Top 10 Facts About Singapore

So I was looking at my Geographic Analytics and to my surprise a lot of my viewers and readers have been or are from Singapore. I want to pay tribute and give thanks in a way to my readers there today and try to present a brief history on the beautiful country, but also I wish to present ten facts about Singapore today. I hope we both learn something new, and I hope the lovely people of Singapore are well and keep on enjoying my content. Thank you!

Singapore, is a dynamic city-state at the crossroads of Asia, is a captivating blend of modernity and tradition. Renowned for its stunning skyline, Singapore boasts architectural marvels like the iconic Marina Bay Sands and the futuristic Supertree Grove. Beyond its gleaming urban landscape, the city unfolds a rich tapestry of diverse cultures, with neighbourhoods like Chinatown, Little India, and Kampong Glam offering vibrant experiences. A global financial hub, Singapore thrives on innovation and efficiency, yet its lush green spaces, including the renowned Gardens by the Bay, provide serene retreats. Known for its culinary prowess, Singapore's hawker centres serve up a delectable array of dishes, showcasing the nation's multicultural heritage. Singapore's commitment to cleanliness, safety, and forward-thinking urban planning makes it a destination that seamlessly balances tradition and progress.

10: City-State

Singapore is both a city and a country, making it the world's only island city-state.

9: Global Financial Hub

Despite its small size, Singapore is a major global financial centre and is home to one of the busiest ports in the world.

8: Cleanliness

Singapore is known for its cleanliness and strict regulations on public behaviour. Littering and graffiti are heavily fined, contributing to the city's pristine appearance.

7: Multicultural Society

Singapore is a melting pot of cultures and ethnicities. Its population includes Chinese, Malay, Indian, and other ethnic groups, resulting in a rich tapestry of traditions, festivals, and cuisines. Singapore has four official languages: English, Malay, Mandarin Chinese, and Tamil. English is the main language used in government, education, and business.

6: Merlion

The Merlion, a mythical creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish, is an iconic symbol of Singapore. The city-state has several Merlion statues, with the most famous one located at Merlion Park, overlooking Marina Bay.

5: Gardens by the Bay

This iconic attraction features futuristic Super trees, Flower Dome, and Cloud Forest conservatories. It is a stunning example of Singapore's commitment to sustainability and green spaces.

4: Efficient Public Transportation

Singapore is known for its efficient and well-connected public transportation system, including buses and an extensive MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) network.

3: Strict Laws

Singapore is known for its strict laws and regulations. This includes laws against chewing gum, which is regulated, and strict penalties for offences such as drug trafficking.

2: National Service

All male citizens in Singapore are required to undergo compulsory military service known as National Service, contributing to the country's defence.

1: Marina Bay Sands

This iconic integrated resort features a unique boat-shaped rooftop and houses a hotel, casino, shopping mall, and observation deck, offering breathtaking views of the city.

These facts highlight Singapore's unique blend of modernity, cultural diversity, and adherence to stringent policies that contribute to its distinct character. Big thanks to my readers of Singapore once again, I cannot thank you enough, I love you all and appreciate the support and views.

Stay Shiny!

Star Wars: Facts You Might Not Know?

So my Star Wars week approaches its end and to celebrate let's take a gander into this weird Holocron I found. Here are some interesting facts about Star Wars that you might not know:

(This image is a little outdated, but it checks out)

1. The iconic lightsabers were created using camera trickery: In the original Star Wars film, the lightsabers were created by filming a stick with reflective tape on it and then rotoscoping the glowing blade onto the footage.

2. Alec Guinness (who played Obi-Wan Kenobi) initially thought Star Wars was "fairy tale rubbish": Despite his initial reservations about the film, Guinness eventually grew to appreciate his role and became one of the most beloved characters in the franchise.

3. The voice of Yoda was originally intended to be that of a monkey: Sound designer Ben Burtt created Yoda's unique voice by combining the voices of a chain-smoking Muppet performer and an old man with a specific dialect. However, he originally planned to use the voice of a monkey for the character.

4. George Lucas was inspired by classic literature: Lucas has cited various literary works as inspiration for Star Wars, including the works of Joseph Campbell, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and Frank Herbert.

5. The iconic opening crawl was inspired by Flash Gordon: The opening crawl that appears at the beginning of each Star Wars film was inspired by the opening crawl of the Flash Gordon serials from the 1930s.

6. The Ewoks were almost Wookiees: Originally, the Ewoks were meant to be Wookiees, but the decision was made to create a new species for Return of the Jedi that was smaller and cuter.

7. Star Wars has its own religion: Jediism is a religion that has been inspired by the philosophy and beliefs of the Jedi Order in the Star Wars franchise.

8. There is a Star Wars-themed planet in our own solar system: The planet Hoth, which was featured in The Empire Strikes Back, is the nickname for a real-life planet called Pluto.

9. The original Star Wars film was not expected to be a hit: Despite the massive success of the franchise, the first film was initially not expected to be a hit and many people in the industry doubted its potential.

10. The name "Star Wars" was almost different: The film was originally going to be called "The Adventures of Luke Starkiller, as taken from the Journal of the Whills, Saga I: The Star Wars."

11. The sound of the TIE fighters is actually an elephant call: Sound designer Ben Burtt recorded an elephant call and manipulated it to create the sound of the TIE fighters in the films.

12. The Jedi Order is based on real-life monastic orders: The Jedi Order's code and beliefs are based on various monastic orders, including the Buddhist and Christian monastic traditions.

13. The original trilogy was filmed out of order: Due to scheduling conflicts and other logistical issues, the original trilogy was filmed out of order, with some scenes from Return of the Jedi being filmed before those from The Empire Strikes Back.

14. Darth Vader only has 12 minutes of screen time in the original Star Wars film: Despite being one of the most iconic villains in film history, Darth Vader actually has relatively little screen time in the first Star Wars film.

15. George Lucas originally wanted Han Solo to die in Return of the Jedi: Lucas initially planned to kill off Han Solo in the third film, but changed his mind after Harrison Ford expressed his desire to leave the franchise.

16. The Wampa in The Empire Strikes Back was played by a real bear: The Wampa, the creature that attacks Luke Skywalker on the ice planet Hoth, was actually played by a trained bear named Bjorn.

17. Princess Leia's famous hairstyle was inspired by Queen Elizabeth I: The iconic hairstyle worn by Princess Leia in the first Star Wars film was inspired by the elaborate hairstyles worn by Queen Elizabeth I of England.

18. The Millennium Falcon was originally designed as a "saucer-shaped" ship: The ship that eventually became the Millennium Falcon was initially designed as a "saucer-shaped" ship, but was later modified to its current shape.

19. The lightsabers in the prequel trilogy were created using computer-generated imagery: In the prequel trilogy, the lightsabers were created using computer-generated imagery rather than the camera trickery used in the original films.

20. The Star Wars franchise has inspired countless parodies and homages: From the Spaceballs film to episodes of TV shows like The Simpsons and Family Guy, the Star Wars franchise has inspired countless parodies and homages over the years.

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HALLOWEEN HOLIDAY HISTORY! - Let's Make Halloween Great Again!

Oh I do wish people would stop blabbering their lips like fish. Yapping their gums about Christmas from the summer time to now they prioritise it over another day which used to be seen as a great holiday but now it's seen as a excuse to dress up and get drunk and this holiday happens at the 31st October every year. Halloween.

My friends Halloween as a child was a special time it's where not only would the day itself be spooky but there would be a great build up of spookiness and creepy shows and decorations and costumes would fill up our tvs, shops and homes to be paranormal instead of well normal and trick r treating was beast unless you got bullied or treats got pinched that night of hallows eve.

As you get older into the Teens you see the point in dressing up fun still but to trick or treat is not on the menu because social anxiety and laziness but you appreciate the horrifying films and TV shows that would air this season.

When your an adult we should be still in love with the horror movies on this month and that dressing up is still fun but now everyone is on about Christmas this and Santa that every day, every month, every year and even on Christmas they are like "oh can't wait for the next one" yes you can lay down off the eggnog and come do your dooty and get spooky with me as I explore the origins of this once great day known as....

HALLOWEEN

So 31st October is celebrated yearly and known as a holiday called Halloween but did you know that Halloween originated with that of an ancient Celtic festival called; Samhain and in that festival people would light bonfires, and wear costumes to fight off any evil spirits that lurked near by. In the 8th century Pope Gregory 3 declared November first to be All Saints Day and this had a lot of the same traditions as Samhain and so the evening before was known as All Hallows Eve and later became Halloween. Overtime this holiday evolved into what we see today a day of sweets and other activities in costumes and pumpkin carving and bobbing for apples etc.

Back to Samhain now where the Celts on November 1st celebrate their annual new year and this was all some like 2 thousand years ago. November first marked the end of summer and the harvest and that the winter meant the beginning of the dark and cold season, a time of year that was often associated with human death to them. The Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31 they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the spirits of the dead returned to earth. Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for their Druids, or priests, to make predictions about the future. For people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter so the Druids/Priests would build big bonfires they considered sacred and gathered people round them to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to their gods and the Celts would all wear costumes of animal skins and heads and tried to reassure one another by telling each other their futures. This sounds pretty bonkers don't it? Well when the celebration was over, they re-lit their fires, which they had extinguished earlier that evening, from the sacred bonfire to help protect them during the winter.

Now if you are wondering, "where the bloody hell did bobbing for apples come from?" well fear not for I have googled and I shall reveal it to you right here. In 43AD the Romans conquered the Celts well the majority at least, the Romans had two festivals which joined with Samhain. The first was Feralia, which was a day in late October when the Romans traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead. The second was a day to honour Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple, and the incorporation of this celebration into Samhain, explains the tradition of “bobbing” for apples that is practised today on Halloween. So that's pretty interesting huh?

Now I referenced All Saints Day above somewhere and it's time to dive into that quickly. On May 13, 609AD, Pope Boniface IV dedicated the Pantheon in Rome in honour of all Christian martyrs, and the Catholic feast of All Martyrs Day was established in the Western church. Pope Gregory 3 would later expand the festival to include All Saints as well as All Martyrs, and moved the observance from May 13 to November 1.Now in the 9th century the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands, where it gradually blended with the older Celtic rites. In 1000AD, the church would make November 2 All Souls’ Day, a day to honour the dead. All Souls Day was celebrated similarly to Samhain, with big bonfires, parades, and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels and devils. The All Saints Day celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas and the night before it, the traditional night of Samhain in the Celtic religion, began to be called All-Hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween.

ORIGINS OF HALLOWEEN TRADITIONS!

In terms of Bad Luck; We avoid crossing paths with black cats, afraid that they might bring us bad luck. This idea has its roots in the Middle Ages, when many people believed that witches avoided detection by turning themselves into black cats. We try not to walk under ladders for the same reason. This superstition may have come from the ancient Egyptians, who believed that triangles were sacred (it also may have something to do with the fact that walking under a leaning ladder tends to be fairly unsafe). And around Halloween, especially, we try to avoid breaking mirrors, stepping on cracks in the road or spilling salt.

Origin of the Jack O Lantern: A fun fall activity, carving Jack-o'-lanterns actually has its roots in a sinister, tragic fable. Celtic folklore tells the tale of a drunken farmer named Jack who tricked the devil, but his trickery resulted in him being turned away from both the gates of heaven and hell after he died. Having no choice but to wander around the darkness of purgatory, Jack made a lantern from a turnip and a burning lump of coal that the devil had tossed him from hell. Jack, the story goes, used the lantern to guide his lost soul; as such, the Celts believed that placing Jack-o'-lanterns outside would help guide lost spirits home when they wander the streets on Halloween. Originally made using a hollowed-out turnip with a small candle inside, Jack-o'-lanterns' frightening carved faces also served to scare evil spirits away. When the Irish potato famine of 1846 forced Irish families to flee to North America, the tradition came with them. Since turnips were hard to come by in the states at the time, pumpkins were used as a substitute.

Halloween Bats: Medieval folklore also described bats as witches' familiars, and seeing a bat on Halloween was considered to be quite an ominous sign. One myth was that if a bat was spotted flying around one's house three times, it meant that someone in that house would soon die. Another myth was that if a bat flew into your house on Halloween, it was a sign that your house was haunted because ghosts had let the bat in.

Halloween Spiders; A common source of fear, spiders make for creepy, crawly Halloween staples. They join the ranks of bats and black cats in folklore as being evil companions of witches during medieval times. One superstition held that if a spider falls into a candle-lit lamp and is consumed by the flame, witches are nearby. And if you spot a spider on Halloween, goes another superstition, it means that the spirit of a deceased loved one is watching over you.

Hallowed Cauldrons: The pagan Celts believed that after death, all souls went into the crone's cauldron, which symbolised the Earth mother's womb. There, the souls awaited reincarnation, as the goddess' stirring allowed for new souls to enter the cauldron and old souls to be reborn. That image of the cauldron of life has now been replaced by the steaming, bubbling, ominous brew.

The Witch's Broomstick; This is another superstition that has its roots in medieval myths. The elderly, introverted women that were accused of witchcraft were often poor and could not afford horses, so they navigated through the woods on foot with the help of walking sticks, which were sometimes substituted by brooms. English folklore tells that during night-time ceremonies, witches rubbed a "flying" potion on their bodies, closed their eyes and felt as though they were flying. The hallucinogenic ointment, which caused numbness, rapid heartbeat and confusion, gave them the illusion that they were soaring through the sky.

The traditional Halloween colours: These consist of orange and black actually stem from the pagan celebration of autumn and the harvest, with orange symbolising the colours of the crops and turning leaves, while black marks the "death" of summer and the changing season. Over time, green, purple and yellow have also been introduced into the colour scheme of Halloween decorations.

Trick Or Treat?; It surprisingly came from Irish and English traditions, Americans began to dress up in costumes and go house to house asking for food or money, a practice that eventually became “trick-or-treat” tradition. Young women believed that on Halloween they could divine the name or appearance of their future husband by doing tricks with yarn, apple parings or mirrors. Wish they would still believe this haha. In the 1800s, there was a move in America to mold Halloween into a holiday more about community and neighbourly get-togethers than about ghosts, pranks and witchcraft. At the turn of the century, Halloween parties for both children and adults became the most common way to celebrate the day. Parties focused on games, foods of the season and festive costumes. However parents were encouraged by newspapers and community leaders to take anything “frightening” or “grotesque” out of Halloween celebrations. Because of these efforts, Halloween lost most of its superstitious and religious overtones by the beginning of the twentieth century. And we thought today's standards are too P.C. this clearly is the origin of the butthurt society sad times.

This has been a horrific holiday history piece on Halloween. Brought to you from Me and Google because not all the information I knew here and I googled some and sliced it up and brought it here with me.

If anyone wants me to do a post on scary stories for Halloween or based around Halloween let me know and i'll get onto it.

For now: Stay Spooky and Do Your Dooty!

The Shape Of Water Film Review (SPOILER FREE)

Ok so it's been one of my most anticipated films since October last year i think when i first seen a trailer for it, i thought it looked fresh and unique and it was from Guillermo Del Toro which immediately caught my interest and heightened it further to want to watch this film and not only that but it was it's concept a love story between this creature from the deep and a mute woman and not only that but Michael Shannon's involvement also got me interested and excited to go see this film. 

So what is The Shape Of Water all about? It's a fantasy, drama, romance spectacle set in cold war era America, In the hidden high-security government laboratory where she works, lonely Elisa is trapped in a life of isolation. Elisa's life is changed forever when she and co-worker Zelda discover a secret classified experiment in the form of an aquatic beast but he is not a beast just a lovely misunderstood creature. 

The cast are brilliant with Doug Jones playing the role of the Aquatic Man, Sally Hawkins as Elisa, Michael Shannon as Richard Strickland, Octavia Spencer as Zelda and along with Richard Jenkins as Giles they all stood out stole the show and drove the film along nicely. 

The visual's are stunning, really capturing the days of the 50's/60's era of design and art along with the film capturing the era of the golden age of movies, it's really something. Costumes look lovely and of era. Music is great it's all of the same era of course and it's brilliant, not to spoil anything but there's a beautiful musical piece in the film set in black and white which is touching and overall it's a very sweet film too. A lot of practical effects went into the movie and i was shocked to hear Guillermo in an interview recently say "Nothing was filmed underwater, i don't like shooting in water, we hung everything upside down and made it work in slow motion." which i did not expect because the water and the effects of things under the water in the underwater scenes look so real like they were actually filming it underwater you know? I also realise it took me a while but i got to the point in the end of my last sentence haha. 

This is the all new re-imagined Beauty And The Beast minus no rich guy being turned into the beast in this one but it's B&TB directed by Guillermo for sure and it was enjoyable to watch and just visually stunning. 

I hope this film and everyone who worked on it and starred in it get's some awards, I do know it has picked up a bunch of awards already but i want it to gain more.

I have to say, this film is a must see, if you are curious or liked the trailer i highly recommend you go watch the film or if you like Del Toro for that matter. 

I really enjoyed this movie, I hope you do too, please go see it if it interest's you! 

FUN FACTS!

• Director Guillermo del Toro began working on the film in 2011. He self-financed a crew that designed both the creature and the lab.

• It took over nine months to arrive at the look of the creature, and director Guillermo del Toro calls it the most difficult movie he and his team have ever designed.

• Doug Jones spent three hours every day getting into the costume. According to him, it was nothing compared to previous costumes he has worn in other films by Guillermo del Toro.

• This project marked the first time director Guillermo del Toro had a female co-writer on his script.

• This has no connection to Abe from Hellboy.

• Guillermo chose to direct this film instead of Pacific Rim Uprising.