We got fun 'n' games

[austin_dern]

For the upcoming Southeast Asia Games, a local Olympics-type round of international sports competition, Team Singapore has been given a little promotional booth along Orchard Road. The banner urges all to, ``Cheer Team Singapore On This Sea Games'', and it was set up as this small plywood-and-canvas tent with a sound speaker blaring a sort of Techno version of ``Welcome to the Jungle'' which, for whatever reason, couldn't get past those four words. I felt sorry for the people working the stand.

The barker running the stand urged people to show their support for Team Singapore, which we could do by lining up and getting a cup of iced Milo. I don't deny the appeal of iced Milo, all the moreso when it's free, but I don't see how this will help rally the sports team to victory. There were also drop boxes for people who wanted to write their messages of cheer, which I could see bringing them cheer and inspiration.

One geographic anomaly I noticed is they mentioned that for the games the team will be ``going down to Manilla'' to compete. You'd think it would be up, but I suppose with pretty much everything except Jakarta, Australia, and New Zealand being up from here the speaker strains for any other word to use even if it doesn't make strict geographic sense.

In a hobby shop -- which has gotten a Star Trek V Starship Enterprise kit, that I'm debating buying even though I haven't built the last Star Trek V Starship Enterprise kit I bought, in 1990 -- I saw a little, limited-edition, model of the Spruce Goose. It's quite attractive, and made of metal. I have a problem with bursting into laughter in stores.

Trivia: In 1931, Passaic, New Jersey television station W2XCD broadcast a program, The History of Television. It lasted 15 minutes. Source: Please Stand By: A Prehistory of Television, Michael Ritchie.

Currently Reading: Victims of Groupthink, Irving L Janis.

Comments

[bunny-hugger.livejournal.com]

I say "go down to X" even when X is north (or east or west). I don't know why, but I always have.

[austin-dern.livejournal.com]

I suppose I picked up my orientation from living where you might go up to the city (New York, in this case), or down to the Shore. It gave a definite orientation to things.