations such as the difference between British and American "Englishes".
Take pronunciation. There are the unambiguous ones, like tuition which should be pronounced as "tue-ee-shen". But we all know many folk say "tue-shen". They don't know better, so why not -- as part of the campaign's efforts -- draw up a list of commonly mispronounced words, in the Singapore context. There is of course the infamous Ris Low "boomz/bigini" class act, but we won't go there! (You can Google her name, if you wish.)
At the same time, make it clear that words like herb can be pronounced with or without the "h" being silent. And that many Americans (not all) pronounce "route" as "rout", which creates a problem since there is a word "rout", which commonly means "a crushing defeat" or "flight following a defeat".
As for incorrect choice of words and phrases, I think it's fairly easy to come up with such a list, from "off day" to "please revert". Lists could also be compiled for redundant coinage like "12 midnight" and ridiculous ones like "free gifts".
I'll come up with further thoughts on the uses and abuses of the English language tomorrow.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Knock, knock...
TCB went on his "thank you" rounds yesterday, atop an open-roof bus. Many people turned up along his route. It's touching... I wonder if any of the other three Tans has done that? I don't recall.
As reported in today's Sunday Times: "As the bus drove past, motorists tooted their [car] horns while passers-by waved and made 'thumbs-up' signs."
One woman even flashed a placard that said: "Our No. 8 president: Our support for you is built through three generations." (The new president, TT, is No. 7. TCB, who runs a medical general practitioner's clinic in Jurong, is the family doctor to the woman's extended family.)
True to his new-found Tan-minator image, TCB said, "I'll be back" and told reporters he has not ruled out contesting in the next presidential election, which is six years' time.
---------------------------------------------------------
The rest of today's posting is strictly wacky, just 100 per cent spoof with no offence meant to anyone.
I woke up from a nap with this Knock, knock series in my head:
Knock, knock...
Who's there?
Cheng.
Cheng who?
Me not Cheng Hoo, man. Me Cheng Bock, independent!
Knock, knock...
Who's there?
Cheng.
Cheng Bock?
Right. I said "I'll be back."
Knock, knock...
Who's there?
Cheng.
Cheng Bock? Again?
Nope. Cheng Hoo.
Okay, it's corny, I know. A friend has this equally corny one:
It seems the Istana is changing the telephone system's ring-tone, after 12 years of the same one.
Last one... I wondered if I had a "universal" presidential joke, one applicable in many countries. The closest I could think of is this one, for which I now can't remember what was the target country, in which time period, and who was its head of state:
There was this country that decided to issue postage stamps to honour its president. His facecut was on the stamps which proved enormously popular, so much so that all such stamps were sold out the very first day. A later reprint saw the same result.
But what was strange was that none of the stamps was ever used (at least as intended)!
There is of course the punchline, but I'll leave it as a blank for you to fill in. It's a cop-out, I know.
As reported in today's Sunday Times: "As the bus drove past, motorists tooted their [car] horns while passers-by waved and made 'thumbs-up' signs."
One woman even flashed a placard that said: "Our No. 8 president: Our support for you is built through three generations." (The new president, TT, is No. 7. TCB, who runs a medical general practitioner's clinic in Jurong, is the family doctor to the woman's extended family.)
True to his new-found Tan-minator image, TCB said, "I'll be back" and told reporters he has not ruled out contesting in the next presidential election, which is six years' time.
---------------------------------------------------------
The rest of today's posting is strictly wacky, just 100 per cent spoof with no offence meant to anyone.
I woke up from a nap with this Knock, knock series in my head:
Knock, knock...
Who's there?
Cheng.
Cheng who?
Me not Cheng Hoo, man. Me Cheng Bock, independent!
Knock, knock...
Who's there?
Cheng.
Cheng Bock?
Right. I said "I'll be back."
Knock, knock...
Who's there?
Cheng.
Cheng Bock? Again?
Nope. Cheng Hoo.
Okay, it's corny, I know. A friend has this equally corny one:
It seems the Istana is changing the telephone system's ring-tone, after 12 years of the same one.
Last one... I wondered if I had a "universal" presidential joke, one applicable in many countries. The closest I could think of is this one, for which I now can't remember what was the target country, in which time period, and who was its head of state:
There was this country that decided to issue postage stamps to honour its president. His facecut was on the stamps which proved enormously popular, so much so that all such stamps were sold out the very first day. A later reprint saw the same result.
But what was strange was that none of the stamps was ever used (at least as intended)!
There is of course the punchline, but I'll leave it as a blank for you to fill in. It's a cop-out, I know.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Teachers we remember
Teacher's Day was on 1 Sept. I'm putting here a delightful letter from a retired teacher (not mine though), published in Friday's TODAY (2 Sept, page 26). I'll also recall some of my teachers.
Here's the letter by Ms Chan Ham Meng:
Reading “A teacher’s first love” (TODAY, 1 Sept), by Frances Ess about her time as a teacher and how she never forgets her first batch of students, brings back fond memories of the early days I spent teaching.
In the early ’70s, straight after A-Levels, I joined an all-boys school teaching the lower secondary classes. The bigger boys would tower over me and teased me with “Miss, can I help carry your books?”. I would blush, mumble my thanks and walk away quickly…
The boys in my class were really naughty. They broke the ceiling fan while playing Tarzan and I had to take two of them to hospital.
They were given a few stitches.
One day, a boy also came into class holding a cigarette tin. He told me in front of the class that he had a “present” for me. I opened it and three cockroaches ran out. I knew that my next action would make or break me, so I caught one cockroach and held it up and said “Class, this is an insect. Look at the feelers…”
Forty pairs of eyes looked up at me in surprise, and some of the boys had their mouths open. From then, I had no more trouble.
In those days, life was hard. Some of the boys would come to school with no food, no stationery etc. I remember visiting the home of one of the boys. He was unable to attend school for a week as he had to look after his sick grandfather.
I once asked a few boys why they were not wearing socks as required as part of their uniform. They told me that they had no money. I went and bought a dozen pairs of socks for them.
I taught a few more classes after that. When I left a few years later, my class somehow managed to chip in and buy me a cake with the words “Thank you for being a great teacher”. That cake was priceless!
---------------------------------------------
I think it's priceless to have inspirational teachers.
From my primary school days, I recall a Mr Duckworth. He taught English and got me to write for the school magazine.
Secondary school memories were of course more vivid. One form teacher, Mr Cheong Heng Yuen, got to know my dad who had joined the Parent-Teacher Association. I wonder if my dad asked him to keep an eye on me? Mr Cheong would good-naturedly ask me, "How's my boy?"
Mr Clive Scharenguivel taught us literature -- with much dramatic flourish. He enlivened the lessons!
Mr Chiu, our chemistry teacher, was dubbed "molecule shaker" for his habit of shaking any boy who did not remember a chemical formula. Then there was Mr Lin aka "Jap Commander". He taught Chinese, and was always barking at us boys. One April Fool's Day, some boys (I was in an all-boys school located in a gangster area) somehow managed to remove all four wheels from his car! I think they found some bricks to prop the vehicle up.
Ms Low also taught us chemistry. She was short, as in her name. One day, before she came in, we perched all the chalk and dusters up on top of the blackboard. She had a good laugh, and got the class monitor, a tall fellow, to do the necessary.
Finally, in pre-university, our General Paper and Literature teacher, Mr Thomas Khng, taught us so much about those subjects, and got us to think critically too.
To all of you teachers, thanks for the memories.
Here's the letter by Ms Chan Ham Meng:
Reading “A teacher’s first love” (TODAY, 1 Sept), by Frances Ess about her time as a teacher and how she never forgets her first batch of students, brings back fond memories of the early days I spent teaching.
In the early ’70s, straight after A-Levels, I joined an all-boys school teaching the lower secondary classes. The bigger boys would tower over me and teased me with “Miss, can I help carry your books?”. I would blush, mumble my thanks and walk away quickly…
The boys in my class were really naughty. They broke the ceiling fan while playing Tarzan and I had to take two of them to hospital.
They were given a few stitches.
One day, a boy also came into class holding a cigarette tin. He told me in front of the class that he had a “present” for me. I opened it and three cockroaches ran out. I knew that my next action would make or break me, so I caught one cockroach and held it up and said “Class, this is an insect. Look at the feelers…”
Forty pairs of eyes looked up at me in surprise, and some of the boys had their mouths open. From then, I had no more trouble.
In those days, life was hard. Some of the boys would come to school with no food, no stationery etc. I remember visiting the home of one of the boys. He was unable to attend school for a week as he had to look after his sick grandfather.
I once asked a few boys why they were not wearing socks as required as part of their uniform. They told me that they had no money. I went and bought a dozen pairs of socks for them.
I taught a few more classes after that. When I left a few years later, my class somehow managed to chip in and buy me a cake with the words “Thank you for being a great teacher”. That cake was priceless!
---------------------------------------------
I think it's priceless to have inspirational teachers.
From my primary school days, I recall a Mr Duckworth. He taught English and got me to write for the school magazine.
Secondary school memories were of course more vivid. One form teacher, Mr Cheong Heng Yuen, got to know my dad who had joined the Parent-Teacher Association. I wonder if my dad asked him to keep an eye on me? Mr Cheong would good-naturedly ask me, "How's my boy?"
Mr Clive Scharenguivel taught us literature -- with much dramatic flourish. He enlivened the lessons!
Mr Chiu, our chemistry teacher, was dubbed "molecule shaker" for his habit of shaking any boy who did not remember a chemical formula. Then there was Mr Lin aka "Jap Commander". He taught Chinese, and was always barking at us boys. One April Fool's Day, some boys (I was in an all-boys school located in a gangster area) somehow managed to remove all four wheels from his car! I think they found some bricks to prop the vehicle up.
Ms Low also taught us chemistry. She was short, as in her name. One day, before she came in, we perched all the chalk and dusters up on top of the blackboard. She had a good laugh, and got the class monitor, a tall fellow, to do the necessary.
Finally, in pre-university, our General Paper and Literature teacher, Mr Thomas Khng, taught us so much about those subjects, and got us to think critically too.
To all of you teachers, thanks for the memories.
Friday, September 2, 2011
No cock and bull, for sure!
On my way to Thomson Plaza earlier this week and coming from the city, I looked up to my right along Upper Thomson Road (before Soo Chow, on my left) and saw this:
Seems that it's a karaoke pub. Hmm, I'll start a little collection of quirky F&B places. I now have:
Kampong Chicken Eating House (Tiong Bahru)
See Beh Ho (Bedok Reservoir Road)
Talk Cock Sing Song @ Thomson (Upper Thomson Road)
Those of us who have gone through National Service know well what "to talk cock" means... to banter, which is usually idle chatter, as we NSmen would wont to do while waiting for training to resume. Such down-time might have been due to a "cock-up" (something having gone awry).
Anyway, talkingcock.com has this "explanation" for the term's origin:
http://www.talkingcock.com/html/lexec.php?op=LexLink&lexicon=lexicon&keyword=TALK%20COCK/TALK%20COCK%20SING%20SONG
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Since my topic is somewhat off-colour today, I found this on xin.msn.com:
http://lifestyle.xin.msn.com/en/sex-relationships/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5212196
It is titled "10 foods that boost your libido". They are:
Oysters (I hate them!)
Honey (okay)
Tomatoes (hated them as a child, but no longer)
Brown rice (also okay, lah)
Avocados (the article says the name of the fruit comes from Aztec for testicles)
Brazil nuts (rich source of selenium, for healthy sperms)
Figs (I love this fruit, whether fresh or dried)
Water melons (nice)
Garlic (wah, it'll leave her breathless, man)
And... vanilla ice-cream!
What, chocolate's not on this list??
Seems that it's a karaoke pub. Hmm, I'll start a little collection of quirky F&B places. I now have:
Kampong Chicken Eating House (Tiong Bahru)
See Beh Ho (Bedok Reservoir Road)
Talk Cock Sing Song @ Thomson (Upper Thomson Road)
Those of us who have gone through National Service know well what "to talk cock" means... to banter, which is usually idle chatter, as we NSmen would wont to do while waiting for training to resume. Such down-time might have been due to a "cock-up" (something having gone awry).
Anyway, talkingcock.com has this "explanation" for the term's origin:
http://www.talkingcock.com/html/lexec.php?op=LexLink&lexicon=lexicon&keyword=TALK%20COCK/TALK%20COCK%20SING%20SONG
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Since my topic is somewhat off-colour today, I found this on xin.msn.com:
http://lifestyle.xin.msn.com/en/sex-relationships/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5212196
It is titled "10 foods that boost your libido". They are:
Oysters (I hate them!)
Honey (okay)
Tomatoes (hated them as a child, but no longer)
Brown rice (also okay, lah)
Avocados (the article says the name of the fruit comes from Aztec for testicles)
Brazil nuts (rich source of selenium, for healthy sperms)
Figs (I love this fruit, whether fresh or dried)
Water melons (nice)
Garlic (wah, it'll leave her breathless, man)
And... vanilla ice-cream!
What, chocolate's not on this list??
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Water, the sweet taste of success. And some sweet news about chocolate
I'm glad there's an ST commentary today (1 Sept) on the water issue. It amplifies points I made yesterday. Here are excerpts from the article "Once an albatross, now soft power" by NUS academic Heng Yee Kuang (ST, page A38):
As The Straits Times' editor Han Fook Kwang and his team wrote in the book Lee Kuan Yew: Hard Truths To Keep Singapore Going: "Singapore's dependence on Malaysia for its water was for decades the most tangible symbol of the island's vulnerability."
The development of Newater was a turning point that former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew mentioned with satisfaction in interviews for the book. As Mr Lee put it: "I lived with the stress of water from day one until Newater."...
... Former foreign minister S. Jayakumar recounted how Mr Lee viewed water as an existential challenge, that "if these chaps (the Malaysians) do not observe the agreements, it will be a very serious matter for us... it is a matter of life and death... it can lead to war... You will have to bring it up at the United Nations Security Council..."
... [Mr Lee] pointedly noted that Singapore was compelled to confront this veritable albatross around its neck: "Why do you think we spent all this effort to solve our water problem until we became specialists in water?"
Unwittingly or not, however, the country has, in the process of becoming water specialists, turned adversity into latent "soft" power opportunities. Harvard professor Joseph Nye observed that countries can play a leading role using "soft" power to address global problems such as climate change and ageing.
... By playing its cards right, Singapore can play a similar role, turning its water expertise into attractive soft power assets in a water-scarce world.
---------------------------------------------------------------
I think the writer's use of the "albatross around the neck" analogy is intriguing. He was obviously referring to a difficult to grasp but eventually favourite epic poem from my school days: Samuel Taylor Coleridge's Rime of the Ancient Mariner. Many of us are familiar with this oft-quoted portion from Part Two (there are seven parts in this very long poem):
Water, water, every where,
And all the boards did shrink;
Water, water, every where,
Nor any drop to drink.
A link to the poem is here:
http://www.online-literature.com/coleridge/646/
-----------------------------------------------------
Last but not least, here's good news, sort of, for chocolate munchers.
A large-scale study has deemed that chocolate may be good for the heart! It does not even have to be dark chocs; the white and milk varieties will do too. But here's the catch: Just two squares a week!
The study -- a review of seven studies involving more than 100,000 people -- is published online by the prestigious British Medical Journal. The study's team concluded that the "highest levels of chocolate consumption were associated with a 37 per cent reduction in stroke compared with lowest levels".
The authors were, however, cautious about the results. They added the caveat that the possible benefits should be further explored (I volunteer!), including ways to reduce the fat and sugar content of chocolate. Here's the Independent Online's piece on it:
http://www.iol.co.za/lifestyle/take-two-squares-of-chocolate-a-week-1.1128946
As The Straits Times' editor Han Fook Kwang and his team wrote in the book Lee Kuan Yew: Hard Truths To Keep Singapore Going: "Singapore's dependence on Malaysia for its water was for decades the most tangible symbol of the island's vulnerability."
The development of Newater was a turning point that former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew mentioned with satisfaction in interviews for the book. As Mr Lee put it: "I lived with the stress of water from day one until Newater."...
... Former foreign minister S. Jayakumar recounted how Mr Lee viewed water as an existential challenge, that "if these chaps (the Malaysians) do not observe the agreements, it will be a very serious matter for us... it is a matter of life and death... it can lead to war... You will have to bring it up at the United Nations Security Council..."
... [Mr Lee] pointedly noted that Singapore was compelled to confront this veritable albatross around its neck: "Why do you think we spent all this effort to solve our water problem until we became specialists in water?"
Unwittingly or not, however, the country has, in the process of becoming water specialists, turned adversity into latent "soft" power opportunities. Harvard professor Joseph Nye observed that countries can play a leading role using "soft" power to address global problems such as climate change and ageing.
... By playing its cards right, Singapore can play a similar role, turning its water expertise into attractive soft power assets in a water-scarce world.
---------------------------------------------------------------
I think the writer's use of the "albatross around the neck" analogy is intriguing. He was obviously referring to a difficult to grasp but eventually favourite epic poem from my school days: Samuel Taylor Coleridge's Rime of the Ancient Mariner. Many of us are familiar with this oft-quoted portion from Part Two (there are seven parts in this very long poem):
Water, water, every where,
And all the boards did shrink;
Water, water, every where,
Nor any drop to drink.
A link to the poem is here:
http://www.online-literature.com/coleridge/646/
-----------------------------------------------------
Last but not least, here's good news, sort of, for chocolate munchers.
A large-scale study has deemed that chocolate may be good for the heart! It does not even have to be dark chocs; the white and milk varieties will do too. But here's the catch: Just two squares a week!
The study -- a review of seven studies involving more than 100,000 people -- is published online by the prestigious British Medical Journal. The study's team concluded that the "highest levels of chocolate consumption were associated with a 37 per cent reduction in stroke compared with lowest levels".
The authors were, however, cautious about the results. They added the caveat that the possible benefits should be further explored (I volunteer!), including ways to reduce the fat and sugar content of chocolate. Here's the Independent Online's piece on it:
http://www.iol.co.za/lifestyle/take-two-squares-of-chocolate-a-week-1.1128946
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Why today is a watershed day. And does TT and TCB = 70pc?
Today (31 Aug) marks a significant event, the expiry of the 1961 Water Agreement.
As arranged, Singapore also handed over to Malaysia (the Johor water authorities, actually), the Skudai and Gunong Pulai water treatment plants, together with two pump houses in Pontian and Tebrau, all of which are in Johor state.
The other major Water Agreement, signed in 1962, as well as a secondary one signed in 1990, both expire in 2061 -- ie 50 years time.
Until then, Singapore's water agency PUB will still operate the Linggiu dam and Johor River water treatment plant in the Malaysian state. The PUB has stated that, come 2061, Singapore would have become self-sufficient in water supply.
I wonder how many Singaporeans appreciate the significance of all these current and future milestones. The water issue was a millstone in Singapore-Malaysia relations for the longest time. Singapore, anticipating political problems in renewing the 1962 Agreement, took steps to expand its own catchment supply (doable up to a point, given our limited land area) and in desalination (very, very, expensive).
Desalination is in fact old technology. Think of nuclear submarines, which became operational in the 1960s. They can stay submerged for months! Where would the crew get their drinking water all that time? The answer: compact desalination equipment onboard. But I'm sure the water tasted yucky!
The breakthrough for Singapore came with the advent of modern filtration methods, ultra-heat treatment, and reverse osmosis. The result: NeWater -- a key additional source of supply -- and with it, a newfound confidence that the Little Red Dot will henceforth not be held hostage to the politics of water.
The process of "desecuritising" the water issue began with the advent of NeWater.
But a key proviso is that the 1962 Agreement continues to be scrupulously upheld by both sides as an internationally binding treaty. In 2003, then Foreign Minister S. Jayakumar made an important address in Parliament which, among other remarks on the bilateral relationship, made plain why the two Water Agreements were crucial to Singapore's survival as a sovereign country.
The link is here. It is a long speech but one worth carefully digesting:
http://www.mfa.gov.sg/internet/press/water/speech.html
---------------------------------------------
Okay, back to local matters.
The latest issue of the Online Citizen (TOC) carries a cartoon titled "Dr Tan Cheng Bock, latest PAP darling?" by Joshua Chiang. It is a spot-on commentary on recent PAP claims that the Presidential Election results could be seen as a 70 per cent vote for the PAP. Here's the cartoon:
http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/08/dr-tan-cheng-bock-latest-pap-darling/
Lastly, one candidate -- the one who lost his deposit -- has gotten into the blame game. See this insing.com piece:
http://news.insing.com/tabloid/tan-kin-lian-blames-tan-jee-say/id-98943e00
As arranged, Singapore also handed over to Malaysia (the Johor water authorities, actually), the Skudai and Gunong Pulai water treatment plants, together with two pump houses in Pontian and Tebrau, all of which are in Johor state.
The other major Water Agreement, signed in 1962, as well as a secondary one signed in 1990, both expire in 2061 -- ie 50 years time.
Until then, Singapore's water agency PUB will still operate the Linggiu dam and Johor River water treatment plant in the Malaysian state. The PUB has stated that, come 2061, Singapore would have become self-sufficient in water supply.
I wonder how many Singaporeans appreciate the significance of all these current and future milestones. The water issue was a millstone in Singapore-Malaysia relations for the longest time. Singapore, anticipating political problems in renewing the 1962 Agreement, took steps to expand its own catchment supply (doable up to a point, given our limited land area) and in desalination (very, very, expensive).
Desalination is in fact old technology. Think of nuclear submarines, which became operational in the 1960s. They can stay submerged for months! Where would the crew get their drinking water all that time? The answer: compact desalination equipment onboard. But I'm sure the water tasted yucky!
The breakthrough for Singapore came with the advent of modern filtration methods, ultra-heat treatment, and reverse osmosis. The result: NeWater -- a key additional source of supply -- and with it, a newfound confidence that the Little Red Dot will henceforth not be held hostage to the politics of water.
The process of "desecuritising" the water issue began with the advent of NeWater.
But a key proviso is that the 1962 Agreement continues to be scrupulously upheld by both sides as an internationally binding treaty. In 2003, then Foreign Minister S. Jayakumar made an important address in Parliament which, among other remarks on the bilateral relationship, made plain why the two Water Agreements were crucial to Singapore's survival as a sovereign country.
The link is here. It is a long speech but one worth carefully digesting:
http://www.mfa.gov.sg/internet/press/water/speech.html
---------------------------------------------
Okay, back to local matters.
The latest issue of the Online Citizen (TOC) carries a cartoon titled "Dr Tan Cheng Bock, latest PAP darling?" by Joshua Chiang. It is a spot-on commentary on recent PAP claims that the Presidential Election results could be seen as a 70 per cent vote for the PAP. Here's the cartoon:
http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/08/dr-tan-cheng-bock-latest-pap-darling/
Lastly, one candidate -- the one who lost his deposit -- has gotten into the blame game. See this insing.com piece:
http://news.insing.com/tabloid/tan-kin-lian-blames-tan-jee-say/id-98943e00
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
The Tan-minator ('I'll be back') and a field day with headlines
Dr Tan Cheng Bock may have narrowly lost his bid in the recent presidential election, but he sure knows how to stay in the news by declaring that...
Of course, the original "I'll be back" man is this one:
Dr Tan is also serenading Singaporeans, with the touching evergreen song "I understand":
http://news.insing.com/tabloid/tan-cheng-bock-sings-for-singaporeans/id-a9923e00
Meanwhile, there's been a crop of recent headlines, some of which are very good; others may have tried too hard and -- in my judgment -- didn't quite make the cut:
In the two examples above, I think the TODAY version, "Irene was no monster, she was just big and wet" was so much cleverer, with that lovely double entendre! ST's version was okay, but not great.
For these two headlines, it is ST's "He Bolted too soon" that has the cleverer touch, while the TODAY headline strained too hard but was a bleak effort. The story in question is about how 100m sprint favourite Usain Bolt was disqualified because he had made a false start. But he was eager to make amends in the 200m event, as seen in the next day's headlines:
Again, I think the ST headline (top one) wins hands down. One more head-to-head, below:
I think both the ST (top) and TODAY versions don't quite make the cut. Both tried too hard.
Finally, the headline for this ST editorial has stirred some debate about its suitability:
Of course, the original "I'll be back" man is this one:
Dr Tan is also serenading Singaporeans, with the touching evergreen song "I understand":
http://news.insing.com/tabloid/tan-cheng-bock-sings-for-singaporeans/id-a9923e00
Meanwhile, there's been a crop of recent headlines, some of which are very good; others may have tried too hard and -- in my judgment -- didn't quite make the cut:
In the two examples above, I think the TODAY version, "Irene was no monster, she was just big and wet" was so much cleverer, with that lovely double entendre! ST's version was okay, but not great.
For these two headlines, it is ST's "He Bolted too soon" that has the cleverer touch, while the TODAY headline strained too hard but was a bleak effort. The story in question is about how 100m sprint favourite Usain Bolt was disqualified because he had made a false start. But he was eager to make amends in the 200m event, as seen in the next day's headlines:
Again, I think the ST headline (top one) wins hands down. One more head-to-head, below:
I think both the ST (top) and TODAY versions don't quite make the cut. Both tried too hard.
Finally, the headline for this ST editorial has stirred some debate about its suitability:
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