Kwan To Headline Rink Opening In Singapore

[R.D.]

Then she would have mentioned his name.

 

[Violet Bliss]

I seriously suspect it's Michelle's privacy that's at stake.

OT Evil plastic ice is still better than no ice. Jeremy Abbott et al couldn't skate in Mexico yesterday because there was no ice for the show!

 

[demarinis5]

Michelle's "Winter Song" courtesy of Razor TV. Very good quality. She looks fabulous.

http://www.razor.tv/site/servlet/segment/main/news/57956.html

 

[Olympia]

Vibrant indeed! Singapore has one of the highest per capita incomes of any country in the world (way ahead of the United States, for instance) and its government-assisted capitalism seems to be immune from economic downturns that afflict other economies.

Tourism is a major industry. The entrepreneurs behind this venture represent some serious money. I bet they made Michelle a financial offer that she couldn't refuse. A world-famous (if not so famous in Singapore iitself) ethnic Chinese skating star with appeal to American travelers -- I would be very surprised if the deal did not include the right to Michelle's name and image for more general promotional use.

I believe Singapore is one of the Four Tigers, a group of successful Asian economies. (I believe the other three are Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, though now that Hong Kong is part of China, I don't know how it counts.) Interesting to me, I think that Singapore is just about the only modern-day city-state. Remember reading about Athens, Sparta, and the like in ancient history? A city-state tends to have a higher proportion of educated citizens, specialists, artisans (and these days, technicians), and so forth, so it has a higher likelihood of efficiency and success. The only thing it tends to lack is natural resources, because of the small territory involved. But the ingenuity of its population can more than make up for it. Hey, Singapore had the smarts to bring in Michelle, even without the natural resource of ice!

 

[dlgpffps]

I believe Singapore is one of the Four Tigers, a group of successful Asian economies. (I believe the other three are Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, though now that Hong Kong is part of China, I don't know how it counts.)

No, the Four Asian Tigers are Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea. I've been to Singapore before & was shocked to learn that the gum-ban's actually upheld. The people take it as a serious commitment - a sacrifice necessary to keep their city clean and welcoming. That tidbit says a lot about Singapore. Probably couldn't happen in any other country.

 

[Olympia]

No, the Four Asian Tigers are Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea. I've been to Singapore before & was shocked to learn that the gum-ban's actually upheld. The people take it as a serious commitment - a sacrifice necessary to keep their city clean and welcoming. That tidbit says a lot about Singapore. Probably couldn't happen in any other country.

Thanks so much for the correction about the Four Tigers! I should look these things up before I post, but for some reason Malaysia stuck in my mind. (It's doing pretty well also, I gather.) Interesting about the gum ban. I gather that orderliness is a virtue that's valued in Singapore, whereas here in the U.S., almost the opposite is true. There are places that take pride in their pristine appearance, and frankly, I often wish I lived in one. My city is pretty well littered, alas.

(Edit: On the other hand, I do have access to ice rinks! Things have a way of evening out.)

 

[Mathman]

Actually, the chewing gum brouhaha is quite fascinating. Singapore is a one-party state with only a partial accommodation for democracy. When the government built a big transportation complex, only to have it impeded by young vandals sticking chewing gum in the keyholes, boom – the importation of chewing gum was outlawed, and anyone caught with it risked public humiliation and fines.

Naturally the U.S.-based Wrigley’s Chewing Gum Company didn’t like that. They appealed (through their mouthpiece, Representative Phil Crane of Illinois) first to Bill Clinton, then to George Bush, to put the hammer down and force Singapore to accept U.S.-made chewing gum as part of the Free Trade negotiations.

Singapore stood firm, and the only thing Bush and Wrigley got out of it was a a little face-saving provision about gum prescribed by doctors for medicinal purposes.