During one of the telecasted auditions of American Idol Season 8, a girl entered the audition room, like most others, with hopes to sing her way to stardom. However, when she opened her mouth to sing, her pitch, tune and tone were really off. As the camera panned to the judges’ faces, their expressions were [...]

Ever since the distribution of free newspapers began, people would flock in the mornings like bees towards the handout spots at subway stations for them. Well, there’s nothing wrong with getting a free paper. It’s always nice to see people take interest in current affairs… or is it just for the entertainment gossip? Reading can [...]

There is this lady whom I’d encountered a few times in the subway train. She would be very engrossed in reading the newspaper, so much so that she simply did not bother when the carriage gets packed. Taking up more than the standing space of a person with her arms wide open, she was either [...]

The first picture: favourite view at home: open shelves of stuff for opening the mind The second picture: favourite view from home: open view of city, sea and sky for opening the mind* * In picture: Toa Payoh Park, Pan Island Expressway, Burmese Buddhist Temple (near centre), Singapore Flyer…

A Tit for a Tat ( 6 ) Tit: (To a toddler) See? The sky is so high! Tot: Why? Tit: Er… I dunno… Tot: Why? Tit: Er… Can you don’t ask so many questions! Tot: Why? Tit: Er… See? The sky is so blue! Tot: Why? Next aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2009/04/its-normal-weather Previous aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2009/02/preference-like-vs-dislike

A Tit for a Tat (5) Tit: (To a toddler) Do you prefer me (Tit) or Tat? Tot: Hmmm… Tat! Tit: Let me give you another chance… Tit or Tat? Tot: Tat! Tit: Why? Tot: Tat never asks these questions! Next aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2009/02/why-question-all Previous aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2009/02/opposites-repel-or-attract

Jen: Your ‘imaginary funeral parlour notice’ [see below] is well written, seemingly depicting dying. Is it due to the way Buddhists view death, that there are no Buddhist obituaries in the papers? Shi’an: Actually, there are Buddhist obituaries in the papers locally (in Singapore) – but usually only the Chinese ones (because most Buddhists here [...]

Understanding ‘Underworld’ Underdogs http://buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=12,7765,0,0,1,0 ‘Underworld: Rise of the Lycans’ is the instalment of the trilogy that explains how the lycans (werewolves) were enslaved by the vampires in the first place, and how the the first came to rebel against the latter, thereafter becoming enemies. Psyche-wise, the vampires resemble asuras who are power-hungry while the lycans [...]

I got a call from the Navy HQ today. An admin staff wanted to hand-deliver a service medal, a coat-of-arms pin, a commemorative watch, and a certificate of appreciation that says… ‘In recognition of your contribution towards national defence through the faithful discharge of your National Service duties* for the security of our nation.’ When [...]

Penguin books’ designs are getting really clever and cool these days. Gone are the days of Penguin’s stuffy bookish image. Their designs are becoming increasingly fun. They are even revamping the covers of classics. Take for instance the left picture above, which is Benjamin Walter’s ‘The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction’. [...]

A Buddha image on the computer reminding me to blog with compassion and wisdom, reminding me to surf with compassion and wisdom. Related Article: The Back View of ‘iBuddha’ http://moonpointer.com/new/2009/01/i-without-capitals

The Myth of Pointing at the Moon? A strange urban legend(?) of no specific origin has it that if one points at the full moon, one will wake up the next day with a fine cut behind a ear. Though a small cut, one feels the stinging pain from it for a while. This article [...]

I’ve handled plenty of real guns before, while serving obligatory National Service in the Navy as a gunner cum seaman, and when returning occasionally for reservist training. I’ve handled rifles, handguns, signal pistols, missile-launchers and machine-guns with live rounds. But it’s really very different, guarding a real gun versus fiddling with a toy one. There’s [...]

‘Those whose actions are evil are the ones who will fill the Hell of Great Heat, experiencing therein the fruits of their wickedness. It is there that they will boil for hundreds of thousands of years because of their wilful harm. Their own evil actions have thus become their enemies. When they gain release, they [...]

The TV series ‘Samantha Who’ is about Samantha Newly, who sort of gets ‘newly reborn’ when she recovers from coma after a traffic accident, thereafter developing retrograde amnesia – which is a condition where she retains general knowledge, but becomes clueless as to who she is/was and what she had done in life so far. [...]