Congratulations to the big little Stockdale on making her First Communion.
The best part of the service was that without all the grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, and random relatives in the church, even though there were 200 kids, it was fairly easy to find a seat and mass really didn’t take that long.
Because I know you’ve been closely following the elections in Singapore.
http://www.economist.com/blogs/banyan/2011/05/singapores_election
Educational, so feel free to skip reading. Just make sure to check back to learn about the four new tote bags I got this week. FOUR ! ! !
Guess what these symbols represent:
A. Singaporean superhero costume
B. Russia’s new toy hammer brand of communism
C. A merger between Heineken and Audi
D. Acura’s new logo that they stole from Star Trek
E. Singaporean Political Parties
If you guessed E, please step into the booth and vote twice.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_political_parties_in_Singapore
Election day is Saturday and posters with these symbols are EVERYWHERE. ( I recommend only voting for the lightning bolt folks. ) In Singapore you must be 21 to vote and you are LEGALLY REQUIRED to do so. Also, for all your voting inconvenience, the folks currently in power ( the lightning bolts ) have declared Monday a national holiday. No need to go into work. Please enjoy yourself and think of us early and often as you pull the lever.
In all seriousness, Singapore’s elections aren’t rigged, however they are skewed to benefit the incumbent and those currently in power. If I saw any oppression or dissidents being rounded up in the streets, I’d have some problems with it. Some of the locals may differ, but Singapore is a unique country and their system works.
Try and guess which of the following signs Mrs. Stockdale did not read:
If you guessed that Mrs. Stockdale somehow managed to read ALL THREE signs and actually abide by their various rules and regulations, then congratulate yourself and Mrs. Stockdale. We finally had an injury free vacation, to Borneo of all places.
Now, Borneo is not a country, it is just the name of the island. If you consult your maptlas, Borneo is an island in the South China Sea that is East ( that is metric for right ) of Singapore on the equator. Three countries claim portions of the island. They are Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia. The Stockdales went to a city called Kota Kinabalu in the northern chunk of the island that belongs to Malaysia.
Just like our trip to Panama City/Phuket, going to Borneo/Kota Kinabalu isn’t that much different from going to Mexico Beach, Florida. Not everyone has heard of it, not everyone knows precisely where it is, but you know there is a beach and you’re pretty sure there isn’t a war going on.
The Stockdales actually had a reason to go to Kota Kinabalu. That reason was the Borneo International Marathon.
First, let’s get the formalities out-of-the-way. Guess you what get if you run the Borneo International Marathon?
Also, guess what you get if your spouse runs the Borneo International Half Marathon?
If you guessed tote bag, GUESS WHAT, you’re a winner!
With that gag out of the way, Borneo isn’t all marathons and tote bags, it is so much more. For example, orangutans. There are only two places left in the world where orangutans live in the wild and Borneo is one of them. So, just as if you were to go to Maine, all the gift shops sell cuddly stuffed lobster stuffed critters that your kids demand, in Borneo all the gift shops sell cuddly stuffed orangutans that your kids demand.
In addition to the cuddly stuffed variety of orangutans, our hotel actually had some real orangutans. Whereas the elephants in Thailand were brought in daily for the show, in Borneo the primates actually have their own ‘rehabilitation center’ at the hotel.
Basically, the hotel has a nature reserve on the property. When an orangutan is rescued from captivity ( pet, poacher, etc. ) the animal is brought to the center and taught to readjust to the wild. That, and they charge you to watch them feed it and hold it and for an ADDITIONAL fee, you child can become a ‘Ranger’ and they can clean the cages and ‘assist’ in the caring of animals. ( Thankfully, you need to be 10 years old to qualify as a ‘Ranger’. )
Of course, after you see the orangutans, but before you run the marathon, there are other things you must experience in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. Like sunsets.
The only reason this picture looks peaceful is because you can’t hear the little Stockdales screaming at each other. They may look like they are about to hold hands in a sisterly embrace of warmth and harmony, but in reality the big little Stockdale and the middle little Stockdale are about to throw the crazy little Stockdale into the South China Sea where giant seamonsters will eat her brains.
And the local dress.
Where they put gobs of makeup on little Stockdales while unsuspecting parents sit at a dimly lit outdoor bar listening to John Denver covers played by three Malaysian guys dressed like Jimmy Buffet.
Until you wake up the following morning to the white sandy beaches with the crystal clear blue water.
Sorry, nothing funny here. It was actually much whiter and sandier and clearer and bluer than it looks.
But, then there was the local cuisine:
Who could possibly understand why Procter & Gamble would sell the Pringles brand with such hit flavors as: ‘Seaweed’, ‘Grilled Shrimp’, ‘Softshell Crab’, or ‘Blueberry and Hazelnut’?
So, congratulations to Mrs. Stockdale on her first injury free vacation since we arrived in Singapore exactly one year ago ( that is 52 weeks in metric ). At some point in the near future I’ll put together a well thought out and educational essay covering our time overseas. Or, I’ll drink too many overpriced cheap beers and type whatever happens to come to mind.
The purpose of this bright orange ‘Caution’ sign with a bright flashing/spinning light above it is to warn you about:
A. Road work ahead
B. Falling tote bags
C. Rabid puppies
D. The truck battery behind the sign powering the light
Happy Easter from the Stockdales!
In an effort to minimize the effects of Mrs. Stockdale’s travel ‘issues’, the proper precautionary measures have been taken.
This is a puppy. This puppy lives in Thailand. This puppy lives in Thailand at a restaurant on a beach. This puppy lives in Thailand at a restaurant on a beach just outside the hotel the Stockdales stayed at in Phuket.
The family pictured with this puppy lives in Singapore. The family pictured with this puppy lives in Singapore and is friends with the Stockdales. The family pictured with this puppy lives in Singapore and is friends with the Stockdales and went to the same hotel as the Stockdales did in Phuket. The family pictured with this puppy lives in Singapore and is friends with the Stockdales and went to the same hotel as the Stockdales did in Phuket and went a week after the Stockdales. The family pictured with this puppy lives in Singapore and is friends with the Stockdales and went to the same hotel as the Stockdales did in Phuket and went a week after the Stockdales and was asked by me to take a picture of this puppy.
Why did I ask them to take of picture of this puppy?
A. Because it is the cutest puppy ever!
B. The puppy won a tote bag in the ‘Adventures of Dale Stockdale Tote Bag Challenge’ and I need to know where to send it.
C. In lieu of a fourth child, the Stockdales are adopting the puppy.
D. The puppy bit Mrs. Stockdale on the foot and we needed to know if the puppy had been given rabies shots.
Anyone who answered A and D, congratulations – YOU’RE A WINNER!
In all seriousness, rabies is nothing to joke about. It’s not that it could kill you if you get it and leave it untreated, it WILL kill you if you get it and leave it untreated.
However, if a small cute puppy just BARELY nips at your foot and doesn’t break the skin, and doesn’t draw blood, and just leaves a teeny-tiny red mark AND you are Mrs. Stockdale, where should you do research about the effects of rabies?
A. www.ivegotrabiesandImgoingtodie.com
B. www.rabiesthedangeroussilentkiller.com
D. All of the above.
If are Mrs. Stockdale, the correct answer is D.
However, if you are the husband of Mrs. Stockdale, you might first visit the ‘Center for Disease Control’ website or the ‘World Health Organization’ website. While these websites make you acutely aware of the seriousness of rabies, they also provide accurate medical information, should you or someone you know come into contact with the disease. ( For the record, Thailand has been working to eradicate rabies for quite some time and has been fairly successful. )
Just to be safe, Mrs. Stockdale is receiving the rabies vaccine. This amounts to five shots over two weeks. These are NOT the super painful injection of stuff extracted from dead people that you read about on the websites visited by Mrs. Stockdale. This is just five regular shots in the arm.
Mrs. Stockdale is 99.9999999999999% fine, except for the fact she is married to me. We are not even remotely concerned she has rabies. However, we are VERY VERY VERY scared about what could happen on our next adventure.
Wow, that’s a big a** fan!
You know what, you’re right, it is a big a** fan!
http://www.economist.com/node/18359852?story_id=18359852
This link is for an article from The Economist. It basically discusses how Singapore’s government operates, why it is efficient, and whether or not the West or China could use the same ideas. Maybe you find it boring, maybe you find it interesting.
It was part of an overall special report on how government spending is out of control in Europe and the US. In my opinion, the small size of Singapore and the fact that it is an island ( natural barriers to illegal entry ), is what really makes the difference. That said, as I mentioned in a post a long time ago, sometimes it seems like a genius designed this place, other times like Homer Simpson is in charge.
Also, for reference, here is the Economist article on the Chinese government.
http://www.economist.com/node/18359954?story_id=18359954
Please accept my apologies if it lacks any entertainment value.
Adventures of Dale Stockdale 
