A Technical Problem in Blogger image upload persisting.

It has been 3 days since I encountered this problem.
When we do a blogpost we normally upload some images ( photos ) from our own saved files.
However, this time round, as I click on the " Add an image" button on the post editor...the box
does open up but with no reaction. It freezes up.
Previously, it has a few options on the sidebar to the left for where to choose your pics from.
Now, it is just an empty box blankly staring at me.

I thought it had something to do with my Pop up blocker controls. But no.
I've disabled it to test out and the post editor still did not work.
Quickly, I checked the "known issues" on Bloggers' Forum page and found that numerous bloggers worldwide
have encountered this same problem...with no solution yet in sight by Blogger Admin.

I hope the problem is resolved soon so that the normal blogging life of bloggers are not filled
with despondency!

Unk Dicko's " The Wise Old Owl " has turned 3 years old about a fortnight ago.
3 years may seem brief and short for a blogger.
But I was in for quite a surprise when I made an analysis of sorts with some additional research
from the internet on what I had accomplished in this short span.
Check out my next post for the details.

The Passing of Mrs Lee Kuan Yew

 Unk Dicko and D2 were at the Copthorne Waterfront Hotel last night as invited guests
to the 2010 Active Agers Awards Presentation cum Dinner. Midway through the ceremony, we
received the sad news by SMS about MM's wife.
Obviously we were shocked but had to keep our emotions in check as the ceremony was on-going.
President SR Nathan ( Guest of Honour ) and Mrs Nathan were seated 2 tables away from us...and he had not presented the main Awards yet.
 When we came home, I read the online news about her passing and felt very sad indeed.
She was a truly remarkable woman who had undoubtedly contributed immensely to Singapore in ways
that few know about.
Unk Dicko had the privilege of personally having taught her grandaughter ( PM's daughter ) while we
were both at HCJC.


Singapore ST online
Home > Breaking News > Singapore > Story


Oct 2, 2010
REMEMBERING MRS LEE KUAN YEW - 1921 TO 2010
Wife, confidante, lawyer, mother
By Hannah Koh


MADAM KWA Geok Choo, perhaps better known Mrs Lee Kuan Yew, wife of Singapore's founding father and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, died at home on Saturday. She was 89.
She leaves behind MM Lee, 87, sons Lee Hsien Loong who is the Prime Minister, Hsien Yang, 53, and daughter Wei Ling, 55 and several grandchildren.


Mrs Lee was born on Dec 21, 1920. Her father, Mr Kwa Siew Tee, was a general manager at OCBC Bank. She excelled at her studies at Methodist Girls' School, Raffles Institution and Raffles College, where her university education was interrupted by World War II. She resumed her studies at Raffles College in 1946, after the university was reopened. She graduated with a First Class Diploma in Arts, winning the Queen's Scholarship.
On the strong recommendations of her professors from Raffles College, Mrs Lee was allowed to read Law as a second year student at Cambridge University. She would later become the first Asian woman to be awarded a first-class honours, and she passed the final Bar exam in May 1949.
Mrs Lee married Mr Lee in secret in Dec 1947 at Stratford-on-Avon, in England. The Lees had first met in Raffles College, where a friendly competition for grades later blossomed into romance. They married officially in September 1950 in Singapore.


Mrs Lee was called to the Bar at the Middle Temple in 1950 and admitted to the Singapore Bar the next year, becoming a full-fledged conveyancing lawyer by profession.
The Lees welcomed the birth of their first son, Hsien Loong, in 1952. Their first daughter, Wei Ling, was born in 1955, followed by her brother and the Lees second son, Hsien Yang, in 1957.
In 1955, the Lees, along with Mr Lee's brother Lee Kim Yew, founded law firm Lee & Lee with Mrs Lee as a senior partner.


Mrs Lee was a strong pillar to her husband in his political career, and accompanied her husband occasionally on official business trips abroad.
Her health began to deteriorate in Oct 2003, when she suffered a stroke during the last leg of a two-week tour of three European cities with Mr Lee, who was then Senior Minister. She was warded in a London hospital for six days before being flown back and admitted to Singapore General Hospital.
Mrs Lee recovered from her first stroke, but suffered another three years later in May 2008. She was admitted to Tan Tock Seng Hospital where she received surgery. While hospitalised in June, she suffered another stroke, and a brain scan revealed bleeding in the right side of the brain. The two consecutive strokes robbed her of her physical mobility, and Mrs Lee has remained bedridden ever since.


Mrs Lee died peacefully at home on Saturday at 5.40 pm.


Read also:
Mrs Lee dies, aged 89
Wife's illness hardest for MM
PM cuts short Belgium trip
Netizens send condolences to Lees
President's tribute to Mrs Lee
Mrs Lee, the political wife

At the F1 Grand Prix...Paddock Club, Temasek Suite



View from Level 1 Paddock Club

















We drove and parked at Kallang Theatre. From there it was a simple matter, after stringent security checks, to board the shuttle van or bus provided. The service was excellent. All the way, I felt if I was a foreign visitor to this Grand Prix, I would be exceedingly pleased.
Before we boarded, there were lady hostess who served cold drinks. Just what we actually needed at that moment.
And cool towelletes too!


Another view from Level 1 Paddock Club

















The short drive was short but pleasant. Once we arrived at the entrance to the Paddock Club, it looked as though those waiting to serve their guests ( we were treated as such throughout ) were more in numbers than the guests themselves. And these young men and ladies have been trained well certainly. Kudos to their trainers and supervisors. I did not see anyone in idle gossip or in some quiet corners using their private mobiles.
They really were out to please and ensure the comfort and pleasure of their guests.

It was near 7 pm. The S'pore Flyer in background.

We did not even have to show our special ticket as the lanyard was hung over the neck and easily noticeable.
" Sir, Madam...this way please "...was the common expression.
 In no time at all we were near the place we were to be hosted by...The Temasek Suite.
I  whipped out my camera to snap off a few shots as seen in these pics.

The Singapore Flyer

The view of the surroundings from the Paddock Club is beautiful.
However, the views from the FLYER as it rotates slowly were even more stunning. That would come later.

Ingrid and Bill aka STRICTLY STRINGS in Temasek Suite

As we walked towards our destination, we passed by many other suites belonging to the various Teams...Ferrari, Red Bull, Renault   etc..and some corporates ones like Singapore Airlines, Singtel.  Once we arrived at the Temasek Suite situated at the end of the Paddock Club, we stepped into a posh, glitzzy world of fine dining, set in a nice ambience.
The waiters here have been well-trained too, providing superb, excellent service.
 We were served delightful tidbits and there was enough variety of fine food to suit all taste buds.

This duo entertained at Dinner with excellent music

As everyone settled down to the business of dining , I heard some music from across my table. A lady violinist and a gentleman playing the accordion was moving from table to table serenading the guests.
 They played some popular classical and comtemporary pieces superbly, combining very well as a duo.
When the were at my table, D2 asked them where they came from thinking they were Hungarians.
" We're from Australia !" they proclaimed proudly.


The tunes were lovely, I could not resist clapping along















So, well and good...Australia. I stood up to clap along with their music.
Then I asked Bill and Ingrid to play for me a catchy Aussie folksong " Gundagai".
They nodded happily and so began. Unk Dicko
sang along with them as I knew the lyrics ( in my head ).
D2 was so enthralled she too requested for a Scottish or Irish tune.

2010 Formula 1 S'pore Grand Prix...Unk Dicko's experience



Fernando Alonso of Ferrari wins 2010 F 1 S'pore Grand Prix 

















It was only on Sunday night when those of us watching the Live coverage of the Finals of the F1 Night Grand Prix over at Marina Bay saw Fernando Alonso raising his fist in triumph at the end of the 61 laps.

Those of us watching from homes would have missed out on the unbelievable atmosphere of the actual race track. I too was watching from home that night. It was ok but not exciting at all compared to watching the real thing.
I certainly can confirm this as my wifey and I were there on the first day, Friday 24 Sept.

Fernando Alonso Winner 2010 F1 in S'pore

 The last time I actually went to a "live" Grand Prix was back in the 70's at the old Upper Thomson road circuit. A close friend and former VS classmate of mine Lam Tian Yue and myself started going to the Grand Prix in the mid 60's.
Since those days, I've not gone anywhere near to a Race track.
So when we were given 2 official  tickets for the 24 Sept First Day Practice sessions, I decided to accept the invitation...to check out on what I've been missing all these years.

Our official ticket lanyards and ear plugs














The tickets came in a black pouch holder with some accompanying notes and explanations detailing all the benefits and action that can be expected at the Formula One Paddock Club.
It was to be one most memorable night for me and my wifey. 

The ticket and the pouch it comes with



The Map to all the Action

I knew it was "special" treatment in many ways
but never thought it was that good until I actually made the trip there.
Holders of the special ticket to the Temasek suite were given Star treatment,
pampered and treated most generously.
It is certainly beyond expectations. 



The Front and Back of the ticket





The Back of the Ticket pouch



Current World Standings before the Finals


More to share.....



Unk Dicko and The Garden Minstrels ..appearing on Sun 3 Oct 2010



Unk Dicko and The Garden Minstrels - 22 Sep 2010

We have our regular Singalong every Wednesday at The Serangoon. Presently I have prepared 2 solid File holders of very lovely songs with different
backgrounds.

The members are free to request for songs as they flip through the pages.
At every session, I will also launch
into some songs that are not in the files...just to gauge the reaction to that particular song. Some members also request for songs from memory. We had quite a number of these and it was great fun to try to recollect the lyrics just from memory. I must say we haven't done too badly in that department.
Soon, I might encourage the group members to try 'harmonising" in parts...if they are not too shy.
There is so much possibility and promise with this newly formed group.

At our regular Wednesday night Singalong





Our next major challenge is happening on Sunday 3 October 2010 where we will be entertaining the crowd at the Sg Gardens Hari Raya Celebrations. That will be on stage in the Hall at the Serangoon.

The event is at night starting around 7 pm. Do come along and hear some really super old, super good, keroncong songs that I have taught to the Minstrels in the past couple of weeks.

The music and beat may just prove too irresistible for some not to step forward and "joget" away...of course with their partners.

I have a medley of nice songs in English, Malay and Indonesian prepared for the night beside the keroncong tunes.

SILVER INFOCOMM DAY 2010...Opening Day

Last Sunday, 19 September 2010, the Annual Silver Infocomm Day ( SID ), a huge IT event specially
catering to the senior citizens, was held at the Singapore Poly. More than 6000 people were present.  The Guest of Honour Mr Lui Tuck Yew, Ag Minister, Ministry of Information,
Communications & the Arts, gave the Opening Address.
Unk Dicko was invited as a special guest to this event.

In 2008, I was greatly honoured to be awarded the first-ever ACTIVE  AGERS INFOCOMM
CHAMPION AWARD ...the award was sponsored by The IDA (Infocomm Devt Authority of Singapore ) and presented under the auspices of the C3A ( Council of Third Age ).
As a follow up to that, Unk Dicko was invited to give 2 public Talks at the SID 2008, also held at the S'pore Poly then, as well as other public engagements under C3A and IDA.
Last year I was away in Europe and could not make it to the SID 2009

                            


The Official Flyer that came with my invitation

Towards the end of his Opening Address, it was a pleasant surprise that my name was mentioned when he referred to " inspiring role models " etc.
I did not expect to be so recognised and still remembered. 

Live Video Conferencing with another Hall in the Poly



ll

Singapore Poly



There was ample parking space for the event in the spacious grounds of  S'pore Poly.


Therese Lim, Google's Head of Communications S E Asia

  Therese Lim, the Head of Communications for Google S E Asia, gave an insightful talk with lots

of hands on practical tips about GOOGLE search engine itself.

I met up with her during our lunch reception and

expressly told her, " Google search engine is my best friend!  Without discovering Google and learning from it, I would not be where I am today."

Considering who she is, she was pleased as punch to hear that.

A few people came up to me to say hello and introduce themselves. All said they still remember me from 2008, including a few reporters !

Media Interview







After his Opening Speech, I was invited to view the exhibits together with Minister and CEO

of IDA Ronnie Tay and others.

Therese Anne Lim, Head Communications ( Google S E Asia )















The Talk About Google by Therese Anne Lim





This is a portion of the Speech by Ag Minister Lui Tuck Yew

Enhancing access to infocomm learning and resources

Besides providing training opportunities, IDA also works with partners to enhance senior citizens’ access to infocomm resources through the Silver Infocomm Hotspots (SIHs). These Hotspots at various locations such as community clubs and wellness centres, provide seniors with free access to computers and Internet services. IDA plans to set up a total of 100 Silver Infocomm Hotspots islandwide by March 2013. I am pleased to note that good progress is being made in the rollout, with some 31 Hotspots operational since the first quarter of 2010.


Word-of-mouth and peer influence to promote infocomm
As word-of-mouth and peer influence are important ways in which senior citizens can get to learn about ICT and its benefits, IDA has initiated the “Each One Teach One” movement where seniors pledge to pass on their IT knowledge to family members and peers by filling up a pledge card stating their commitment.


Another novel approach is the introduction of Intergenerational IT Bootcamps where grandparents attend infocomm workshops together with their grandchildren. Such bootcamps achieve the twin objectives of enhancing infocomm literacy among senior citizens, while strengthening inter-generational bonding.


At the individual level, it is important for senior citizens to have inspiring role models that they can look up to in their infocomm journey. In the past Silver Infocomm Days, we had shared about various role models such as Mr Dick Yip, a retired teacher who has embraced infocomm and imparted his knowledge to fellow seniors, and Mr Sam Liu, who volunteers actively with RSVP as a course trainer. Other seniors who have been active in training seniors include Mr Gabriel Muthusamy, whom I mentioned earlier; Mr Harry Lo, a trainer with CARE, as well as Mr Chow Kwong Sing, who conducts IT training in Mandarin for RSVP and is very popular amongst the seniors. They, and many others like them, serve as an inspiration to the rest of us to seek and to share the knowledge of infocomm.





Live Media  Interview by Ag Minister Lui Tuck Yew



You Will Never Grow Old...original NKC on video !

Those of you who have no idea or knowledge about this song certainly cannot be blamed.
Most people even my age or older know this song not too.
But among those who do like my good friend Unk Thoo Yang ( 88 years young now !) and Eddie
an online friend from Hong Kong and many others....well, they were all searching and looking high
and low for an original record, or CD or mp3 for a mighty long time.


Unk Dicko too was among the 'searchers' doing so independently of the others.
My exhaustive search on the internet for just this single song led me from one commercial music website to another...all wanting to sell you the music score etc. Not exactly what I was looking for back then.
Others had it but you have to place your "orders" using your credit card. Not too sure they are even
reliable.
However, my search adventure on the internet to locate this incredible and lovely song did not
go to waste for the time spent. Though the result was unfruitful...something else better took place.
And this is a Lesson for everyone who is reading this.
As the old saying goes, " Behind every cloud there's a silver lining ".
Even though I was disappointed I decided to blog about my "fruitless search" experience.
Click HERE to read that post.


Not too long after that blogpost, a most kind-hearted gentleman doing the same search saw my Post
highlighted on the Google search engine. His name is Eddie, also a senior retired professional living
in Hong Kong. He contacted me at this blogsite and we exchanged our email adresss.
Sometime later, that "silver lining" came.
Eddie managed to get a full mp3 of NKC's YWNGO from an old friend and sent it to me.
He then uploaded it to his blogsite at VOX.
( VOX service is closing permanently on 30 Sept 2010 ).
And it was also Eddie who "tipped" me off about this being on Youtube yesterday.
Thanks Eddie.