Thursday, October 1, 2009

Beyonce Knowles' English

Tourists should always be on their best behavior when they are visiting a foreign country. This applies to even the biggest rock bands, the glitziest models and the vocally powerful divas when they tour to unfamiliar countries to market themselves as international superstars. It is customary to respect the visiting country’s social ways and differences and it would only seem undignified if the country is put down for its less than ordinary habits.

When superstar diva Beyoncé Knowles came to Singapore to headline the F1 Rocks Concert that would take place on the Singapore F1 Grand Prix weekend, the pop star was welcomed with tremendous embrace from local fans that have grown to love the many hits churned out by the former Destiny Child lead singer. It was to no surprise the event was sold out as early as three weeks before the concert in anticipation for Beyoncé. It would be her first time performing in Singapore.

Crowds thronged the event and fans spent hours queuing to enter the event and while the superstar serenaded the audience with her worldwide hits, fans sang along to the songs, knowing each and every word by heart. The performance, that spanned over eighty minutes (it was lengthy considering it was not a solo concert) would have ended perfectly for local fans if she had thanked the fans and left the stage accordingly but local radio station Class 95 sparked off an intense debate when DJs Flying Dutchman and Glenn Ong from the show Morning Express mentioned Beyoncé as saying “although Singaporeans don’t speak good English, I am glad they sang along with me,” during her post F1 Rocks interview with the press. It was also said the superstar diva mentioned something along the same lines to the audience right after her performance.

It is not known whether Beyoncé words was meant as an offhanded statement or if she was indeed mocking the locals but for a country that uses English during daily conversations and is one of the official national languages, the pop superstar could have indeed gone too far by mentioning the low standard of the country’s English language. The aftermath of the Morning Express show has seen a Beyoncé backlash in the local media and on the internet in regards to her statement. Blogs and internet forums have seen a growing disrespect for the internationally known songstress for her statements and some have even called for her singles and albums to be taken off the shelves from local music stores. Others, however, have backed the statements made by Beyoncé, believing the local grasp of English has been relatively poor pronunciation-wise and have called for improvements in school.

So, does the vocally strong megastar have a right to point out and mention the poor level of English in a country where English is one of the official languages? No. Despite her worldwide success and fame, despite her ten Grammy awards and various other awards won by the singer/actress/model, Beyoncé is not a linguist and does not have any right to go to a country that has welcomed her warmly and completely disrespect the locals. It is indeed a well known fact, even though a fraction of Singaporeans use a colloquial form of English known as Singlish, Beyonce’s use of English is not perfect as well, thus, the star has no right to comment on the local’s grasp of English. Fans have spent their hard earned money to see a graceful and polite international megastar, not a diva that thinks and believes she can say anything she wants. So, what’s next for the popular diva, a solo concert in Singapore? Not until she can retract her statements and win back the hearts of the locals here.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Hub Nuggets


Hub Nuggets - The PR Articles

PageRank

This is my second round up post so far. Although I don't really understand how the PageRank works, I was pleasantly surprised to find that a few of my articles are currently with a Page Rank status. Most of my other hubs are between PR2 and PR3 at the moment while my profile page stands at PageRank of 4. As far as I know PageRank was developed at Stanford University by Larry Page, and I think it has something to do with incoming links.

Find below the list of my favorite articles with a Pagerank


Make money online
Make money online

The Biggest List Of Google Adsense Alternatives On

For the webmasters who are either not accepted into the AdSense program, or do not want to use Adsense ads, the following Google Adsense alternatives will be worth having a look. The list contains more than 170 adsense alternative sources which......

The Biggest List Of Google Adsense Alternatives On The Net



Call Of Duty 4
Call Of Duty 4

Call Of Duty 4 All Patches

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is considered as the best shooter game of 2007. This intensely gripping game series has millions of devoted players all over the world. The latest version Call of Duty 4: Modern...

Call Of Duty 4 All Patches


The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones

Five Songs That Were Political Statements!

Here is what I consider the top five songs of all time that were political statements. Enjoy! America in 1969 had a war going in Vietnam, race riots and Charles Manson. Mick Jagger sings of needing shelter...

Five Songs That Were Political Statements!


Dan Fogelberg
Dan Fogelberg

Dan Fogelberg

I became a fan of Dan Fogelberg a few years ago when I heard his song Windows and Walls from the album with the same title. It was released in 1984. I was quite sad to see the news today. The music legend ...

Dan Fogelberg


Guitar Hero 3
Guitar Hero 3

Guitar Hero 3 Cheats

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock is the third installment of the music video game of the popular Guitar Hero series. Developed by Neversoft, Guitar Hero 3 is available on Playstation 2, Playstation 3,...

Guitar Hero 3 Cheats


Rock Band Cheats
Rock Band Cheats

Rock Band Cheats

The music video game Rock Band is developed for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 and is released on November 20 this year. Rock Band has single player and multiplayer modes, and features full album downloads......

Rock Band Cheats


Stumble Upon
Stumble Upon

How To Stumble Using Your Keyboard

I have been using StumbleUpon for quite a while now. It ranks fourth in my all time traffic sources at HubPages with nearly 35,000 hits. I know that if I had been using it properly, the numbers would have...

How To Stumble Using Your Keyboard


Latest Hubs

  • June Lockhart Lost in Space

    Born with true acting genes, June Lockhart, the daughter of actors Gene and Kathleen Lockhart, had a huge interest in following the footsteps of her parents. Born on 25th June over eighty years ago, the hall...

  • Betty Garrett of All in the Family

    Born on May 23rd 1919, Betty Garrett was an actress, singer, dancer and comedienne who reached her fame during the age where movie musicals in Hollywood captured everyone’s hearts. Her career was tainted by...

  • Ann Davis of The Brady Bunch

    Ann Bradford Davis or better known as Ann B. Davis in the entertainment world was perhaps best known for her role in The Bob Cummings Show. Davis won two Emmys for her role in The Bob Cummings Show in 1958...

  • Abe Vigoda of the Godfather

    Best known as the double-crossing Salvatore Tessio in Francis Ford Coppola’s and Mario Puzo’s The Godfather and its sequel, The Godfather II, slouch-shouldered and long faced Abraham Charles Vigoda or...

  • Rose Marie Darling of the Airwaves

    Born on August 15th 1923 in New York City, Rose Marie has had the unique distinction of having two separate entertainment careers; one in the 1920s and the other that began in the 1940s stretching out until...

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Stars of Yester Years

June Lockhart

June Lockhart Lost in Space

Born with true acting genes, June Lockhart, the daughter of actors Gene and Kathleen Lockhart, had a huge interest in following the footsteps of her parents. Born on 25th June over eighty years ago, the hall...

Betty Garrett

Betty Garrett of All in the Family

Born on May 23rd 1919, Betty Garrett was an actress, singer, dancer and comedienne who reached her fame during the age where movie musicals in Hollywood captured everyone’s hearts. Her career was tainted by...

Ann Davis of The Brady Bunch

Ann Bradford Davis or better known as Ann B. Davis in the entertainment world was perhaps best known for her role in The Bob Cummings Show. Davis won two Emmys for her role in The Bob Cummings Show in 1958...

Abe Vigoda

Abe Vigoda of the Godfather

Best known as the double-crossing Salvatore Tessio in Francis Ford Coppola’s and Mario Puzo’s The Godfather and its sequel, The Godfather II, slouch-shouldered and long faced Abraham Charles Vigoda or...

Rose Marie Darling of the Airwaves

Born on August 15th 1923 in New York City, Rose Marie has had the unique distinction of having two separate entertainment careers; one in the 1920s and the other that began in the 1940s stretching out until...

A Little Rascal

Dorothy Deborba of Our Gang

Despite having a career as a child actress that spans only over a period of three years, Dorothy DeBorba starred over fifteen feature films and gained mainstream success while she was on the screen. Born in...

Betty White

Betty White the Queen of Game Shows

With six Emmy awards and twelve Emmy nominations along with her own star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Betty White’s career that has lasted over six decades is a feat that would be quite spectacular and...

Charlotte Rae

Charlotte Rae of The Facts of Life

Even in her mid-eighties, members of the public would still recognize Charlotte Rae as Edna Garrett from The Facts of Life, the role she was best known for almost worldwide. Charlotte Rae was born in...

Cloris Leachman

Cloris Leachman the oldest contestant on Dancing With The Stars

In the history of female or male Hollywood performers, no one has accomplished more than Cloris Leachman. The Des Moines native, born on April 30th 1926, has won eight Primetime Emmys, one Daytime Emmy, an...

Jean darling

Jean Darling of Our Gang

Jean Darling, born Dorothy Jean LeVake, was born in Santa Monica on August 23rd 1922 and was best known as a famous child actress during her time as a member of Hal Roach’s Our Gang or The Little Rascals....

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Seeking Michele Bachmann and William Calley

Michele Bachmann
Michele Bachmann, born on April 6th 1956, is the first Republican woman to represent Minnesota in the US House of Representatives Congress member. Her first dabble in U.S politics was in 2000, where she won the state senator seat for Minnesota’s District 56. In 2002, after the redistricting of Minnesota, she again won the senator seat for the newly drawn District 52. Having drawn blood and won in politics, Michele Bachmann then set her sights on a congressional seat and with the support of the GOP and then President George W. Bush, with over three million dollars in funds; she won over Democratic representative with an eight percent majority. In 2008, during the re-election for the House of Representatives seat, though she won, it was only with a three percent majority after Bachmann questioned President Barack Obama’s patriotism and the anti-American views of Congress.

Why Michele Bachmann is in the news now

As of late, Michele Bachmann’s surge of popularity has got the Democratic Party cautious of her, some sources even labeling Bachman the new “enemy number one” in the Democratic camp. Michele Bachmann has got television viewers glued to her as statistics have shown that Bachmann makes a news appearance every nine days. Her actions lately, while controversial and true to her hawkish nature as a GOP representative, has been head turning. Michele Bachmann has been against the Serve America Act, an expansion of the AmeriCorps, a community service organization run by the government, going as far as saying that the AmeriCorps way of volunteering is not volunteering at all, when there has already been half a million members of the successful organization thus far. There has even been talk of Bachmann running for presidency in the future, while it has not been made official, Michele Bachmann does not deny the future run of presidency reports, fueling the rumors that she could be one of the leading presidency candidates in the GOP camp. With her controversial views on the banning of same-sex marriages and constantly denouncing the Democratic party, one can only guess how Michele Bachmann’s political career will play out in the future.

William Calley

Second Lieutenant William Calley was born in 1943 in Florida. Nicknamed Rusty, he worked at various places in various positions before enlisting in the Army in 1966. After completing his basic training and followed by training as a clerk, he qualified to undergo Officer Candidate School after scoring high marks in the qualification test. Upon his graduation as an officer, he was assigned to 11th Infantry Brigade, 23rd Infantry Division, a unit to be deployed to Vietnam. It was in Vietnam that William Calley gained notoriety fame. Calley was the officer found guilty of ordering the My Lai massacre on March 16 1968 that killed over 500 Vietnamese villagers where he was guilty for the deaths of 104 of them. During the trial that followed the My Lai massacre, it was found that Calley ordered his men to kill everyone in the My Lai village. While William Calley told the jury he merely acted upon orders of superior, nobody else who was responsible for the massacre was convicted, only Calley, who was sentenced to life imprisonment before being granted house arrest by then president Richard Nixon.


Why William Calley is in the news now

At a Kiwanis Club gathering in Georgia, William Calley finally broke silence regarding the happenings at My Lai and apologized for his actions on that fated day, the first time he has spoken in public in over forty years. While Calley maintained that he was merely following orders on the day of the massacre, he states that he does not live a day without remorse for what happened at My Lai that day. After apologizing profusely to the families of the Vietnamese who were killed in the massacre along with the American soldiers who were involved at My Lai, William Calley also responded to questions from the public, his answers given felt genuine and Calley showed great remorse for his actions. The news was met with warmth welcome in Vietnam. Families of the victims that died at My Lai have forgiven Calley for his actions though some felt it had come too late.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Thursday, August 13, 2009

inFamous - My Favorite PS3 Game of the Year

inFamous - My Favorite PS3 Game of the Year: "Sucker Punch studios has developed an ultimate gem of a game, my vote goes to inFamous as my favorite PS 3 game of the year, hands down."

Friday, August 7, 2009

I Took up A Challenge

I have never participated in any sort of writing contests before. But when I saw the 30 articles in 30 days challenge at HubPages, I thought this is the one I can manage to complete. And I did!. The result is below. I hope you like them.

1. Harry Potter Movies 07/21/09
2. Living in Singapore 07/21/09
3. Singapore Travel Tips 07/22/09
4. Have Fun In Singapore 07/23/09
5. Amusement Parks in Singapore 07/24/09
6. Escape the Working Room Walkthrough 07/24/09
7. Festivals of Singapore 07/25/09
8. The Swine Flu Goldmine 07/25/09
9. Budget Hotels in Singapore 07/26/09
10. Luxury Hotels in Singapore 07/26/09
11. Dating in India 07/26/09
12. How To Find a Job in Singapore 07/27/09
13. Nightlife in Singapore 07/28/09
14. Job Hunting? Mend Your Ways 07/29/09
15. Ayurvedic Spa Tourism in Kerala 07/29/09
16. Chinese Zodiac Signs 07/29/09
17. The Brighter Side of Unemployment! 07/30/09
18. How to get an Online MBA Degree 07/30/09
19. Beware of the iPhone SMS Hack 07/30/09
20. Singapore F1 Night Race 2009 07/31/09
21. Top 10 iPhone Alternatives - 08/02/09
22. How to find cheap airline tickets? - 08/02/09
23. I Will Win A Lottery Today! A Singapore Dream - 08/02/09
24. Best Resorts in Singapore - 08/03/09
25. How to Get Free Internet - 08/04/09
26. Best Golf Courses in Singapore - 08/04/09
27. Best Business Schools in Singapore - 08/04/09
28. How to get Student Loans - 08/05/09
29. Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum - 08/05/09
30. Top 10 Teeth Whitening Products - 08/06/09
31. Fighting Obesity - 08/06/09
32. Is Lasik for You? - 08/06/09
33. Weight Loss Programs that works - 08/06/09
34. Doing an MBA in Singapore - 08/06/09
35. How to Buy a Sports Car Cheaply - 08/07/09
36. How to be a Real Estate Agent - 08/07/09
37. Singapore Car Rental - Car Hire and Road Guidelines - 08/07/09
38. Dating in Singapore - The Truth - 08/07/09
39. I Took The Challenge - My Hub Challenge Hubs - 08/07/09

Is Lasik for You?

Is Lasik for You?

Dating in Singapore - The Truth

Dating in Singapore - The Truth

How to Buy a Sports Car Cheaply

How to Buy a Sports Car Cheaply

How to Buy a Sports Car Cheaply

How to Buy a Sports Car Cheaply

Friday, July 31, 2009

Singapore F1 Grand Prix 2009 Formula 1 GP Night Race

Singapore F1 Grand Prix 2009 Formula 1 GP Night Race
if you are a Formula One fan, with the re-introduction of Formula One great Michael Schumacher racing against the likes of current stars like Lewis Hamilton, the best place to catch them in action would definitely be the night race at Singapore Grand Prix.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Chinese Zodiac Signs

Chinese Zodiac Signs: "The Chinese Zodiac is a twelve year calendar cycle based on the Chinese calendar, consisting of twelve different animals, each with its own personality and traits."

Ayurvedic Spa Tourism in Kerala

Ayurvedic Spa Tourism in Kerala: "Ayurvedic spa tourism in Kerala is gaining its momentum due to the climatic conditions and scenic design of this region. Kerala is blessed with monsoon seasons twice during the year, June to August and October to November."

Monday, July 27, 2009

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Singapore Travel Tips

Singapore Travel Tips
Singapore is a great place to visit, to live and enjoy life. However a few tips when traveling to Singapore can make it a more fulfilling experience. Having played the role of travel guide for friends visiting from overseas, .....

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Harry Potter Movies

Harry Potter Movies

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was directed by Yates, and it was released on 15 July 2009 with commercial success.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

New Milestone for Chevy Volt Plug-in Hybrid!

New Milestone for Chevy Volt Plug-in Hybrid!
GM's first pre-production Volt is finally a reality! I say 'finally' not because it's behind schedule or anything, it's actually a little ahead of schedule, but because they should have been producing this...

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Best Articles Of The Week

Here are 5 Articles published by relatively new members. Check out their original, informative, and high-quality Writings—they also nicely demonstrate the wide breadth of topics that are tackled:

Low Calorie Alcoholic Drinks

"There are many different types of mixed drinks, and while some are loaded with calories (good-bye to one of my favorites: coconut rum and cherry coke), there are a wide array of low calorie cocktails that do the job and don't pack on the enormous pounds." Read more »


Acne Treatment and Solutions

"I have been clear of acne for over 4 years now (except for the occasional pimple) and it has been commented on numerous times by people who've known me for years. I feel better and my skin looks great. Everyone is different, but I hope this information can help others-no one should have to suffer with acne!" Read more »


Reading Fast vs. Speed Reading vs. PhotoReading

"PhotoReading was the most fascinating course I have ever taken. I was taught a new way of seeing and a new way of interpreting what I see; how both sides of my brain work together; new strategies for learning (no pun intended); and many other mental aids and, okay, tricks the mind can do." Read more »


The Hidden Costs of a Second Income

"Many families today believe that two incomes are necessary to make ends meet. I think we need to ask ourselves whether or not that second income is really as financially beneficial as it seems." Read more »


Dollars & Sense - Solving Common Money Mistakes

"In this hub you will learn a fun and simple way to create beautiful word clouds that you can use as images on your sites, blogs and hubs. In addition to providing you with an illustrated guide on how to make the word clouds, will also suggest a number of creative ways to use them." Read more »