Paralympics Swimming Championship 2011

Last Saturday, Singapore Press Holdings Foundation (SPH Foundation), together with the Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC), hosted the inaugural SPH Foundation National Para-Swimming Championship 2011 at the Toa Payoh Swimming Complex.

They were competing in swimming styles such as Backstroke, Butterfly and Free-Style.

Thanks to Voxsports. Here's a clear video on it.

The event, an annual highlight in the disabled sports calendar, is for swimmers aged 7 years and above. The participants will compete based on their physical or intellectual disabilities. Races are held in all four swimming strokes, ranging from 50m to 400m.

A total of 97 swimmers will be taking part in this year's championship. The youngest and oldest participant is nine years and 55 years old respectively.

This competition also serves as a platform to identify junior swimmers for the Singapore Sports School and potential athletes for the national squad, with promising swimmers to be selected and groomed for the ASEAN Para Games 2011 in Indonesia and the 2012 Paralympics in London.

I am so proud of them!!!!!

The event’s Guest-of-Honour is MG (NS) Chan Chun Sing, Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports and Minister of State for Information, Communications and the Arts.

Participants this year include notable swimmers such as Paralympians

Theresa Goh

Born with spina bifida, Theresa Goh started swimming at the age of five. She is one of Singapore's top athletes and was awarded Sportsgirl of the Year for two years in a row in 2002 and 2003, Sportswoman of the Year by the Singapore Disability Sports Council in 2004, and the Singapore Youth Award in 2005.

Results:(1) Theresa Goh
~ 100m freestyle (classification: s5) gold medal with a timing of 1:40.96
~ 200m freestyle, gold medal with a timing of 3:52.99
~ 100m breaststroke, gold medal with a timing of 2:20.02

Yip Pin Xiu

Results:

(2) Yip Pin Xiu
~ 50m freestyle (classification: s3) gold medal with a timing of 1:03.70
~ 100m freestyle, gold medal with a timing of 2:17.76
~ 200m freestyle, gold medal with a timing of 4:47.61

- Born with muscle dystrophy, a disease which causes her muscles to degenerate slowly.
- She is a Secondary 4 student at Bendemeer Secondary School.
- Swims backstroke in the 50m freestyle (S3) event. Most competitors use the front-crawl.
- Despite her fist-like hands and weak wrists, she compensates with super-fast strokes. While able-bodied backstrokers swim with their nose and mouth above water most of the time, her head is tilted back and submerged, so that her hips can rise higher, reducing the drag created by her limp legs.
- To start the backstroke race, she is dangled by her arms, which are held by her coach, Ang Peng Siong. To turn, she swivels 180 degrees on her back.

Khristine Quek, who was the first disabled swimmer to be admitted into the Singapore Sports School in 2007

And first time contestants Adam Kamis, age 30, and Vellasamy s/o Subramaniam, age 27, competed in the 50metre and 100metre Breaststroke events.

Adam Kamis is one of SDSC’s elite track & field athletes who have taken to competitive swimming as part of his rehabilitation. He completed a full sundown marathon!

Results:

(3) Adam Kamis
~ 50m breaststroke (classification: s6) gold medal with a timing of 1:04.82
~ 100m breaststroke, gold medal with a timing of 2:35.16

Results:

(4) Vellasamy s/o Subramaniam
~ 50m breaststroke (classidication: s10) gold medal with a timing of 1:17.82

And Singapore Sports School student Emma Dione Schick finished with three gold medals too. Her ultimate goal is to qualify for the London 2012 Paralympics.

Results:

(5) Emma Schick
~ 50m freestyle (classification: s9) gold medal with a timing of 40.89
~ 100m freestyle, gold medal with a timing of 1:36.76
~ 100m breaststroke gold medal with a timing of 2:19.76

Journey of Paralympics participation for Singapore

	- 1988: Send a squad to participate in the Summer Paralympic Games (Seoul) Despite winning no medals in the 1988 Summer Games, Singapore continued to send teams - 2008: Six athletes came home with four medals. The 2008 Games was the first time Singapore has won a medal in any Paralympic competition.
	Not just in swimming, but in many other sports. There are Singapore sailors Jovin Tan and Desiree Lim Laurentia Tan in the Equestrian event. She is an equestrian dressage rider for Team Singapore. She lives in England where she trains with her horse called Nothing To Lose, also nicknamed Harvey. She was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and profound deafness as a child. Singapore Paralympic wheelchair racer Eric Ting – who is paralysed from the chest down - go through the paces in the gym late last week. He represented Singapore in wheelchair racing in the Beijing Games. He was an ex-commando who became paraplegic after a car accident Firdaus bin Nordin, our national wheelchair racer I know I have missed out some! But anyways, congratulations in making it thus far. Keep going~ all of you are an encouragement to all of us.
	2012 London Paralympics. Go for it Singapore! And lastly congratulations also to the OSIM Triathlete who was mute and deaf and used this as an advantage to come in top placing in the Tri last Sunday. Thumbs UP!

Movie - Bridemaids (Thumbs Up Comedy!) ****

So thankful to OMY.SG for making my Wednesday such an amazing night. - Tickets to the screening of " Bridesmaid"


It was the next most hilarious comedy other than White Chicks. My friend and I were rolling on the cinema chairs, trying hard to control our laughter!



Annie's (KRISTEN WIIG) life is in a mess: Her baking cake shop had to wound up because of bad business ; Her ex-boyfriend left her when it did; She then had to start working at a crap job in retail jewelry sales (where her mother recommended her in ) to make ends meet, drives a junker, lonely, hooked on a jerk named Ted (JON HAMM) who is enjoying her company just for the sex.


Her only joy each waking day is to be able to talk to her best friend Lillian (MAYA RUDOLPH), a lifelong best friend who has been with her through her ups and downs in life ; Does everything and anything together -and being the voice that helps her out in situations.


Lillian, though, surprises Annie one night by announcing her engagement and asking Annie to be her maid of honor.

The comical part starts during Lilian's engagement party where Annie is introduced to the bridesmaids and gets into conflict with Helen (ROSE BYRNE), a wealthy new friend of Lillian's who is an expert at throwing lavish parties and get-togethers.


Helen is especially impressive to the three other bridesmaids: the uncouth Megan (MELISSA McCARTHY); the unhappy Rita (WENDI McLENDON-COVEY); and the uncomplicated Becca (ELLIE KEMPER).

No matter what Annie does, her plans always go awry. And the additions of the unique characters of the other bridesmaids just made it ever so funny!
Scene 1:
The Brazilian restaurant she picks for a ladies' lunch gives each of the women food poisoning, which ends up them shitting everywhere in the high-end wedding boutique toilet and one even on the road ' in their bridesmaid wedding fittings'. And she trying to act normal to Helen to prove that the food was not a problem.
Scene 2:
An airplane trip to Las Vegas for the hen's night after Helen gives Annie a mix of liquor and pills to calm her nerves due to flying. She goes berserk on the plane and does really weird things. And the other bridesmaids were so so so so absurd!

Quote from the movie - conversation with the flight attendant when he asks her to go back to her economy seat and closes the curtain of first class
Annie: "I'm gonna leave this (curtain) open! Cause, it's called civil rights! This is the 90s!"
Flight attendant closes the curtain again. Annie comes back in first class.
Annie: "Whatever you say, Stove."
Flight Attendant Steve: "Steve."
Annie: "Stove, what kind of name is that?"
Flight Attendant Steve: "That's not a name - my name is Steve."
Annie: "Are you an appliance?"
Flight Attendant Steve: "No I'm a man."
Annie: "You're a flight attendant."
Flight Attendant Steve: "That's absolutely accurate."


And the amusing part was that Annie was sitting with another bridesmaid that were also scared of flying.

Quote from movie -
Woman on plane: "I had a dream last night that we went down."
Annie: "Oh God."
Woman on plane: "You were in it."
Annie: "What?"

And the injection of the scenes of her housemates ( who rents the house to her) a pair of weird siblings - the sister and brother who looks somewhat like aliens and acts like one. (hahahaha)

Quote from the movie-
Annie: "You read my journal?!"
Annie's Roommate: "At first I did not know it was your diary. I thought it was a very sad handwritten book."


Making this movie even greater was the introduction of the theme of friendship and love through this comedy. Is friendship indeed greater than what riches (social status) can provide? Can love overcome all things? And are you the problem or solution to your current situation?

Quote from Movie-
Megan: "I don't associate with people who blame the world for their problems. You are your problem. You are also your solution."

The mental breakdown Annie suffers at the bridal shower, addresses the issue of friendship and social status. Would you rather your good friend tell you the truth or go along with the others in lies that even you yourself don't believe in.

Quote from the movie-
Lillian: Why can't you be happy for me, and then go home and talk about me behind my back like a normal person?

And her relationship with Rhodes (CHRIS O'DOWD) a good-heart policeman who is an innocent man who falls in her love with Annie. However due to Annie past experiences with men who have used her for sex primarily, Annie pushes him away even though she likes him as much.

His sweetness Quote from Movie-
Officer Rhodes: "Do you want to tell a cop about it? We're just like priests except we would tell everybody afterwards."

I would truly recommend this movie! I am going to buy the DVD when it comes out and keep it for another round of watching.
Directed By: Paul Feig
Written By: Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo

And I love the wedding bridesmaids dresses!


Once again! Thank you Omy.SG!

KRISTEN WIIG plays a down-on-her-luck woman nearing 40 whose life starts to come undone after her best friend gets engaged. She is sexually promiscuous, uses profanity, and is a social drinker. She is jealous of her best friend's growing relationship with a new friend who seemingly has everything she lacks - poise, money, success, beauty, and so forth.

MAYA RUDOLPH plays the best friend who becomes engaged to a man from a well-to-do family.

ROSE BYRNE plays Lillian's social-climbing new friend who actively vies with Annie for her affections. She is very charming to those who are easily impressed. She has married a rich man and becomes a step-mother to his children. Though having rich and fame, she has self-esteem problems as she is lonely and no good girlfriends to talk to

MELISSA McCARTHY plays a frequently rude and often ill-mannered bridesmaid who loves herself for who she is and is such a wonderful comedian.

WENDI McLENDON-COVEY plays the bride's cousin who is unhappy in her marriage and is openly upset with her marriage life. She laments that she and her husband still have frequent sex, but no longer kiss and her kids are a horror.

ELLIE KEMPER plays a bridesmaid who is newly married and still feeling blissfully happy. She however confesses that her and her husband's sex life has been lacking.

JILL CLAYBURGH plays Annie's supportive mother who attends AA meetings for the experience even though she has never had a drink.

JON HAMM plays a boorish man who wants only a sexual relationship with Annie and prefers that she not spend nights sleeping over at his house. He refers to her as his "Number 3," meaning she is the third woman in order of importance and desirability he calls on a list of sex partners when feeling amorous.

CHRIS O'DOWD plays a good-hearted cop who takes a liking to Annie after he cites her for broken taillights. He drinks socially and uses some profanity. As a cop, he lets civilian Annie ride along in his squad car while on duty and even allows her to use his radar speed gun.

Drools! Win Magnum Ice Cream- For Pleasure Seekers

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Ootoya Japanese Restaurant 大戸屋

My Secondary school ex- classmates were planning for a gathering and I chance upon an amazing photo (below) on my friend's facebook page and it looked so yummy - don't you think so?


and so I asked my friend where was it. And she recommended:Ootoya Japanese Restaurant!
Directions: Sit the lift up to Level 8 of Orchard Central then walk all the way to the end .
Open: 11am – 9:30pm (last order)
Actual Address: 181 Orchard Road #08-12, Orchard Central Singapore 238896 Tel: (65) 6884 8901 (no reservations taken)

They serve simple Japanese home-cook food. Very good for me who do not really take in raw food.

Thankfully I went there early - the queue had already started and I found out that they don’t take reservations. I waited for around twenty minutes for a table -

Kindly note: there are no chairs to sit down and no sms to inform - so if you have children take your children other places while you get one person in family / group to wait and call you once the number is nearing. The good thing about the place is that they have friendly staff who will entertain your request asking for an update on the status and the timing in a polite manner.

The food was good, affordable and the environment was good - wonderful to chill ( Oh! and the food comes quick!) . And its free flow of Japanese white rice if you order the set meal! :)


I had the Kasan ( On the menu: Its says its an Ootoya special - which is breaded chicken in onion special sauce). I like the crunchy fresh onions in the sauce/soup and how the sauce mixes with the bread crumbs on the chicken. I like.

I had wanted to try the one on my friend's facebook - fried pork cutlets with egg! but I prefer chicken.
I am going to try that the next time.

One of my friend tried the chicken and tofu soup with special steam mix rice presented in a bamboo steamer ( the dish on the menu itself already looks amazing) .Its delicious. The broth was boiled just nice - not too starchy, not too watery. And the chicken and tofu in it was a good mix! but the portion for this I find it quite a lot - probably 2/3 can share for small-eaters.



The other tried the rosu katsu set which consists of strips of fried pork loin. It was above average .. Crispy and hot - which is a must for such dishes.

I am gonna bring my parents there probably soon! :)

X-Men First Class

Watched X-Men:First Class yesterday night. Absolutely loved it! The opening starts in a Nazi concentration camp, where a young Erik Lehnsherr (Michael Fassbender) - Magneto tries to destroy a metal gate that’s separated him from his parents via the power of his mind. It attracts the attention of a sadist Dr. Schmidt /Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon) who shots Erik's poor mother in front of him to unleash the boy's powers using anger. It was such a heart-breaking scene!



Meanwhile, the scene changes to Charles (James McAvoy) starting as a child discovering Jennifer Lawrence (Shape-shifting Raven/Mystique) in his kitchen and realizing that he is not alone in this world as a mutant.

His designation as a professor in Oxford on the subject human mutation misled me into wondering what his special power was. It was mind reading!


The movie travels through Auschwitz, New York,England, Argentina, Las Vegas, Miami and Moscow. Feels like spinning on the globe of the world in history.Charles and Erik soon become part of the CIA mutant division and find themselves in the midst of the Cuban missile crisis.

Read more at: http://movies.ndtv.com/movie_Review.aspx?id=630&cp

Traversing from World War II to the cold war - the show reveals a secret history of the Cold War and our world at the brink of nuclear Armageddon.

So in the midst of all these political landscape, Erik is scouring Argentina for Shaw to take his revenge. The scene where he uses his metal twisting power to force-pluck a metal filing tooth from the insider - I could literally feel the pain.


New CIA agent Moira MacTaggert (Rose Byrne) strips down to black, lacy nothings to go undercover and realizes the evidence of Mutants when Shaw is in his Vegas gentlemen's club with diamond-queen Emma Frost (January Jones) and trying to force Colonel Hendry to help with Shaw's Bay of Pigs scheme, showcases their powers.




After searching out numerous mutants, it was sad where Shaw appears and uses his "ability to absorb and re-use kinetic energy" to destroy one of the untrained mutants Edi Gathegi (Darwin Armondo). The helpless was such a sad feeling. So it was a joy when they were trained and they begin to realize that they have powers that could be controlled and they should be happy with who they are.

The recruitment and training sequences, unlocking of extraordinary potential through instinctive ingenuity - of the plasma-blasting Havok (Lucas Till); sonic screamer Banshee (Caleb Landry Jones); the adaptive Darwin (Edi Gathegi, too little seen); and big-footed Hank McCoy (Nicholas Hoult) are particularly engaging!


For X-Men first class, it reminds me of how Xinjiang people who are labeled as a thief and pickpockets no matter where they are in China. It has been known for generations. And I heard they slit their wrist when they are caught and so police and many people do not dare to catch them but tries to avoid them. But perhaps they did it for livelihood because of the bad image imposed upon them? If they could be trained the right way... would there be a change?

In summary, I loved X-Men First Class. And the graphics were great!

Directed by Matthew Vaughn; written by Mr. Vaughn, Ashley Edward Miller, Zack Stentz and Jane Goldman, based on a story by Sheldon Turner and Bryan Singer and the Marvel Comics series by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby; director of photography, John Mathieson; edited by Lee Smith and Eddie Hamilton; music by Henry Jackman; production design by Chris Seagers; costumes by Sammy Sheldon; produced by Lauren Shuler Donner, Simon Kinberg, Gregory Goodman and Mr. Singer; released by 20th Century Fox. Running time: 2 hours 10 minutes.

Nicholas Hoult (Hank/Beast)who plays a smart inventor also a mutant with a web feet (that allows him to hang around) - however he wants to be normal - and so injects himself with a potion ; eventually it incites his genetic formation and it transforms him into Beast - with great strength.

Zoe Kravitz (Angel Salvadore/Wings) who gets entice by the evil side and leaves them.

Jason Flemyng (Azazel)

Caleb Landry Jones (Cassidy/Banshee) who has the ability to fly high and fast! The training for him was really funny!

Alex Gonzalez (Janos Questad/Riptide) who can garner twirl winds.

If you have not caught the show, go and catch it! :)