Best time to avoid the e-file crush would probably be early in the morning – the IRAS server seems quite speedy right about now, actually.

Deadline to file your taxes is 15 April (that’s tomorrow!) for hardcopy forms, and 18 April for e-filing.

Granted, you probably won’t win the entire pot, but hey, even 10%’s pretty decent loot too.

The draw’s this Friday, so if you plan to try your luck, now’s a good time to place your bets – not that I’m encouraging gambling or anything…

Get yourself to Fort Canning Park on 19th Feb (day 2 of CNY) for an “eclectic mix of great music, atmosphere and killer vibes“.

More info, including ticketing details, can be found at the Good Vibrations Festival 2007 website.

The Very Short Stories Contest

The skies actually look clear from my office window (when the PSI hits above 70 or so, buildings in the distance start “disappearing”), and the NEA says that the PSI has been in the 30s for most of today.

Cause for celebration indeed!

I don’t know if this is common amongst people from other countries (or perhaps it’s an Asian thing), but my friends and I tend to plan our vacations around food. We go to a new place, and the first thing we have to check out is all the host of wonderful food that’s available. I guess living in the gastronomical hodge-podge that is Singapore gives us the opportunity to sample a huge range of food from different cultures, which possibly makes us a lot more adventurous than some of our counterparts.

Whatever the reason, I find myself hunting down the good eating places in whichever part of the world I happen to be in, and I attribute it to the foodie in me that was nurtured from growing up in Singapore!

(Yeah, we need to apply for a ballot to even obtain NDP tickets…welcome to the Singaporean way!)

Of course, seeing as to how the NDP site seems to be overloaded right now, you can also apply for parade tickets through a couple of different methods:

Via the NDP website, AXS or SAM machines:

1. Log on to www.ndp.org.sg or go to any AXS or SAM machines.
2. Follow the instructions on the screen.
3. Submit the form

Via SMS:

1. Key in if you want to attend the parade on 9 Aug or key in if you want to attend the preview of the show on 29 Jul.
2. Key in your NRIC number. Remember to include the prefix ‘S’
or ‘T’.
3. Enter ‘SC’ if you are a Singapore citizen or ‘PR’ if you are a permanent resident. (Example: PREVIEW S1234567Z SC)
4. Send:
2 tickets, send to 41412
4 tickets, send to 41414
6 tickets, send to 41416
* Applicants have to pay a 20-cent administrative charge.

Via phone:

1. Call:
For preview tickets, call 1900-112-1391
For NDP tickets, call 1900-112-1392
2. Follow the instructions
* Applicants have to pay a 20-cent administrative charge.
Application period: 12 noon tomorrow to 11pm on 4 Jun.
You may only apply for Preview OR NDP tickets. Successful applicants will be notified by telephone between 16 Jun and 23 Jun. They can collect their tickets at ‘The Pavilion on the Square’ at Far East Square from 24 Jun to 2 Jul between 10am and 8pm daily.

The public can call 1800-NDP-2006 (1800-637-2006) or visit www.ndp.org.sg if they have enquiries or feedback.

(Courtesy of The Electric New Paper, our very own local tabloid…sort of)

Just a quick rundown of Nomination Day news:

Total – 84 seats
Walkovers – 37 seats (from 7 constituencies)
Contested – 47 seats (from 7 Group Representation Constituencies and 9 Single Member Constituencies)

More interestingly, this is the first time in 18 years that the PAP hasn’t had the majority required (43 seats) to form a government on Nomination Day.

Channel News Asia has a pretty good GE2006 site here. Notice how all the walkovers are in the west?

It’s nice to see the opposition bringing out new faces who actually look competent this time around…at least they’re trying a bit harder to introduce fresh blood to the mix. Let’s see how they fare in a week’s time.

Oh, and if anyone missed “Why My Vote Matters“? It’s available here.

“[...] if a country where everything works, where you can effortlessly switch on your laptop and things get done is boring, then give me boring. You cannot live an adventure every day.”

How true.

They’re holding it from 12pm – 6pm at all the Singapore outlets, i.e. Great World City, United Square, Suntec City Mall, and the Singapore Zoo. As with past Free Cone Days elsewhere, it’s one cone per person, while stocks last.

Ah…reminds me of when I was back in college…those lines for free ice-cream on a warm spring day… =) Heheh.