Archive for August 20th, 2013

2013 Formula 1 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix in the 6th year

Tuesday, August 20th, 2013

In line with the current climate of going “local”, this year’s Formula 1 motorsport event in Singapore (20-22 September) will be infused with a distinctive local flavour as SingTel, Title Sponsor of the Singapore Grand Prix tries to bring the F1 race experience closer to Singaporeans with Formula 1 Singapore Style.

“The theme, Formula 1 Singapore Style, aims to create an F1 experience where everyone can be involved – both on and off the race tracks. They’ll even have a chance to take the driver’s seat in a race to the chequered flag,” said Mr Allen Lew, Country Chief Officer Singapore, SingTel (center). He is flanked on both sides by local celebrities Qi Yuwu and Joanne Peh.

“The theme, Formula 1 Singapore Style, aims to create an F1 experience where everyone can be involved – both on and off the race tracks. They’ll even have a chance to take the driver’s seat in a race to the chequered flag,” said Mr Allen Lew, Country Chief Officer Singapore, SingTel (center). He is flanked on both sides by local celebrities Qi Yuwu and Joanne Peh.

As per previous years, a series of promotional activities has been planned leading up to the actual race.

The Big Race

The Big Race is an island-wide search for Singapore’s fastest race driver.

Local celebrities and self-proclaimed Formula 1 fans, Joanne Peh, Qi Yuwu, Pei Fen and Romeo Tan kicked off The Big Race today by clocking their fastest lap times in the Official F1 racing simulator game.

There will be a series of four roadshows where the public is invited to clock their fastest lap times in the game.

Qi Yuwu and Joanne Peh getting into the F1(R) spirit for The Big Race.

Qi Yuwu and Joanne Peh getting into the F1(R) spirit for The Big Race.

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POTD: Paying respect & entertaining hungry ghosts from Hell

Tuesday, August 20th, 2013

The seventh month on the Chinese lunar calendar is the ghost month, when the hungry ghosts from Hell are released to visit their relatives on earth – and get a good meal as well.

As the seventh lunar month approaches, huge marquees are set up in many places in preparation for festivities. All photos taken with a Nikon D5200 with AF-S NIKKOR 18-55mm DX f/3.5-5.6G VR kit lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

As the seventh lunar month approaches, huge marquees are set up in many places in preparation for festivities. All three photos taken with a Nikon D5200 with AF-S NIKKOR 18-55mm DX f/3.5-5.6G VR kit lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

Since this is the hungry ghost month, I will be featuring photos that I take during visits to celebratory activities surrounding the festival.

The festival has its origins from the buddhist scriptures and is celebrated by both Buddhist and Taoist believers in Asian countries such as China, Japan, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia etc.

An altar in the marquee pacifying the agents of Hell with offerings and (to the left) wads of Hell cash.

An altar in the marquee pacifying the agents of Hell with offerings and (to the left) wads of Hell cash.

The main theme is filial piety.

One of Buddha’s disciples visited his mother in hell and found her languishing as a “hungry ghost” (that’s a specific genre of ghost) which was perennially – what else – hungry.

She had apparently been stingy towards hosting Buddhist monks whilst indulging herself with the money that her son had left her.

As a punishment by the judges of hell, she was transformed into a hungry ghost after her death.

Buddha taught the son how to redeem his mother and the filial son succeeded after much effort to help his mother get reborn as a human.

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